PAULA DEAN'S CHOCOLATE GOOEY BUTTER COOKIES

350 degrees

12 minutes

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

K Review: Kids and husband LOVED these cookies. Very moist, chewy on inside. I could tell the cookies were from a cake mix so I didn't like as much.

RACHEL ZOE'S BANANAS BREAD

Ingredients:
1/2 shortening1 cup sugar
2 eggs1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium over ripe)
2 cups all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk-chocolate or semi-sweet chips
1/2 cup walnuts, peanuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of loaf pan, 9X5X3 inches with shortening.

2. Beat 1/2 cup shortening and the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs and bananas until smooth. Beat in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt just until mixed. Stir in chips and nuts (optional). Pour into loaf pan.

3. Bake 1 hour or 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, for 1 hour.

***I sometimes for an added splash of yummyness add a crumble topping for the last 30 minutes of baking time.

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup softened butter
Cut together until crumbly

RACHEL ZOE'S BEYOND BROWNIES

Happy Thanksgiving from The Zoe Report! In honor of the food-filled holiday, I want to share with you one of my all-time most cherished recipes—my Chocolate Dream Brownies. Along with my ba-na-nas bread, they are a staff favorite at my offices! I bake them for my team as a thank you whenever things are extra hectic...and now you can enjoy them too as a sweet indulgence amidst the holiday hustle! Happy Turkey Day! xoRZ
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350°F
20-30 minutes
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Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sweet cocoa powder
2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semi sweet OR milk chocolate chips OR chunks
1/2 - 1 cup walnuts (optional)
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Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350°F.In a large bowl, use a spoon to stir eggs with sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add softened butter. Sift ground chocolate with flour, baking powder and salt.Stir dry mixture into egg mixture until blended and smooth. Add chips and nuts. (DO NOT OVER STIR!) Pour and spread evenly into a greased 8" or 9" square pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes—less time for chewy and more time for cake-like brownies. Makes 16-20 brownies. Cut into squares when cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving with vanilla ice cream :)