Ghirardelli Truffle Cookies with Sea Salt

I just recently finished reading Josi S. Kilpack's book Fortune Cookie, which I know many of you have read or are at least familiar with the Sadie Hoffmiller series. In this one, Sadie goes to San Francisco and Pete buys her some cookies from the Ghirardelli bakery. Luckily, I had all the ingredients on hand when I read the recipe and had to try them out. I loved them. They are very rich and taste like a brownie cookie, so have some milk handy if you try these out!

1 (10-ounce) bag Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet baking chips, divided
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 to 3 tablespoons coarse sea salt

Set aside 1/3 cup baking chips for later use. Melt the rest of the chocolate in microwave by heating at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir. Continue heating at 20-second intervals, stirring after each heating until mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar, mixing until well combined. Slowly add egg mixture to the warm chocolate, whisking constantly. Add vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and let batter cool for a few minutes. Add reserved 1/3 cup of baking chips. (If batter is too warm, chocolate chips will melt.)
Chill batter in fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
After batter has chilled and thickened slightly, drop batter by rounded tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with a pinch of sea salt. Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes until the outside edge looks slightly cracked, but centers are soft and gooey.  Cool cookies for four minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
She notes that this was adapted from a recipe found on www.ghirardelli.com
She also notes that you can use semisweet chocolate chips for an even sweeter cookie.

Submitted by: Gina

Baked Spaghetti

I made this dish a few weeks ago from a recipe I found on Pinterest, but I guess I didn't actually pin it. I've been wanting to make it again, but I switched it up a bit more to my liking. I think it turned out really well this time.

10 oz. angel hair or thin spaghetti pasta
1/2 pound gr. beef/turkey
1/2 pound gr. sausage
1/3 cup onion
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 package cream cheese
grated mozzarella cheese

Brown meats with onion. Drain any excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce and heat. Cook pasta to al dente directions. Drain and mix in cream cheese. Pour half of the spaghetti meat mixture into a 9 x 13 pan, then layer the pasta on top of that, and pour the rest of the sauce on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Submitted by: Gina