Delicious Peanut Buttercream Frosting with Easy Chocolate Cake

all i can say is...

if you love PEANUT BUTTER

you'll love this cake.

 this "cake"post is all about the frosting.

the cake is good and super easy to throw together, but it definitely takes a back seat to this sweet savory smooth peanut butter buttercream frosting.

my friends were absolutely head over heals about this cake.  the aroma of peanut butter wafted though the air.  they were rolling there eyes before the first bite...  i even got called into the manager's office because of this cake.  my friend Jennifer said, "ah jules...i need to see you in the office for a moment..."   i thought i might have done something wrong or misplaced something important...

nope, she called me in because of this darn cake!

peanut butter frosting is a winner

i think i will try this frosting on the "Black Magic Cake" i made a few weeks ago...now that's a chocolate cake.  that would be a heavenly match.

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CAKE

found at 5 Second Rule by Cheryl Sternman

FOR THE CAKE...

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp espresso powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp slat

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted about half way

3 Tbsp sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

preheat the oven to 325F.  grease a 9 inch round cake pan.  line with parchment.

sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.  add the butter, sour cream, milk, egg, vanilla and mini chips.  mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  it's okay if the batter is a bit lumpy, but make sure there are no clumps of undissolved dry goods.  scrap into prepared pan.

bake for 30-35 minutes.  check after 25 minutes.  cake should be firm to the touch, skewer comes out clean and cake is just pulling away from the sides.  MINE WAS DONE IN 25 MINUTES with oven at 320F

cool on rack for a few minutes then unmold and cool completely.

i like to stick it in the fridge for a bit before cutting it in half for layering.

PEANUT BUTTER-CREAM FROSTING

aka Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing

from Food Network...Ina Garten

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup peanut butter

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

place powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  mix on medium-low speed until good and creamy, scraping down the sides as you work.  add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

NOTES...i have not worked with frosting a lot, but i found this one very forgiving.  as in...it was easy to work with and did not get stiff as i was playing around.  i could go back and fix the top, practice my swirls and work on the sides.  i'm learning as i go.

also...i baked the cake on a Tuesday, frosted the cake on Wednesday and took the full cake shot.  Thursday i shot the slice and served it Thursday afternoon.  my point IS...this can be made the day before and sit covered on the kitchen counter.

Freaky Frito No Bake with Bacon and Red Pepper Flakes

SO WRONG...yet

SO PERFECTLY RIGHT !!!

everything about this says NO NO NO NO

DON'T DO IT

but you just can't help yourself...

this is a true definition of

GUILTY PLEASURE

FRITOS

chocolate

BACON,

peanut butter caramel

and a sprinkle of HOT chili flakes

YOU MUST TRY THIS !!!

i found this incredibly sinful delight on pinterest brought to my attention by  Skip to my Lou...Cindy i love you i hate you!  these are so GOOD...so BADDDDD and so wrong, yet so right on every level.   perfect sweet savory gooey crunchy in every bite.    friends and family thought i was crazy when i tried to explain what was in it, but first bite had them grabbing for more.  i would, and probably will, bring these to any party be it black tie or pot luck.  

FREAKY FRITO NO BAKE with BACON

and RED PEPPER FLAKES

original recipe and photo instructions found at Skip to my Lou

1 bag of regular Fritos, 10.5 oz

1 cup regular sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup regular store bought peanut butter...natural won't work the same.

i used half creamy and half crunchy, so both will work.

8-10 strips CRISPY bacon, chopped or crumbled.

chocolate to drizzle

crushed red pepper flakes to sprinkle

spread Fritos on a greased 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan/cookie sheet.  sprinkle the bacon on the Fritos.  save a bit of bacon to sprinkle on after you pour the caramel mixture for a good visual.

in a small sauce pan add the sugar and corn syrup. bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil...stirring to help dissolve all the sugar.  let boil for one minute.  remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth.  pour mixture equally over the Frito/bacon.  sprinkle (sparingly) with red chili flakes...as much as you can handle.  maybe just do chili flakes on half so the non heat seeker/pansy will enjoy.   as they are cooling heat some chocolate...(about 1/2 cup or so) slowly in the microwave.  do this at 15 second intervals, stirring in between so you won't seize the chocolate.   it should not be too hot so you can put this in a zip-loc baggie, cut off the tip and drizzle over the whole sheet.  the chocolate will set in a few hours, but since it isn't "tempered" it will still be a little soft to the touch.

i handed these out the next day and they still had a very good crunch...even 2 days later they were good after the photos.  do not cover these tightly.  i have a cover for my sheet pan that i just lay over top.

Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

 I eat a salad for lunch almost every single day.  I love filling a bowl full of bright greens and other colorful veggies for a healthy midday meal.  But if you're going to have a salad every single day, you've got to be careful to keep it interesting, otherwise you'll get so bored that you'll end up coveting your sons mac and cheese and pigs in a blanket (not that I have ANY idea what that's like.)

This is a salad that I'm already looking forward to making again.  I love peanut sauce, so to have an entire salad coated in it's velvety, sweet flavor is just heaven.  There is a lot you can add to this salad to keep it fun, hot cooked rice noodles, crispy wonton strips, chopped sweet peppers, or you could sub shrimp or pork instead of chicken. 

Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
From The New Way to Cook Light

Ingredients

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless cooked chicken breast (go rotisserie!)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup sliced celery
2/3 cups light coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons lower sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 tablespoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
4 lime wedges, optional

Directions

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine coconut milk and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, and cool 2 minutes.  Pour warm coconut milk mixture over lettuce mixture.  Sprinkle with peanuts, and serve with lime wedges, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 262 cal, 11g fat, 27g prot, 17g carbs, 4g fiber

Linked up with Taste and Tell

Red Curry White Chocolate Peanut Butter Thai Truffles

imagine this...

like nothing you'd ever expect in a typical peanut butter chocolate candy morsel.
upon first bite, instantly you are transported to another country...

but where am I ?...

what are those flavors ?...
yes, i see peanuts and chocolate, but...

lemongrass, coconut, red curry, ginger...
oooh AND there's a spicy kick at the end ?!

it's like some little Thai mother infiltrated the Reese's factory and slipped in a few of her own ingredients...

"REESE'S" GOES TO THAILAND

these are a huge hit among my foodie friends.  some were a bit sceptical...possibly from my description alone.  i didn't know how to explain the flavors.

the best i can do is liken it to that delicious spicy Thai peanut dipping sauce you get with a good plate of Satay...or the sauce you get with spicy peanut noodles and end up licking the bowl...

i know...it all sounds so weird,

BUT i promise you...

this is an unforgettable outrageous truffle. 

RED CURRY WHITE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER THAI TRUFFLES

makes about 38-40 truffles

14 oz. white chocolate

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup creamy "brand" peanut butter

1 Tsp Thai Red Curry Paste

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1/8 tsp cayenne powder

zest 1/2-3/4 lime

6 oz roasted salted peanuts, small chop.

dark chocolate, TEMPERED for dipping

crystallised ginger for garnish

put white chocolate, peanut butter, red curry paste, lime zest, cayenne in a medium glass bowl.  set aside.

in a small sauce pan add cream and bring to "almost boil".  stir while heating so as not to scald on the bottom.

pour hot cream over white chocolate mixture and let sit for just a moment.  stir with a whisk (just stir...not vigorously).  as it comes together add in the coconut extract.  when it is all combined, give it a little whisking to make sure it is all emulsified and is not separating.  TASTE TEST.  add a little more something if you see fit.  i usually do a little tweaking at this time.  let come to room temp.  put mixture in the fridge, uncovered.  you don't want condensation from a cover in your chocolate mixture.  in about an hour, come back to it and give it a stir...if it isn't set yet...taste test one more time.  this is the last time you can add anything.  then cover and put back in the fridge for at least a few hours or over night is better.

when absolutely set, make 3/4 inch balls.  USE THIN RUBBER GLOVES...rubber gloves make everything so much easier.  when ball is formed roll in bowl of chopped roasted salted peanuts.  you need to press the peanuts in a little bit to cover the ball.  when these are all done...set aside if dipping in chocolate.  i think they should be close to room temperature when dipping so you won't have any cracks or seepage.

click HERE for some Tips and Tricks for a good TEMPER

work in a cold room if possible.

temper your dark chocolate.  dip balls half way and set on prepared parchment cookie sheets.   if room is too warm, refrigerate balls for about 15 minutes to set.

drizzle chocolate over full sheet of balls...it's easier than one at a time.

you will probably have left-over tempered chocolate so have other goodies on hand to dip or throw into a quick "bark".

Bacon Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolates !

1#pound of bacon...

1#pound of chocolate...

a handful of pretzels 

and a little peanut butter...

hands down...call your mama...

shut the front door...

absolutely one of the BEST BITES i have made all year. 

CHOCOLATE...

my newest obsession.

i think this holiday season you might be seeing a lot of chocolates.

i've already made 5 different chocolaty morsels and i can't stop myself from dreaming up new ones.

i'll be posting about the others, but...

this is one of those...stop and take a moment type of unbelievable bites.

BACON PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL CHOCOLATES

what you'll need...

1#pound of good chocolate...61% works well.  couverture chocolate is preferred.

1#pound bacon...cooked, CRISPY...chopped to small bits

NOTE...bacon is 1# before cooking

small pretzels...for this i used the Snyder's peanut butter pretzel sandwiches because they are small and round... twisted in half.

Jiff creamy peanut butter...natural PB is too runny.

smoked finishing salt, like Maldon 

small cupcake papers.

 mini muffin tins just to help hold the cups.

NOTE...i also made a few GLUTEN FREE by using small gluten free pretzels.

for tempering chocolate...

you'll need a medium glass bowl, digital thermometer and a clean spatula...at no time should ANY moisture touch the chocolate.

check HERE @ Serious Eats for great info on tempering  chocolate

or HERE for Alton Browns microwave method

i use Alton's method quickly explained below.

put 3/4 of your chocolate in the glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  STIR.  microwave again for 30 seconds.  STIR.  do it one more time.  STIR.

microwave 3-5 more times, stirring well between each time until it reads 100 F degrees.  STIR.

now microwave for 10 second intervals stirring between each time until it reaches 115 F degrees.

remove from microwave and stir.  stir in the 1/4 pound of chocolate (this is called "seeding").  if you have some 100% cocoa butter, stir in 5 grams of that as well. Alton uses the 100% cocoa butter method instead of seeding with chocolate.  i used both.

keep stirring until all chocolate is smooth and it reaches 90 F degrees for dark chocolate...88-85 F degrees for milk chocolate.

while your chocolate is coming down to the 90 F degrees (don't forget to stir!), get everything ready.  prepare pretzels with a small dollop of peanut butter...approximately 25-30 pieces.  make sure they will fit in your cupcake papers.  place paper cups in the muffin tins.

add bacon to tempered chocolate.  keep bowl warm by placing it in a larger bowl lined with a cloth towel so it will be snugly and warm while you work.

add a small amount of bacon chocolate to your paper cups...only do 3-5 at a time.  place the pretzel, peanut butter side down, in the cup on the chocolate you just put in.  push it in slightly.  now add another small amount of bacon chocolate to cover the pretzel and fill the sides.  sprinkle a little smoked salt on top before it starts to harden.  proceed with the next 3-5 cups...

when you have finished 1 muffin tin full, gently knock it a few times on the counter to settle everything...then refrigerate for about 10 minutes...they should set by then.  take them out of fridge and keep in a cool dry place.

keep working quickly until you have filled as many as possible.

i got 25 pieces.

NOTE...i am not a professional chocolate person!  please check links given and seek out any other information necessary.  this is how i do it and my chocolates have been good and snappy for over a week...no blooming, no streaks...i don't have the shiny sheen down yet, but i will soon.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I am a total sucker for "creature comforts." I love big snuggly blankets, oversized flannel pajama pants, a nice warm, or cold beverage, and a good book to lose myself in. I look forward to the evenings after the kids have gone to bed to enjoy all of those. But sometimes during the day I'll take a moment or two to indulge in some "me time."

There is nothing better than a quiet cup of afternoon tea. The kids are preoccupied and I can sneak away and sip a cup, while enjoying a small snack. This peanut butter banana bread was a real treat, and I was very sad when it was eaten up.

 I'm already a big fan of banana bread, but what set this apart was the glaze. Oh my goodness, I've never had peanut butter glaze until this bread, but I would eat that stuff on just about anything.  The banana bread is not too sweet, with earthy undertones of peanut butter.  This is a bread that I would happily make again and again.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread 

Cooking Light August 2010

Ingredients

• Bread:
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
• 1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• Cooking spray
• Glaze:
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Energy Bites

Energy. Somehow there was a cosmic transfer providing my kids with endless energy, leaving me with little.

However, lately I've been working hard to conserve and produce as much energy as I can. I've been going to bed earlier, exercising regularly, drinking green tea and taking my vitamins. But, sometimes the weather is rainy, or my day is extra busy, and despite my best efforts I still hit that 2pm slump.

That's when you know you need a pick-me-up. I found these little energy bites on Pinterest. They were very quick to make and can be made tons of different ways. I made mine with almond butter and honey, and while I like almond butter, I think they would have been a lot better with salted peanut butter. I also wouldn't have used as much honey. You can add or subtract whatever nuts, grains, seeds or chocolate that you'd like. If you don't like it one way, be sure to try it another.




Energy Bites
From Fooddoodles.com

makes approximately 2 dozen depending on size

Ingredients

1/2 C nut butter(almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or any other nut or seed butter. Anything will work here, but I would prefer peanut butter)
1/4-1/3 C honey(I believe brown rice syrup would also work. I’m not sure of thinner sweeteners such as maple syrup and agave though as they may not hold together as well)
1 C old fashioned rolled oats(you can toast for a nuttier flavor at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes)
1 C shredded unsweetened coconut(you can substitute any dry ingredients for this, wheat bran or germ, oat bran, some ground flax seed(I wouldn’t recommending using an entire cup!), any kind of ground nuts or seeds. For a cookie dough type bite try adding a few tablespoon of your favorite whole grain flour)
1-2 tsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt if using a natural nut butter with no added salt
1-2 tsp your favorite spices or spice combinations (optional) I used about 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 C other addins(any kind of whole or roughly chopped nuts or seeds, dried fruit, good quality chocolate chips, etc)

Directions

In a large bowl add the nut butter, honey or other sweetener, vanilla and salt if needed. Use less vanilla if yours is very strong or more if you really enjoy the vanilla flavor and don’t buy an alcohol based kind. If all your ingredients are room temperature you should be able to stir to combine. If this is difficult you can warm in the microwave for a few seconds or even place the bowl in an inch or two hot water for a few minutes to soften everything. Once this is combined add the remaining ingredients.

In this case I used almond butter and for my addins I used equal parts sesame seeds, poppy seeds and mini chocolate chips. Mix well. Once it’s all combined place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Then remove from the fridge, scoop out some dough and roll into a ball. I find it’s much easier, and works better to squeeze the handful together to compact it and then roll it into a ball.

If yours are too sticky you can considering adding more dry ingredients into them or rolling them in something like ground nuts, coconut, etc so they aren’t as sticky. Place the balls in an airtight container either in the fridge or freezer for quick and easy snacks.

Annamaria's chocolate cake

Happy Easter everyone! I'm happy to be back home, after an awesome vacation. My parents have a house in Spain, near Torrevieja, and that's where we went. (My parents joined us, too, for most of the time - it was great to get to spend some time with them.) It's lovely down there - very still and peaceful, and of course warm and sunny. Foodwise... a bit good, a bit not so good. (For example, the whole debate about organic food and additives must have not made it to Spain.) Anyway - we cooked a lot, since Titus was with us and that meant it wouldn't be so easy to eat dinner at restaurants all the time. I made an awesome paella, and dad made mussles in a creamy wine sauce with cilantro. More on the food when I've downloaded the photos from my camera!

We came home to find that winter has finally gone away, and spring is here. That means, among other things, that I have to get rid of my backlog of wintery posts really, really fast, in order to get to all the nice, spring-y food! Will make that my mission in the next few weeks.

Today, a chocolate cake originally from a Swedish food blog that's sadly not updated anymore. This cake was the runner-up to "best chocolate cake in Sweden" a few years ago, and I can well believe that!

However, believe me, this is rich. And I don't use that term lightly. Despite that, serve it with some whipped cream - it goes so well with the creamy chocolate truffle, and the crispy peanut butter cake layer.

Annamaria's chocolate cake

Bottom:
6-700 ml (about 2 1/2 cups) cornflakes
140 g golden syrup (try to find this, don't substitute corn syrup. If you must, substitute honey or agave syrup, but you might have to change the quantity.)
250 g peanut butter

Truffle:
175 g milk chocolate
275 g dark chocolate
100 ml full-fat cream
100 ml milk
50 ml pistachios, unsalted

To decorate:
Some extra pistachios

Start with the bottom. Use a springform pan with a loose bottom, and place a baking sheet in it. Crush the cornflakes slightly. Melt syrup and peanut butter in a saucepan, and add the cornflakes. Stir. Press an even layer into the pan and place in the fridge.

When the bottom is completely cool, make the filling. Coarsely chop both chocolates, and melt in the microwave. Heat the milk and cream and pour over the chocolate. Stir until completely mixed and smooth. (Use a stick blender if you'd like - I used a simple spoon and that was fine.)

Chop the pistachios and add to the truffle.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the bottom and sprinkle with the extra pistachios. Place in the fridge for at least five hours or overnight. Keep in the fridge until right before serving.

Recipe in Swedish:
Annamarias kladdkaka

Om Nom Bombs

Just because I'm on vacation doesn't mean you won't have any blog posts! Good thing I have a bit of backlog. I made these balls a while ago - they're a version on rice crispie treats, and I found the original recipe here. Mine didn't come out very sweet at all but that will depend on your peanut butter. If you want them sweeter, add more honey.

Om Nom Bombs
makes 30

100 g almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
75 g rice crispies
20 g freeze-dried cherries
30 g pistachios, unsalted, whole
4 tbsp crushed linseed
3-4 tbsp honey
250 g peanut butter
coconut flakes

Mix everything, except the coconut, into a smooth dough. Shape into balls, about the size of golf balls, and roll in the coconut. Keep cool - I have mine in the freezer.

Recipe in Swedish:
Mumsbomber

Your Hand in Mine

fickle |ˈfikəl|

adjective

changing frequently, esp. as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affection : Web patrons are a notoriously fickle lot, bouncing from one site to another on a whim | the weather is forever fickle.

DERIVATIVES

fickleness noun

fickly |ˈfik(ə)lē| adverb

ORIGIN Old English ficol [deceitful] .

I’ve always known I’m fickle.

persnickety |pərˈsnikətē|

adjective informal

placing too much emphasis on trivial or minor details; fussy : persnickety gardeners | she's very persnickety about her food.

• requiring a particularly precise or careful approach : it's hard to find a film more persnickety and difficult to use than black-and-white infrared.

ORIGIN early 19th cent. (originally Scots): of unknown origin.

I’m also aware that I can be tremendously persnickety.

At times either of these attributes could be considered cute, quirky or even endearing. But as I get older I would say that, more often than not, these qualities are irritating, unnerving and not so attractive. Especially if you’re a food, restaurant or boy I can’t decide if I want or not, or might want, or maybe I won’t want - at any given moment.

Doug knows all too well that prior to dining out – or even last Friday when deciding on a happy hour spot – there is a whole process involved. This process usually begins anywhere from a few hours to a few days before said event.

I just want the choice to be the perfect choice. I want everything to be just right. I don’t want to wish I were anywhere else. Or with anyone else.

I guess I have control issues. And I’m kind of OCD.

Hey, I’ve never claimed to be a walk in the park, you know?

Anyway, there’s all sorts of good stuff, too. But it’s not what I’m thinking about right now.

I’m thinking more about how I can relax. Without pharmaceuticals, mind you. I need to learn how to go with the flow, float with the tide. I need to fucking chill out. I can’t control everything and it doesn’t make any sense to try anyway. It’s exhausting for me and, I imagine, for the people around me. Maybe this is why I’ve been so tired lately.

During these moments I usually I turn to soup. But today I thought I’d give myself more of a challenge. I needed to get a lot more involved in something. I decided to bake. So, earlier, as I was listening to one of my favorite songs, and one that has been in constant rotation of late, Your Hand in Mine by Explosions in the Sky, and reading through some of my favorite blogs, I stumbled upon a particularly tempting recipe from One Perfect Bite. A recipe for Bouchon Bakery’s Nutter Butter Cookies.

I made a scant few modifications here and there, but I’m pretty excited. I baked!

I guess I can grow and change. 

Nutter Butter Cookies

Makes 8 ginormous cookies

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking oats

Cookie Filling:
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) To make cookie dough: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 3-4 minutes, scraping down bowl twice. At low speed, add egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir until well mixed, frequently scraping down bowl. Add peanuts (if using) and oats, and mix well. Using an ice cream scoop 2 inches in diameter or an extremely heaping tablespoon, place balls of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets at least three inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and turned very light golden brown, about 10-14 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool and firm up, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

3) To make filling: Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth.

4) To assemble cookies: Spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) on underside of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.

 

Breakfast Cookies

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm not much of a breakfast person. Nothing sounds worse to me first thing in the morning then eating. Luckily for my kids, my husband loves breakfast. Being the baker-man that he is, my kids are always enjoying waffles, pancakes and cinnamon rolls. So when he took off to Texas for two weeks, I had to step it up in the morning and take on the role of the fun breakfast maker.



Imagine how much fun I had greeting my kids first thing in the morning with the phrase "I'm making cookies for breakfast!" Yeah that's right, mom can be cool too! But these aren't regular cookies, they're packed with banana, peanut butter, wheat germ and dried fruit. For good measure I threw some chocolate chips in there, because, well, you know. They're fluffy and have more of a cake-like texture, but they're so delicious and go great with milk. So go ahead, make cookies for breakfast!



Breakfast Cookies
By Food.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup wheat germ
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins or 1 cup other dried fruit
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine peanut butter and butter and beat on medium with an electric mixer.

3. Add brown sugar; beat until combined.

4. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined.

5. Add banana, baking soda & salt; beat until combined.

6. Add flour & wheat germ, a little at a time, and beat until combined.

7. Stir in rolled oats, dried fruit and chocolate chips (if using) by hand.

Per Cookie: 170 cal, 7g fat, 23g carb, 2g fiber, 4g prot

Cheerie-Oats Chocolate Chip Cookies

crunchy, filling, healthy and fun...these cookies will start your day right or keep you going when you need a lift.  they're filled with "good-for-ya" fiber and oats and just the right amount of that yummy peanut butter-chocolate combo to let your taste buds know it's still a treat.

CHEERIE-OATS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
adapted from a recipe found at Suite101.com by Stephanie Gallagher

3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a dash of powdered ginger and nutmeg is a great addition...optional
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3 oz mini chocolate chips
3 cups cheerio's...i used Trader Joe's Fiber O's
2 Tbsp flax...optional good omegas

preheat oven to 375 F
beat sugar, apple sauce, peanut butter, water, vanilla and egg substitute together with an electric mixer until well combined.  add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and spice if adding, salt, oats, flax and chocolate chips.  gently hand stir in cheerie o's cereal of choice.
drop the dough (it will be sticky) by rounded 1/4 cupfuls  onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  flatten dough slightly.  they don't spread much at all.
bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly browned around the edges.
should make about 20 large cookies.

A Very Bloggy Christmas

Initially I didn't plan to do this, I was just going to start fresh for the new year. But I just don't feel right about letting these wonderful treats go without giving credit and thanks to the bloggers who posted them.

I basically found all of my baking and treat ideas from the blogosphere this year, and while I didn't get to make near as many things as I would have liked, what I did make turned out ah-mazing! Here are some of the reasons my pants no longer fit :)




I absolutely could not go an entire Christmas season without making my all time favorite Christmas cookie, the Peanut Butter Blossom! So quick and easy, and when I say easy, I mean easy to stuff about ten down my throat at once! I know this recipe isn't much of a secret, but I always visit my aunts cookie blog, Sugarbliss for the recipe every year. Thanks Rebecca!




I found this sweet Holiday Chex Mix on Cooking with Cristine. Look at those adorable homemade Santa hats! So simply made by dipping bugles into red or cherry chocolate, and then into white for the trim. This was a pretty and delicious treat to pass out to friends. Thanks Cristine!




When I found these Creme-de-Menthe bars on Joanne's blog, Eats Well with Others, my oven was still broken and I could barely stand to wait to make this. Rich chocolatey brownies, with a creamy, minty, butter cream center, and a shell-like chocolate finish to this brownies from heaven, made for a very happy Teresa. No one else in my family is big into the mint-chocolate combo (crazies!) so I ate half the pan, and the other half is in the freezer just biding their time until I decide to cheat on my New Year's diet. Oh Joanne, how I love these bars!





And last, but certainly not least, Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups from Barbara Bakes. Okay, so I did cheat a bit by just adding kisses instead of "thumbprinting" them, but I guarantee that either way you make them, you'll love them! Thanks so much Barbara!

And thanks to Blogland for providing us with SO many Christmas goodies, stories and heartfelt wishes. Even if I didn't make your treats, rest assured I imagined their smells and tastes and enjoyed a bit of the season with you! Enjoy the rest of your break and Happy New Year!