Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

This is the easiest peanut butter recipe I have ever made. I have always loved peanut butter, but I have been eating more of it lately for some reason. When a peanut butter cookie urge hit, I decided to try out this flourless recipe. I walked into the kitchen and five minutes later I walked out with the first batch of cookies in the oven. They are really that easy. However, this can also be dangerous because I have a feeling I will have no problem just "whipping up" cookies anytime I want. But, I am one of those people who think that having dessert each evening isn't necessarily a bad thing if you eat balanced meals throughout the day!


Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Tricks Chef's

Ingredients:
2 cups peanut butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat peanut butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

4. Add the baking soda, salt and vanilla and mix to combine.

5. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Using a fork, make a criss-cross pattern on the top of each cookie.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.Pin It

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I don't have a great track record with chocolate chip cookies. In fact, I managed to mess up every single batch for YEARS around Christmastime before I finally got it right. I have the original Toll House recipe on here from a few years ago, but I decided to go with a different recipe this time around. The addition of cornstarch makes these cookies nice and fluffy. My husband said that these cookies would be good even if the chocolate chips weren't in it. Now that's saying something. We love our chocolate around here! A few of these make a great evening snack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Barely adapted from Anna Olson, Food Network Canada via Apple A Day

Ingredients:

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 c. brown sugar 

1/4 c. granulated sugar 

1 egg 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 c. all purpose flour 

2 tsp. cornstarch 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.

3. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix well.

4. Then add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt and blend together.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown around the edges. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes!

7. Cook on cookie sheet on top of a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to waxed paper on the counter to cool completely.

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Strawberry Crisp

Fruit crisps are one of my go-to dessert recipes, especially in the summer. They are extremely quick and easy to prepare and can just bake while you're eating dinner. This is my second strawberry crisp I've made this summer so far and I think this is the keeper recipe. My husband and I think the the crisp is the best part and this recipe gives a great ratio of crisp to fruit. Most of the time I have to double the crisp topping in order to get a good ratio. You could even serve this with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if you wish!

Strawberry Crisp

Source: Slightly adapted from bakin' and eggs

Ingredients:

FOR THE BERRIES3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced1/3 cup granulated sugar1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

FOR THE TOPPING
1 cup oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 stick butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Toss the strawberries with the sugar and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture into the baking pan.

3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Mix the butter in with your fingers until the mixture starts to clump together. Spread over the strawberry mixture in the baking pan.

4. Bake for 50 minutes until the mixture is golden and bubbling.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

I've posted this recipe before, but I'm re-posting with a new picture and to revive it from the archives. As I've mentioned before, my husband and I have a slight problem with dessert. I noticed yesterday afternoon that we were out of dessert so I whipped these bars up quickly to enjoy once our son goes to bed. This recipe is one that I have made countless times because it is so quick & easy. And you really can't go wrong with the peanut butter and chocolate combo! However, feel free to switch it up. I have used other types of chips besides chocolate and you can leave out the peanut butter too if you wish. Just add another 4 tablespoons of butter to your mix to get the right consistency!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Source: Baking Blonde

Ingredients:
4-5 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray.
2. Use the microwave to melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl. It will most likely be done in 30 seconds -1 minute!
3. Add the peanut butter and stir until creamy. Then add the brown sugar and stir until combined well. Next, add the egg and vanilla and combine. Then add the salt, flour and baking powder to the mixture and combine well. Fold the chocolate chips in.

4. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Press the batter in with your fingers to spread evenly.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.Pin It

Buckeye Brownies

Apparently I'm on a brownie kick lately. I am a huge fan of the chocolate and peanut butter combo so it's no surprise that I loved these brownies. They taste even better with a cold glass of milk! The original recipe calls for boxed brownie mix prepared according to package instructions, but I made my own brownies instead. Either way is fine! And remember how I was so excited last night that my camera magically fixed itself? Yeahh...not so much. It will turn on and I can take 1 picture before it stops working again. And it doesn't focus or let me change any settings. So basically I just have to snap a picture and hope for the best. Editing doesn't even fix all of the problems. Anyway, I still want to share recipes with all of you so please bear with me until I can get a new camera!

Buckeye Brownies
Source: Adapted from Cookies and Cups

Ingredients:
For the brownie portion (original recipe here)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/8 cups Dutch-process cocoa (regular cocoa is fine too)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.

3. Crack 2 eggs into a large bowl, then beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.

4. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Mix in the chopped peanuts.

5. Pour half of the brownie mixture into the pan.

6. Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter. Spread over the brownie mixture in the pan.

7. Drop the remaining brownie mixture over the top of the peanut butter mixture and press down gently.

8. Bake for 30-35 minutes.Pin It

S'mores Stuffed Brownies

S'mores are a quintessential element to summer. I remember many moments sitting around a campfire, roasting marshmallows and then building s'mores. I remember when someone introduced using a peanut butter cup instead of a chocolate bar and it blew my mind. These s'mores stuffed brownies bring s'mores inside. Brownies are one of my favorite desserts and when you stuff them with s'mores ingredients then they are just taken over the top. These are a gooey, chocolaty, mess and I love it.

S'mores Stuffed Brownies
Source: Adapted from Picky Palate

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix (or make your own!)
4 1/2 full graham crackers
3 1/2 full-size chocolate bars (I just used a giant Hershey's bar - it didn't cover the entire surface area, but I wasn't bothered by it.)
16 large marshmallows (I used mini marshmallows and just dumped them on top of the chocolate bar and they worked great.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Prepare brownies according to package instructions. Pour half the brownie batter into prepared pan.

3. Layer graham crackers over batter, then chocolate bars, then marshmallows. Pour the remaining batter over the top of the marshmallows.

4. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out mostly clean.Pin It

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I really only like bananas when they are just ripe, or even a little under-ripened. Basically I like them when they still have a little green on them. Once they start getting brown spots I am pretty much over eating them. So what's a girl to do when she has multiple bananas sitting uneaten on the counter? Make banana bread of course! And in my eyes, banana bread is just not complete without some chocolate chips in it. I also made this because my husband and I have a terrible habit of eating dessert most nights of the week. So this will be dessert for the week...and may just end up being eaten for a few breakfasts too. Because you know, it has bananas in it so it can count as a breakfast food. That's my rationalization anyway.


Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Source:  Slightly adapted from use real butter

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups smashed, very ripe bananas
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (omitted - I don't like nuts in my baked goods!)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan or 2 loaf pans (8x4).

2. Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer. Add in the eggs and vanilla; mix well. Mix in the mashed bananas.

3. Combine dry ingredients. Alternate adding in the dry ingredients and sour cream.

4. Add in nuts, if using, and chocolate chips. Mix well.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Pin It

Peach Crumble

There's a local produce stand that's just a little ways beyond the main road. I've never been there before...at least not for produce. They have a pumpkin patch in the fall that Jon and I have gone to for the past 4 years. If you choose, you can sit on hay bales in a big wagon and a horse will trot you into the field. We did that for the first 2 years, but since the wagon is mostly filled with small children and their families, we now opt to walk out into the field to find the biggest pumpkins we can. We then bring them back home & carve them with friends....a nice fall tradition! Anyways, I digress. Our town only has 2 farmers' markets - one is held on Saturdays for 2 hours in the morning and the other is held on Wednesdays for 2 hours in the evening. This stand is open every day except Monday making it much more convenient. I know they are closed on Monday because the one other time I tried to go was on a Monday. I must have missed the huge sign on the main road that stated their hours. Oops. I'm glad I finally got to go there because I found some wonderful peaches at a great price.

In the food blogging world there have been a lot of crumbles, crisps and cobblers lately. It is that time of the year after all. I have already made a blueberry cobbler earlier this summer and intend to make a peach and blueberry crumble tomorrow. Here is just one more crumble to add to the arsenal. I thought about not adding it to the blog, especially since I was making a different crumble tomorrow, but thought maybe someone out there would appreciate this recipe. This peach crumble was good - the peaches were tender, the topping was nice & buttery, and the whipped cream added that extra something.

Martha's Peach Crumble
Source: Mad About Martha


Ingredients:
8 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced (I only used 3 because they were huge & I used a slightly smaller casserole dish)
Juice of 1 lemon
Large pinch of ground cinnamon
Large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into thin pieces
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
Heavy cream (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375F.

Arrange the peach slices in a buttered shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. With your fingers, blend the butter into the flour-sugar mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the oats and sprinkle the mixture on top of the sliced peaches. Bake until the peaches are soft and the topping is brown, about 25 minutes.

Serve warm with fresh or whipped cream, if desired.

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Blueberry Cobbler

I don't remember ever eating cobbler. Sure, I've had crisps and crumbles, but cobbler? Maybe it's because I grew up in Ohio and cobbler is typically a Southern treat...or maybe I've just been sheltered. Anyhow, I got a craving for a cobbler this week so I decided to go ahead and make it. I knew I would like it - who wouldn't like fruit, sugar and a biscuity topping with whipped cream on top? I did like this cobbler, but the almond extract was a little bit too much. I would definitely cut down on it, or just sub in vanilla extract instead.

Blueberry Cobbler
Source: Honey and Jam


Ingredients:
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 cups blueberries (I used frozen - yes, I KNOW it's berry season but they weren't on sale the day I bought them!)
2 tablespoons almond extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Heat oven to 375.

Mix sugar and 2 tablespoons flour in large bowl. Add fruit and toss gently to coat. Add extract and lemon juice. Spoon mixture into 9 x 9 baking dish.

Topping:

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.

Beat whipping cream and egg in small bowl. Add mixture to the flour mixture and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Drop dough over the fruit along the edges of pan, leaving the center open.

Bake 35-40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling.

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Fudge Brownies

Our friends (and neighbors!) invited us over for dinner last Thursday and asked me to bring a dessert. I didn't have too much time to throw one together after work and also didn't want to make a trip to the store so I decided to go with this recipe since I had all of the ingredients in the house...and really, who doesn't love a good brownie dessert? I don't know if I did something wrong when I made these, but they definitely did not look like these. However, they still tasted pretty darn good and they got great reviews all around. Oh, I also halved this recipe and baked in an 8x8 pan, but I included the original recipe for you.

Fudge Brownies
Adapted from Sing for Your Supper, who got it from King Arthur Flour


Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups Dutch-process cocoa (regular cocoa is fine too)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional (I omitted)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 cups chocolate chips (I used a combo of choc chips & butterscotch chips)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

While the sugar heats a second time, crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, and beat them with the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla till smooth. Add the hot butter/sugar mixture, stirring until smooth.

Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth. Note: If you want the chips to remain intact in the baked brownies, rather than melting in, let the batter cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before stirring in the chips.

Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

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Cookie Bites

Wow, I can't believe it's been about 3 weeks since I've posted. Things have been crazy lately - I am finishing up my student teaching & working at the same time so my time has been very limited. When I do get a little bit of time to myself at night, I just crash on the couch and don't feel like doing much of anything. We have been relying on standby recipes for the most part. I did have a couple of recipe failures and we've grabbed food out a few nights this month. However, I fully expect to get back into cooking here soon! I just starred these cookie bites in my Google Reader and immediately had to make them. I'm so glad I did - these definitely hit the spot. Try them soon!

Cookie Bites
Source: Stephanie Cooks, who got it from "Sweet Food" by Kay Scarlett

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I used salted and they were fine)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of milk
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer. Mix in the vanilla and gradually mix in the egg, beating well.

Stir in the milk. Sift the flour and baking powder, folding into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon into the mini muffin tins until the cookie is almost touching the top of the cup. Bake 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Allow to cool in the pan until firm enough to remove. Remove and complete cooling on a wire cooling rack.

A perfect bite! (Yes, I KNOW I'm cheesy) Enjoy!

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Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

I saw these in my last issue of Cooking Light and thought they sounded great. I love oats and cranberries so it seemed like a good combination to me! I really enjoyed these bars and definitely recommend them if you are looking for a lighter dessert. In fact, the oats make them seem like an okay substitute for breakfast! Well, at least that is what I am telling myself. You can find the recipe here at the Cooking Light website. The only thing I did differently is make them in an 8x8 pan, which I recommend. I definitely would not have been able to cover the bottom of an 11x7 pan which the recipe calls for.

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No Bake Cookies

My friend and co-worker's birthday is today and she LOVES no bake cookies so I decided to make some for her...what a nice friend I am. :) I know that this is a popular recipe and a lot of people make them, but I still wanted to post the recipe! These are good. Really good.

No Bake Cookies
Source: Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a saucepan bring sugar, cocoa, margarine, milk, and salt to a rapid boil for 1 minute. (I took the advice of others that commented on this recipe to boil for 2 minutes instead because the cookies set better)

Add quick cooking oats, peanut butter, and vanilla; mix well.

Working quickly, drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper, and let cool. Pin It

Peanut Butter Fudge

Holy crap, this is some of the best fudge I have ever tasted. It reminds me of my Grandma's fudge that she used to make! It was a huge hit at Christmas.

Killer Crack Peanut Butter Fudge
Source: Cookie Baker Lynn

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup JIF peanut butter
1- 7 oz jar marshmallow creme
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, stirring until melted.. Add marshmallow creme and vanilla; beat until well blended.

Spread in a buttered 9 x 13 x 2 - inch pan. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate. Cut into squares when firm.Pin It

Christmas Party!

Here are a few things I made for our annual Christmas party with our friends. I was also going to make chocolate covered pretzels, but decided not to after making the cheesecake bites. They are originally called "pops," but I found that the sticks would not stay in them so I took them out and therefore they became bites! I couldn't find the wooden sticks anywhere so I used plastic coffee stirrers instead and they definitely didn't work! I really don't know if the wooden sticks would have been any better though. I forgot to get a picture of the bruschetta, but I will still post the recipe!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cheesecake "Bites"
Adapted from The Food Network

Before I took the sticks out.

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (I used light because that's what I had)
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature (I used neufchatel)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter

Chocolate:
5 tablespoons vegetable shortening
12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

For the cheesecake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a 8 by 8-inch baking pan with foil letting long flaps overlap on each side. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

Break up the brown sugar to remove all lumps. In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until very smooth. Add the cream and beat slowly; then add the yolks and vanilla mixing until just combined. Gently stir in peanut butter. Take care not to over beat the mixture; this incorporates too much air and causes the cheesecake to crack.

Pour and evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Open the oven to release some heat, then lower the temperature to 200 degrees F. Continue to bake the cheesecake until the outside is set but the center is still loose, for about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven, and cool cheesecake in the oven for 45 more minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Lift cheesecake from the pan by lifting up the foil. Transfer to a cutting board. Cut into

1 1/2-inch cubes. Stick a wooden pop stick halfway into each bar and freeze for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put the shortening and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.) (I would probably use more chocolate because I didn't have enough for all of the pops and I didn't even coat them all the way like the Food Network picture shows.)

Dip the pops into the chocolate mixture, and stand on waxed paper to set, about 5 minutes. Serve cold (straight from the fridge), or freeze up to 2 weeks. Frozen pops make a cool summer treat, or can be allowed to temper for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Upgrade: Coat the pops with chopped nuts or candies for a really decadent finish. To do this let the dipped pops drip over a bowl for 15 seconds before rolling them.

These were really good and tasted a lot like peanut butter fudge!

Parmesan Rosemary Pinwheels
Adapted from Pampered Chef, Season's Best, Fall/Winter 2003 as seen on Amber's Delectable Delights and herb seasoning courtesy of Joelen




Ingredients
1 can (8 ounces) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations
1/2 cup regular cream cheese spread
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I just used the stuff that comes in a can!)
1 teaspoon Pampered Chef pantry rosemary herb seasoning mix or 4 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary (I used a seasoning that Joelen came up with which is the following: 2 tbsp. dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp. dried grated lemon peel, 1 tsp. dried leaf oregano crushed, 1 tsp. celery salt, 2 tbsp. onion powder,2 tbsp. garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. salt)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Roll out the crescent recipe creations dough.
3. Place cream cheese in small bowl. Add rosemary and Parmesan cheese to bowl and mix well.
4. Spread the entire sheet of dough with the cream cheese mixture, leaving a 1/4 inch border all the way around.
5. Roll up the sheet of dough from one of the long edges; pinch edges to seal.
6. Using a serrated knife cut the rolled up dough into ~22 slices.
7. Place slices, cut side down, on stone or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press down lightly to even the tops of each pinwheel out.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
Adapted from Better Homes & Garden

Ingredients:
1 8-oz. loaf baguette-style French bread
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 oz. soft chevre (goat cheese), crumbled (I used feta cheese)
2 oz. light cream cheese (Neufchatel)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. snipped fresh sage or 1/4 tsp. ground sage (Omitted)
1 7-oz. jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained and cut into strips (I used my food processor to make them into smaller pieces)
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped pitted Italian or ripe olives (I used black olives and used my food processor to chop them)
1/2 tsp. olive oil
Finely shredded fresh sage (Omitted)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until crisp and light brown, turning once. If desired, transfer the cooled toasts to a storage container. Cover and store the toasts at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl stir together goat cheese, light cream cheese, lemon juice, and snipped sage or oregano. (I used oregano) Cut red pepper into strips. Toss chopped olives in the 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

3. To assemble, spread each slice of toast with cheese mixture. Top with red pepper strips, chopped olives, and sage leaves, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. To heat, return slices to the ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree F oven about 3 minutes or until the toppings are heated through. Makes about 24 servings. (I didn't assemble them - I just put the bruschetta on a large platter and had 3 smaller dishes with the warmed up cheese, chopped red peppers, and chopped olives so people could assemble them on their own according to their preferences!)

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Cranberry Orange Cookies

I was SO excited to make these cookies. I have really been into cranberries lately and loved the idea of combining cranberry and orange. Anyways, I made these last night and my cookies ended up coming out SUPER flat. They still taste good though so I'm glad I didn't really waste any ingredients although the texture is certainly different than I expected! I think my problem is that I softened the butter too much. I can be so impatient. I may try to make these again and not soften the butter so much to see if they turn out better. I hope so!
*I just realized that the recipe calls for the juice of HALF an orange...and I added juice from an entire orange so that may have been why the cookies came out flat too because of too much liquid.

Cranberry Orange Cookies
Adapted from Good Things Catered

So flat!!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp grated orange zest
juice of 1/2 orange
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. chopped fresh cranberries (I used a food processor and pulsed about 8-10 times)

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
-In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, and whisk; set aside.
-In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter and sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-Add yolk and beat until fully incorporated.
-Add orange juice, then zest and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
-Turn mixer to low speed, add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
-Remove bowl from mixer, stir in cranberries, and place 1 Tbsp rounds of dough onto cookie sheets.
-Place cookies in the oven and bake, switching baking sheet positions half way through baking time, for 12-14 minutes (they should not brown)
-Remove from oven and let cool on pans completely, about 10-15 minutes.

I tried to hold up a cookie to show how flat it is...came out a little blurry but you can kind of see!

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Pumpkin Pie Bars

I love pumpkin pie and I always crave pumpkin around this time of the year. I also had some pumpkin to use up in the fridge so in honor of the coming holiday, I decided to make these bars. They are fantastic! I also made homemade whipped cream to go on top of them...so good.

Pumpkin Pie Bars
Adapted from Kraft.com as seen on Delicious Melicious

Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) cold butter or margarine
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I don't like nuts in my baked goods so I omitted)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons bourbon (optional) (I didn't use)
a handful of butterscotch or chocolate chips for sprinkling on top (optional)

Directions:
HEAT oven to 350°F. Line 13×9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; grease foil. Mix flour, 1/4 granulated sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and nuts.

RESERVE 1 cup oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, bourbon, pumpkin and spice with mixer until well blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture and a handful of butterscotch or chocolate chips (if desired).

BAKE 25 min.; cool 10 min. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Whipped Cream
Adapted from my memory

Ingredients:
Heavy whipping cream (I used half a small container)
Tablespoon of sugar (Jon said more could have been added though)
Dash of vanilla

Directions:
Pour whipping cream into mixer and mix until soft peaks form. Start mixing slowly and then increase speed as it becomes thicker. Add in the sugar and vanilla just as the soft peaks are forming.
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Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies

The fall season is coming to a quick close this year, so I figured I would get a few more pumpkin recipes in before switching over to "Christmasy" foods. These are excellent - they taste more like a cake than a bar type of blondie.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Blondies
Adapted from Fresh From Cate's Kitchen, originally from Martha Stewart

Sorry for the picture - I was trying to get a quick one so I could update the blog!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used light margarine because that's all I had and they came out fine)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 package (12 ounces) white chocolate chips (I only had half a bag left)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree (mixture may appear curdled).

Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.

Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

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Pasta Dish & White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I wanted to try this recipe because the combination of white wine and white cheddar sounded really good. However, this didn't turn out as good as I thought it was going to be. The sauce just did not get thick for me, but I think it might be because I didn't use the roasted garlic paste. Jon said that he liked it, but wished there was some sauce on it...and I knew that the sauce didn't pull through then! So if you decide to make this, I would recommend using the garlic paste to see if that makes the sauce thicker.

Ziti with Chicken in a White Wine Cheddar Sauce
Adapted from Good Things Catered as seen on Just 2 Good

Ingredients:
1 lb ziti or other pasta (I used rotini)
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup Roasted garlic paste (I didn't have any of this so I just used 2 cloves of minced garlic)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 Cup white wine
2 Cups chicken broth
2 Cups broccoli, cooked
2 Cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 1/2 Cups white cheddar cheese, grated (I used sharp white cheddar parmesan cheese)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Cook pasta to al dente and set aside. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, add roasted garlic paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced, about 2 minutes. Add broth and simmer until slightly thickend, about 2 minutes. (I added the flour in here to try to thicken it up more) Add cheese and stir constantly while returning to a boil. Add Ziti, turning to coat. Add chicken and broccoli and serve.

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I have been craving cookies with oatmeal, white chocolate chips & cranberries...and this recipe was starred in my Google reader. These were SO good. I will definitely make them again someday. It's just a great combination of flavors!

White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Source: Adapted from Recipezaar as seen on Fresh from Cate's Kitchen

(adapted from RecipeZaar)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with silpats (I don't have these, but I should!)

* In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

* In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy.

* Add egg and vanilla and mix well.

* Stir in oats, flour mixture, white chocolate, and cranberries and mix until combined.

* Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, until just beginning to get a little color.

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Chocolate chip cookie bars

Since I like to procrastinate and I saw a recipe for these and instantly got a craving, I decided to go ahead and make these chocolate chip cookie bars. I saved 72.5 calories per serving by subbing applesauce for the oil in these. So, one cookie bar only has 147.5 calories compared to 220 calories for the original! Yeah, I figured out the math - I'm a huge dork. Now I don't feel so bad making dessert tonight. After typing all of that, I tried the cookie bar and the applesauce definitely changed the texture. It is more cake-like than bar-like. They are still good, but I wanted to warn you that the texture would change if you decide to sub in applesauce! You can even tell in the bottom picture that they are cakey.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Adapted from allrecipes.com as seen on Tricia's Kitchen


Ingredients:
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup oil (I used applesauce)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
- In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix together the sugars and the oil. (I used my Kitchen Aid!)
- Add vanilla and eggs/applesauce, mixing well.
- Gradually add dry ingredients.
- Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
- Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. (I just sprayed cooking spray in the pan)
- Spread the dough into the pan & sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 15-25 minutes until light golden brown.

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