Valentine's Day Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies!   I don't know what it is about them, but I do.  And add chocolate to them?  Oh man!  Normally I'll add a Resses Peanut Butter Cups to the tops or chocolate chips to the batter.  But when I saw this cute idea on Pinterest, I decided to make these.  Perfect for Valentine's Day!

I love Valentine chocolate.  There's just something about heart shaped goodness!

Aren't they so cute?!?!

I went to Six Sister's Stuff to make their Peanut Butter Cookies recipe.  They said this was their favorite cookie of all time.  =o)  How could I not try it?!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Source: Six Sister's Stuff

* 1 3/4 cup flour

* 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1 tsp. baking soda

* 1/2 cup butter, softened

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 1/2 cup peanut butter

* 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

* 1 egg

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 2 Tbsp. milk

* chocolates for the top

In a mixer, beat butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add milk.  Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix well.

Shape into 40 1 inch balls.  Bake for 7-8 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

As soon as you remove them from the oven, place a chocolate on top.

Remove cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool.

Store in an airtight container (if they last that long).  They are delicious!!!

 

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

S'more Cookie Tarts

Somedays I think I know it all. Most days I realize I have no clue, but I have those days where I think "nah, I'll do it my way and it'll be fine." This was one of those days. (When will I ever learn???)

When I saw the post on S'more Cookie Tarts over on Crazy For Crust I knew I was going to make those cookies. We're a huge fan of Peepsters and cookies with Peepsters? Yeah, that's like heaven for this family.  So where did I screw up?

First off, I have no idea why they are called tarts.  I think of a pie like thing filled with fruit when I hear the word tart.  And me and pie?  No thank you.

Anywho... they truly were amazing cookies!  But why can't I just follow a recipe?  Why do I think I know better?  We'll table that question for another day.

Here's how they are supposed to be made...

S'more Cookie Tarts

Source: Crazy for Crust

* 1/2 cup salted butter, softened

* 3/4 cup sugar

* 1 egg

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 1 cup flour

* 1 cup crushed graham crackers (6 full sized crackers)

* 1 tsp. baking powder

* Peepsters (about 24)

Crush your graham crackers.  I put the crackers in a ziplock bag and crushed them with a rolling pin.  This worked great!

In a stand mixer. beat butter and eggs until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add flour, graham cracker crumbs and baking powder.

Here's where I cut corners.  But it's not my fault because I tasted the dough and it was so good I didn't want to let it chill.  And I really dislike rolling out dough.  Next time, though, I'll do these 2 steps!

Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper until it's 1/4" thick.

Chill dough (flattened out) for about 30 minutes.

(I just scooped up balls of dough and pushed a Peepster into it.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut chilled dough into circles.  You want to measure the circles so they aren't a ton larger than the Peepster.

let's take a look at Peepsters again... just to give you an idea how delicious these are going to be.

Wrap the circle of dough around the Peeper leaving the top exposed.

Bake for approx. 9 - 11 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Don't overcook them!

Let the cookie sit for 2 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack.

Mine spread a ton more than Dorothy's.  I think I used too much dough to wrap the Peepers in.  Or maybe it was because I didn't chill it.  Because I didn't follow directions!!!  Regardless, they don't look as cool but they were amazingly delicious! 

Enjoy!

 

 I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

M & M Pudding Cookies

I'm constantly on the search for a delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I usually like most of them when the cookies are right out of the oven but the true test is the next day... or even 2 days later.  Are they chewy and moist or did they get stale tasting?

I love these cookies!!!  Yes, I want to marry them.  They are that good.

M & M Pudding Cookies

Source: Hugs & Cookies XOXO

* 2 cups butter, softened

* 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 2 (3.4 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix

* 4 eggs

* 2 tsps. vanilla

* 4 3/4 cup flour

* 2 tsps. backing soda

* 4 cups M & Ms (or chocolate chips)

What makes this cookie recipe different from the rest?  Instant pudding mix!  How cool is this?!?!

In a stand mixer beat butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add vanilla pudding mix and stir well.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and backing soda until combined.

A good helper is essential when it comes to baking =o)

We used spring time M & Ms because I had a big bag of them left over from Easter.  But they are spring-y looking right?  They don't have to be just for Easter.

Stir in M & Ms (or chocolate chips).

We used our medium sized Pampered Chef scoop (which makes the perfect sized cookie!)  Put on a Silpat or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  I always have a great helper to assist me in the kitchen.  She informed me that it was "take your daughter to work day" so she brought over her baby doll so she could help.  =o)   (Thank you Tiffanee over at One Crazy Cookie for the Heart for Heart Doll I won on her giveaway!  Ellie loves her!)

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.  Don't over cook.

These are chewy and delicious and truly amazing cookies!  This is now my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and I will be making these again and again!  YUM!

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

{Secret Recipe Club} Puff Pastry Mini Apple Bites

Yeah!  It's that time again.  Time for The Secret Recipe Club's big April reveal day.  I just love this day.  I love looking through all the blog posts and learning about each of the amazing bloggers that are participating in group C (that's today's group.)

Amanda, from Amanda's Cookin', started The Secret Recipe Club almost a year ago.  It's now grown so much there are 4 different groups (all posting on a Monday in the month) and each group has their own host to help out.  The host for today is Angela from Big Bear's Wife.  Thanks Angela for helping us all out!

My blog assignment this month was Simply.Food, an amazing blog written by Nanya.  Nanya is also a featured recipe author at @City Connect. How cool is that?!?!

Nanya has so many amazing ethnic dishes on her blog, from Puffed Rice Khichdi to Sago Muruku to Boondi.  Absolutely delicious looking!

She also has amazing giveaways on her blog (and we all know I'm a lover of giveaways!)

I am a huge lover of tzatziki dip so I was debating for days if I should make Nanya's amazing tzatziki dip (and eat the entire batch with french fries.  Yes, french fries - don't judge me!)  But I am a sweet lover.  Yep, I am.  Is that news???  So her Nepalese Chai (tea) Cookies looked absolutely amazing and were starting to call my name.  And then her Piece Montee started calling it even louder.  Aaahhhhh!  What to chose???!!!

As soon as I saw her post on Puff Pastry Mini Apple Bites I knew that was what we were going to make.  They looked delicious and easy to make.  ( I am needing a little easy in my life right now.) And my sonis on an apple pie kick.  So this was perfect!

Puff Pastry Mini Apple Bites
Source: Simply.Food

* 1 sheet ready to roll puff pastry
* 2 granny smith apples
* 4 Tbsp. sugar
*  1 tsp. cinnamon

We used Honey Crisp apples because they are my absolute favorite apple EVER!

Peel and grate the apples.  Add the sugar and cinnamon to the apples and mix well.  I decided not to peel my apples because I love the skin.  It made them pretty cool looking with the red int hem but next time, I will peel them.)

Place the puff pastry in a flat surface that is lightly dusted with flour.  Pour the filling onto the pastry rectangle and smooth out to the edges.

Starting at the long edge of the pastry rectangle, begin rolling tightly until you reach the middle of the pastry.

Do the same thing to the other side of the pastry (making a heart shape.)  I'm not sure why it was so juicy - maybe because of the apples I used.

Cut into 1 inch pieces and place on a lightly greased cooking sheet.  Reshape so that it looks like hearts.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately transfer to a cooling rack.

Dust with powdered sugar (if desired) and enjoy!  I drizzled ours with a powdered sugar and milk glaze.  Oh man!  My son said "delicious!!!"

Now let's take a look at the other bloggers recipes!








I'm also linking to the parties on my sidebar.

PG 13 Cookies

I know.  I'm sorry.  I had to do it.  They were so stinkin' cute.  Right?  And are they even PG 13 anymore anyways?  Heck.  This is close to G rated now.  So maybe I'll re-name them "Rated G Cookies Because It's 2012".  That works.

I used my favorite sugar cookie recipe found here.

I used a heart cookie cutter and cut off the bottom portion.  See?

Then frost them anyway you would like.

I know, you can say it... adorable!  My daughter loved them except she said "her booty is showing too much in these, Mom."  Ha!

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

I don't know about you but I LOVE caramel apples!  Every time we go to Depot Bay (here in Oregon)we go to the little candy store and buy 3 caramel apples and enjoy every single bite of them!  But I don't ever make them.  Why is that???  

When I saw the recipe for these Caramel Apple Cider Cookies on Scrambled Henfruit I thought "best of both worlds... caramel apples and cookies!  Whoo hoo!"  And was I happy I made them!  They are amazing!!!

I changed the recipe a little bit.  Rather than using a whole caramel I used caramel bits.  They didn't turn out as cool looking (without the big blob of caramel in the middle.  But there was caramel in every bite which I loved.  And I was afraid the big blop of caramel would get hard and make it almost impossible to eat (and super messy for my kids.)  Plus... have you seen these yet in the stores?

New favorite product.  They are soft and delicious!

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Source: Scrambled Henfruit

* 1 cup softened butter

* 1 cup sugar

* 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1 box of Apple Cider Drink Mix (all 10 packages) located near the hot chocolate in the grocery store

* 2 eggs

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 1 tsp. baking soda

* 1/2 tsp. baking powder

* 1 tsp. cinnamon

* 3 cups all purpose flour

* Caramel bits or "regular" caramels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  This is important in case the caramel bakes through the bottom.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of Spiced Cider Mix until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla and mix well.

Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon just until mixed.

Refrigerate for about an hour.

When you are ready to bake, scoop out a ball (about the size of a walnut).  Press a hole in the center and fill with caramel bits (or 1 large caramel.)  Seal dough around caramel and place on parchment paper.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned.  Don't over bake!  When done, immediately slide parchment paper onto the counter and let cool just until they are firm enough to move.  Turn cookies upside down (this helps the caramel not all sink to the bottom and stick to the paper) and let cool completely.  

 

Of course eat a couple while warm - they are delicious!!!

Enjoy!

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.

Cafe Du Monde Beignets

I've been wanting to make beignets for a couple of years now.  Ever since I was reading a wonderful book series where the characters would sit outside the Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans and eat warm beignets, licking the powdered sugar off their fingers.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Okay, confession time... the book is a smutty vampire series and the characters were hunky vampires and I couldn't stop picturing myself licking powdered sugar off of their fingers.  But no one needs to know this information about me so forget that I just said that =o)

Beignets are a deep fried pastry similar to donuts and most commonly served dusted with powdered sugar.  They are also the official state donut of Louisiana.  Cafe Du Monde, a coffee shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans,is famous for it's cafe au lait and for it's beignets.

I totally get why they are famous.  They are outstanding.  And I can only imagine how tastier they are sitting in the Cafe Du Monde people watching (and licking the powdered sugar off of hunky vampires fingers.)   =o)

Cafe Du Monde Beignets

Source: The Food Channel

* 1 cup warm milk (about 105 to 115 degrees F)

* 1 package dry yeast

* 1/4 cup sugar

* 2 medium eggs

* 1/4 cup butter, melted

* 1 tsp. salt

* 3 cups (or more) all purpose flour

* oil for deep frying

* powdered sugar

Combine milk and yeast in a large bowl; let stand until yeast dissolves (about 5 minutes).  Whisk in eggs and melted butter.  Whisk in sugar.  Add 3 cups flour and the salt and stir to form a moist, sticky dough.

Kneed dough on floured work surface, adding more flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Form into a ball.  Lightly oil a large bowl and place dough in bowl.  Cover with kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large, deep pan until about 325 degrees.

Transfer dough to floured work surface and punch dough down.  Cover with kitchen towel and let stand for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle dough with flour.  With a rolling pin, roll out dough into a 12 inch square.  (Mine wasn't so square)  =o)

Using a pizza cutter, cut into squares.  (If you made your dough a 12 inch square, cut into 4 equal strips.  Then into 6 equal strips.  Totaling 24 squares.)

Working in batches, fry dough in hot oil until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer beignets to a paper towel lined baking sheet and generously sprinkle with powdered sugar.

They are absolutely delicious when warm!

I made these while my kids were outside playing with their friends.  They all came in and their eyes bugged when they say them on the counter.  Everyone grabbed one and went out to the backyard.  I could hear them oohhing and aahhing about how yummy they were. 

  

I'm linking to the parties on my sidebar.