Tollhouse Stars & Stripes Cookies: Fourth of July

From the Nestle Toll House Kitchens comes this recipe and photo for Toll House Stars and Stripes Cookies. How can you go wrong with a Chocolate Chip Cookie, America's Favorite Cookie? Perfect for the Fourth of July!

These cookies are great to make with kids. The fact that this recipe uses refrigerated cookie bar dough makes these cookies quick and easy. You can always make your own chocolate chip cookie dough. I have star cookie cutters.. well... I have a lot of cookie cutters. This recipe decorating technique should give you lots of 'food for thought' for other celebrations.

TOLLHOUSE STARS & STRIPES COOKIES

Ingredients
1 pkg (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
1 pkg (8 oz.) light cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
24 fresh, medium strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels

Directions
1. PREHEAT oven to 350º F.
2. ROLL cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness between two pieces of wax paper. Remove top piece of paper. Cut cookie dough into stars with 3-inch star cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to ungreased baking sheet(s). (If stars are too hard to remove from wax paper, refrigerate rolled dough for 10 minutes.) Roll remaining dough to 1/4-inch thickness; cut out additional stars.
3. BAKE for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. While hot, reshape and pat edges of each star back into shape with knife. Cool on baking sheet(s) for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack(s) to cool completely.
4. BEAT cream cheese and sugar in small mixer bowl until fluffy. Spread onto cooled cookies. Place strawberry slices onto each cookie pointing outward. Place 5 to 6 blueberries in center of each cookie. Top each cookie with morsels.

Photo: Nestle Kitchens

CONGO SQUARES: National Blonde Brownies Day: Retro Ad & Recipe

Today is National Blonde Brownies Day. Blond Brownies is a misnomer. Blondies are not Brownies! They get their flavor from brown sugar and not cocoa or chocolate, but they're wonderful for exactly what they are--a great butterscotch 'brownie.' Over the years, I've added macadamia nuts, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, or a combination of these ingredients to the following basic recipe. The variety of additions is huge, and the basic batter is a delicious brown sugar concoction. Blondies are simple to make, and I highly recommend them. I use dark brown sugar because I think it adds more flavor. As in any recipe, the quality of the ingredients makes a difference in your final product.

I love this Retro Ad & Recipe for Congo Squares aka Blondies or Blond Brownies. As always, you can never have too many recipes!

Congo Squares or Bars, by the way, have nothing to do with Africa. There's nothing like these sweets in any African country that I know of...and you can't even grow wheat in Central Africa. So why are they called Congo Squares? Who knows.. maybe because of the exotic ingredients (chocolate, coconut, nuts) which might come from Africa? I also read somewhere that these Congo Squares originated in the Southeast (US). There was a plaza in New Orleans called Congo Square which in the early 19th century was a gathering place for both free and enslaved African-Americans who met for marketing, music-making and dancing... probably not the connection, but a possibility. Whatever the origin, this is a great treat for the weekend! This Nestle ad is from 1949 and doesn't include the cocoanut, but throw some toasted coconut in.

MARSHALLOW FLUFF FUDGE: National Fudge Day

Today is National Fudge Day. I don't know about you, but I can never have too many Fudge recipes. Yes, I have my favorites, but sometimes you just want to experiment. So, you can see why I really like these two Retro Ads & Recipes, both of which use Marshmallow Fluff as a major ingredient.

Marshmallow Fluff you ask? You may know this product as Marshmallow Creme. You can make it at home or you can buy a jar. Can't find it at your market? Try Amazon or another online store. I usually have a jar in the pantry. O.K. not the healthiest of ingredients, but it really adds to the flavor in these Fudge recipes!

Two Retro Ads and Recipes for Marshmallow Fluff Fudge!

TOLL HOUSE LAYERCAKE: Retro Ad & Recipe

Updated recipe: 1/13/23

So you've been making lots of Chocolate Chip Cookies since you've been Sheltered-in-Place. why not make something different? Try making this Toll House Layer Cake! I love this Retro Nestle Ad with recipe from 1986. This cake is easy and delicious. Nestle Toll House Little Bits called for in the recipe are the same as mini-morsels, their miniature chocolate chips.  

"All it takes is a morsel of perfection."


TOLL HOUSE LAYERCAKE

Cake
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup of firmly-packed brown sugar
2/3 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons of salt
4 eggs
2 cups of all-purpose
One 12-ounce package (2 cups) of Nestle Toll House Little Bits semi-sweet chocolate, divided

Frosting
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Instructions
Cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 15-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ x 1″ baking pan. Line with waxed paper.
In a bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour. Stir in 1 cup of Little Bits’ semi-sweet chocolate.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.
Loosen sides of cake. Invert onto lightly-floured cloth. Peel off waxed paper. Cut cake crosswise into four 3-3/4″ x 10″ sections. Spread 3 slightly rounded tablespoons of frosting on one cake layer. Top with second layer. Repeat layers and frost with remaining frosting.

Frosting: Melt over 1 cup of hot (not boiling) water 1 cup of Little Bits semi-sweet chocolate [mini chocolate chips]; stir until smooth. (In microwave: melt on high for 1 minute, stir; repeat.) Set aside.
In a bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add melted chocolate and vanilla extract; blend until smooth.

Makes: One 10″ cake.

TOLL HOUSE CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES:Retro Ad & Recipe

Here's a Retro 1966 Ad with Recipe for Toll House Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies that still holds its own today. You'll love these. nd, you can never have too many Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes! Use the chocolate and chocolate mint chips you have on hand or opt for the very best! Toll House Chocolate Mint Cookies!

Veterans Day Toll House Cookies: Vintage Ad & Recipe

This Vintage Nestle Ad for Toll House Cookies in Good Housekeeping 1943 seems appropriate for Veterans Day. Toll House Cookies: "Make up a batch of those golden-brown, crunchy Toll House Cookie and send to that soldier boy of yours.' And these are still terrific cookies for the Veteran in your life, as well as our men and women still in in service. Recipe below.

Toll House Peanut Butter Golden Brownies: Retro Ad & Recipe

I love Retro Ads with Recipes. You'll love this one from Nestle for Toll House Peanut Butter Golden Brownies. Great for Fall. As I always say, you can never have too many Brownie Recipes. Be sure and use the very best ingredients for the best 2018 results!

TOLL HOUSE COOKIE PIE: Retro Ad & Recipe!

I love cookie dough. Who doesn't? I used to eat chocolate chip cookie dough all the time. O.K. I know that wasn't always the safest thing to do (raw eggs), but we didn't know that then. But now there are shops that sell cookie dough scoops in cones, complete with sprinkles (no melting!)! Be still my heart.

If you don't want to mix up a batch of cookie dough (without raw eggs) yourself and serve in cones, here's a Toll House Cookie Pie recipe (baked, so no worries) that you'll love! This Retro Nestle Recipe Advertisement is from the 1980s. Are the 80s really retro? This is an easy delicious Toll House Pie!

In case that's not very clear, here's the recipe!

Toll House Cookie Pie

Ingredients:
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup (6 ounces) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped walnuts
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions 
Preheat oven to 325° F.
In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy.
Add flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until well blended.
Blend in melted butter. 
Stir in chocolate chip morsels and walnuts.
Pour into prepared pie shell.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack.
Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe can be doubled. Bake two pies, freeze one for later!

TOLLHOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE: Retro Ad & Recipe

Let's face it, there's nothing like Tollhouse Cookies aka Chocolate Chip Cookies. Well here's a wonderful Retro Recipe & Ad for Tollhouse Pie from Nestle circa 1985. The top of the pie is crispy like a crispy chocolate chip cookie, and the inside reminds me slightly of cookie dough. The marriage of two great tastes.

TOLLHOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

Ingredients
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell *
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels (or whatever chocolate chips you like best)
1 cup chopped nuts
Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 325° F.
BEAT eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell.
BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

* If using frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly.

Toasted Almond Truffles: Retro Ad & Recipe

This Retro Carnation/Nestle Advertisement from 1985 is for Toasted Almond Truffles. They're so easy to make. Of course, you can substitute a different chocolate in the recipe. Personally I prefer dark chocolate in these truffles.

TOASTED ALMOND TRUFFLES

Ingredients
1/2 cup undiluted CARNATION Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup sugar
One 11 1/2 oz. pkg. (2 cups) NESTLE Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Directions
Combine evaporated milk and sugar in small heavy-gauge saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil 3 minutes; stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in morsels and almond extract until morsels melt and mixture is smooth. Chill 45 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in almonds. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen truffles.

Chocolate Bytes: Nestlé's answer to Willy Wonka

Nestlé has released candy bars with GPS-lined wrappers that send a signal to a helicopter with $16,000. (10,000 pounds) Unfortunately you have to live in the UK or Ireland.

Nestlé, the maker of KitKat chocolate bars has hidden global positioning system chips in six candy bar wrappers, released in the United Kingdom and Ireland, that could make someone a little richer.

According to Nestlé, the "We Will Find You" competition will "scramble a crack team of highly trained individuals" to find whoever opens one of the six GPS-embedded candy bars -- one each within KitKat 4 Finger, KitKat Chunky, Aero Peppermint Medium and Yorkie Milk.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the GPS chips are activated once the wrappers are opened, and they then send a signal to Nestlé. The company said the winner will be located within 24 hours by a helicopter for hand delivery of a briefcase containing £10,000, worth about $16,000, in cash.

It wasn't clear when or if the promotion would make its way to the U.S., or if the winning chocolate bars were edible.

Check out this cool video ad..

Nestle Recall of Toll House Refrigerated Dough

Well this news came as a shock today, especially after tolling the virtues of refrigerated cookie dough on the anniversary of the birth of Toll House Cookie inventor, Ruth Wakefield.

According to the New York Times this morning, Food maker Nestle USA voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw. And, let's face it, who hasn't eaten the cookie dough raw? I know it helped me get through some of the more unpleasant times in my life. What a great treat. I actually kept it in the freezer. For me, it was a comfort food. Ben & Jerry's icecream certainly capitalized on America's love of chocolate chip cookie dough. Rest assured, though, they do not use Nestle's Toll House.

Nestle said the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating reported E. coli illnesses that might be related to the ingestion of raw cookie dough.In a statement, the FDA said there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states since March. About 25 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

The FDA advised consumers to throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their homes. Retailers, restauranteurs and employees at other food-service operations should also not sell or serve any of the products.

Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation," adding the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.

O'Hearn said the company will "cooperate fully" with the FDA's investigation.

The recall includes refrigerated cookie bar dough, cookie dough tub, cookie dough tubes, limited edition cookie dough items, seasonal cookie dough and Ultimates cookie bar dough. It does not affect any other Toll House products.

So make your own chocolate chip cookies this weekend from scratch. For two great recipes for Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores, go here.