Chocolate-It's What's for Dinner

I was in the mood for chocolate cookies - OK when basically am I not? OK really I had some bananas that were getting a little overripe and I didn't feel like banana bread.   I started to peruse my cookbooks for a new recipe when I came across this one.  It sounded interesting because it had raisins in it and I thought hey at least there are 2 types of fruit in the cookies - that's healthy* Chocolate Banana Cookies (Adapted from 201 Chocolate Treats ) 6 oz semisweet chocolate (melted) 2 c flour 1/4 c cocoa powder 2 t baking powder 1/4 t baking soda 1/4 t salt 3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) butter 1/2 c sugar 1/2 c brown sugar 1 t vanilla extract 1 t chocolate extract (optional) 2 eggs 1 c mashed bananas (about 3) 12 oz chocolate chips 1 c raisins (or dried currants or dried cherries) Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugars in mixer until fluffy.  Beat in extract(s) and then add ...

This is another standard fare item for Easter Brunch.  Usually I mix all the dry ingredients together the night before so it's all ready to go the next day.  It's really different - sort of like a bowl of oatmeal with lots of good stuff mixed in but in a bar format. Oatmeal Clafoutis (adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini ) 2 1/4 c quick oats (2 3/4 c old fashioned) 2/3 c brown sugar Dry ingredients ready to go 3/4 c raisins, currants, dried cranberries or a mixture of all 1 t cinnamon 1 t salt 1 pear peeled and sliced 1 apple peeled and sliced 1 banana sliced 3 1/3 c milk 2 eggs 1 t vanilla Lightly grease a 13x9 pan. Combine dry ingredients. Spread in the 13x9 pan. In a bowl mix the milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients. If you are using the old fashioned oats, you can refrigerate this for a few hours to allow the oats to plump).  Arrange apple, pear, and banana over the oats.  Bake 55-60 minutes at 350.  Cut into squares. Be...

Now I will probably start a riot by saying this but I really don't like Irish Soda Bread. It is always dry. I've a tasted so many different ones and everyone claims "Oh No - mine is not dry-it's really moist." Guess what - it's not! I smile politely and say "oh yeah it's moist" and can't wait to NOT eat the remainder because it is dry as a sand. So we are invited to a neighbor's house this Saturday for a St. Paddy's dinner (and don't try breaking into my house when we are there because I have a mastiff and she won't let you in). I asked if I could bring anything and guess what I was asked to bring! So now I was really determined to figure this soda bread thing out. I would have to do a test one. I searched all my favorite blogs and basically all the recipes were the same-buttermilk, flour, eggs etc.  I ended up with this one because I liked the idea of making it in cast iron. But I adapted it a bit. I know when you use so...