Peanut Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

It is Friday, January 17, 2014, and I'm calling it: I'm officially D-O-N-E with winter. I'm over it. I don't want any more cold, I don't want any more snow, I don't want any more below-zero wind chills. I'm so ready for spring that I'm practically aching with it.

I always get kind of blah during the winter, but this year, it's especially bad. I have no energy and no motivation and I know it's all connected to the weather. Basically, I would like to hibernate until at least April in flannel pajamas, in my cozy house, with my family and a few batches of these peanut butter bacon chocolate chip cookies to keep me company. Why can't that be my life?

Let's talk about these cookies, because if anything can pull me out of my wintertime funk it's these beauties. These peanut butter cookies not only have sticky, brown sugar bacon pieces in them; they also have bacon drippings in them. Along with peanuts and chocolate chips, of course. This is another of those instances where I need the smiley face emoticon with the hearts for eyes to describe how I really feel. These cookies are a little sweet, a little salty, and a lot sinful. So, in short, you're going to love them.

Peanut Butter Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from Food Network

5 strips bacon
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

1/2 cup roughly chopped honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Place the bacon on the baking sheet with space between each strip. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Bake, turning once, until bacon is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings and set aside to cool. Set bacon aside to cool and, once cool, chop into small bits. 

 

2. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.

 

3. Beat the butter and reserved bacon drippings in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the peanut butter until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the granulated and light brown sugar until creamy, about 4 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 additions, scraping down the bowl as needed, until just combined. Stir in the peanuts and all but 2 tablespoons each of the chocolate chips and bacon.

5. Form the dough into 12 balls and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten with your fingers (the cookies will not spread in the oven); press the reserved bacon and chocolate chips on top. Bake until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Five-Ingredient Caramel Tassies

I posit that there are no cookies cuter than tassies. What could possibly be more adorable than a little cookie cup filled with sweet ingredients? I mean, even the name is too precious for words.

Not only are these cookies adorable and delicious; they're also incredibly simple. Those sweet cookies, in that picture up there? They're made with only five ingredients. Butter, cream cheese, flour, caramel sauce, and mini chocolate chips -- that's it. This fact alone makes them worth adding to your Christmas cookie trays. When you make as many types of cookies as I do (and believe me, I make a lot, as you'll see over the course of the next month or so), you really start to appreciate the super-simple-but-still-yummy-and-impressive-looking cookies. That's exactly what these caramel tassies are. They're just the best.

Five-Ingredient Caramel Tassies
adapted from Taste of Home

1 cup butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups flour
Prepared caramel sauce
Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

2. Roll dough into 1-inch balls; press onto the bottom and up the sides of ungreased miniature muffin cups. Prick bottoms with a fork. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

3. Fill each cup with caramel sauce and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 4 dozen tassies.

Mint Chocolate Cookies

I sometimes occasionally often get obsessive over things until I either make them/buy them/read them, etc. Recent examples of this include re-decorating our kitchen and bathroom and purchasing about 10 books by my favorite childhood author because I couldn't stop obsessing about re-reading them. There are countless more examples, because I do this frequently, I assure you.

These cookies were one of my obsessions. They started out in my mind as regular chocolate chip cookies with mint M&Ms, and they evolved into chocolate dark chocolate chip cookies with mint M&Ms and crushed Thin Mints in the batter. It was a delicious evolution, I think. Joe said they're some of the best cookies I've ever made (second in his mind only to the chocolate peanutella chocolate chip cookies). They have the perfect amount of minty flavor without the use of any extract. They're crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. The cookie base is pretty perfect, and I'm eager to start experimenting with different types of add-ins. I'll keep you posted!

Speaking of add-ins...If you're anything like me, your Girl Scout cookies were gone pretty much the same week you received them. So if you don't have Thin Mints on hand, you could easily replace them with mint Oreos or any other mint cookie you like. But replace them with something, because the texture that the cookies provide is really fantastic.

Mint Chocolate Cookies

adapted from Food Network

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 cup mint M&Ms

1/2 cup chopped mint cookies (like Thin Mints or mint Oreos)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. In another large bowl cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, and cocoa. Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. Stir chocolate chips, M&Ms, and cookie pieces. Stir to distribute evenly.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake 10-13 minutes until cookies are set. Cool on a baking rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pudding Cake

This is one of those really, really dangerous desserts. Like, really dangerous. Like, This dessert is so rich that eating one piece is plenty but I think I'll go ahead and have three more dangerous. It's basically a giant chocolate chip cookie, layered with pudding, sweetened cream cheese, and whipped cream. And a sprinkling of chocolate chips. So, basically, it's heaven in five layers.

I would suggest making this immediately, like this weekend, but just be sure you have a large group of people to share it with. If not, it will probably be hard for you to resist eating it all yourself...and don't say I didn't warn you.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pudding Cake

as seen on Stephanie Cooks

1 16.5-ounce tube  refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 12-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

3 cups cold 2% milk

1 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 3.4-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix

Chocolate chips

1. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1 3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.

3. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping and chocolate chips.

4. Allow to sit in the fridge overnight or at least 8 hours.

Biscoff Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the cookies that made my almost five-year-old tell me in ecstasy, "Mommy, you make the best cookies I have ever, ever eated."

I could probably just end this post there, right? I mean, if a five-year-old with lots of experience eating various types of cookies says these are the best, why even bother looking any further?

I have to agree with Andrew's assessment. These cookies are seriously delicious. They taste a lot like regular chocolate chip cookies, but then you get the spicy hint of the Biscoff spread that takes them from good to fantastic. The spicy-sweet Biscoff works so perfectly with the dark chocolate chips, and the texture of these cookies is just perfect: crisp on the edges and chewy in the center. Basically, they are some of the best cookies you will ever, ever eat.

Biscoff Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

slightly adapted from Life's Ambrosia

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Biscoff spread

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 10-ounce bag dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Beat butter, brown sugar and white sugar together until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg. Beat in vanilla extract and Biscoff spread.

3. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly beat flour mixture into egg mixture. Mix well. Fold in dark chocolate chips.

4. Roll out tablespoonfuls of dough and place them on cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges have started to brown. (Note: When baked for 10 minutes these are chewy cookies. Baked for 12 minutes they're more crispy. I definitely like them chewy, so I took them out after exactly 10 minutes.)

5. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Granola Pie

My cooking club's theme for January was "childhood favorites," and as soon as I was assigned the dessert course I knew exactly what I was going to make. This recipe isn't exactly a childhood favorite, because I don't think my mom started making it until I was a teenager -- but once she started making this pie I never stopped asking for it, and we probably had it at least once a month. I'd never made it myself before, but I knew it's what I had to make for cooking club.

This pie was every bit as delicious as I remembered. I know it sounds a little strange -- granola bars crushed up in pie? -- but it just works. The granola bars give it such a delicious texture and work perfectly with the walnuts, and the chocolate chips make this so rich. I've only ever made this with oats and honey granola bars, but I bet you could use any flavor and get delicious results. I like eating it with a (large) dollop of whipped cream on top, which is the perfect thing to cut through all the sweet richness.

Granola Pie

slightly adapted from Pillsbury

Crust for 1 9-inch pie

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs, lightly beaten

4 crunchy oats and honey granola bars, crushed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned will work)

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Whipped cream for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges.

2. Microwave butter on high for 1 minute or until melted. Sitr in brown sugar and corn syrup until blended. Beat in salt, vanilla and eggs. Stir crushed granola bars, walnuts, oats, and chocolate chips into the brown sugar mixture. Pour into the crust-lined pie plate.

3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. During the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover the crust with strips of foil to avoid over-browning. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve at any temperature with whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.    

Cookies and Cream Layer Cake

Exactly one month ago today, my sweet littlest love, William, turned three years old. It's such a cliche, I know, but I seriously have no idea how the time passed by so quickly. It seems like yesterday Will was just a sweet little bundle of baby, and now he's rapidly becoming a little boy. A charming, beautiful, amazing, very loving and very loved little boy.

In our house, we don't do giant parties, but we always have a small family party for the boys' birthdays. For Will's cake this year, I knew pretty much immediately that I wanted to do something with Oreos. The boy is an Oreo fiend, and he comes by that trait naturally. I kept the cake itself pretty simple and made it special with cookie crumbs and a wax paper "3." I loved how this turned out, both in taste and in looks; the cake was so moist, and the frosting was so creamy and sweet. 

And, most importantly, the birthday boy was very, very happy with his cake.

Cookies and Cream Layer Cake

cake adapted from Taste of Home; frosting is my recipe

For the cake:

1 package white cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups coarsely-chopped Oreos

For the frosting:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup whipped topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Gently fold in crushed cookies.

3. Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake  for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

4. For frosting, beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla in another large bowl until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time. Gently fold in whipped topping. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cooled cake. Decorate the top and sides with cookies if desired.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Whoopie Pies with Cookie Dough Buttercream Filling

I'm not even going to lie: When I look at these whoopie pies, the first thing that pops into my head is the beginning chords of "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye. Because, I mean, for real. Look at those beauties. They are every bit as delicious as they look, let me assure you.

There are countless recipes out there for chocolate chip cookie whoopie pies, but I haven't seen very many that use chocolate chip cookies as the pies themselves, and use chocolate chip cookie dough buttercream for the filling. Typically one or the other is chocolate. A chocolate version would of course be delicious, but I was seeking to make the ulitmate chocolate chip cookie whoopie pie. I think this recipe succeeds on all levels. The whoopie pies themselves have crisp edges, but they're soft in the middle, and the buttercream is smooth and creamy and tastes just like chocolate chip cookie dough.

These cookies are rich and satisfying, and, with a glass of milk on the side, I just can't possibly think of anything better.



Chocolate Chip Cookie Whoopie Pies with Cookie Dough Buttercream Filling

adapted from Everyday Desserts and Baking Junkie

For the cookies:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

For the filling:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 + 1/8 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream

1 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

2. With an electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Add egg and beat until smooth. On low, beat in vanilla and flour mixture just until blended. Stir in mini chips.

3. Drop by tablespoons onto parchment-paper lined baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

4. To make the frosting, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add powdered sugar in increments until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, then add the vanilla and as much heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.

5. After the cookies have cooled, invert half of the cookies and use a piping bag to pipe on filling. Top each half with another cookie of similar size and shape. This recipe makes 12 whoopie pies.

Coconut Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

I tend to shy away from shredded coconut as an ingredient. It's not because I don't like it, but because my husband isn't a fan. It's not so much a flavor thing for him, but more of a textural thing. Making something that I know he won't eat is never a good idea, because it means that there's twice the amount just sitting there for me to eat. But I just had to make these. He tried one and said that the flavor was good, but he couldn't get past the texture. So, after setting some aside for the boys, I took the rest to my coworkers, who were very happy recipients.

These cookies are just fantastic. They're made with cream cheese, and there's no egg, which results in a soft, pillowy texture. The coconut comes in the form of coconut extract and shredded sweetened coconut, both of which pair perfectly with the chocolate chips. Talk about a crowd-pleasing addition to your Christmas cookie trays!

Coconut Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Baking Blonde

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
5 to 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 to 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and heat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.

3. With an electric mixer, combine cooled butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts until combined.

4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and shredded coconut.

5. Drop dough by tablespoons onto baking sheets and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are set and bottoms are light brown. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

If you search for "turkey cupcakes" on Google Images or Pinterest, believe me: You will get a lot of results. You will get lots and lots of results. When faced with the prospect of making a dessert for Andrew's Thanksgiving feast at preschool, I knew I wanted to make cupcakes that looked like turkeys, so I turned to Pinterest and found, unsurprisingly, tons of options. First I thought I'd make turkey dinner cupcakes, using chewy caramels shaped like turkeys, but I could see that getting tedious very quickly. I'm not the most patient or artistic person, so I could just imagine how my turkeys would look.

I ultimately drew my inspiration from lots of the pins I saw and made my own version, and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. They were so cute, and the kids just loved them. By all accounts, they were a huge hit and quite delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope you have wonderful, peaceful days with your families and friends.

Turkey Cupcakes

cupcakes inspired by various pins on Pinterest; frosting from Savory Sweet Life

For the cupcakes:

1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs called for on the box

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons heavy cream

For the decorations:

Yellow and red colored sugar

Chow mein noodles

Vanilla wafers

White decorating frosting

Miniature chocolate chips

Orange and yellow Dots candies

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven as directed on box and line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Combine cake mix with water, oil, eggs, and vanilla and stir until completely combined. Bake according to the directions on the box, usually about 18 to 20 minutes.

2. To make the frosting, cream the butter for a couple of minutes until smooth. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional cream 1 tablespoon at a time. Frost the cooled cupcakes.

3. Place a dollop of the chocolate frosting on the front of each cupcake (this is where the "head" of the turkey will rest). Combine red and yellow sugars and sprinkle over the cupcakes. Stick chow mein noodles in the back of each cupcake for the feathers.

4. To make the faces, add dots of white frosting on the vanilla wafers to make the eyes. Use a miniature chocolate chip for each pupil. Using a rolling pin, roll Dots out into relatively thin layers and use a paring knife to cut them into beak shapes. Secure the beaks with a dot of white frosting. Place the heads on the cupcakes and gently press down to ensure that they're secure.

Celebrating 1000 Posts with Oreo Overload Cheesecake Cupcakes

This is my 1000th post. I'm sitting here in shock as I type this, because I just can't believe that I've reached this milestone. It took me four and a half years, but I did it! I don't share fancy recipes, my photos are only mediocre, and I don't have a grand following or a cookbook deal, but still. This space is mine, and I'm incredibly proud of what it's become. It still gives me a thrill when someone takes the time to comment on one of my posts or to pin a recipe on Pinterest, and I just want to thank each and every one of you who visits me here. Thank you so much for caring about what I'm cooking, and for sharing in a hobby that has come to mean so much to me!

A momentous occasion such as this calls for a momentous dessert, does it not? And these cupcakes are nothing if not momentous. I made them for a co-worker's birthday. I've become the cupcake lady at work, and when I asked this co-worker what type of cupcake he wanted, he told me "something dark chocolate-y, cheesecake-y, and Oreo-y." Done, done, and done. I knew these cupcakes were going to be fantastic the moment this idea popped into my head.

Basically, you take a dark chocolate cupcake (that starts from a boxed mix; see above re: the fact that I'm not fancy, plus I just think boxed cake mixes work best for cupcakes because they're so darn difficult to screw up), stuff it with Oreo cheesecake filling, and top it with chocolate Oreo cream cheese frosting. To up the Oreo flavor even more, I used the special edition cookies and creme Oreos. The result is a sweet, creamy cupcake that more than one person said are the best cupcakes I've ever made.

Oreo Overload Cheesecake Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 box dark chocolate cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs called for on the box

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cheesecake filling:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup Oreo cookies, crushed

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup Oreo cookies, crushed

1. To make the cupcakes, combine cake mix, water, oil, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

2. To make the cheesecake filling, use a handmixer to mix together the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Gently stir in crushed Oreo cookies.

3. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Add a tablespoon of the cupcake batter to each liner and top with a tablespoon of the cheesecake filling. Use the remaining cupcake batter to fill the muffin cups to 2/3 full. Bake according to the directions on the box and cool completely before frosting.

4. To make the frosting, combine cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and cocoa powder, adding more powdered sugar as needed to reach desired consistency. Gently stir in crushed Oreos. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Reese's Pieces Oatmeal Cookies

I had to be sneaky about making these cookies. You see, my husband has a Reese's Pieces Problem -- the problem being that, if we have them in our house, they make their way into his mouth at lightning speed. I knew if I wanted to have any Reese's Pieces available for these cookies, I had to keep them hidden from him, or avoid purchasing them until right before I baked the cookies. I just made it; mere moments after I'd stirred them into the batter, he was in the kitchen saying, "Hey, are those Reese's Pieces?" Then he proceeded to eat what was left in the bag (well, all except for one little handful I kept for myself). It was a close, close call.

We were both glad he didn't get to them before I made these cookies, because we would have missed out on an absolutely delicious sweet treat. These cookies are awesome! They were a huge hit with all of us and disappeared more quickly than I'd like to admit. The color makes them perfect for fall, but the flavor is one that we will be enjoying year-round (as long as I can keep Joe away from the star ingredient).

Reese's Pieces Oatmeal Cookies

adapted from MD Cooks for 2

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Reese's Pieces
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

3. In a medium bowl, beat butter with sugar until smooth. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla.

4. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry mix until completely combined. Stir in Reese's Pieces and chocolate chips.

5. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let cool five minutes on baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Brownie Batter Dip

I don't know if there's anything more adorable than the idea of a group of preschoolers having a tailgate party. I mean, a bunch of four-year-olds dressed in their team's colors, eating tailgating food? The cuteness of that is off the charts!

Andrew's class had a tailgating party recently, and by the time I made my way to the sign-up sheet, all of the spots for specific items (fruit, cheese, yogurt, juice boxes, etc.) were already filled. But that was more than okay with me! I placed Andrew's name on one of the "other" lines and immediately began to brainstorm what I'd make.

There are obviously lots of football-shaped food ideas out there, but given his class's food allergies and my own time limitations, I wanted something very simple. I finally decided on brownie batter dip with various dippers, since I knew that would be a big hit with the kids. To make it even more festive, I served it in an oval-shaped dish and piped football laces down the center with white decorating frosting.

Not only is the presentation adorable, but this dip is also absolutely delicious. It is so addictive, and really does taste like brownie batter (minus the raw eggs, of course). The kids seemed to like it best with graham crackers, but I preferred it with salty pretzels to balance out the sweetness. It's both a blessing and a curse that I brought home leftovers from Andrew's preschool. This dip is perfect for tailgaters of any age!

Brownie Batter Dip

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, plus more for a stiffer consistency, if needed

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-4 tablespoons milk

Pretzels, strawberries, graham crackers, animal crackers, etc. for dipping

1. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix well.

2. Add the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix until fluffy and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar and/or milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached. The dip should be soft enough to easily dip a pretzel in (without breaking the pretzel!) but not so soft that it spreads out instead of holding its shape.

3. To make it tailgate-themed, serve in an oval dish and pipe football laces down the center with white frosting.

Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Muffins

My younger son is a muffin nut. The child has never met a muffin that he didn't like. He asks for them all the time, and it's gotten to the point where nearly every time I head towards the kitchen, he's trailing after me asking, "You makin' me muffins, Mama?" He recently asked me to make him some vanilla muffins, and since it is impossible for me to resist the big brown eyes and sweet little voice of my baby, I gave in.

Loaded with vanilla beans, vanilla yogurt, and vanilla extract, these muffins are absolutely bursting with flavor. The milk chocolate chips of course work perfectly with the vanilla, and the muffins themselves have a light and fluffy texture. I served both of the boys a warm muffin with just a bit of butter melted over the top, and they were very happy little guys. Hopefully these muffins will quell Will's muffin mania for a couple of weeks -- but I doubt it!

Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Muffins

adapted from 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, whisk the egg, butter, milk, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and yogurt. Fold into the flour mixture. (If the mixture's too dry, add a little bit more milk or yogurt.) Once the batter is fully combined, stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each tin two-thirds full. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden.

Nutella Cheesecake Crescents

I'll be honest: I just don't buy the idea of Nutella as a healthy breakfast food. I know it's made with skim milk and all that, but the fact that it is basically a chocolate-hazelnut spread definitely makes me consider it more of a dessert. It should be noted, however, that just because I don't think of Nutella as breakfast food doesn't mean I won't eat it as breakfast food. That's where these Nutella cheesecake crescents come in.

In this recipe, crescent rolls are wrapped around Nutella and cheesecake filling for a sweet breakfast treat. The original recipe calls for them to be turned into twists, but my crescent rolls weren't agreeing with me that day and the whole twist thing didn't happen. I just molded them into breadstick-like shapes, which worked fine and was much less fussy. The filling is sweet and creamy and rich. They're definitely best served warm right out of the oven. The boys went nuts over them, and the adults thought they were delicious too!

Nutella Cheesecake Crescents

adapted from Inside BruCrew Life

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 tablespoons Nutella

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until creamy. Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Press two triangles together to form a rectangle. Spoon a large tablespoon of Nutella down the right side of the center. Repeat with a large tablespoon of cheesecake filling down the left side of the center. Fold the edges of the rolls over the filling. Press the seams together at the middle and the end. Flip the roll over so that the seam is underneath. Press together any seams that come undone.

3. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until light brown. Let cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

Triple Layer Mocha Brownies

Is it just me, or do four-day work weeks always seem longer than regular work weeks? I love a good holiday weekend to be sure, but the four days of work preceeding or following it always seem to drag on and on. So I'm definitely glad it's Friday, because I'm ready for the weekend for sure. I'm definitely feeling tired today. Granted, this could have something to do with the fact that I had two glasses of wine last night then stayed up past my bedtime giggling over the corny joke app on my phone (Q: What does a vegetarian zombie eat? A: Graaaaains. Come on, that is comedy cold, people!), but I'm tired nonetheless.

I've already enjoyed my customary cup of coffee this morning, but I think I could use another one...or maybe one of these brownies. There's coffee in every layer, so I think one of these would be enough to propel me through the rest of the day.

These brownies are absolutely delicious: dense and chocolaty with the perfect coffee flavor. Coffee and chocolate complement each other so well, and it just doesn't get better than these brownies.

Just for fun, leave me your favorite corny joke in the comments!

Triple Layer Mocha Brownies

adapted from The Curvy Carrot

For the brownies:

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons strong brewed coffee, cooled

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the coffee buttercream:

1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee, cooled

1 tablespoon heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

For the chocolate-coffee ganache:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee, cooled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the brownies: In large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla and coffee. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; add to batter and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

3. To make the coffee buttercream: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the coffee, cream, and butter on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments. If it's too thick, add more coffee until it reaches the desired consistency. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled brownies.

4. To make the ganache: In a small saucepan, heat the coffee, cream and the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened. Let cool to room temperature before frosting. Once smooth, frost the brownies with the chocolate ganache.