Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Cupcakes

 

These are shockingly delicious considering how easy they are to make!

You can make these very simple by using all pre-made ingredients, or you can get fancy and make the cookie dough and brownie  yourself.

Ingredients

12 peanut butter cup

Brownie mix

Chocolate Chip cookie dough (or peanut butter, or double chocolate - whatever you like best!)

 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350⁰.
2. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray (Or try using cupcake liners for easy release from pan)
3. Make Brownie mix according to directions on the box.

 

4.  Scoop a small amount of cookie dough into muffin tin (so that it's about 1/2 inch thick)

5.  Do this for all twelve muffins

6.  Unwrap and place a peanut butter cup upside down on top of the cookie dough

 

7.  Scoop about a tablespoon of brownie mix on top of peanut butter cup.  Fill each muffin tin so that it's about 2/3 full.

 

 

8.  Bake at 350 for about 18 minutes.  Check on them after 12 minutes or so and then monitor closely.

9.  The middle of the brownie will sink a little but that's ok.... it'll puff up a bit.  But there's very little brownie mix there, that's why it doesn't rise quite the same.

 

10.  Remove from oven and leave in pan until partly cooled.

 

11.  Enjoy at least one while it's still warm!  Delish!



With the left over brownie and cookie dough I made mini cookie brownie cupcakes!

 

Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake

This cake was yesterday's dessert project.  It was de-licious!  We ate it while it was still warm, and it was fantastic!  It is lovely and moist, with a great balance between the sweet cake and tart lemon drizzle.  I think I may try this with other fruit - perhaps blueberry. 

 

 

Fresh Strawberry Lemon Yogurt Cake
recipe adapted from Baking With Blondie - http://bakingwithblondie.blogspot.ca/2012/04/fresh-strawberry-yogurt-cake.html

1 cup of softened butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
5 tbsp lemon juice, divided
2 ½ cups flour, divided into 2 1/4 c. and 1/4 c.
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. vanilla Greek yogurt
12 oz. fresh diced strawberries
1 cup powdered sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 325⁰.

2.  Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. 

3.  Mix together 2 ¼ cups of flour, 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt. Set aside.

4.  Cream  the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

5.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated.  I split the yogurt and flour mixture into three equal portions.

6.  Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter, ensuring they are equally incorporated.

7.  Pour the batter into the Bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

 

 

8.  Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. (Or don't - and eat your first piece while it's still warm!)

 

9.  Once cooled whisk together the remaining 3 tbsp. of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

 

Try not to eat it all in one sitting!

EASIEST, Best-Tasting Bread EVER!

I made this bread for the first time today.  And the loaf is GONE!  It truly is the easiest, tastiest bread I have ever made.  This recipe results in a wet dough with plenty of yeast that uses high water content to steam the dough in a dutch oven pot before browning the loaf. This process results in that crisp, crackly crust and fluffy, chewy interior without a single kneading stroke.  That's right.  NO KNEADING!  But best bread EVER!

This is not my creation.  It's the brain-child of Jim Lahey.  Mark Bittman of the New York Times wrote about his amazing bread recipe in the newspaper in October 2008.  What follows is a copy of that recipe in the NY Times.  You can find the original here:  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/dining/081mrex.html?_r=2&ref=dining&



This is a picture of my second loaf - made less than 24 hours after the first one!




This is my first loaf, after we cut into it and ate some!  It smelled so good I didn't even have time to take a picture of the first loaf - pre cutting! 

This bread is soft on the inside, and nice and crusty on the outside. I don't know how it turns out so well, but it is A-MAZ-ING! 

No-Knead Crusty Bread

Ingredients

 

3 cups bread flour
1 packet (1/4 oz.) instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water
 Oil, as needed

1.  Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy.  It will be very sticky!  Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2.  Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

3.  At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. I used a 5 quart cast iron dutch oven and it was fabulous!  When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and put it into pot, seam side up. (It may be very sticky - sticking to your hands... just scrape off what ever gets stuck to your hands....)  Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

4.  Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Makes 1 large loaf.  But it won't last long!

 

 

Buttermilk MeatLoaf

Tonight's dinner?  Meatloaf!  I haven't made meat loaf EVER, so I went looking for a recipe that sounded appetizing.  I couldn't find one that I liked, so I took what I thought was the best from a few recipes and came up with the following recipe.  It was more than I could have hoped for as my first attempt!

Ingredients For the Glaze:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Ingredients For the Meatloaf:

• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup buttermilk (I make mine by adding a tbsp. of vinegar to 2% milk)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves chopped very small
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 tsp dried oregano 
• 3 tsp dried basil
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
•  500 grams ground chicken
•  250 grams ground veal
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground pepper

Directions

1.  Pre-heat oven to 425.

2.  Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.

3.  Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add parsley, basil, and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Set aside to cool.

3.  In a small bowl, combine Panko and buttermilk and set aside.

4.  Place chicken, veal, cheese, salt and pepper, Italian bread crumbs, the onion mixture, and the panko mixture in a bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined.

5.  On a rimmed baking pan (make sure you spray it with non-stick spray) form the mixture into a loaf shape sitting in the center of the pan, with the sides not touching the pan. Brush the top with some glaze, then bake for about 50 minutes.

6.  At the 50 minute mark, take the loaf out of the oven and spread more of the glaze on the top and sides.  Put it back in the oven for 10 minutes until it looks a little browned.

7.  You will have glaze left over that you can use to garnish your slices with. 

8.  Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve hot.

The ULTIMATE Chocolate Chip Cookie

I honestly don't know where this recipe came from.  I've had it FORVER in my recipe box.  But the name of the cookie says it all.  These cookies are the most requested cookies that I make.  Apparently I'm "known"  for these cookies among my friends....

These are soft in the middle - which I love.  They also freeze really well, so feel free to cookie a huge batch and put in a sealed container in the freezer.  I remove 6 at a time so that they are always soft and fresh when we want to eat them!

 

Here's goes.

THIS RECIPE MAKE ALOT OF COOKIES- You may want to cut the recipe in half unless you need 4 dozen cookies, or unless you intend to freeze them! 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup of softened butter

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

2 eggs

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups milk chocolate chips

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Procedure 

1.  Heat oven to 350⁰.

2.  Beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl.

3.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.  Do this in stages to make it easier.  The dough will be very stiff.

4.  Drop by the tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I line mine with parchment paper).  Flattened the cookies slightly.

5.  Bake in middle to upper portion of your oven for 13-15 minutes or until slightly browned (but still soft in middle).  As ovens vary, watch how your first batch comes out and adjust cooking time or temperature of oven accordingly....

6.  Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes before removing from pan to cooling rack.

 

Caramel Drizzled Apple Bread

Today's baking adventure is one I've taken many times.  This apple bread is wonderful, and it makes the house smell delightful!  Don't even get me started on the caramel glaze - I always make extra since I know from past experience that lots of it gets eaten before the actual drizzling takes place!

I borrowed the above picture, temporarily.  My iPhone is acting up and I can't get the photos onto my computer.....

This recipe can be made in a large loaf pan, but I usually make it in mini loaf pans.  I also make a batch in mini cupcake tins so I can send them in my children's lunch boxes.

This bread freezes really well.  I make the mini loaves or mini muffins and take them out a few at a time, as needed.  Great reheated in microwave with butter or a blob of cream or ice cream!

This recipe is adapted from http://passthesushi.com/caramel-glazed-apple-bread/.

Bread Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups grated peeled baking apples (2 large) - if you have more than 1 1/2 cups after grating 2 apples it doesn't matter - I use it all - makes bread moister!)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, you can make it by adding a tbsp. of white vinegar to the 1/2 c of milk)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt (I usually omit this)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Baking Instructions:

1.  Pre- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 (8×4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray.  Or grease mini loaf pans, and/or mini cupcake tins (just adjust baking time accordingly.

2.  Stir together apples, 1 cup brown sugar, the buttermilk, oil and eggs.

3.  Stir in remaining bread ingredients.  Don't over mix!  You want some "chunks" of apples to be visible.

4.  Pour into pans about 2/3 full (these will rise quite a bit).

5.  Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (About 25 minute for mini loaves; 12-15 min for mini cupcakes). 

6.  Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack.  Remove bread from pans and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool completely.


NOW it's time to make what makes this a true slice of heaven - the caramel drizzle!

Glaze Ingredients: (I double this because I tend to need more when I use the mini loaves!)

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1.  In small pot, melt butter over medium heat.

2.  Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat to low.

3.  Boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, about 10 minutes.

4.  Gradually stir powdered sugar into butter/ sugar mixture. Beat until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. If glaze becomes too stiff, stir in a little milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, or heat over low heat, stirring constantly.

5.  Drizzle glaze over loaves. (I put the glaze on the loaves while they are still on the cooling rack  I put a piece of parchment or wax paper under the cooling rack to catch any drizzles that slides off.  When they harden they make nice little treats for the kids - and me).

6.  You can sprinkle walnuts on the top of your loaves (I don't usually), or added them in before cooking. 

ENJOY!  Let me know how it goes! :)

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Topped Brownies - My First Post

Yesterday I decided I wanted to make something delish as a treat for myself (and my family).  I'm a teacher, and it was the first day of March Break.  What better way to celebrate than with a nice ooey gooey treat.  So, my mission began.

I actually just started getting into Pinterest, and came across many treats that made my mouth water.  What follows is a version of the bit of ooey gooey deliciousness that came out on top during my search.  This recipe is modified from one I found at http://kitchensimplicity.com/layered-chocolate-chip-cookie-brownies/  I wanted to make the brownie layer a little more substantial than the above recipe called for, and I'm also a fan of milk chocolate.

If you love chocolate chip cookies, and nice gooey brownies, then this recipe is for you!  A quick and easy cookie recipe, and a brownie recipe that's ready in a snap!

Ingredients for Brownie Layer (If you don't want a thicker brownie layer than follow amounts in brackets)

• 3/8 cup butter (1/2 c)
• 5 oz dark chocolate (3 oz)
• 1 1/8 cup sugar (3/4 c)
• 2 small eggs (1 large egg)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla (1/2 tsp)
• 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tbsp.)
• 8 tablespoons flour (5 Tbsp)
• 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips (or any type really) - optional
• 1/4 finely chopped walnuts (optional - I don't use nuts)

1.  I know you are "supposed" to use a double boiler for melting chocolate, but if you watch the temperature on this, and because you do the butter at the same time, I find you don't need to double boiler it....  So, put the butter and chocolate in small pot set over medium-low heat, stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat.
2.  Stir in sugar first, then egg and vanilla.
3.  Whisk in cocoa.
4.  Stir in flour until evenly combined.
5.  Set aside while you make the chocolate chip cookie dough.

Ingredients for Cookie Dough

• 5 tablespoons softener butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chocolate chips

1.  Cream together butter and both sugars.  Ensure the butter is room temperature to make it easier to cream.
2.  Add egg and vanilla.
3.  Add baking soda, baking powder, and flour (in batches).
4.  Add in chocolate chips.

Now you are ready to assembly this little piece of heaven!

1.  Pour the brownie batter into an 9x9 inch baking pan (or 8x8 if you are using the smaller ingredient amounts) that has been greased or lined with parchment paper.  Make sure you get it into the corners of the pan.
2.  Top with chunks of cookie dough.  Use your hands to make little balls and then squish them a little flat.  Make a nice layer on top of the brownie mix, trying to cover up all the brownie so that none is showing. 
3. Bake at 325ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until cookie layer is set and lightly browned.
4.  Remove from oven.  Cool.  Cut.  ENJOY! (But you MUST eat one before they cool completely!)

Once it's cooked I let it cool for a while, but I cut it (but didn't take it out of the pan) before it cooled completely so that the cookie layer was easy to cut through.

See how long you manage to keep these around!

They do freeze very well, so if you make extra you can cut them up before putting them in the freezer and pull 'em out when company comes.  Zap 'em in the microwave for a warm delicious treat with tea!