Saturday, August 9, 2008

Miniature Pizookies

My little cowboy has discovered UNO.
No matter how busy we are or how late the hour, it's hard to resist a bleach blondie five year old with big brown eyes and a deck of UNO cards. I always think that we look like a commercial for a card game through the window, one boy-one-girl-mom-dad and lots of big laughs. (Why do commercial families always have just two children? You never see a family of 10 in any commercials.) Especially since we're always eating a yummy treat as we play. Since UNO is a fairly slow moving game (unless you play match UNO like we used to at girl's camp), you can enjoy dessert around the cards. Wish me luck for tonight; I always manage to lose royally since I can never remember to say UNO.

This fun twist on chocolate chip cookies is inspired by BJ's pizza, one of my favorite high school pizza places-gone chain from Laguna Beach, CA. BJ's bakes cookie dough in miniature cast iron skillets and brings them out piping hot, with vanilla and hot fudge. I make mine in ramekins and they're every bit as yummy. Break out your UNO cards and make some pizookies tonight.

Money Saving Tips: You'll be able to make dessert for four at a lower cost than buying just one at the restaurant. In general, making your own chocolate chip cookies is much cheaper than buying dough, not to mention that it's so much better for you. Bake any remaining dough into cookies and store in the freezer for lunches next week. You can also make homemade ganache/ hot fudge, by boiling 1/2 cup cream in a microwaveable bowl, and whisking in 1 cup chocolate chips.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizookies
Estimated Cost: $5.00
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour (I use at least half whole wheat)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
vanilla ice cream
hot fudge (see money saving tips for easy homemade recipe)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter four ramekins-any size will work. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in soda and salt. When well blended, add flour. When flour is just mixed in, stir in chocolate chips. Press mixture into ramekins, coming up about half way up the sides. (Roll any extra dough into balls and bake on a cookie sheet.) Bake in 325 degree oven. Since your ramekin size will vary, so will the cooking times. I generally use 8 ounce ramekins and the cook time is about 14 minutes. You will know the pizookies are done when the edges are completely puffed and browned, and the center is still slightly sunken. It's best not to overbake since you want it to be soft. Remove from oven and let cool for just a few minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge and serve.

29 comments:

Beth (jamandcream) said...

Uno brings back memories - I loved it when I was a kid, as did my brother - I think Mum and Dad got pretty tired of us asking to play it all the time!!. These pizookies look amazing - a perfect treat!

Clumbsy Cookie said...

Love, love, love the idea of serving a cookie in a ramekin! just perfect to stuff it with ice-cream!

Leslie said...

Prudy,
You know I love these. Dessert is always my favorite.
I was with Mom all week, and loved every minute.
She and I have the exact same eating habits. We got hot fudge sundaes at 2:00 ( breakfast and lunch combined), and then went to the Fudge Factory at 5:00. And don't forget one of Mom's classic quotes,
"Who wants an apple when you can have a cookie?"
These cookies-pizookies are the best.
However, when you have 6 children, the ramekins are always broken, or lost due to whoevers job it was to unload the dishwasher.
Anyway, I love these.
You'll have to tell about the one and only time we talked Mom into making us hot fudge sundaes for breakfast after she came home with all the ice cream from girls camp.
That was unforgettable!

gigi said...

When I was young we never went on any fancy vacations. Every summer our family went 26 miles to Cresent Beach. We stayed at the Bryn Mawr camp ground. It's just down from St Augustine Beach. Anyway, we always stayed for the month of July. Dad was off for two weeks then he would just drive back and forth the other two weeks. I have such fond memories of playing UNO with my siblings along with any other thing we could think to do. The beach was on one side of us and the pool was up front of the camp ground! Daddy always took all of our bikes and we just ran the park and beach over. But we never had any good "Pizookies", those look wonderful!Thanks for the memories!

vanillasugarblog said...

I think I played Uno once, and I vaguely remember that. I love how you fancy up a cookie with a ramekin.
I gave you an award on my food blog--please don't feel as though you have to participate, just wanted to say I love your blog.

Anonymous said...

I am in love with pizookies! I can't wait to try this at home! My kids just found my valentines day heart shaped ramekins, so we'll be eating romantic pizookies, tonight! =D

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

Pizookies! Oh those look good!
Have to try them soon..........all the guys in our family went to Colorado for a retreat. (they will be gone 6 days) So its just us girl home..........have to think of a few desserts to go with our movie nights!Maybe we'll try these:)

Hannah

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

We love UNO at our house also, especially the little ones!

Hannah

Mary Ann said...

What a tasty treat. This will go over really well with my hubby, but we might have to play scrabble instead!

Sara said...

I love these individual desserts! I've tried them before, but it is always so hard to get the cookie cooked enough, but not burnt. I love this idea in the ramekins. I am definitely going to try this. Thanks! What a fun UNO night! I can just picture it!

Jenny said...

Oh man, my sister and I demand these every Sunday night at my mom's. They are by far one of my favorite treats to indulge in! Yours look great!

The Blonde Duck said...

That's so cute! It's so close to what I was doing for Grace's beat the heat contest (is that still going on?) I'll have to check. It looks delicious though. I love that!

It's a good thing I just bought chocolate syrup at the store. Whoo hoo!

Chef Jeena said...

I feel like I wish I was your neighbour everytime I look at your blog. This is SOOOOOO GOOD!

Katie said...

Thank you!

Pizookies sound so tasty! What a great idea. I love Uno, too.

La Bella Cooks said...

Ugh, these are the best treats! We recently had one at a local BJ's and I am addicted and it is such an easy thing to make at home as well.

Pamela said...

These look delicious and simple. Such a great idea, and I know my boys would love it. And thanks for the tip on the quick home-made hot fudge. I didn't know that!

Michal said...

i'm a mean mom. i "resist" my blue eyed blond uno lover far too often. i'm going to play it with him tomorrow, i promise.
i love those pizookies. gotta try it at home.

Emily said...

My husband voted that we make this! Pizookies are a fav . . . but not seen often in out house . . . I told him he can make them . . . I'll be the taste tester! (Your blog si so much fun! I love it!)

Marie Rayner said...

Ohh Yummo! Uno and Pizookies! What more could a body want!!! Happy Sunday!

Anonymous said...

I also have a five year old that loves Uno, but lately the game of choice has been Milles-Bourne! My husband and Kids have been keeping track of the scores for months!
Thanks for cute idea for a different way to eat my favorite dessert, and all the (very timely) budget tips.

Anonymous said...

These look so delicious and I can't wait to make them myself. My stomach is growling at the thought of them! Thanks for sharing!

Marilene said...

sounds fun! can't wait to try it sometime! I always loved playing uno with my family. especially the faster paced game!

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Oooh, cookies in a ramekin...I like this!

Kirsten said...

Those look so good! And the husband and I still play UNO, just the 2 of us!

Maria said...

I love warm cookies with ice cream!! I have never tried them in a ramekin. Cute idea!

Sophie said...

That's such a fun idea! :) Would definitely satisfy anyone's cookie craving :D.

Deb in Hawaii said...

Oh I really want one of these right about now!

Esi said...

Even though I live in So Cal, I have never been to BJ's but I have definitely heard of the pizookie and this could give them a run for their money.

Satisfying my Sweet Tooth said...

Yum! I love BJs and their pizookies! I'm going to try and make them in ramekins for our next game night with friends! Such a good idea! Thanks for sharing!