Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

My husband told me last week that some of his co-workers were asking if I was going to be sending in cookies this Christmas.  You can imagine where that ended up (just in case you can't, it was me baking like, a hundred cookies on a Sunday night... while making dinner).  I ended up making three types, two by request and one was my pick.  These were my pick.  They are great when you have a hankering for cheesecake, but are lacking the time and/or motivation to make an actual cheesecake (like me).

Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients
1/4 c. butter, softened
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
Jam of choice (I used raspberry)

Directions

Cream together butter and cheese.  Blend in yolk and vanilla.  Add cake mix.  Mix until well combined.

Roll into 1" balls...

and smoosh a dip in each cookie with your thumb.

Fill each hole with about 1/2 tsp. jam.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through cooking time.  Let cool on sheet 5 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Grilled Nutella

So I was going to post my very delicious barbecued meatball recipe today.  Unfortunately, I did not get a finished photo because they were all eaten before I could say "WAIT!".  As a result I am posting my little boy's favorite treat.  This is not an original idea I am sure, but he is too little to enjoy Nutella on toast without spreading it everywhere so this is what I do!

Grilled Nutella

Ingredients

Directions

Spread Nutella on bread.  If this were for me I would chop up some hazelnuts and sprinkle them on top.  Crunchy.

Top with other slice of bread and butter outsides of sandwich.  Rocket science.

Toast both sides.  Boom.  Grilled Nutella.



Cookie Dough Sins

My husband LOVES cookie dough.  We order the frozen cookie dough balls you can just throw on a baking sheet and bake every year from school and he eats them frozen, uncooked.  Gross.  Raw eggs make me squirm.  You will never see a recipe using uncooked meringue from me.  I can't get over that snot-like consistency.  I'm grossing myself out just talking about it.  The whole point is my husband likes cookie dough and when I saw this recipe I knew he would love it.  Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I saw it originally...  and unfortunately my husband was sticking his fingers in the bowl as I was making them and I forgot to take action photos... Mommy brain strikes again.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Ingredients
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
1 c. mini chocolate chips
4 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
4 oz. chocolate candy coating, chopped
1 Tbsp. shortening

Directions
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla till smooth.  Add flour and beat till combined (this will look very crumbly, SO wish I had a picture).  Stir in chocolate chips.  Press into 1" balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Freeze 30 minutes or until firm.

Melt chocolates and shortening over low heat until smooth. 

Dip frozen balls into melted chocolate and place back on prepared baking sheet ( I used a corn holder for this, but you could use a skewer or a fork.  The balls are very firm and need to be, so a toothpick probably won't work).  Chill 30 minutes or until set.  Use remaining chocolate (I had to pop it in the microwave to re-melt it) to drizzle over top.  Store in fridge.