chocolate shots

The dough didn't come together.
I thought the recipe was a disaster.
As a last effort, I poured the batter into mini cupcake liners and baked 14 minutes as instructed.

They were a hit!
Oooey  goooey in the center, the trick to eating these was to squeeze the molten chocolate out of the mini liner and directly into the mouth.

I'm sure that was not the intent of the recipe, but it works!
(Sorry, no pictures of the real thing...I thought they were a disaster....but they weren't.)

Chocolate Shots
(adapted from here)
Ingredients:

• 12 oz powdered sugar
• 2 oz cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Mixing:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine powdered sugar, cocoa, salt and chocolate chips.
3. Add egg whites and vanilla and stir well
4. Pour into 24 mini muffin cups, almost to the top (there may be a little extra batter)
5. Bake for 14 minutes, then remove from oven and cool (top may crack; center will be gooey)

snow dusted Christmas cheese wafers

...or, more commonly named Val's Cheese Biscuits
...and, Val has named them Maggie's Cheese Biscuits

..it's a tradition....pass it on.....

The cheese crackers are crispy, yet rich with butter and cheese.  Don't skip the light dusting of powdered sugar; it's great on these crackers.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz all purpose flour (about 2 cups)
• 8 oz butter, cut into cubes (2 sticks)
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Mixing:

1. Toss the cold butter cubes into the flour in a medium bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips.  
3. Lightly toss the mixture with your hands to aerate 
4. Continue to rub the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of large peas
5. Add the grated cheese and toss well
6. Continue to mix with your hands until you can squeeze a handful of the mixture and it holds together.
7. Pour the lumpy, powdery mixture into a saran lined dish (I used an 8" cake pan)
8. Press the mixture firmly into the pan and refrigerate for an hour
9. Preheat oven to 345 degrees
10. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into 4 pieces
11. Roll one piece on lightly floured surface to 1/4 " thick
12. Bake on parchment lined baking sheet for about 15 minutes.
13. Remove to wire rack to cool
14. After completely cooked, dust lightly with sifted powdered sugar

(cut them in the shape of hearts and call them Valentine's cheese biscuits...)
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