Dark Chocolate Fluffer-Nutter cookies...

3 C all purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

2 sticks butter (1/2 lb) at room temperature
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

10 oz dark chocolate chips
10 oz peanut butter chips
1 C chunky peanut butter
1 small jar of marshmallow fluff

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, salt and baking soda together.

In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.

Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time. Make sure that the flour mixture is completely combined before adding more.

Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture.

Drop cookies onto un-greased baking sheet, and bake around 9-11 minutes or until golden brown along the edges.

Yields about 36 cookies.

Bacon for Dessert...

So, my last entry in Iron Chef did not win - I lost by 3 points. I was disappointed in myself, if only because I didn't feel I gave it my all, and didn't bring my 'A' game.

But, that's OK - there's a new Iron Chef challenge for me...

Now, there's 8 of us (normally) that participate, so, we normally have two people in each category. It breaks down to Appetizer, Entree, Dessert, and Drinks. The drinks portion is normally a separate flavoring from the main secret ingredient, as it's sometimes difficult to figure out how to put peas into an appetizing form that one would want to imbibe... The last time we pulled, dessert and drinks were given to the same person...

This time has been no different, and I have been given Dessert and drinks. I already know the secret ingredient - Bacon.

To that end, I'm going to put together a medley of tasty bacon-based desserts to see which would stand out the most on a plate, and which will fail and burn in a fiery death of shame and woe...

I have such ideas as these:

Orange-cream puff pastry, dipped in chocolate, with bacon brittle
Apple filo dough with maple-glazed bacon
Pear and bacon tartlet with sugared bacon crumbles
Bacon carrot cake with a macadamia nut bacon brittle
Bacon chocolate chip cookie sandwiches with maple ice cream

I think these are all fairly good ideas and they should translate fairly well throughout the tasting...

If YOU have any ideas that you think would do well, let me know and I will consider mixing them in...

Zucchini Bread

Heaven knows, I'm a cook... I don't bake. In fact, practically everything I stick in the oven normally either under- or over-cooks, and usually in about half the time that the recipe calls for.

Imagine my surprise and delight to be zucchini-ditched AND find a recipe on All Recipes.Com that worked for me!! So, without further adieu, here's the recipe. Enjoy!

3 Eggs
1 c vegetable oil
2 c sugar
2 c grated zucchini
3 c all purpose flour
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped nuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 325.

Grease and flour two 8x4 pans

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Add oil and sugar, then add zucchini and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients thoroughly, then fold gently into the wet mix until just barely combined.

Divide mix between the two pans.

Bake 60-70 mins or until done.