M&M Peanut Butter Cookies

These are hands down the BEST peanut butter cookies ever! Also they are fool proof. Every single time I have made them they have turned out perfect and everyone always comments on how good they taste. You can dress them up for the holidays by using different colored M&M's. The recipe found at sally's baking addiction.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temperature*

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar 

1 large egg

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 and 1/2 cups M&Ms

Directions:

In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order). Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the M&Ms with a wooden spoon. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop chilled dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet or silicone baking mat. I pressed a few M&Ms on top of the dough balls. Press the balls down (only slightly) since they won't spread much while baking. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cookies will be soft and may appear undone. They will firm up as they cool.

Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy!

*Sally's Tip: You may use unsalted butter in this recipe.  If so, add 1/4 tsp salt with the flour.

Buttery Shortbread Cookies

"These are Delicious buttery cookies that taste just like Panera's shortbread cookies!"

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

2 cups cake flour (you can use all purpose but cake flour makes a much softer cookie)

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; use hands to knead until ingredients are blended. Press dough into ungreased pans. Before baking, mark rectangle cookie lines with knife to get the authentic Panera shortbread cookie look!

Bake at 325 degrees F for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Don't over bake!

Note: If you like a sweeter shortbread cookie try the frosting recipe below, very similar to paneras shortbread cookie frosting recipe:

Ingredients;

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 stick unsalted or salted butter depending on your taste ( I prefer salted) softened

2 Tbsp Milk ( Whole, Skim, 2%) any will work just fine.

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions;

Combine Ingredients

Whip for 30 seconds on low, then crank it up to high speed for 1 1/2 to 2  minutes.

Add food coloring and spread over cookies!

Enjoy!

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie

Lemon Velvet Cream Pie

Makes: 8 servings

Prep 25 mins

Chill 2 hrs

Cool 1 hr

Freeze 10 mins

Bake 375°F 1 hr 7 mins to 1 hr 10 mins

ingredients

1 portion Alan's Pie Pastry (recipe below), or 1 rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crust

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons cold water

6 egg yolks

1 ½  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (2 cups)

1/4cup whipping cream

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup lemon juice

Whipped Cream

Thin lemon peel slivers

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out pastry portion on a floured surface to a circle about 12-inches in diameter. Transfer to a 9-inch pie tin or plate without stretching. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Place in freezer 10 minutes. Line pastry with foil pie pan (see Blind Baking*); fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 30 minutes. Carefully remove foil pan. Bake 15 minutes more. Cool on wire rack. (If using rolled refrigerated crust, bake according to package directions.)

2. In a small bowl soften gelatin in water 5 minutes. Heat in microwave for 14 seconds; set aside.

3. In large bowl combine egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. With an electric mixer, beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined. Beat in gelatin, whipping cream and salt on low speed. Add lemon juice and beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Pour into prepared crust (pie will be full).

4. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until center of pie looks set when gently shaken; cool on wire rack 1 hour. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

5. Top with whipped cream and lemon peel slivers just before serving. Makes 8 servings

Be sure to patch any cracks that develop during rolling.

**

Trim top rim of foil pie pan at about 2 inch intervals; fold upwards.

*Blind Baking:

When blind baking (prebaking the pastry shell) for the Lemon Velvet Cream Pie, Alan uses a disposable 8-3/4 inch foil pie pan to help the pastry keep its shape. Snip the rim of the foil pie tin every 2 inches or so and fold the rim upwards. After fitting the dough in the pie plate and crimping the edge, place the foil pie tin on top of the dough. Fill the tin with dried beans or pie weights and bake as specified in the recipe.

Alans Pie Pastry

Yield: 3 single-crust pastries

ingredients

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 – 1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ¾ cups cold unsalted butter

2/3 cup ice-cold water

2tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vinegar

directions

1. In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt,* and baking powder. With a pastry blender cut in butter leaving chunks the size of peas. Combine ice-cold water, sour cream, and vinegar. Add liquid all at once to the flour mixture. Quickly stir to distribute; do not overmix. The dough should be slightly crumbly. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The finished dough should break, not stretch. Divide into three portions; shape into disks. Use at once or wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.

Brownie/ PB/ Cookies

Preheat oven to 350
Spoon in cookies dough into the bottom of each well. (Use cupcake pan)
Place Reese cup upside down on top of the cookie dough.
Top with prepared box brownie mix, filling 3/4 full.
Bake 18 min
ENJOY-- YUMMY!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
1 cup whole wheat flour (again, don’t scoop!)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
6 ounce container vanilla yogurt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (plus a few extra for the top of loaves)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 9×5 (or similar sized) loaf pans with nonstick spray and set aside.

Combine flours (after you put your flour in the bowl, just grab a teaspoon or two of it and toss with chocolate chips), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk gently to combine and set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl combine brown sugar and white sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar.  Add yogurt, eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix together, being careful to not over mix.  When combined, gently stir in chocolate chips.   Divide batter between loaf pans and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached.  All ovens are different, I would set your timer for about 45 minutes and keep an eye on it after that.  Don’t overbake!

Let cool for 10 minutes and then run a sharp knife around edge of pan and remove loaves from pan.

Fat Witch Easy Chocolate Frosting

SO the brownies are delicious but adding frosting on them makes them even more deadly! Here is the easy chocolate frosting recipe.

1/2 C Semisweet Chocolate Chops
4 Tablespoons (1/2 Stick) Unsalted Butter
3 Tablespoons Half-and Half (or evaporated milk)
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly and do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat. With a whisk, beat in the half-and-half and vanilla. Measure and then sift the confectioner's sugar directly into the pan and beat until well combined and smooth, about 2 minutes. After spreading the icing on cooled brownies, put the pan in the refrigerator to harden the frosting for at least 1 hour. Cut the bars after frosting has set or just before serving.

Makes 1 Cup.

Fat Witch Brownies

So for my wedding I got a Fat Witch Brownie cook book. Fat Witch Brownies are famous in NY and after making them I know why! They are the BEST BROWNIES IN THE WORLD. I will never again make a boxed brownie mix. I have made these brownies a handful of times and they are delicious every time. Here is the recipe.

Cocoa Brownies

12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 C Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Grease 9-inch X 9-inch baking pan ***(I use a 9 X13 pan because I like the brownies thinner).

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over low hear just until it is melted, but not brown. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Add the cocoa powder and sugar to the butter and whisk until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Add the vanilla and whisk until mixed well.

Measure the flour and salt and sift together into the batter. Mix the batter gently until well combined and no  trace of the dry ingredients remains.

At this point, if desired stir in any extras like walnuts.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only crumbs not batter on it.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 1 hour. Cut just before serving.

***If you make the brownies in the 9x13 pan I bake the brownies for 20 minutes****
Makes 12 to 16 brownies.

*** I have made these brownies in advanced and frozen them until I needed them and they were delicious***

Black & White chocolate cupcakes

This is a recipe from the BYU magazine from a Cup Cake Wars winner.... Yum-O!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup and 2 TBS dark chocolate cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
3/4 cup ready-to-eat chocolate pudding
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 24 cupcake pan cups with liners.  In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds until well combined.  Add wet ingredients and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.  Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl and resume mixing on medium speed for an additional minute.  Stop mixer and fold in chocolate chips.  Fill the prepared liners with batter 3/4 full.  Bake about 15 minutes.

Frosting:
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white chocolate chips or 6oz white chocolate, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar

To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.  Add melted chocolate and vanilla, mix for an additional minute.  Add powdered sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy after each addition.  Spread frosting on the cupcakes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest.... and it is a perfect recipe!

Click here for more instructions...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. butter, slightly softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (mini, regular, or chocolate chunks!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Beat the sugars and butters together until smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir together the flour and salt, then mix them into the batter. Mix in the chocolate chips.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

German Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:
2 Devil's food cake mixes
4 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1-2 containers coconut pecan frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mixes, eggs, and oil.  Beat with a mixer on low until completely combined, batter will be very stiff.  Make 1" balls and line on cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingers.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Once fully cooled, spread frosting on half of the cookies and top with another cookie.  Store in the refrigerator or may be frozen for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla
2eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup oats
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars, lemon juice & vanilla together with electric mixer.  Add eggs and beat until fluffy.  Add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, oats, and flour.... beat just until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 min.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar

3/4 stick butter flavored Crisco 

2 TBS milk

1 TBS vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cups mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine brown sugar, shortening, milk & vanilla.  Beat at medium speed until light & fluffy.  Beat egg into creamed mixture.  Combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Mix into creamed mixture until just blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough on baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cool 2 minutes on a cooling rack.  Makes 3 dozen. 

White Chocolate Treats

This is Cheri Stosic's recipe...

3 bags white chocolate chips
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup cashews
3 cups mini marshmallows
5 cups rice krispies

-melt chocolate in microwave
-add peanut butter and if hard to mix, reheat
-combine rice krispies, marshmallows, and cashews
-pour chocolate into dry ingredients
-drop by spoonful on cookie sheets covered in wax paper and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake Squares

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
3/8 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1/2 TBS maple
1/2 TBS vanilla
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat eggs on high til light & fluffy.  Beat in sugar, oil, maple flavoring and vanilla.  Add pumpkin and mix well.  Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and whisk until no lumps remain.  Fold dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture til completely blended.  Pour into a buttered and floured 9x13 baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.  Cool completely then frost with cream cheese frosting.

4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
thin with 1 TBS milk or cream

Whip butter and cream cheese together until smooth & light, then add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Beat to nice spreading consistency (should be softly spreadable) and then frost cake.

Surprise pumpkin treats

Ingredients
4 cups mini marshmallows
3 tbsp. butter
orange food coloring
6 cups rice Krispies
12 Hersey kisses
green frosting
23 green gumdrops


Directions:


1. In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. To tint orange, stir in red and yellow food coloring.


2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using 1/2-cup measuring cup coated with cooking spray divide warm cereal mixture into portions. Using buttered hands shape each portion into pumpkin shape around one candy piece.  Pipe frosting onto each for vines and attach gumdrop for stem.

Patriotic Fruit Pizza

This was a fun & delicious dessert!  I got the recipe from one of my favorite food blogs.  Enjoy!

(When possible I substituted for light or low-fat ingredients & I didn't add the orange extract in the whipped topping.)

Crust:

1 c. real butter (no substitutions!)
1 c. white sugar
1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)
1 tsp. almond extract
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt
Zest of 1 orange

Creamy Topping:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. orange extract
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar

Pizza Topping:

1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled, sliced, and patted dry
1 pint blueberries, washed and patted dry
1/2 c. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy–about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  A very important note: It’s important to correctly measure your flour or you will end up with a dry, crumbly dough. Never, ever use your measuring cup to scoop up the flour.  Use a regular sized spoon and spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined. Add the orange zest and mix until combined.

Spray a round pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and using your hands and a rolling pin, spread the dough out to the edges of the pan. If desired, you can add a decorative finish (like fluting) to the edges of the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When ready to bake the crust, preheat your oven to 350. Bake the crust for 18-25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and completely baked in the center. If you prefer a crisper crust, you can bake the crust for a longer amount of time. Allow to cool completely.

When the crust is almost cool, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, orange extract, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar until medium peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and combine well.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange the berries as desired over the creamy topping. Place the chocolate chips in a heavy-duty small Ziploc bag and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mashing the bag around until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Cut a small corner off the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 12 large servings and 24 smaller servings.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a cookie recipe different from many... it uses melted butter.  The end result is a really moist yummy cookie... give it a try!


Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cooks Illustrated  from Ourbestbites.com
2 C plus 2 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in mediumbowl; set aside.
Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars untilthoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients;mix until just combined. Stir in chips.
Take about 1/4 C dough and form into a ball.  Break ball in half and place dough on cookie sheet with broken edge facing up.  (Or just use a standard sized cookie scoop). Bake until cookies are set around outer edges start to hardenyet centers are still soft and puffy, 10-13 minutes.  Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store inairtight container.

Oatmeal Cookies

A friend gave me her infamous oatmeal cookie recipe & I couldn't wait to try it out!  Yes the cookies turn out delicious!  She also makes her cookie recipe into a low sugar granola bar recipe... that recipe to come in a couple days.  :)  For a healthy twist substitute olive oil, wheat flour, and raisins in the recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup four
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oats
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl beat oil, sugars, eggs & vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Stir in oats & raisins.  Drop rounded TBS onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 min.

"One smart chocolate-chip cookie"

I finally found a really yummy whole wheat cookie recipe!  These are delicious!!  I got the recipe from Parents magazine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift 2 cups whole-wheat flout, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, beat 1 cup unsalted butter on high speed until creamy.  Add 1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar, beating until fluffy.  Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, until fully mixes, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Add flour mixture a little at a time until barely blended.  Finish with 1 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons of batter on baking sheets.  Bake in middle rack until golden brown around the edges 12-14 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 36 cookies.

Cinnamon Rolls

Combine & microwave for 3-4 minutes
1 stick butter
1 cup milk

Combine & set aside
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages yeast (5 tsp)
1 T sugar

In a large mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup warm water.  Add the milk and melted butter.  Then add 2 eggs and 2 cups flour.  Add the yeast mixture.  Add 4 cups flour.  Mix until flour is absorbed.  Knead for 5 minutes adding up to 3 more cups flour until the sides of the bowl are free of dough.  The dough should be a light, smooth ball that can be handled easily.  Remove the dough hook, cover the bowl, and let the dough rise until doubles in size.

Combine and melt in the microwave 1 stick butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 3 T cinnamon.

Punch down the dough.
On a floured surface roll the dough into a rectangle about 14" by 18" and less than a 1/2 inch thick.
Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly.  (For smaller rolls- cut the rectangle in half the long way before rolling it up).  Start on the long side roll up the dough, pinching the dough closed the whole length of the roll along the seam when you are done.
With a sharp knife, cut rolls about 1" thick and place them on greased cookie sheets.  They should not be touching much.  Cover and let them rise until doubled.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-17 minutes.  They should be light brown.

While the rolls are still warm, cover with icing.
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
add milk to the desired consistency