Cannoli

Filling
32 oz. container of Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 C. Powdered sugar
1 Tbsl. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C. Mini Chocolate chips

Drain as much liquid as you can out of the ricotta first; Than Beat the ricotta in Bosch with paddle attachment til smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; blend til fully incorporated. Fold in Chocolate chips. Place filling in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate til your ready to fill Pastry shells. Keep unused filling in Refrigerator. (If you have time you can try and strain your ricotta through cheese cloth, though I never do this)

Shells
4 C. flour
3 Tbls butter
2 egg yolks
2 Tbls. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C. Italian Red wine

Lard or Oil for Frying

Mix flour, sugar, and salt In bowl. cut in butter. Add egg yolks, Stir in wine, until a dough like consistency forms. If the dough feels wet and sticky add more flour, if it feels too dry add more wine. You'll need to knead the dough for probably 15 minutes to get it to form, this is a very stiff dough. Cover dough and let stand for 1/2-1 hour. Roll out the dough until super thin (this takes a lot of work, but you want it super thin to get the right blistering) than cut into 4 inch circles. wrap circles around cannoli forms. Seal dough on by brushing with egg yolk. Fry in Lard until brown (lard gives the best flavor but you may also use oil), approximately 1 minute. Lift out with tongs; Drain, and gently remove forms. Cool shells thoroughly before filling.

When your ready to fill your shells, clip a small portion off of one of the corners of the Ziploc bag. Squeeze filling into shells, and dip both ends into more mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts. You may want to sprinkle with powdered sugar. Since the cannoli cream filling will cause your cannoli shell to get soggy eventually, it is best to fill your cannoli shells no more than 4 hours before serving them.

Makes about 26 - 4" round cannoli's

Hints: Cannoli forms can be found at kitchen stores, they are metal tubes and come in 2 sizes, they are usually 1 inch in diameter. Some people use a broom stick cut to size instead of metal forms, but I've never done that either.
Mascarpone cheese can be substituded in this recipe for the ricotta,andt it will not have to be strained.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies

1 C. margarine
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 Cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 C. cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 Gallon Vanilla or cookies and cream ice cream, softened slightly

Pre heat oven to 375*. Blend sugars and butter in Bosch. Add vanilla and eggs; cream together til smooth. Add flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder, blend. Stir in chocolate chips. Spray cookie sheets with Pam, using a tablespoon drop 12 mounds and than flatten out as much as possible. Cook for 8 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on counter before transferring to wire rack. Soften a 1/2 gallon of dryers vanilla or cookies and cream ice cream. Place a mound of ice cream between two cookies, wrap in Saran wrap and squeeze together to tighten the cookies. Freeze until your ready to eat them. Makes 4 dozen cookies, and 2 dozen sandwiches.

We find the the chocolate chips get hard as they freeze, but are still really yummy. You may want to try this recipe without adding the chocolate chips? Worth a try.

Easy Chocolate Lovers CheesePIE

3 packages cream cheese, softened (24 ounces total)
3/4 C. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 C. Hershey's mini chocolate chips
2 - Oreo graham cracker crusts (6 oz. size)

TOPPING
2 Tbls. whipping cream or milk
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 450*. Beat cream cheese ands sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in 1 2/3 cups small chocolate chips; pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250*; continue baking 30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire rack. Cool completely. Cover; refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Place remaining 1/3 C chips and whipping cream in small bowl, microwave for 30 seconds or until melted and smooth. Spread over top of cheesepie. Refrigerate til set. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesepie.