Lookie!

Last night P and I made Picky Palate's Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies and we had so much fun! That's a pic of our efforts above, and I think they turned out great! And they *are* quite yummy.

I have to be honest and tell you I can't remember the last time I made homemade cookie dough. Is that terrible? I usually go the semi-homemade route and get the pre-made dough, but I thought that P would love doing it from scratch, and he did. Now, this did involve a trip to the store to get real vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Don't judge!

While we were baking, P said "I haven't decided yet if I want to be a policeman, a roofer, or a chef." I kept a straight face and said he could be whatever he wanted to be, but I certainly wouldn't mind if he baked some yummy stuff for me along the way.

The cookies were for my work dessert contest, and P wanted to know how big the trophy would be if we won. Sadly, there are no trophies involved, but if we do place, we'll get a gift certificate to a local restaurant, and he seemed pleased by that prospect.

So wish us well!

Attn Chocoholics

A few weeks ago, I made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes for a celebration at work, modifying a recipe I saw at the blog Kevin and Amanda. They were beyond fabulous and I was instantly famous at work with everyone stopping by my office to ask about them. I loudly professed my love for Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream frosting. I immediately created a blog post for them to spread the word. I was going to be The Blogger Who Made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes Easily (a la Becky Brandon).

Not long after that, Amanda posted about making Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes, so I knew I had to give them a whirl. That I wouldn't be able to sleep until I did. But I also knew that I'd be buying Betty Crocker Whipped frosting rather than tackle Amanda's complicated frosting recipe, which looked like it might be my nemesis.

The fact that it has been a week and a half since I made these and I am just now getting around to posting about them is telling.

They were good, just not as good.

The Cookie Dough cupcakes are so good, I'm afraid I'll be measuring all dessert hence forward against them. And that's really not fair to the rest of the desserts in the world.....

But anyway, if you happen to be a chocoholic, you will love these- they *are* mighty tasty.

To make the brownie batter:

1/4 cup Parkay, melted
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk (left out of the picture! I used skim)
1 (18.25 oz) box Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil’s Food cake mix

Combine all in a bowl and mix.


I used my Pampered Chef scoop and made balls of dough that I froze overnight on parchment paper.



The next day I made my cupcake batter.

1 (18.25 oz) box Pillsbury Moist Supreme Devil’s Food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil (how much do you love the new Crisco container? No mess!)
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a large bowl and mix. Stir in chocolate chips.

I again used my Pampered Chef scoop to drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full.

Next, take frozen brownie batter balls and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for about 25 minutes.



Once cooled, I used this Betty Crocker Whipped Chocolate Frosting to frost the cupcakes, and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. This whipped frosting is genius- so creamy and good!

Here what they looked like frosted.

And here's what they looked like right before I polished off my first one. The brownie batter does not sink to the bottom like in the cookie dough cupcakes, but stays at the top.

They were delightful- and very very chocolate-y!

An informal poll at my office resulted as such: These were good, but I have a better chance of winning the Thanksgiving Dessert Contest with the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes....

With this recipe, I will rule the world

Last week I saw a fabulous recipe for Chocolate Cookie Dough Cupcakes on Kevin and Amanda's blog and knew the perfect occasion to make it: a birthday celebrate at work.

And I've got to tell you- they are amazing! I am eating one as we speak.

Here's what the finished product looks like:


I do have to disclose that I am all about the semi-homemade, so I used a tub of premade Pillsbury cookie dough, a boxed cake mix, and canned frosting. Nothing to be ashamed of!

1. I took a vanilla cake mix and mixed it as directed. I filled my muffin tins about 2/3 full, as Amanda suggested.

2. Next, I plopped a frozen ball of cookie dough in the middle of each cup. (Earlier that morning, I had used a Pampered Chef scoop and made some cookie dough balls, which I placed in the freezer for about 10 hours.)

This is what it looked like before I put them in the oven. The cookie dough sinks to the bottom as the cake bakes.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for about 16-18 minutes.

4. Once they were cooled, I frosted with Betty Crocker Whipped Butter Cream frosting (amazing BTW!) and sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top.

I am ever-so-grateful to Amanda for sharing this fabulous recipe idea with her readers. This is definitely going to be a signature dessert and my next dessert contest entry.

Would You Tell Me About

your experience with what I call "Neiman Marcus Bars"?

Last week I squeed in delight when one of my favorite blogs, CakeSpy, had a feature on a dessert that seemed identical to my all-time favorite (and prize-winning) dessert, Neiman Marcus Bars. Only Head Spy Jessie called it "Gooey Butter Cake."

I left Jessie a comment and said: Here in OK, we call them Neiman Marcus bars and store them in the refrigerator... delish!

To my delight, I found an email from Jessie in my in box the next morning: Sasha,
So I am SO curious--how did you come across that Neiman Marcus bar recipe? It seems that they have a few recipes attached to their name (and in some cases, it's urban legend rather than them having actually invented it!). I'm curious about pinpointing the connection between Neiman and sweets! thanks again for reading the site. Yours is wonderful!! jessie

My first experience with theses little pieces of heaven dates back to high school- sometime in the late 80s I recall eating these at a drill team function. Someone's mom was famous for these and made them for us quite a few times. I just can't remember exactly who!

Of course, since I was concentrating on beer in college, I didn't think too much about these again until after I graduated and moved out into my own home, complete with a kitchen and oven just waiting to bake some goodies. Only I couldn't find the recipe! And remember, the internet back then wasn't what it is today. No myspace or facebook to reconnect with all my high school friends and Nancy Drew the recipe.

In 2002 or 2003 I spied them again on a plate at a Junior League function and hunted down the baker. She shared her recipe for "Butter Puffs" with me and it was just as I remembered! I've been baking them frequently ever since, and sharing the recipe with anyone who wants it, but I've been calling it the name I remember from high school, Neiman Marcus Bars.

I posted a plea on facebook last night asking high school friends if they remember the dessert, and I did have one friend who shared the identical recipe with me and also titled hers "Neiman Marcus Bars", so that's one vote that I'm not crazy!

So tell me, are you familiar with these? What do you call them? Where did you get your recipe?

Dessert Contest Entry Yet Again

Yes, I did it.

I went ahead and entered the damned dessert contest at my work yet again.

After I was robbed last November, I swore I'd never enter again.

But I am a glutton for punishment and I whipped something up last night.

My new theory: Go super-easy because the judges around here don't seem to appreciate time and effort.

So I spent a very short time making a Super-Duper Apple Cake, which was recommended by a zillion people on the bargain board. The recipe can be found here. I made this last month for a Sunday school party, and one of the guys swore it was the best thing he had ever tasted in his entire life (Hi Matt!) so I'm thinking it was a good choice. We shall see......

I Was Robbed

We shall speak no more of it.

I am crushed.

(Jenny, it WAS the best dessert in the contest, the judges were just smoking crack or something. Thanks for the recipe idea- I love it!)

Stay Tuned

for results of the Sasha's Work Dessert Contest.

If I do not win, or at least place, all is not right with the world.

Just look at that yumminess!

Of course there was typical Sasha drama in the baking of the cake. I got 8 oz of sour cream instead of 16, so I found another half-eaten 8 oz container in my fridge and added a splash of milk for good measure. Slim had scrounged around and found me some Kahlua to use, but when I measured it, it wasn't quite enough, so I made up for it with Amaretto. (The other choices in the Sasha Liquor Cabinet were Buttershots, Peach Schnapps or Hot Damn, none of which sounded like a good idea and were at least 15 years old.)

But it smells divine and looks sinful. And I scoped out the competition and saw nothing else worth of a prize.

Check back in a few hours..... I will either be celebrating or having the sadz. Will you give me a hug if I lose?