Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position
1 cup regular semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks, 1⁄2 pound)
1⁄4 cup strong coffee
1 cup chopped pitted dates (You can buy chopped dates, or sprinkle whole pitted dates with a bit of flour and then chop them in a food processor.)
1 1⁄2 cups white (granulated) sugar
2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (measure after you chop them)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3 1⁄2 cups flour (no need to sift)
Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter, and coffee in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until they’re melted. (Approximately 2 minutes on HIGH.) The chips may maintain their shapes, so stir until they’re smooth.
Add the chopped dates, mix them in, and set the bowl aside.
Measure the sugar into a large mixing bowl, and stir in the beaten eggs. Add the vanilla, baking soda, and salt.
Mix thoroughly.
Add the melted chocolate mixture to your bowl and then mix in the chopped nuts and the milk chocolate chips. Add the flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition.
Let the dough sit for ten minutes or so, then drop dough by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet, twelve cookies to a standard sheet. Flatten the dough balls slightly on the sheet with the heel of your impeccably clean hand. (If the dough is too sticky, chill it for a few minutes.)
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two and then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling.
Yield: Approximately 8 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size.
The holidays are the icing on the cake for bakery owner Hannah Swensen. Surrounded by her loved ones, she has all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas—until murder is added to the mix . . .
When it comes to holidays, Minnesotans rise to the occasion—and the little town of Lake Eden is baking up a storm with Hannah leading the way. The annual Christmas Buffet is the final test of the recipes Hannah has collected for the Lake Eden Holiday Buffet Cookbook.
The recently divorced Martin Dubinski arrives at the buffet with his new Vegas showgirl wife—all wrapped up in glitter and fur. His ex-wife, however, seems as cool as chilled eggnog. And when Hannah’s mother’s antique Christmas cake knife disappears, its discovery in the décolletage of the new—and now late—Mrs. Dubinski puts the festivities on ice.
With everyone stranded at the community center by a blizzard, Hannah puts her investigative skills to the test, using the ingredients at hand: half the town of Lake Eden—and a killer. Now, as the snowdrifts get higher, it’s up to Hannah to dig out all the clues—and make sure that this white Christmas doesn’t bring any more deadly tidings . . .
“Wacky and delightful characters, plus tempting recipes from appetizers to desserts, make this lighthearted offering sure to please the palate of any cozy fan.” —Publishers Weekly
“Fluke’s talent for spinning a mesmerizing tale carries on in this sixth book, and its holiday recipes are an added treat for readers.” —Times News Record
Includes Over 50 Original Recipes For You To Try!
Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.