Heath Bar Cookies

I think I've become addicted to cookies. I really never liked cookies to much till a few months ago. I was always able to pass off a cookies; But now, I can't! I've just come to absolutely love cookies! And I really wanted to make cookies these afternoon; Reaaalllly wanted to make some. But I wanted to make a cookie I hadn't made yet.

I've always been a pretty big fan of the Heath Bars and I usually always have the heath bar toffee pieces or heath bars somewhere floating in the pantry. And I happened to have some in there today. So I decided to make a cookie with the heath bar toffee pieces. I really wanted to add walnuts to this, however, sadly, I had none. It would had been so much better if I had walnuts!

But the cookies came out so good! They were very soft cookies; Really, really soft actually. Which I really liked. You can had 2 minutes to the baking time to have cookies that aren't so soft; But I these cookies are a must try.

Recipe

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped Heath Bar pieces (toffee bites)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, salt ad baking soda in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the heath bar pieces and walnuts. set aside.

2. Cream butter until fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well. Add vanilla.

3. Alternatively add the heath bar mixture and the flour mixture, a third at a time, until well blended. Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be better.

4. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon the cookies dough in 1-inch diameter balls. Place 3 inches from each other. These cookies do spread, so be careful.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven then let cool for a few minutes. Then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Caramel Toffee Cheesecake

To be completely honest, I have yet to have ever made a cheesecake. Cheesecake is a very rich dessert and I don't have it very often, but, when I do have it, when I bite in to that creamy, decadent texture that cheesecake has; I'm in heaven. I don't even know if words can necessarily describe just how delicious a cheesecake is.

I remember the first cheesecake I ever had was a Caramel Cheesecake. I believe I was at the Cheesecake Factory when I had it and I was about 8 years old. I think they may have put a bit to much sugar because I was jumping off the way after I had and was a bit wee hyper. My parents weren't to happy with how hyper I became. But, I do remember that it was so, so, so, sooo good though.

So, remember how delicious the Caramel Cheesecake was, I wanted to make something like that. But, instead, I added toffee chips, which I found was a great addition to the cheesecake. And in the end, my first cheesecake came out so, so good. Better than the Cheesecake Factory's I must say. Though, I think anything homemade is always better than one that you eat out from.

Recipe

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

2 lbs. cream cheese
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp. flour
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup toffee pieces

1 cup sugar
6 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream



Cheesecake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tbsp. of sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes and set aside.

3. For the filling, mix the cream cheese and sugar with a paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add in the flour on low speed. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and the bottom after each egg. Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Fold in toffee pieces.

4. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside of the pan and bake in a water batch for approximately 1 1/2 hours. A knife inserted should come out clean when cake is done. Chill cake overnight and then top when caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

1. Heat sugar on high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2 quart sauce pan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir constantly with a whisk. As soon as the sugar crystals begin to melt (should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Continue to whisk until butter has melted.

2. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in pan for a few minutes