Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

My husband and I both love Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I thought it was really good! Strangely enough, he didn’t think they were anything special. Next time I make them, I will leave out the extra chocolate chips in the batter. I would like to taste more of the blondie + the peanut butter cups. The chocolate chips added to the batter in my opinion are a little overboard in the chocolate department….if you can believe that

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Source: Alida’s Kitchen, adapted  from Cooking Light

 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 

 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

 

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

 

1/3 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

 

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

 

2 tablespoons skim milk

 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

 

1/4 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips

 

4 (0.75-ounce) peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
Cooking spray

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray 9 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt (if using).
3. In a separate medium bowl, stir to combine the peanut butter, butter, milk, vanilla and eggs. 
4. Add peanut butter mixture to dry ingredients, and gently stir until combined.  Fold in chocolate chips until combined (do not over mix).
5. Pour batter in prepared baking dish.  Arrange peanut butter cups over batter.
6. Bake for 19 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.

 

Avalanche Bark

I have seen this recipe floating around the internet and thought it looked delicious. I was right. I don’t know how you could go wrong with a combo of Rice Krispies, white chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. What I loved about this recipe is that you don’t have to heat up your stove to prepare it, just pop it in the microwave! This recipe is very rich, and very delicious!

 

 

Avalanche Bark

Source: Family Favorite Recipes

 

1 (12 oz) package of white chocolate chips

2 heaping tablespoons creamy peanut butter

3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

 

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips with peanut butter for about 40 seconds. Stir together until the white chocolate chips are melted.

Add Rice Krispies and stir until combined. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes, or until mixture becomes room temperature.

Add mini chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, stirring until all combined. Grease a 9×13 in pan (I used an 8×8) and press mixture down into pan. Do not press too hard, you might crush the cereal.

Place in fridge for about 30 minutes, or until hardened. Cut into squares.

 

 

Cake Batter Crispy Treats

I had been avoiding carbs the last 5 days, until I saw this recipe. I blame this recipe for falling off the diet wagon once again. I must say, I think it was worth it, the cake batter crispy treats were delicious! I was expecting the cake batter taste to be a tad more intense, so I think next time I might increase the cake mix. Make these, you won’t be disappointed 

 

Cake Batter Crispy Treats

Source: how sweet it is, adapted from Rice Krispies

3 tablespoons butter

1 (10 oz) bag of mini marshmallows

1/4 cup yellow cake mix

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 (1.75 oz) container of sprinkles

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until they begin to melt. Add one spoonful of dry cake mix to marshmallows at a time, until all is incorporated. After the marshmallow mixture is completely melted, add Rice Krispies. Stir until cereal is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix well. Press into a greased 9×13 in pan, and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.

Hillary Clinton’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

I needed a dessert to take to a family get together and found this recipe online. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand to whip these up. The good thing about these cookies, is that they don’t use any butter. The bad thing is, they require shortening which is not exactly great for you (not that butter is). These are definitely not diet friendly. I sampled one and sent the rest out the door! I don’t know if this is actually Hillary’s recipe, but they were very good.

Hillary Clinton’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Allrecipes

  

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup shortening

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Brush baking sheets lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Combine flour, salt and baking soda on waxed paper.
3. Beat together shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats and then chocolate chips.
5. Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or till golden. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

 

Sugar Cookie Bars

My cousin Sarah is getting married and I am throwing her a bridal shower next month. Her fiance is a “real cowboy”, he even works on a ranch in Kansas. I thought it would be fun to throw Sarah a cowgirl themed shower. I wanted the menu to reflect simple country charm. I have been trying recipes out for the shower to see if they might work. These sugar cookie bars were delicious, they just might make the cut to be on the menu.

Sugar Cookie Bars

Source: Love and Olive Oil

  

Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:
1 cup butter; at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons milk
food coloring, if desired

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.

In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add to butter mixture and mix just until combined. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet (a 13×18 or 10×15 jelly roll pan) or line with parchment paper. Gently and evenly spread out batter onto sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake, you want these to be moist. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To prepare frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreadable. Add a few drops of color, if desired. Spread over cooled cookie, then cut into bars.

Chewy Brownie Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Chewy brownie peanut butter chip cookies…..wow that’s a mouthful! What’s not to love about a brownie like cookie? I subbed half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat, and they turned out great. Next time I make them, I may get brave and just use all whole wheat flour. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, so I whipped these up this afternoon. I’m sure glad I did, they were delicious!

Chewy Brownie Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Source: Baking Bites

 

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups combo of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. With the mixer on low, beat in the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, and continue to beat until all of the dry mix has been incorporated. Do this slowly to avoid dusting your kitchen with flour and cocoa. Stir in chips and/or peanut butter cups by hand.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet (dough balls were a bit larger than 1 inch in diameter). Leave about 2 to 3-inches between cookies to allow for spread.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, until cookies are set at the edges and tops are slightly cracked looking. Cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.

Smores Bites

I had some graham crackers in my cabinet that I wanted to use up when I came  across this recipe. I love smores! Any time we have a campfire we always bring the ingredients for smores. These are a quick and easy no bake treat! I thought they were really tasty, and I would make them again.

Smores Bites

Source: A Whisk and A  Prayer, adapted from Taste of Home

 

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil

8 whole graham crackers broken into bite sized pieces

2 cups mini marshmallows

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and oil. Microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring once until chocolate is melted. Stir in graham crackers and marshmallows. Divide among 12 cupcake liners. I used my silicone cupcake liners. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

WW points: 12 servings at 4 points each

Poose Cookies

This is my weekly “healthy recipe”. I have been craving cookies, but I have been trying to avoid them! All that walking shouldn’t go to waste, so I have to admit I have been watching what I put in my mouth. I liked these cookies, next time I will try subbing raisins for the chocolate chips to make them even more nutritious.

Poose Cookies

Source: Steph Chows

 

• Whisk together in a medium bowl:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

dash of salt

• In a large bowl, beat together:

1 package of Gerber prunes and apples baby food (2, 3.5 ounce containers)

3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup organic zero, splenda, or white sugar (I used splenda)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 eggs (beat in one at a time)

1 teaspoon vanilla

• Slowly add dry to wet, and then add in 1 cup chocolate chips.
• Scoop large tablespoon mounds onto a baking sheet or mat and flatten slightly with finger tips.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 17-20 minutes.
• Serve warm or frozen.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

I have been on the hunt for great white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. You see, Schwan’s stopped carrying these cookies and they were wonderful. My mother in law broke the news to me, so I had to find a replacement. Yes, sadly I am occasionally all about pre made cookies. I thought these were excellent! I don’t know that they are exactly like the Schwan’s version, but I think I prefer these! I actually baked only one cookie sheet of these delightful cookies. The rest I formed into balls and froze them on a cookie sheet. Then, I took them off and placed them in a ziploc bag labeled with time and temp for future use. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did, and Rita I hope you this solves your cookie problem!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Source: Joy the Baker, originally from Betty Crocker

  

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), no margarine
• 1 cup packed light or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (I used heavy whipping cream)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I always use Mexican vanilla)
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup white chocolate chunks (I used chips)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, swirling and stirring the butter until nicely browned, remove pan from heat and set aside to cool a bit while you measure out the dry ingredients and set them aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the brown sugar and slightly cooled butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for one minute. Add the milk and vanilla and beat to incorporate.
3. Turn the mixer off, and scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients all at once. With either the stand mixer on low, or by hand with a spatula, incorporate the dry ingredients until just mixed in. Fold in the chopped nuts and white chocolate chips.
4. Scoop two teaspoon sized balls onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are golden. Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Icing

These cookies are so good! I was looking for a cookie recipe to finish up a can of pumpkin I had opened earlier in the week and spotted this. The cookie itself is delicious, but the caramel icing takes it to a whole new level.

 

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Icing

Source: Sandy’s Little Spot on the Web, originally exported from MasterCook

 

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup soft margarine or butter
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 medium egg, unbeaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Caramel Frosting:

• 3 tablespoons soft margarine or butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted confectioners sugar

Sift flour, measure and resift with salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. Cream butter and shortening together in mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy.

Throughly beat in the pumpkin and egg. Add dry ingredients all at once, blend just until no trace of flour in the batter. Remove bowl from mixer, stir in vanilla.

Drop large walnut-size mounds 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Keep remaining batter in fridge until ready to use. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown and soft to touch. Transfer to wire racks. When cool frost.