Chocolate Velvet Frosting

Another year, another birthday. Because MDS turned 39 again, I had to make a cake. In Mom's recipe box, I found this recipe for Chocolate Velvet Frosting intriguing. This frosting is so delicious and fudge-like. It paired well with a basic yellow cake, but would also be delicious on just about any cake. On a chocolate cake, it would make for an intense chocolate experience. This frosting is thick, creamy, and delicious.

When making the frosting, you may need to adjust the amount of milk and powdered sugar to the right consistency. The frosting should be spreadable, but set quite solid when refrigerated. Mom's method suggests melting the chocolate chips and butter over hot water, but I found the microwave method to be easy. 

Chocolate Velvet Frosting 

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup milk
•  1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Melt chocolate chips and butter in the microwave, stopping to store every 15 seconds or so, until the chips and butter are melted and smooth. Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix until well blended. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Frost your cake. Enjoy!

Elliot's Oat Chippers

These tasty cookies are easy to make and easier to eat. And because of all the oatmeal, they almost seem healthy. The recipe uses standard pantry ingredients. With the use of honey the cookies have a good flavor that nicely complements the chocolate chips.

Mom's recipe calls for half a cup of chocolate chips, but I doubled that to make these cookies more chocolatey. I also think seasonings such as cinnamon, could nicely complement these cookies. I am not sure why these cookies are named after someone called Elliot, but oat chippers is an accurate name.

Elliot's Oat Chippers 

• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Beat oil, eggs, salt, honey, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Stir flour and baking soda into mix until fully blended. Stir in oats and chips. Drop by spoonful onto a slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

This cheesecake was adapted from a recipe in the Golden Girls Cheesecake cookbook. The book mentions the episode involving the Sunshine Cadets, in which Rose steals back her favorite teddy bear from a kid. I'd have done the same as Rose. This cheesecake is a great way to celebrate the return of a teddy bear or to enjoy for any other reason.

This no-bake cheesecake is a great recipe to try in the summertime when you do not want to turn on the oven. The recipe in the book calls for pouring the filling directly into cupcake cups without any crust in order to make individual servings. I decided that a chocolate cookie crust would work well and would use of the rest of a package of chocolate sandwich cookies, so I used an eight-inch round pan. 

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake 

Crust

• 1 2/3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter
• pinch salt

Filling

• 16 chocolate sandwich cookies
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• pinch salt

Make the crust by combining cookie crumbs, butter, and salt. Press into pan. Refrigerate while making the filling. Prepare the filling. Crush the sandwich cookies into rough crumbs. Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until peaks form. In another bowl, use the electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the cookie crumbs. Fold in the whipped cream until blended. Spoon the filling into the pie crust. Refrigerate at least four hours. Enjoy!