Like a Good Preschool Mother, I have offered my services for an upcoming bake sale.
Hmmm. What do I make? I would totally do the pumpkin brownie thing, but I don’t think the consistency will hold up well. (They want the items in plastic bags tied up with ribbons.)
Do you have an absolutely fantastic recipe for cookies, brownies or bars? Please help, as I desperately want the school moms and teachers to liiiiiiiike meeeeeeeee.
(Especially since Wito had a little accident involving poop remnants at school yesterday. Which was beyond mortifying. THE SITUATION IS DIRE, YO.)
Sarah
October 7, 2009 at 7:26 amI recommend Chocolate Chip Pound Cake. It makes two, can be cut into cute little cubes, and most of the ingredients are pretty basic.
(The cookbook shows it cut into cubes, maybe 1″ or 2″ square, and it looks adorable. perfect for dipping in chocolate sauce or whipped cream, maybe.)
Recipe from “Giada’s Kitchen” (p. 224)
5 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/3 c mascarpone cheese at room temperature
2-1/4 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour TWO 9″ x 5″ loaf pans. (Ahh. One for you AND one for the bake sale.)
In a small saucepan, combine the unsweetened chocolate with one cup of water. Place over medium-low heat and stir constantly until the chocolate melts (about 2 minutues). Set aside to cool for another 2 minutes, then whisk in the mascarpone until the mixture is smooth.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips together.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate-mascarpone mixture. Add the dry ingredients until just blended.
Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans and bake for 55-60 minutes. (It’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, with no crumbs attached.) Cool loaves in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. (If you plan to freeze the cakes, wrap them well in aluminum foil once they are completely cooled.)
Optional Chocolate Sauce: Use a double boiler to heat 2/3 c. heavy cream, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla. (When small bubbles appear at the edges of the pan, the sauce is done.) Pour the hot cream mixture over 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips. Stir with a fork until the chips melt and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle the sauce over the cakes, then refrigerate them for about 20 minutes until the chocolate sets. Return to room temperature before serving.
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..:: p!nk, pumpkin pancakes, and sunrises :: =-.
keri
October 7, 2009 at 7:32 amYou can’t go wrong with this site! I love their cookbooks, their blog…everything!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/occasions/bake-sale
I’m a “room mom” for the very first time– I know how you feel!
sue
October 7, 2009 at 7:41 amPut the bars on a paper plate, slide it into a plastic bag and tie it with a ribbon.
lisak
October 7, 2009 at 7:50 amThey told you you have to tie it with a ribbon? Oy.
sizzle
October 7, 2009 at 7:52 amI want that picture framed in my kitchen.
.-= sizzle´s last blog ..On the Homefront =-.
Julie
October 7, 2009 at 7:53 amOprah’s lemon pound cake (google it), cut into slices and bagged
It’s very good!
RA
October 7, 2009 at 8:12 amI love the Big and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. It’s the first one in the cookie section of the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, which I highly recommend in general principle
You get 20 giant cookies out of one batch, which will look mighty impressive all bagged and beribboned. Plus, cookies as big as your kid’s face! What is not to like?
.-= RA´s last blog ..Spilled the beans =-.
Jamie
October 7, 2009 at 8:17 amFound this site through SAJ, and it was love at first sight. Their post today would be perfect, assuming the lovely ribbons are tied with a small, PC tag that says “contains almonds and coconuts.” ;) You know, for the allergic among us…
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/goblin-grub-chewy-chex-cereal-mix_07.html
have fun!
.-= Jamie´s last blog ..Because This? THIS I Know. =-.
Emily
October 7, 2009 at 8:21 amGoing with the whole pumpkin brownie thing, you could make Martha’s pumpkin swirl brownies. I just made these last week for and they are awesome. I may or may not have eaten half the pan.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=d4c0abd564923110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&backto=true
.-= Emily´s last blog ..Little things, only bigger! =-.
K
October 7, 2009 at 8:27 amI get really good recipes from the Cookie Madness Blog. She has a list of top 5 bake sale cookie/brownies. Check it out http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=3541
pam
October 7, 2009 at 8:28 amThe Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Cookie Bars found here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/08/13/chocolate-chip-pretzel-cookie-bars/. **swoon**
Becca
October 7, 2009 at 8:31 amYou must make these cookies! They are the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever. (via smitten kitchen)
Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe from AllRecipes.com via smitten kitchen
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips – {I only use 1 1/2 cups}
• preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. in a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.
• beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
• stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. drop rounded balls of cookie dough, about a spoonful at a time, onto the prepared cookie sheets. cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
• bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• once cookies have cooled completely, smash about a 1/4 cup of vanilla ice cream in the middle of two cookies for a delightful summer treat.
Cass
October 7, 2009 at 8:39 amI have no recipe, but am offering my commiseration on the poop issue. My son was not quite trained yet and hated to poop on the potty. In my defense, the daycare did not seem to watch him for the “signs” and so there were a few minor incidents. But the most mortifying one was when he hid his poop in another baby’s diaper bag…
I quit the daycare.
Nicole
October 7, 2009 at 8:54 ameverytime I make these, people ask for the recipe. I make it into muffins and frost the top. They are great fall food.
Pumpkin Bread / cake / muffins
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. oil
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup walnuts 1 cup raisins (optional)
Beat eggs, add sugar and oil. Add water alternating with dry
ingredients. Add pumpkin, walnuts and raisins. Bake in a well greased bundt pan at 350 º for 1 hour or until
done. (or in muffin tin for 20-25 min)
Frosting:
1 pkg. Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese and butter in small bowl with electric mixer on
medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy after each addition
( like to stick a little candy corn on top too, its cute that way!)
Nicole
October 7, 2009 at 8:55 amps…the pumpkin cake I just posted can be made to look like the Great Pumpkin Cake from kraftfoods.com. Thats really adorable and I have done that numerous times with great feedback! :)