CHOCOLATE LOVER'S CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE-CHIP MUFFINS from Averie Cooks

This recipe is from Averie Cooks. I made half and got 9, filling the cups with 1/4 c. of batter. They baked in 15 minutes. I omitted the espresso powder and splash of coffee. I used an extra 1/8 t. salt. I used 1/4 c. cocoa, not 1/3 c. as called for but I think I could have used one less tablespoon for a total of three for half a batch. These use oil and all light brown sugar but they're the same as all the others I've made with white sugar. You wouldn't know there's no white sugar in these and you can't taste pure brown sugar.

I grade them an A while they're hot and fresh and a B left over because they aren't as moist without having to reheat them, but most muffins are that way.

HEARTY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP from Taste of Home

This recipe comes from Taste of Home and is a good, basic recipe and I made half. I didn't use kale or mushrooms but did add canned peas at the end. I used pearl couscous instead of egg noodles. I used almost 1/3 less dried basil than called for for half. Next time I'll omit the flour.

I grade this an A.

DOUBLETREE HOTEL COPYCAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES from The Little Kitchen

This recipe came from The Little Kitchen and it's a good one. It's almost the same as the original Nestle Toll House recipe. As usual I made half the recipe and got 28 one tablespoon dough balls. They baked in 9 minutes. I used one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and no nuts but will use some next time. I used white vinegar in place of lemon juice and I left out the cinnamon. I'm pretty sure the lemon juice/vinegar was pointless. These spread out nicely and don't taste buttery and you can't really tell the oats are in them. The edges have a nice flavor where they browned.

I grade these an A+.

HEARTY ITALIAN WHITE BEAN SOUP from Taste of Home

This recipe is from Taste of Home. It's mild in flavor. I didn't use zucchini. I used half the amount dried thyme and added garlic powder. I used a mixture of white and black beans since I had them in the freezer. I used 1/2 cup pureed fire roasted tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. I'd make this again but I'd add some cumin.

I grade it an A-.

APPLE STREUSEL MUFFINS from Taste of Home

This recipe is from Taste of Home. These are very good and are made with melted butter and contain no milk so the batter is thick. I made half the recipe and got seven and they baked in 15 minutes. I didn't make the streusel topping or glaze and I added cinnamon to the batter and three tablespoons of ground toasted pecans. These need more salt, an extra 1/8 t. for half the recipe. I stored these in an airtight container and they were just as moist the next day.

I grade these an A.

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES from Betty Crocker

This recipe comes from Betty Crocker. These are very good and I'd make them again, using a little more chopped pecans. The recipe states to use quick oats and the "expert tips" tell you you can use all old fashioned/rolled oats for a chewier cookie so used equal parts quick and rolled oats. I doubled the amount of salt. I got twenty-six 1.5 tablespoon doughballs. Mine baked in 8 minutes on 375. Make sure you do bake these on the higher temperature to prevent them from spreading too much. Because of the high amount of sugar in theses the edges caramelized, making them crunchy.

I grade these a B because the recipe gives you two choices of oats to use, which makes you unsure of which ones to use, and the recipe doesn't call for enough salt. I think I might use a little more quick oats than rolled oats next time.

CHOCOLATE MILK PIE from Mexico in My Kitchen

This is a cool idea and it comes from Mexico in My Kitchen. All the chocolate flavor in the pie comes from the flavored milk. This uses corn starch to thicken it, not egg, and there's no butter in this like you typically use in pudding pies. This is made completely on the stove, so no baking involved. I didn't add cinnamon and I added a pinch of salt. I don't like the texture of the pie and it's very mild in flavor. The milk became strange-tasting once it was heated so for those reasons I won't be making this again and I don't recommend it.

I grade this a C.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS 2 from Handle the Heat

This recipe comes from Handle the Heat. I made half and got 10 and they baked in 14 minutes, well under the time stated. It uses sour cream, melted butter and cocoa powder. I doubled the vanilla extract. These are really good and like most muffins, best eaten while warm from the oven or reheated in the microwave.

I grade them an A.

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE MUFFINS WITH STREUSEL and ALTERNATE CHOCOLATE VERSION from Just a Taste

These are excellent and they come from Just a Taste. They're made with equal parts butter and vegetable oil. I omitted the streusel completely and added sweetened dried tart cherries and almond extract. I made just half the recipe and got nine standard size ones, so the full batch will yield 18. They baked in exactly 15 minutes. They needed a lot more salt. I used 3/8 t. instead of just 1/8 t. They're not as moist the next day but that's alright.

I grade them an A.

CHOCOLATE VERSION

I made this version over a month later using the same recipe I used above (leaving out the streusel.) I omitted three tablespoons of flour and replaced it with three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa. I added 1/2 c. mini semisweet chocolate chips, which was a little too much. The texture of these are different, more like all the other chocolate muffin recipes I've tried. They're a little dry the next day but not quite as dry as other recipes I've made. Perhaps I'll leave out one tablespoon of cocoa next time and use just two.

SOFT AND MOIST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS from Spice Bangla

This recipe comes from Spice Bangla. They're neither soft nor moist and I'm really disappointed. I didn't use blueberries but did use 3/4 c. chopped sweetened dried tart cherries, ground almonds, and almond extract. I got eight. They baked in 18 minutes.

I grade these a D and I'd never make them again because they're dry as can be and they were NOT overmixed or overbaked.

CREAMY CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA from Thrifty Diva

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE DREAM COOKIES from Very Best Baking

This Nestlé recipe is from their site, Very Best Baking. I made half the recipe and added 3/4 c. chopped Reese's Pieces and 1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. These are very good and the peanut butter flavor is subtle though I used plenty. I got 24 1.5 tablespoon doughballs. The dough is very sticky and needs to be refrigerated at least 45 minutes before you can get it out with a scoop.

I grade these an A+ and they're my favorite chocolate cookie...so far.