This recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake comes to us from Cooks.com. Judging from the reviews, we’re surprised the cake ever makes it out of the kitchen for guests. You’ll need:

• ½ cup butter

• ¼ brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 cup flour

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• Chocolate chips

• ½ chopped nuts (optional)

Prepare by preheating your oven to 375° and greasing an 8 or 9 inch round pizza pan or cookie sheet.

To make, cream the butter, brown and white sugars, vanilla, and egg together with a spoon. When this is creamy, add your dry ingredients. Blend this thoroughly to mix in the dry ingredients, and then add the chocolate chips and nuts, if you choose.

Spread the cookie dough onto your greased pan and bake for 10 minutes. Take it out, let it cool, and be prepared to receive compliments.

For an extra touch, place mini Hershey’s Kisses on top of the cookie cake (or chocolate chunks) and drizzle with chocolate or shape it like a heart for a Valentine's day cookie gift. At a bakery, this would cost over $40. You can make it at home for the same price as a batch of cookies.

When you are at a loss at what to prepare for a dinner party or gathering, you must ask yourself, “What would Martha do?” Martha would whip up a five layer cookie cake for 16 people, is what she would do. In fact, she has, and this recipe comes from Martha Stewart herself. It is a little more involved than the previous recipe, but it will not fail to impress.

You will need:

• 4 cups flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 6 tablespoons of butter, softened

• 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs, and 2 egg yolks

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 3 cups chocolate chips (Martha says semi-sweet)

• 5 – yes 5 – packages of cream cheese, room temperature

• ½ confectioner’s sugar

Prepare by preheating your oven to 350°. Next, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, or a mixer, mix butter and brown and granulated sugars. When this is pale and “fluffy,” mix in the vanilla, eggs, and yolks. Continue mixing. Add half the flour, and then half the cream. Mix, and then add the other half of the flour and the other half of the cream. Stir in the chocolate chips.

You are making 5 layers for the cake. You want one level cup of dough for each layer. Drop it onto a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Put the other dough in the refrigerator while you’re working to keep it cool. Spread the dough into an 8 inch circle on the baking sheet (Martha actually traces an 8 inch circle onto the paper; you don’t have to, but you do want your layers to be as close to even as possible).

Bake this until the edges are pale golden, which takes about 12 minutes. Take it out and reshape your circle with a spatula. Put it back in the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat this for the other layers. If you have oven space and cookie sheets, you can do more than one of these cookie layers at a time.

As they’re cooling, mix the cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until fluffy. Spread this mixture onto four of the cookies. Stack them, with the unfrosted cookie on top. Put the cake in the refrigerator until the frosting sets. This takes at least 20 minutes.

It is more work, but the results are fantastic.

Whether you use a recipe that is simple or one that is more elaborate, you cannot go wrong with cookie cake made from your own cookie dough.

Someone once said, “A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.” Cookies have long been the subject of sayings and pity maxims. People say, “That’s the way the cookie crumbles,” when life dishes out calamity. And, of course, there are other less pleasant euphemisms such as “tossing your cookies” when you’ve had a bit too much to drink. If you love quotes about cookies, sweets and desserts, take a look at these quotes. Everyone from Truman Capote to The Peanuts have something to say about sweets.

Whether you call cookies biscuits or biscotti, love chocolate fondue or Cookie Crisp cereal, you’ll get a chuckle out of these quotes. Why not sit yourself down with a chocolate dipped fortune cookie or six and an iced mocha and enjoy these pearls of wisdom?

Be warned, you might need a sugar free cookie after reading all this sweet stuff.

These verses are in the public domain and can be found at www.quotegarden.com.

Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. ~Truman Capote

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed. Chocolate makes it worthwhile. ~Author Unknown

The Vice-Presidency is sort of like the last cookie on the plate. Everybody insists he won't take it, but somebody always does. ~Bill Vaughn

Money may talk, but chocolate sings. ~Author Unknown

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. ~Judith Viorst

Everyone has a price - mine is chocolate. ~Author Unknown

We dare not trust our wit for making our house pleasant to our friend, so we buy ice cream. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles. ~Author Unknown

God gave the angels wings, and he gave humans chocolate. ~Author Unknown

If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage? ~Marquise de Sévigné

Fruit only angers my need for chocolate. ~Jason Love

Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. ~Sandra Boynton

Forget love - I'd rather fall in chocolate! ~Attributed to Sandra J. Dykes

A little chocolate is like a love affair - an occasional sweet release that lightens the spirit. A lot of chocolate is like marriage - it seems so good at first but before you know, it you've got chunky hips and a waddle-walk. ~Linda Solegato

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt! ~Charles Schulz

Me and ice cream. Best friends forever. ~Jessi Lane Adams

Chocolate is the answer. Who cares what the question is? ~Author Unknown

Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone. ~Jim Fiebig

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap. ~ Robert Fulghum

One day when he was eating a cookie he offered me a bite. Don't underestimate that. The poor guy's so frightened of germs, it could darn near have been a proposal. ~ Jean Harlow quotes.

Basically, a dessert pizza looks like a savory pizza, but it is made with a cookie crust. You can use refrigerated cookie dough or you can make your own sugar cookie dough and press it down onto a pizza pan. Toppings can be anything from apples to strawberries to kiwis and grapes. Blueberries and raspberries when they are in season are a wonderful choice.

The “sauce” for the dessert pizza is really cream cheese. Just spread it over the cookie dough when it comes out of the oven and then add your toppings. You do have to wait until the cookie is baked and cooled before adding your sauce and toppings, unlike a real pizza.

Here are some recipes for these pizza gourmet desserts:

Fruit Pizza

Courtesy of whatscookingamerica.com

Ingredients:

• 1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cookie dough
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or other flavoring (almond, orange, or lemon)
• Fresh blueberries, banana slices, mandarin orange sections,
• seedless grapes, strawberry halves, kiwi fruit slices, (or any other fruit you want), well drained
• 1/2 cup orange, peach, or apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line an ungreased 14-inch pizza pan with cookie dough cut in 1/8-inch slices, overlapping slightly. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown; remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract or other flavoring; spread over cookie crust. Arrange fruit over cream cheese layer in any design you want (use your imagination).

In a small saucepan over very low heat, make a glaze by heating preserves and water. Brush glaze over fruit, making sure to cover the fruit that will turn dark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Homemade Apple Pizza

Courtesy of tammysrecipes.com

A soft homemade pizza crust with a cream cheese spread and apple slices, topped with a crumb topping

Yield: 12-16 slices

Ingredients:

Pizza Crust:

• 1 cup warm water (112-115 degrees F)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon dry yeast

Apple topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced thinly
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Cream cheese spread:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Crumb topping:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1/3 cup quick oats

Instructions:

1. Making the crust: First, combine water, salt, sugar, and oil in a small bowl. Whisk together flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and knead into a smooth dough, adding additional flour if needed. Knead for about 5 minutes, cover dough with a towel, and then set aside to rest while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Making the apple topping: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized saucepan. Add butter and apples, and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer just until apples are tender. Set aside to cool.

3. Make the cream cheese spread by combining the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and nutmeg in a bowl and beating until smooth. Set aside.

4. Combine crumb topping ingredients until mixed and crumbly.

5. Punch down dough from step 1, and spread onto a greased 16-inch round pizza pan, or onto pan(s) of your choice. Gently spread cream cheese over dough with a knife or spatula. Pour apple mixture evenly over cream cheese. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

6. Cover pizza and let set in a warm place for about 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake pizza in the center of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until done.

It couldn’t be easier to whip up a batch of decorated cupcakes. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create darling little monsters of your own.

Here is a basic vanilla cupcake recipe from allrecipes.com. You can also use a packaged cake mix and pour into a cupcake tin instead of a cake pan. Use any flavor you like as the frosting will completely cover the top of the cupcake. For even results, scoop out the batter with an ice cream scoop into the tins.

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup superfine sugar

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each one. Stir in the vanilla and flour just until mixed. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.

After the cupcakes have cooled, you’re ready to decorate. There are a variety of ways to create the classic blue fur of the Cookie Monster on a cupcake. You can use blue sanding sugar, blue frosting, blue sprinkles, and/or coconut flakes tinted blue. Any craft store that has a cake and candy making aisle will have everything you need to get the right blue color. Use the brightest blue you can find. Paste food coloring works best to get the richest, deepest colors. It works just like regular food coloring drops. You just add as much as you need to white icing.

Frost each cupcake with blue frosting. Then, add the sprinkles, sanding sugar, or coconut. You can sprinkle the décor on or you can roll the top of the cupcake into it. The fun part comes when you make a small horizontal slit in the top of the cupcake to create a mouth. Stick a fresh baked cookie in it just like Cookie Monster would eat. Now all you have to do is add some googley eyes. You can use mini white marshmallows and a chocolate chip for the pupil. Present on a tray or serving platter that’s polka dotted or some fun pattern to keep the excitement going.

Kids will think you’re the coolest baker ever when you present these birthday cookie treats. They are so easy to make but they look like they took lots of effort. Who knew making character monsters was so simple? Why not surprise a favorite child on his next birthday or just on some random Tuesday after school?

Cookie monster crazy? Here are some more links you might enjoy:

• Cookie Monster birthday party ideas
• All about Sesame Street's Cookie Monster

Golden Delicious Apples -This is the most popular type of yellow apple. It is perfect for snacking, baking and making mouthwatering pies, sauces and salads.

Ginger Gold - August to November is the season for this type of yellow apple. You will love its sweet and sour flavor. Pies and sauces made from it are delectable. It doesn’t freeze well, however.

Braeburn - These are exquisite yellow apples with an orange red tinge. They are delicious and can be eaten raw.

Honey Crisp -You can prepare yummy sauces and salads from this luscious yellowish red apple. It is not used for pies. It can be frozen for future use.

Jona Gold - The tangy sweetness of this yellow apple makes it a delightful snack. Its season extends from September to April. You can use it to make salads and pies.

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Tired of baking cookies? Here is a great recipe that uses Golden Delicious apples and sweet honey to create a scrumptious cake.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
3 large eggs
3/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup warm coffee
2 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Golden Apple and Honey Topping:
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and sliced
1/3 cup honey

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch angel food or bundt pan.
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in honey and lemon zest. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg. Add to sugar mixture alternately with coffee, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in apples and nuts.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
4. Meanwhile, prepare Golden Apple and Honey Topping: In small skillet, heat honey; add apple. Cook, turning slices occasionally, until tender and glazed.
5. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely. Arrange apples on top of cake and serve.

Looking for more tasty apple recipes? Try these Apple Bar Bites.

You can frost these however you like.  I've tried a cream cheese frosting and a chocolate frosting, and both were amazing!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

FROSTING:

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Directions:cu

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, bananas and buttermilk. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to banana mixture. Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Frost cupcakes.

There are so many unique ways to decorate cupcakes these days. See tons of ideas for cupcake recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package of devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups whipped cream
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
• 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped

Strawberries and blueberries are abundant this time of year, and made it easy to create the stars and stripes of our grand flag.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh strawberries

1 pkg.  (12 oz.) frozen prepared pound cake, thawed, cut into 14 slices

1-1/3 cups blueberries, divided

1 tub  (12 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Slice 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries.

2. Cover bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake slices; top with sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries. Spread Cool Whip over berries.

3. Arrange strawberry halves and remaining blueberries on COOL WHIP to resemble a US flag. Keep refrigerated.

Celebrate Independence Day with these other Fourth Of July Dessert Recipes.

Filling and cake:

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (18.25-ounce) package plain yellow cake mix
1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil, such as canola oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degF then grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle the pecans or walnuts in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Mix the filling in a small bowl by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon then stirring until combined. Set aside.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, oil, 3/4 cup water, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl blending with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute and then medium speed for 2 additional minutes scraping down the sides as needed. Batter should be smooth and thick.

Pour a third of the batter into the prepared pan on top of the pecans. Evenly sprinkle half the prepared filling over the batter. Add another 1/3 of the batter over the top of the filling. Sprinkle the remaining filling over the batter and then pour the remaining batter on top. Be sure to even out each layer as you add them.

Place the cake on the middle rack in the preheated oven and bake cake 50 to 60 minutes or until it is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes in the pan. Then run a knife along the edge and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. Cool entirely (about 30 more minutes).

While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze. Combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and beat either with a mixer or vigorously with a spoon until smooth. Place the cooled cake on a serving platter and spoonglaze over the top so that it drizzles down sides and into center of cake. Slice and serve.

Next time, mix it up and try this recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Loaf!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
8 oz sour cream
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine the butter and sugar creaming until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and sour cream mixing well.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Add to the creamed butter mixture and mix well.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13" x 9" pan.

4. Combine the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon mixing well. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

5. Cover the pan with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

6. Uncover and bake at 350 degF for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

Glaze
1 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of water
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat ingredients together with an electric mixture until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cake. Cut into pieces and serve.

Related Recipes:

• Ladder Coffee Cakes
• Apricot Date Coffee Cake
• Cream Cheese Swirl Coffee Cake