Holy Snickerdoodles — 2010 is upon us! Time for all that lovely resolution-making. I resolved long ago to stop making them (not Snickerdoodles, resolutions). So far so good. Yay for me. It’s so nice to know that when the end of January rolls around and I’m still spiking my coffee, watching bad reality TV and pretending to exercise, I can look in the mirror and not be disappointed with myself. … I’m OK, you’re OK. I’m just waiting for the advice column offers to pour in — I’m very inspirational, you know.
I do hope, however, to inspire you to make this week’s treat, Spiced Orange Chocolate Chip Cookie Loaf. It is so tasty and was a big hit down at the TV station. As I look at this title though, I’m hoping that the word “loaf ” in a dessert recipe doesn’t conjure up images of ground beef, bread crumbs and Worcestershire sauce. If it does, well then just make a meat loaf and call it a night — not until you have some dessert loaf first, though.
This dessert is somewhere between a quick bread, cookie and a brownie. Maybe I should have called it a Brookie. A Brookie. … I like that. Why do all the good ideas come to me as afterthoughts? Darn the spiked coffee!
Anyway, I love the texture and the spiciness of this dessert. For some reason, orange just screams New Year’s to me, and is why I tend to make something orangeey this time of year. It could be the zesting. I love me some zesting, and the smell always seems festive. I must research and get to the bottom of the orange/New Year’s connection. Perhaps it is the mimosas on New Year’s Day, and, boy, is this treat scrumptious with a mimosa. Works well with coffee, too, as it has a bit of a biscotti feel to it. So, see, I have your New Year’s Day menu all planned out. Spiked coffee, Spiced Orange Chocolate Chip Cookie Loaf, meat loaf and mimosas. Not sure about the order, but it sounds like a party to me.
So make all the resolutions you want, but please don’t resolve to stop eating dessert. You will feel so much better about yourself come the end of January when you are tearing into that triple chocolate brownie with no regret. Trust me … you will. Now, follow the directions, put some love into it and invite me over when it’s done. Happy New Year! Before you start: You can use dark chocolate chips in this with great results. You can use an 9 x 9 square pan if you want more of a bar feel (bake about 10 minutes less). Use one large orange or 1-1/2 small ones. This is great served in the morning with coffee or mimosas and orange slices.
Spiced Orange Chocolate Chip Cookie Loaf
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
zest from one orange
juice from one large orange (approx. 1/4 cup)
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in small bowl, set aside.
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.
Zest one orange into dry mix. Squeeze orange juice from zested orange into small bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk lightly.
Add orange-egg mix into dry mixture.
Fold in melted butter, walnuts and chocolate chips and stir until well combined.
Pour into greased 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes. Take out, and let cool. Cut into slices and serve.
Enjoy!
You can watch the Dessert Diva every Monday at 8:35 a.m. on Channel 2. To contact Danette at the station, visit 2thedeuce.com, and click on Daybreak on the Deuce. To chat and/or send comments and suggestions, write to jdromega@aol.com.
