Chewy and delicious, these gussied-up chocolate chip cookies have a few bonus ingredients thrown in for kicks (oats, coconut, raisins and/or pecans). You can have fun changing up the add-ins each time you make them. Add more chocolate chips if you don’t like raisins or pecans. Anyway, you get the picture…just make ‘em how you like ‘em!

I followed the recipe except I used coconut instead of pecans. I also threw in extra chocolate chips. The combination of chocolate chips, raisins and coconut was great! A few of these cookies and a cold glass of milk might just make your day…it’s worth a try!

John’s Kitchen Sink Cookies
-recipe from marthastewart.com

Makes 24
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chunks, raisins, pecans, and oats.

Drop 2-inch balls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten dough balls slightly. Bake 12 to 16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned, rotating sheets halfway through.

Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

From Everyday Food, March 2008

Tags: chocolate chip, coconut, John's Kitchen Sink Cookies, oats, pecans, raisins

If you’ve got a few ripe bananas to use up then you should give this recipe a try. It’s moist, easy to make and a nice change from plain ol’ banana bread. Each bite of this coffee cake is loaded with cinnamon and chocolatey goodness.

The recipe calls for a metal pan but the glass Pyrex 8×8 pan I used worked fine. I added a teaspoon of vanilla to the cake batter and omitted the walnuts from the streusel. Speaking of the streusel, next time I’d only use about a teaspoon of cinnamon instead of the tablespoon that the recipe calls for. And you could cut down on the chocolate chips if you want it less chocolatey.

Banana Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Use bananas with some black spots on the skin, a sign that they are really ripe. Makes 12 servings.

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan. Stir chocolate chips, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in small bowl until well blended; set streusel aside. Sift all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, room temperature butter, and egg in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in mashed bananas and buttermilk. Add dry ingredients and blend well.

Spread half of batter (about 2 cups) in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with half of streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel. Bake coffee cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool coffee cake in pan on rack.

Tags: banana, chocolate chip, coffee cake, struesel