Thursday, August 21, 2003

Today's recipes are a chocolate lover's dream. The first, Chocolate Cookie Drops, is a soft chocolate cookie frosted with melted chocolate bars. The second recipe, Raspberry Fudge Balls, is a no-bake cookie.

	Looking for a recipe? If you want to answer a recipe request from a reader or are looking for a recipe yourself, please write to Kitchen Mailbox, c/o Arlene Burnett, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222, or e-mail to aburnett@post-gazette.com . Please include a name, neighborhood/city/borough/township and state and a daytime phone number on all correspondence.

They're similar to what Irene Calvitt of Wind Gap, Northhampton County, is looking for. She wrote Kitchen Mailbox requesting a recipe for chocolate drop cookies or chocolate snowballs. "This is a drop cookie that is rolled in powdered sugar," Irene explained.

The recipe we're featuring today comes from an old Kaufmann's cookbook and was sent in by four readers. We received responses from Jill Diskin of Squirrel Hill, Helen Marcus of Paris, Washington County, Cindy Roemele of Edgewood and Doris McCunn of New Kensington.

Mary Lou Cooke of Braddock Hills sent in a no-bake cookie recipe made with Nilla Wafer crumbs, cream cheese and raspberry jam.

• 1 egg, beaten
  
• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  
• 1 2/3 cups flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk, see note
  
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
  
• About 6 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55-ounce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate over hot water (we used the microwave). Set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Add milk. Add melted, cooled chocolate. Stir to blend. Sift flour, salt and soda together and gradually stir into batter. Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes. (We baked the cookies for 10 minutes.) Remove from pans at once and cool on rack. When cool, frost with 6 milk chocolate bars that have been melted.

Note: To make sour milk: 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice mixed with enough milk to make 1/2 cup.

Makes about 4 dozen.

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup chocolate chips, melted
  
• 3/4 cup vanilla wafers, crushed
  
• 1/4 cup raspberry preserves
  
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Mix cream cheese and chocolate until well blended. Add preserves and vanilla wafer crumbs. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in nuts. Refrigerate.

Makes about 4-5 dozen.

Requests:

Barbara Kachurik of Creighton: "I saw the request for the Pasta Piatto salad dressing recipe -- looked like gorgonzola and water -- but what flavor! I'll be watching for it. The only thing that could make me happier would be Pasta Piatto's tomato sauce recipe. Again, understated but flavorful. A fine restaurant sorely missed."

Gary Demski of West Mifflin: "When Guentart's Bakery was in Braddock, it made a bread called half rye. We have never been able to find another bakery that makes this type of bread. Do you know of any bakery that sells half rye bread, or would anyone have a recipe? It was lighter than a regular rye bread, and it wasn't a marble rye."

Peggy Wilson from Oak Brook, Ill., would like the recipe for Peg Bracken's Hamburger Stroganoff served over Chinese noodles.

Hazel Dixon of Evans City, Butler County: "I have contacted you many times for recipes and you have been kind enough to send worthwhile suggestions. Now I have another one. I would like to try to duplicate Sara Lee's French Crumb Cake."

Ruth Capers of Butler: "The best ranch dressing I've ever had is the one served at Dingbats. My husband and I often purchase a container to take home, but it is quite expensive. Does anyone know where it can be purchased in bulk or know the ingredients so I can make it myself?"

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