Peanut Butter Suprise Cookies

As many of you know, my family LOVES ANYTHING with peanut butter and chocolate. The kids and I decided to try this recipe just because it looked so gosh darn yummy. Thanks again, my dear friend Martha Stewart. You came through again! :)

Just to mix things up, I followed the recipe from here, and did half the batch on cookie sheets as the directions called for and the other half I put in mini muffin tins. They were both equally delicious.

YUMMY Brownies!

I had two small children look up at me tonight and ask desperately for some brownies. It was kind of sad actually. Not thinking I may actually have all of the ingredients to make them, I looked for a recipe on my good friend's website (Martha Stewart) :)

I came across this one and I actually had all of the ingredients and became the hero for the evening. Boy, were they delicious!! Click on the link below.

Martha Stewart's

Super Fudgy Brownies

(since the recipe calls for 8 oz of semisweet chocolate chips and the bag had 12 oz in it, we mixed the remaining chips in the brownie batter and had chocolate chip brownies)

Pretzels and Pajama Thursday

Thursdays were the only days we didn't have any place to go, so we decided at the beginning of the school year it would be called Pajama Thursdays. The kids look forward to it all week and ask practically every morning if it is Thursday yet so that they can keep their pajamas on. I can't say I blame them. I would love to wear my pjs every day too. This is why in some of my posts, you can see the headless pictures of my kids in their pajamas while doing crafts.

This week on Pajama Thursday, we made home made soft pretzels. We love them so much. We haven't made them in a while, so I decided today we would make a double batch and freeze them. They are so good to make as sandwiches! I have posted about these pretzels before here. Check it out and make some for your family. You won't be sorry!

Irish Potato Candy

When I used to work in the brick and mortar schools, one of my co-workers used to bring this in to school every St. Patrick's Day. They are called Irish Potatoes because the cinnamon makes them look like potatoes. She used to keep them in the teacher work room for everyone to share. I loved them so much and it has been a few years since I have had them since I moved away. I had to ask for the recipe and she was nice enough to share. Thanks Cathy.

Irish Potatoes

¼ lb soft butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
6 cups 10x powdered sugar
8 oz coconut
Cinnamon

Mix together margarine, salt, vanilla and milk. Gradually add sugar. Mix well. Add coconut. Mix well. Remove from bowl and knead well.
Roll about 15 balls at a time, place in a plastic bag- put cinnamon in the plastic bag, and shake. Repeat with rest of batter.
Put potatoes on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate over night.

Smoothies

We had a delicious treat during our Hawaiian Luau. We made Strawberry yogurt smoothies. The first thing we did though was decorate our cups. We used some of the left over flower cut outs from our lei making and glued them on plastic cups.

Next we made our smoothies:

2 cups of strawberries (1/2 a quart)

1/2 cup yogurt (we used strawberry yogurt)

1 cup of ice

1/4 cup orange juice

2 T. sugar

Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Valentine's Day Cookies

This is a recipe based on the one I found here.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups of all purpose flour

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the cream. Next add the flour and baking powder and mix into the mixture. Cover the dough and chill for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place them 1 inch apart on the baking sheets covered with parchment paper, a silpat, or greased with butter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until bottoms and edges of cookies are light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.

Then I used the icing that we used for our Christmas cookies from my friend Jenn's recipe.

Basic icing:
4 cups of confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup of heavy cream
2 tsp. vanilla

I was feeling a little under the weather tonight, but making these sure did perk me up. Perhaps it was all the sugar in the air. :)

Valentine Dessert Pizza

The kids loved every bit of this process. We used frozen bread dough for the crust (thawed in the refrigerator).

Then we divided the bread dough into 4 parts. The kids smashed and flattened out their part and I cut them into hearts. I lightly greased a cookie sheet and put the dough in the oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or so. Just until the tops were lightly golden brown.

Then we spread peanut butter over the entire thing and the kids put semi sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter/chocolate swirled chips, m & ms, and marshmallows. Then I put them in the oven for a couple of minutes just until the marshmallows got soft and all the other toppings were ooey gooey. One heart of their dessert pizza will last them all week. You certainly can make more hearts so that they are more of an individual serving, but I took the easy way out. :)

A Snowman Snack!

I saw these in my Family Fun magazine this month and couldn't wait to make them. The kids loved this healthy snack kabob. We hadn't done anything with snowmen lately. :)

I asked them what their favorite part was and they of course said the chocolate chips that were held on by the peanut butter. They are so crazy when it comes to peanut butter and chocolate.

Microwave Chocolate Cake

We have made this several times and it always hits the spot. Tonight, we used butter though instead of oil because I ran out and it turned out fine. We found it at Her Cup Overfloweth.

Ingredients:

1 Tall Coffee Mug
4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil (I used melted butter today because we ran out of oil)
3 Tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A splash of vanilla extract

After you mix all of the dry ingredients, you add the rest and stir completely. Get into those corners of the bottom of the mug or you will have pockets of flour when you get the cake out. Then microwave it for 3 minutes.

One mug of cake has at least 2 servings (or enough for two kiddos and their mommy). We covered ours in Chocolate frosting and some conversation hearts. Tasty!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Most of this recipe is from Martha Stewart. I added chocolate chips because our family LOVES all things peanut putter and chocolate. You could very easily leave out the chips and put the cute little fork marks on the top and sprinkle them with sugar...makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups flour

about 2 cups of chocolate chips (more if we are feeling crazy)

We usually do this in our standing mixer and just start tossing things in. We put the first 4 ingredients in first and mix it until smooth. Then we add the eggs, baking soda and baking powder and mix a little more. Then we put the flour in and mix it. We stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

refrigerate for 4 hours (this is VERY hard)

roll dough into 2 inch balls--i use a 2 inch ice cream scoop

bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes

Delicious!!!

Chocolate kiss pretzels

All of the Christmas candy was on sale at the grocery store for half off so I picked up a bag of the silver, red, and green Hershey kisses. We put one kiss on one pretzel. We used the traditional small pretzels because we had them already, but the woven square ones would work well too. You can put them in the oven on low at 170 degrees for 4-6 minutes or put them in the microwave for a minute. Then we pushed the tops of the kisses down to flatten them, put sprinkles on them them and then popped in the fridge to cool and harden. These are also very good with chocolate and caramel rolos.....yummy.

Christmas cookies for Santa!!

I needed a new sugar cookie recipe because I was unhappy with the one I usually used, so my friend Jenn offered hers up and boy are they delicious!!

Jenn's Cookie recipe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1.) in medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside. In large bowl with electric mixer at high speed beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. At low speed, gradually beat in reserved flour mixture just until incorporated. Divide dough in half; shape each half into a disk. Wrap disks tightly in wax paper. Refrigerate about 1 hour, or until firm enough to roll out.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees lightly grease baking sheets

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes


Basic Icing:
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Santa will surely be happy to stop at this house to have a nice snack and a glass of milk. I hope he likes sprinkles... ;)

Easiest Fudge Ever!!

I love fudge, but I never made it because I had to watch a thermometer and I am just not up for that fuss. :)

Here is the easiest Rocky Road Fudge recipe ever!! I make it every year.

2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

1-14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups of mini marshmallows

1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts

I put the chips and the milk in a bowl and then in the microwave for about a minute and then stir them up. If they aren't melted, I put them back in the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again. Keep doing this until all is melted and smooth. Then stir in the vanilla, walnuts and marshmallows. I then pour them in an 8x8 inch pan covered with foil. Then put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and then pull it out by the foil and peel it off. Then cut it up. Wow! It takes about 3 minutes to make (not counting the time in the refrigerator).

A Gingerbread Street!

I was bound and determined to make a gingerbread house this year, but it looks like it got a little out of control. I have never made one before from scratch and really wanted to make one (darn you gingerbread house competition on the Food Network!!). I must admit that I was more than a little intimidated, but I can't believe how easy and HOW MUCH FUN it was to put together. I used the directions here and it couldn't have been easier. In the recipe there is enough dough to make at least 2 houses and 8 gingerbread men. While I was putting the houses together, the kids used ice cream cones, royal icing and Mike and Ikes to make trees for our little neighborhood. Then we all decorated the houses. SO MUCH FUN!!! I highly recommend it!

Yummy Christmas Cookies

We made these yummy Christmas cookies. They were pretty easy to make too.

Italian Sprinkle Cookies

6 eggs

5 cups all purpose flour

2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 cup shortening

3 teaspoons almond extract

1-1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Glaze:

3-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup warm milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Colored Sprinkles

Using a mixer, beat eggs on high speed until light and foamy, about 5 minutes; set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and baking powder. On low speed, gradually beat in shortening and extracts until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gradually add beaten eggs (dough will be stiff). Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes (tops of the cookies will not brown, but bottoms should brown slightly).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the confectioner's sugar, milk and extracts until smooth. As soon as cookies are removed from the oven, quickly dip two or three at a time into glaze. Remove with tongs. Place on wire racks to drain. Immediately top with sprinkles.

Chocolate covered pretzels

We found these Wilton molds at Michael's and made some yummy chocolate covered pretzels. We put some sprinkles in the mold first and then we melted chocolate chips in the microwave and then put the melted chocolate in a ziploc bag. Then we cut one of the bottom corners off and piped it in the mold about one third full and then put the pretzel rod in and covered it with chocolate. Then we popped it in the freezer and waited about 15 minutes...yummy!!

Ladybug apples!

I saw these online at this great site. I thought they were super cute especially since my daughter loves all things ladybugs. In fact, that is my nickname for her. The chocolate chips are stuck on there with peanut butter. It should be no surprise that the chocolate chips were the first things to be eaten.

Buckeye Candy!

Go Bucks!!! Finally something buckeye I can root for. :)

I am not a huge Buckeye fan even though I have lived here most of my life. I AM a big Fan of Buckeye Candy though. :)

Everyone in my family loves anything peanut butter and chocolate. This may be why we still have a ton of Halloween candy left over that has been picked free of all things Reeses.

We made these today and they are VERY yummy. I have 2 bits of advice for you though if you choose to make this recipe.

1. Do not use reduced fat creamy peanut butter (that is what we used). It makes the peanut butter a little crumbly.

2. When you are following the recipe directions, put the peanut butter balls in the freezer like it says. Don't think to yourself, "These look fine and it should be easy to cover in chocolate without putting in the freezer." I didn't put mine in the freezer and I think they would have been a lot easier to cover in chocolate if they had been slightly frozen. :)

Move over Swiss Miss....

Ok, so I spend far too much time on the computer especially since it is also part of my job. I found a really cool website that has a bunch of recipe favorites from people. It is called TasteSpotting. I love it probably because it has beautiful pictures and some easy recipes. I probably make something from this site about once a week.

Sadly, yesterday I found a little slice of heaven. I fell in love, but we were not meant to be together since I would weigh 900 pounds if I endulged in this sweet treat all the time. It was dreary and cold outside, both of the kids were taking their naps, and my husband was running errands. I was curled up on the couch catching up on my magazine and catalog reading (sad, I know) so I decided to give the recipe a try...HOT CHOCOLATE!! It is VERY close to the hot chocolate I had when I was in Florence, Italy. It is so incredibly rich and thick. I am almost sorry I know how to make it now. LOL

I thought I would share it, so that you could try it too. It is really delicious!!!

All for ME!

I couldn't convince them to even try one...they are delicious and apparently ALL MINE!

Drizzle seeds with olive oil and move them around to coat

Lightly salt
325 degrees for about 20-25 minutes