Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies

Some of my girlfriends here are into game nights. I had never participated in any until moving here but always thought board games were fun. They have turned into a fun and different get together with them. So far a different person has hosted each time and we all bring a snack for the group. This time I was trying to use of the final remnants of our Halloween candy and made Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies. Let's just say they were addicting before I even took them over. One of the girls made funfetti cake waffles, both creative and delicious, another made adorable elmo cupcakes and another made also addicting chili dip with cream cheese, chili, cheddar and onions. We were all pretty stuffed by the end and had a great time catching up and playing ridiculous games.
 

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies
Yields: 24 cookies
Source: Sweet Pea's Kitchen
 
Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups chopped Snickers candy bars (about 9 fun size bars)
¾ cup milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

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

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat until fully incorporated. Add the egg and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add the milk and the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped snickers stirring until no flour pockets remain.

Drop by heaping tablespoons (about 2 ounces each) onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each cookie ball with the palm of your hand. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until cookies are slightly brown on the edges.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets set on a wire rack for 5 before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

NY Style Crumb Cake

Anyone who is from the tri-state area knows what I am talking about when I refer to New York style crumb cake. It has a soft white cake bottom and is piled high with addicting brown sugar crumbs on top. Luckily, there are a ton of New York style deli's in Florida where we can get our fix without taking a flight. However, my father-in-laws birthday is this week and crumb cake is one of his favorites. I had never made one before but figure this was a pretty good reason to try. Now I say that it yields 9 pieces because sometimes you just have to have more than 1 piece. This recipe is originally from Cooks Illustrated who can pretty much master anything and they definitely did here. The crumbs were sweet and crumbled off while the cake was still moist and delicious. I was lucky to get even a picture in before it was all gone :) We ate it for dessert but is also perfect in the morning with coffee or tea.

New York Style Crumb Cake
Source: Brown Eyed Baker originally Cooks Illustrated
Yields: 9 pieces

Ingredients:

For the Crumb Topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (2 2/3 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour (7 ounces)
For the Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions:

To make the Topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
To make the Cake: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish.
3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary.
4. Transfer batter to baking pan; using rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer. Following photos below, break apart crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. Bake until crumbs are golden and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Note: Don't be tempted to substitute all-purpose flour for the cake flour, as doing so will make a dry, tough cake. If you can't find buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of plain, low-fat yogurt. When topping the cake, take care to not push the crumbs into the batter. This recipe can be easily doubled and baked in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. If doubling, increase the baking time to about 45 minutes. Cooled leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Foodie PenPal Reveal - October

Happy Halloween! How is it already the end of October?! This is my fourth month participating in the Foodie Pen Pals hosted by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean. It's a great way to "meet" other bloggers and blog readers while also receiving and creating a package! Here is how it works: On the 5th of the month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions. You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination! Sometimes that is my favorite part, especially if there is a story behind the items in your package.

This month I was paired with Jenny from The Spicy Simmer. She sent me a combination of all sorts of foods and even indulged my sweet tooth with some Halloween candy (I may or may not have eaten that day), strawberry fruit strips and plaid cat double chocolate cookie mix which I can't wait to make! There were a lot of items my husband would enjoy, a snack pack of almonds (his favorite), Jane's crazy mixed up salt for marinades & seasoning that will be great on the grill and mini star shaped pasta that reminded him of pastina from growing up. Now that it finally cooled down here the pasta and vegetable bouillion cube would be great in a soup!

To read about what I sent to my blogger check out Courtney's blog Knits N Bits 4 U.

Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies

I used to love when restaurants would bring Andes mints with the check. It was that little something extra to say thanks but was so yummy and refreshing. I recently saw that mints after meals was to help soothe your stomach, but today people use them just as a breath freshener. Regardless, I enjoy something chocolate and something minty after a meal to be sweet and yet cleansing. I have used Andes baking chips before and they were one of my favorite and addicting desserts. These cookies have a cake or brownie consistency with the mint chips inside making them pretty addicting! Good thing I have some people around to help eat them!

Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies
Makes ~ 3 dozen cookies
Source: Table for Two

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 (3.4 oz.) package of chocolate pudding mix

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup Andes mint baking chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add in the pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat well until incorporated.
4. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the mint chips with a spatula.
5. Drop cookies onto baking sheet with a cookie scoop (I used a medium cookie scoop) and bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (if they aren't eaten sooner!)

Pumpkin Nut Muffins

Living in Florida it is hard to have it feel like fall, especially since we are still wearing shorts. There was a "cold front" and I use the term extremely loosely, so we could at least open our windows and cool down a bit. I took full advantage and tried to pretend it was fall. And what better way to do that than through food?! To me fall flavors are apples, pears and pumpkin, and this recipe was a healthy spin on a pumpkin muffin. When I was mixing all of the ingredients together it smelled just like pumpkin pie and reminded me of the holidays. The pecans add a little crunch to the muffins. Be sure to spray the muffin liners, I was hesitant and the muffins got a bit stuck to the paper :( Otherwise, these are a great healthy fall treat that you can eat on the go or relaxing with your morning coffee or tea.

Pumpkin Nut Muffins
Source: Skinnytaste
Serves: 12

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour 3/4 cup raw sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
baking spray
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray liners with oil for easy removal.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix pumpkin puree, oil, egg whites and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, then blend at low speed until combined; do not over mix. Fold in chopped nuts.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tin and bake on the center rack for 24 - 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let them cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 12 muffins.

Instant cup o’ Mac & Cheese in the Microwave

I work from home and sometimes struggle with what to make for lunch. I like most American have a weakness for mac and cheese. However, I try not to make the ones from the box with all of the additives, and can't remember the last time I made a big batch from scratch since it is just the two of us and it has so much cheese. I came across this instant version on Pinterest and had been meaning to try it out (as is the case with most of my items on Pinterest). While it is not the same as the gooey and crunchy home made baked mac n cheese it is a pretty good quick fix. In 5 minutes I had a cup of mac and cheese, and I was able to control what went into it. You can use any type of milk you have in the house, we had skim milk so that's what I used, and we had reduced fat shredded cheese, but again, use what you have.

Instant Mug o’ Mac & Cheese in the Microwave
Serves: 1
Source: The Family Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pasta
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup skim milk
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Combine the pasta and water in a large mug or bowl. Microwave on high for two minutes, then stir. A lot of times the water will overflow while it heats up. It is OK if this happens. If you don’t want it to overflow just make this in a very large microwaveable bowl. Repeat this for at least 2 to 4 more minutes, stirring at each 2-minute interval. The water should absorb completely and the pasta will be cooked through. If the pasta needs another minute it is okay to add one more teaspoon of water and microwave for another minute. My pasta cooked through in 4 minutes every time, but my microwaves tends to be very powerful.

Remove it from the microwave and stir in the milk and cheese. Microwave for another minute. Stir the cheese thoroughly into the pasta and enjoy!

7 Can Taco Soup

This week I am finally making items that I see on Pinterest. That place is not only addicting, but I don't know who has the time to make all of the food and crafts they pin or throw the parties with all of the adorable accessories! I feel good if I make anything that I see on there. With fall rolling in around the country, maybe not where I am but for basically everyone else, I made a warm comforting soup. 

Tonight I tried what was actually 8 can taco soup, but I didn't use 1 of the ingredients, canned chicken... I am sure you can't blame me for being a little, ok a lot skeeved out by the idea of chicken in a can. Had I felt more motivated I would have used shredded rotisserie chicken, but instead it is a more vegetarian version. This soup is a bit thinner than a chili but heartier than most soups. It is packed with protein from all of the beans, a little spicy kick from the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce. Canned goods can be high in sodium, so be sure to find the reduced-sodium or no salt added versions of the ingredients. All of my favorite Mexican food flavors are combined in one bowl and in about 10 minutes and makes for a nice lunch at work the next day! For those busy nights this is a great go to, especially since it is all canned goods that you can keep in your pantry just in case.

7 Can Taco Soup
Adapted from Food.com
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, no salt added, drained
1 (15.25 oz.) can no salt added sweet corn, drained
1 (10.75 oz.) can healthy request cream of chicken soup
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large pot.
Heat until warm, stirring occasionally.
Top with shredded cheese if you like and serve with tortilla chips.