Toffee Pretzel Chocolate Bark

This is so easy even a caveman can make it... assuming there's access to a working stove and oven. :D I like this recipe because you don't need a candy thermometer!!! I'm so glad to have stumbled onto this recipe. Poor hubby. He's on keto for all of February and has no idea he's missing out!

8 oz mini pretzels (enough to spread out onto a large baking sheet)
1 C butter
1 C brown sugar, packed
2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

I did a half batch and used regular pretzels. I just crushed them a bit before spreading out on a baking sheet lined with foil. I've read that parchment paper works fine too. You'll want to preheat your oven to 375°F first.

This was 6oz of crushed pretzels. (I used a lil more pretzels)

This was the 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar. 

Bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure everything is blending together nicely. Once you have a rolling boil going, keep the heat at medium and stop stirring. Let it bubble away for 3 minutes. (Mine turned out a lil darker compared to the original website.)

The butter/sugar mix was poured over the pretzels as best as possible... the gaps were somewhat closed when baked for 5 minutes in a preheated oven. (I probably should've measured out everything proportionally. i.e. 6 oz pretzels, 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup packed sugar...)

Sprinkle 1 cup of chocolate chips. Let the chips rest for a minute or two until the chips softens.

Spread the chocolate evenly over the pretzels with a spatula. Then, place it in the fridge for about a 1/2 hour so the chocolate can firm up.

Once everything hardened, I broke them up into handheld pieces. They truly are irresistible! Great for an appetizer, snack, munchies, dessert, you name it! Great sub for dinner... ;D 

Here in SoCal, I kept them stored in a ziploc baggie in the fridge so I don't have to worry about the chocolate melting. But then again, they don't last long!

Avocado Chocolate Chip Cookies

by chef Gaby Dalkin 

[A thanks to K.K. for sharing this recipe with me! It was the first I ever heard of this and I was most curious. ]

1 Hass avocado (4 1⁄2 ounces) [side note: a Costco avocado usually has more than 4.5oz]
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1⁄2 cups dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1⁄2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit from the avocado and discard. Remove the avocado from the skin and place the avocado flesh in a large bowl along with the butter and brown sugar. Cream together the avocado, butter, and sugar for 3 minutes, until fluffy. I merely used a bowl and my arm power. I'm not sure what fluffy means...

Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder and slowly combine, making sure not to overmix the batter. Okay, I ended up using a hand immersion blender to get rid of some of the avocado chunks. I'm pretty sure I overmixed....

The rest of the flour mixture added into the batter.

Add the oats and chocolate chips and combine. Refrigerate the batter for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a 2 tablespoon scoop, scoop the batter onto a clean surface and, using wet hands, roll the dough into 12 balls. Flatten the cookies with the palm of your hand to create 2-1⁄2-inch disks. Arrange the 12 disks on the baking sheet. I don't have a cookie scooper so I used two spoons and guesstimated the amount. I didn't bother rolling the dough into balls as it seemed too sticky. Besides, why get your entire hands dirty when it's not necessary. :) I also managed to squeeze in 18 cookies per cookie sheet. heeheehee. 

Transfer the sheet to the top rack of the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden brown on the edges but still soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for at least 3 minutes before transferring the cookies to cooling racks. Repeat the process for remaining dough. You will bake 3 baking sheets total. I only had 2 baking sheets. 

Serve the cookies immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. I've had them in the refrigerator for two weeks and they taste fine. I'm not a fan of cold cookies which is why I think it's taking longer than usual for them to disappear.

These cookies are doughy and chewy and does taste like regular ol' chocolate chip cookies. The only giveaway it has avocados in them are the green specks here and there.