If there was a Chocoholics Anonymous chapter, I would be one of their charter members. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hot chocolate, frozen chocolate ... it doesn't matter. I love chocolate, and this week's column of chocolaty goodness recipe shares sent me straight to Cloud 9. I hope you enjoy this week's recipes as much as I did. Let's cook!

Recipe Exchange

Recipe Request

N.J., of Garrison, is seeking casserole recipes that freeze well.

Recipe Shares

Chewy Brownies

Source: Janis Robertson, Nacogdoches

1 C. shortening

1/2 C. cocoa

1 1/2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

2 C. sugar

6 T. white corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla

2 C. nuts

Melt shortening and add cocoa, cool. Beat eggs until light; add sugar. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Add cocoa mixture to eggs and sugar. Add flour mixture, corn syrup, vanilla and nuts. Mix well. Bake in 9- by 13-inch greased and floured pan at 275 degrees for 1 hour.

Signature Brownies

Source: A Lufkin reader, recipe originally from Hershey

Yield: about 20 brownies

The Lufkin reader wrote, "This is a tried and true brownie recipe that was, and still is, enjoyed by my family."

1 pkg. (15 oz.) golden sugar cookie mix

1/2 C. Hershey's cocoa

1/2 C. Hershey's syrup

1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1/2 C. coarsely chopped nuts

No-Cook Fudge Frosting (below)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. In medium bowl, combine cookie mix (and enclosed flavor packet) and cocoa. Stir in syrup, butter and egg; blend well. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Frost with no-cook fudge frosting. Cut into bars.

No-Cook Fudge Frosting

In small bowl, combine 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/2 C. Hershey's syrup, 1/4 C. Hershey's cocoa, 1/4 C. melted butter or margarine and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract; blend well. Use immediately.

Chocolate Dessert Waffles

Source: A Lufkin reader, recipe originally from Hershey's

The Lufkin reader wrote, "I used to make these for my boys when they were in school. They would be hot and ready and just out of the waffle iron when they came home."

Makes about 10 4-inch waffles

1/2 C. Hershey's cocoa

1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted

3/4 C. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. buttermilk or sour milk*

1/2 C. chopped nuts, optional

Hot Fudge Sauce (recipe follows)

Strawberry Dessert Cream (recipe follows)

In small mixer bowl, mix cocoa and butter until smooth; stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to cocoa mixture. Stir in nuts, if desired. Bake in waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Carefully remove waffle from iron. Serve warm with Hot Fudge Sauce and Strawberry Dessert Cream.

*To sour milk, Use 1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar plus milk to equal 1/2 cup.

Hot Fudge Sauce

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 C. Hershey's cocoa

1/2 C. plus 2 T. (5 oz. can) evaporated milk

1/3 C. light corn syrup

1/3 C. butter or margarine

1 tsp. vanilla

In medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together sugar, cocoa, evaporated milk and corn syrup. Microwave at high (100 percent) 1 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until mixture boils. Stir in butter and vanilla. Cool slightly, serve warm. About 1 3/4 C. sauce.

Strawberry Dessert Cream

In small mixer bowl, beat 1 C. chilled whipping cream until stiff. Fold in 1/3 C. strawberry preserves and 3 drops red food color; if desired. About 2 C. topping.

Sugar-Free Brownies

Source: T.W., Nacogdoches

3 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 C. vegetable oil

2 ripe bananas (the riper the better)

1/2 C. artificial sweetener for baking

2 eggs

1 C. whole wheat flour

1/2 C. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oil, cocoa and bananas in a blender or food processor, and whirl until well-blended into a smooth puree. Combine artificial sweetener, flour, cocoa mixture and eggs. Beat until mixed, then stir in the nuts. Pour into a greased 9- by 13-inch baking pan, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until brownies test done using a wooden toothpick. When cool, cut into 2- to 2 1/2-inch squares.

Trivia

Louise Skinner e-mailed more info on an English breakfast, "An English breakfast contains the following: eggs, bacon, link sausage, black (blood) pudding, white pudding, grilled tomatoes, cooked mushrooms, fried bread, baked beans, fried potatoes, white and brown toast, butter, jam, marmalade, and Marmite, and hot tea with milk. This is also known as a fry up. Traditionally, coffee is for later in the day. Most people can't eat all this, so choose their favorites from this list. Many bed and breakfast places also provide a selection and provide both tea and coffee. Cold cereal and hot oatmeal are often available, along with juices, stewed fruit (e.g. figs, prunes), fresh fruit (e.g. bananas, oranges), and breakfast breads (e.g. morning rolls, croissants).

Fancy hotels often have kippers or Arbroath smokies or Craster smokies (smoked fish cooked, and thus rehydrated, in milk) as an alternative breakfast selection. These fish may also be cooked as kedgeree, an Anglo Indian breakfast dish."

Continued trivia: What is a 'continental breakfast'?

Monthly contest

Every reader who submits a recipe request, correct trivia answer prior to the answer's publication, and/or recipe share to What's Cooking? will be entered in a monthly drawing for a prize. The next contest drawing will be Sept. 30 from all readers who have submitted recipe shares and/or recipe requests received through noon Sept. 30. Alice West of Garrison is the July winner. Submission address information is found at the end of this week's column.

If you have a great cook or local-flavor cookbook to recommend, favorite recipe to share, a recipe request, suggested idea, question, cooking tip, story idea, or answer to a recipe request, please write: Carol Kimbrough, P.O. Box 631719, Nacogdoches, Texas 75963-1719 or e-mail: whatscookingcolumn@yahoo.com. Please include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, if applicable. Readers who submit a recipe request and/or recipe share will be entered into a monthly drawing for a cooking-related prize. Please note if you do not want your name published. Winner names will be published. Carol Kimbrough is a contributing writer.