Heaven & Hell Cake

People.  I am so far behind I feel like giving up.  The fact that today is the first 90-degree day of the year, and my air conditioning has broken, might also have something to do with it.  But I've got some cold raspberry-lime seltzer here, and the first couple of quiet hours to myself in over a month, so let's just keep on keeping on.

Heaven & Hell Cake - another one of my favs from Lit Night.  Apparently each component was a beast to master, and this cake's maker, one of Dessert Club's most skilled artisans, had to try several times to get it right.  So if you want to make it, good luck.

Heaven & Hell Cake (print recipe)
Serves 10 to 12

For the ganache:
2 lbs. milk chocolate, such as Valrhona, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

For the angel food cake:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract

For the devil's food cake:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pan
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup coffee
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

For the peanut butter mousse:
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
4 cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium-size bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan; pour cream over the chocolate and let sit to melt for 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, combine the chocolate and cream. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to let rest for 4 hours.

2. Make the angel food cake: Heat oven to 325°. Line bottom of a 10" round cake pan with ungreased parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and flour; set flour mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a handheld mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium, sprinkle in sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle half of the confectioners' sugar–flour mixture over egg whites; using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 45–50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack and let cool.

3. Make the devil's food cake: Heat oven to 350°. Grease a 10" round cake pan with shortening and dust with flour to coat; shake out excess flour and set pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder; set flour mixture aside. In another medium bowl, whisk the coffee and cocoa powder until smooth; set coffee mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, vanilla, and eggs with a handheld mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Alternately add the flour mixture and the coffee mixture to the bowl in 3 stages, beating to combine after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean, 30–35 minutes; transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

4. Make the peanut butter mousse: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar with a handheld mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Put cream into a large bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture; set mousse aside in the refrigerator.

5. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated-blade knife, slice each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer of the devil's food cake on a cake stand and spread 1/3 of the peanut butter mousse over the top with a butter knife. Top mousse with a layer of the angel food cake and spread with half of the remaining mousse. Repeat with the remaining devil's food cake, mousse, and angel food cake. Wrap cake in plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Stir ganache until smooth and spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake with a butter knife. Refrigerate the cake for 2 hours before slicing.

Recipe from Saveur.com and DC member J.B.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

 Speaking of man food (were we? yes), here is the smoky, crunchy, salty, sweet snack they've all been waiting for (and some of us girls, too.)  I just about died when I saw these in Joy's book - so awesome and up my alley!  I've got to remember to make these for the school bake sale next fall - they're like breakfast, lunch, and dessert in a sugar-coated cookie package.  Absolutely perfect.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies (print recipe)
Makes about 2 dozen

8 slices bacon
1 cup all-natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts

1.  Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place bacon slices in a single layer.  Bake bacon until cooked through and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from oven (keep oven on), let cool slightly, then transfer to paper towels to cool completely.  When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.

2.  Line a clean cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the peanut butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the molasses until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg, baking soda, and nutmeg, and mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes.

4.  Remove the paddle attachment and the bowl and use a wooden spoon to fold in the bacon and peanuts.  Roll the dough into large walnut-sized balls and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar.  Place on lined cookie sheet, and use a fork to make that distinctive peanut butter cookie crisscross pattern.  If the cookie dough begins to stick to the fork, dip it in sugar before pressing into cookie.  Dough will be a little crumbly, just press together with your fingers as necessary.

5.  Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cookies will be crumbly and delicious!  Cookies will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

1 year ago:  Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
2 years ago:  Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter
3 years ago:  Strawberry Flip Cookies 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars

 

 Just to be clear.  These chewy gooey squares are NOT for dessert.  They are SNACK bars, and a snack is anything eaten between meals, including before breakfast...you know, while your whole wheat bread is toasting.

I know they have chocolate, butter, and sugar in them.  BUT.  There are also three different whole grains, and the healthy-ish benefits of peanut butter and dark chocolate.  In fact, in the name of transparency, I ran a recipe analyzer on these, and include the nutritional info at the bottom.   Definitely more indulgent than a cup of baby carrots, but for 170 calories, a better, and infinitely more satisfying, choice than something from the vending machine.  (That is, if you can eat just one!)

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Snack Bars (print recipe)
Makes 16 bars

3 tablespoons softened butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons milled flax seed
1 cup whole oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy, 4-5 minutes. Add egg, vanilla and peanut butter. Beat until combined. Add cocoa powder and beat on low speed to prevent cocoa powder flying in your face!

2.  In a separate bowl, combined flour, wheat flour, flax seed, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix together. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until moistened. You may need to use your hands to get it all combined. Add chocolate chips and combine. Pour mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until gooey and delicious. Serve immediately, or cut into bars and store.

Per bar: Cal 169, Fat 7.9g (Sat 3.4g), Chol 16mg, Sod 104mg, Carb 23.1g, Fiber 1.4g, Sugars 13.2g, Protein 3.8g

Recipe from Jenna Laughs

Halloween Candy Mini Cupcakes (a.k.a. the PERFECT Halloween treat)

I'm not even going to insult you by quipping, "Oh, these are great to make with all that leftover Halloween candy!"  Because it's pretty specific - you need mini Reese's cups and candy corns.  Candy corns, okay, you might have some of those left over.  But who has Reese's cups sitting around?  They are the first to go at my house.  (For the true Halloween leftovers, we need a recipe that uses things like Laffy Taffy, Jolly Ranchers and Sweet Tarts - anyone?)  So you have to go out and buy - or carefully save out - the candy for these.  You can do that. 

I will also not insult you by pointing out the only Halloweeny thing about these is the candy corns.  You can - and should - make these any time of year with just the Reese's, or with any relevant holiday accent atop.  Cadbury mini eggs, Christmas color M&M's, etc.  But Martha Stewart called these "Mini Triple-Treat Cupcakes" and I thought that name was dumb, so I changed it.

OK, so you've got a peanut butter batter, one delicioso Reese's mini cup which fits in there perfectly, and a candy corn on top.  Pretty much the PERFECT Halloween treat and I'll tell you why:

1. They are bite-size, maybe 2-3 bites for smaller kids.  Imagine you're at a school or church Halloween party and the sugary spread is massive.  Do you or your kids really want an entire marshmallow-ghost cupcake when there is so much sugar to be had?  Better to go smaller.
2. They are festive - you know, Halloween colors and all that.  Plus everyone loves a surprise filling, no one more than me.
3. They are EASY.  We already know baking is my thing; decorating is not.  I want my food to look nice and appetizing without hours of multi-color piping if I can avoid it.  Plopping a candy corn on top is my kind of decorating.
4. They are peanut butter and chocolate, only the best candy combination EVER.

 And those are just a few of the reasons.  Make up your own if you need more. 

 

 Halloween Candy Mini Cupcakes (print recipe)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
48 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
48 pieces candy corn, for decorating

1.  Preheat oven to 350, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Line two 24-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter and brown sugar on high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg and egg yolk, scraping down bowl as needed.  With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture, buttermilk and vanilla until combined.

2.  With the large end of a melon baller (or extra small cookie scoop), place 2 tsp batter into each muffin cup, then press a peanut butter candy into each center until batter aligns with the top edge of candy.  Bake until puffed and set, about 10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.  Immediately place a piece of candy corn on top of each cupcake; let cool completely in pans on wire racks.  Makes 48 mini cupcakes.

Recipe from Everyday Food, October 2011

Nobody Better Lay a Finger on My Butterfinger Cookies

 When I was like 11 years old, Butterfinger was my FAVORITE candy bar.  So crispy-buttery!  So crumbly yet stick-in-your-teethy!  And I was more than a little proud when Butterfinger won the sponsorship of none other than Bart Simpson.  I knew Bart had good taste.

 

But I don't know when was the last time I bought and ate a Butterfinger.  I guess I probably had some at Halloween some time or another.  It's kinda got Halloween colors with that orangey center.

 This month I've been making a concerted effort to plow through my backlog of cooking magazines that have been piling up under my coffee table for a year.  Or two.  I tear out the recipes I want and file them in the appropriate folder in my recipe file box.  And dream that someday I'll make them all.

 But some skip to the front of the queue by nature of being either seasonal, intriguing, or downright irresistible.  This recipe was all three.  

 As you can see, they're a bit thin.  But they are very soft and homemade-tasting.  And chock-full of broken Butterfinger bars.  Tip: You don't even need to chop them because they fall apart easily.  I just put them in a Ziploc bag and very gently tapped them with a hammer.  That's all you need to do.  And voila, YUM in a cookie!

Butterfinger Cookies (print recipe)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
8 ounces Butterfinger candy bars, chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

2.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Add egg whites; beat well.  Blend in peanut butter and vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in candy bars.  Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on baking sheets.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 4 dozen.

Recipe from some Taste of Home magazine from a long time ago

Peanut Butter Cashew Brownies

Can any of us be surprised that these won Dessert Club this month? Their creator found this recipe on How Sweet It Is via foodgawker. In fact, several DC members find their stuff through foodgawker - do you know it? I admit, I spend what little free time I can scrounge up either baking or writing - I almost never surf or browse, though I know just how much I am missing. But after these brownies, I am bookmarking it. Maybe for stuff like this I can come up with a few minutes to gawk once in awhile.

Peanut Butter Cashew Brownies (print recipe)

1 batch brownies (boxed mix or homemade)
1/2 cup salted cashews
1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove and top with peanuts and peanut butter cups, and bake for 4-6 minutes more.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Top each brownie with a dollop of Peanut Butter Frosting and a bittersweet chocolate chip.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Put sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in mixer. Mix on medium low until creamy, scraping with spatula as you work.Add the cream and beat on high until the mixture is light and smooth.

1 year ago: Dark Fudge Bundt Cake
2 years ago: Chocolate Chip Crunch Cake

Pancake Week #2 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate Sauce

I'm sorry, did you want something plain to eat? Because you AIN'T gonna find it here, at least not this week!

There are a few combinations I go to over and over because I just can't get enough (love that song), and peanut-butter-and-chocolate is one of them. Here you have a delectably delicate tender-cake-like peanut butter pancake freckled and speckled with melty mini chocolate chips. I admit, I did not plan ahead enough to make the cinnamon ice cream (this time of year my freezer bowl is tucked away deep in the back of a cupboard), but we had vanilla and it was awesome and I can only imagine how amazing cinnamon would be. I know these seem kind of desserty, but remember they are pancakes, and pancakes can be for breakfast, lunch or dinner. More pancakes for dessert is optional.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pancakes (print recipe)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
4 T unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (we used mini)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat the peanut butter and eggs with an electric mixer until softened and well combined. Gradually add the milk and melted butter, beating until well blended. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.

2. If necessary, lightly oil your griddle. Preheat over medium heat (350F). If you will be holding pancakes to warm, preheat oven to 200F.

3. Spoon 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle for each pancake, allowing space for spreading and use a spatula or back of spoon to lightly press batter into rounds. When the undersides of pancakes are golden and the tops are speckled with bubbles that pop, flip the pancakes over with a wide spatula and cook until the other sides are light brown. Serve immediately or keep warm on an oven-proof plate in the warm oven. Serve with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Makes about 16 pancakes.

Cinnamon Ice Cream
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. While the mixture is heating, use a whisk or an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks, sugar and cinnamon together in a medium bowl until very thick.

2. Beating constantly, gradually add the hot milk and cream to the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens, 2 to 5 minutes. The custard should coat the back of the spoon and leave a track when you run your finger through. Strain into a clean bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract and cool to room temperature.

3. Freeze the custard in the ice cream maker following manufacturer's instructions. Pack into a freezer container and freeze to firm and ripen. The ice cream should be ready to scoop in about 2 hours, but ti will keep in the freezer for 2 weeks. Makes 1 quart

Dark Chocolate Sauce
3 oz. best-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, optional
Pinch of salt
1 T unsalted butter, room temperature

1. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl or large measuring cup; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, mix the cream, milk, sugar, espresso powder, and salt together and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk into the chocolate until absolutely smooth. Whisk in the butter. Serve or cover and chill until needed. The sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks; warm before using.

Recipes from Pancakes: From Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I know that when it comes to whoopie pies, peppermint is the "seasonal" thing. And I know I already made a chocolate-peanut-butter-something this month. But these were what I was in the mood for. Don't even pretend you don't want one right now.

I've made a couple of whoopie pie attempts over the years, and a surprising number have been unsuccessful. Just unluckily bad recipes, I guess. But I keep at it because whoopie pies are awesome. Because they are just the best parts of cupcakes, rearranged. Two cupcake tops and a generous helping of frosting, but since it's in the middle we call it filling and make it creamier. They are genius!

So I recently did some serious whoopie pie research, mostly on the astoundingly extensive food blog network. And I came up with what should hopefully be the best recipes for a bunch of different kinds of whoopie pies. Eventually I will be making all of them, but I just had to make these first. Not especially Christmasy, but dang good anyway. Did I say dang good? I meant DIVINE.

Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
For the Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

1. Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.
5. Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 18 to 24 sandwiches

Recipe from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies 2005

Click here for printable recipe

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

It's nice to mix things up with a no-bake sumpin' sometimes. And if it's dipped in chocolate it looks fancy. And if you sprinkle it with ed-i-ble glit-ter, well then.

You can be as cool as me.I got this little ditty of a recipe off the back of a Keebler graham cracker crumbs box. Seriously, never discount a recipe based on where you got it. It has peanut butter, powdered sugar, graham crumbs and Rice Krispies in it - there is nothing not to like! Then you roll/dip it - I admit, I deviated from the recipe here - they wanted me to use "confectioner's coating" but why would I use that foul wax when I can just use real chocolate? Here on the VGP taste is always king.
And these are yummy. Richer than I expected, though, so don't make them too big. An inch is plenty, or even smaller. They should be one-biters. One-biters with ed-i-ble glit-ter on them! Did I mention that? I got it at Michael's. And I'm a little excited about it.

Peanut Butter Bon Bons
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 1/4 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 oz. dark or white chocolate (bar or chips)
1 to 2 T shortening

1. In a large bowl stir together cereal, peanut butter, crumbs and powdered sugar. Shape into a large ball or disk and wrap well in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

2. Shape crumb mixture into balls, using one level tablespoon for each.

3. In a small saucepan melt chocolate and shortening over low heat. Dip each ball in chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on wax paper. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or until set. Store in airtight container. Makes about 3 to 4 dozen.

Recipe from the Keebler box

*Check it out! I've gone PRINTABLE!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

There is a special place in my heart just for peanut butter. I have loved it my entire life and just keep finding wonderful ways to eat it. I have just recently introduced my daughters to the wonders of peanut-butter-and-apples as an after school snack. Classic.

So when I saw Peanut Butter Banana Bread on the cover of Cooking Light this month, there was no question I was going to make it. Immediately. And it's just what you think it would be. Really good banana bread. Made even better with peanut butter and chopped peanuts. I mean, really. I'm embarrassed I didn't think of it long ago. But no matter. It's here now and sure to become a new classic.
Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Bread:
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4)
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray

Glaze:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.Recipe from Cooking Light, October 2010

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Crispy Squares

This recipe is one of my TOP 5 FAVORITE TREATS OF ALL TIME. I can eat THE WHOLE PAN. I think they are PERFECT. I can make fancy twisty yeasty bread, all-afternoon back-breaking cakes, painstaking pastries, but when I want something sweet, these ALWAYS fit the bill. Anyone can make these for me ANYTIME. But if you don't, I WILL.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Crispy Bars
3 T unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably natural

1/2 tsp coarse salt

6 cups puffed rice cereal

nonstick cooking spray or butter, for pressing

1 pkg (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1/4 cup chopped, roasted salted peanuts

1. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish*. In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, butter, and salt. Cook over medium, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes. Add cereal and stir to combine.

2. With a wooden spoon greased with cooking spray or butter, press half the cereal mixture into dish. Spread half the melted chocolate on top. Repeat with remaining cereal mixture and chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts. Makes about 16 squares. Store in airtight container up to 3 days.

* Double the recipe to make in a 9 x 13 pan. But careful, I might come over and eat THE WHOLE PAN.

Recipe from Everyday Food, July/Aug 2010

Peanut Butter Melts

Here's the next treat from Hannah Swensen's Cookie Jar (in Blueberry Muffin Murder.) Apparently the mayor of her town (I forget his name) just loves these cookies. In fact he melts for them. Ha. Ha.

I wish you could be here to taste one so I could grin and ask you to guess the secret ingredient. It's molasses, which I've never heard of putting in a peanut butter cookie. But then I thought about it, and using white sugar and molasses is basically the same as using brown sugar, which I have heard of in peanut butter cookies, so it's not that crazy.

These cookies came out a little flatter than I expected, but I was also using suspect baking powder (my cake a few days earlier completely failed to rise); I have since replaced it. But thinness aside, these were delicious - slightly crispy on the outside, gorgeously soft and chewy on the inside, even after several days in a Tupperware. Total comfort cookies and I found myself snacking on them way more than I should have. So I gave some away. But not all of them, of course. I'm not quite that disciplined.

Peanut Butter Melts

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups white sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1/8 cup molasses (2 T)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

2 beaten eggs (whip with a fork)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Sugar for rolling, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place oven rack in middle position.

2. Microwave the butter to melt it. Add the sugar, vanilla and molasses. Stir until it's blended, then add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

3. Measure out the peanut butter. (Spray the inside of the measuring cup with Pam so it won't stick - I do the same with the molasses.) Add it to the bowl and mix it in. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir. Then add the flour, and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

4. Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and arrange them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicone. (These spread a lot so keep it to 12 for a standard jelly roll pan.) Roll in sugar if desired (but I tried both ways and I think they're plenty sweet without the extra roll.) Flatten slightly in a criss-cross pattern with fork.

5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Makes about 3 1/2 to 4 dozen

*For PBJ cookies, spread jam on one cookie and use another to make a sandwich. Or go for it and use fudge frosting or Nutella in the middle.

Recipe from Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Oh, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, how do I love thee?

Here is yet another way.I go through phases in my baking. I haven't been so into cookies lately; I'm taking a break. But a few weeks ago I went on a cake recipe hunt that resulted in a stack of about 8 or 10 that I can hardly make fast enough. Of course a cake really requires an occasion, preferably where there will be enough people to eat all or most of it in one sitting. I don't really need a lot of cake sitting around my kitchen.

Luckily, people have birthdays. My friend Alicia, for example. We had a little birthday lunch with some friends and guess what I volunteered to bring. Shocking, I know.Allergics aside, can anyone resist chocolate and peanut butter? They are meant to be together, especially when it's done well. Hello - peanut butter cake, cream cheese peanut butter filling like an inch thick, fudgy frosting, and lots of nuts and peanut butter cups on top. Totally for a special occasion. Or a Thursday.

I was a little worried about the cake. I've made peanut butter muffins from a few different recipes and they've always been dry or chewy or bland. Not so here - the cake has proper crumb and lovely flavor. The whole ensemble is a bit rich but whatever! It's FABULOUS.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Cake:
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk

Peanut butter filling:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Fudge Frosting:
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
About 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons milk

Finishing:
Reese's peanut butter cups, quartered
1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and peanut butter until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture 1 at a time, scraping down the inside of the bowl as needed. Beat in flour mixture and milk in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour and making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.

2. Butter and flour 2 round 9-in. cake pans. I also line the pan bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Divide batter evenly between pans.

3. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Cool cakes 5 minutes. Invert onto a rack, remove pans, and let cool to room temperature, at least 40 minutes.

5. Make frosting: Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Add butter and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups powdered sugar and the milk; beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if frosting seems too thin.

6. Make filling: In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth and fluffy.

7. Assemble cake: Dollop 1 tbsp. peanut butter filling onto a cake stand (to hold cake in place). Place 1 cake layer on stand. Spread with remaining peanut butter filling. Top with second layer. Starting with the top, then working down the sides, frost cake with fudge frosting. Decorate the top edge with candy pieces and peanuts.

Recipe from Sunset magazine, May 2009

Salted Nut Roll Squares

You know that classic candy, the Salted Nut Roll? Of course you do. You love it, and you should. Now translate that into a crunchy-chewy, sweet-and-salty, marshmallowy, Nutter-Buttery layered bar cookie and we are getting somewhere!

My friend made these for an informal dinner party, and it's just a good thing I had my camera with me. For anyone who loves peanuts or marshmallows or Rice Krispy treats or all three, these are a KEEPER.

Crust

1 lb. peanut butter sandwich cookies (Nutter Butters), coarsely crumbled

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Topping

2 c. peanut butter chips

2/3 c. light corn syrup

4 TB unsalted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. miniature marshmallows

2 c. dry roasted peanuts

2 c. Rice Krispies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray.

2. Pulverize cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add melted butter; process until crumbs clump together. Press crumbs into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes or until golden.

3. Melt peanut butter chips, corn syrup, butter and vanilla in a saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes. Spread 1/2 c. of the peanut mixture over crumb base.

4. Top with marshmallows and return bars to the oven. Bake until marshmallows puff, about 2 minutes, then remove from oven. Don't let marshmallows brown or they will turn crunchy.

5. Toss peanuts and cereal with remaining peanut mixture to coat. Drop spoonfuls of the topping over the marshmallows, then spread with a spatula (sprayed with non-stick coating to prevent sticking). Cool bars before cutting with a knife coated with nonstick spray. Makes 28 bars.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

I just had to make these for the bake sale. These jumbo cookies are all heft - no light teatime treat here, but a heavy, serious no-messing-around indulgence. Just one of the many reasons I love them. Massive chocolate-chocolate chip cookie with a generous dollop of brown-sugared peanut butter tucked inside. Make way, your tastebuds are in for an ambush.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In electric mixer bowl, beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until fully combined between each addition. Add vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until fully combined. Remove from mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or lid and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment or Silpats. In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup light brown sugar.

4. Using a 1 1/4 inch cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 1 tsp of peanut butter mixture. Top with a second scoop of dough, and carefully mold dough to cover "surprise."

5. Bake until firm, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool about 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks. Makes about 21 big cookies.Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

"The One" Peanut Butter Cookies

Awhile back my friend Kat asked if I'd found a good peanut butter cookie recipe. She was getting frustrated with dry dough turning out even drier cookies, and I knew what she meant. The last few pb cookie attempts gave me crumble-in-your-hand shortbread type stuff, not what we were looking for. As Kat put it, "I want a cookie that will BEND!"

Well who doesn't love a challenge? I went hunting and found a few recipes online and in books. I carefully compared ingredients, and, when available, reviews, and decided this one sounded like a good shot.

Frankly, it's perfect. I think this is as good as a peanut butter cookie can get, and that's pretty good. I had a hard time not eating them all. And yes, they were bendy, at least the first few hours. After that the outside hardened up a bit, and by the next day they were crunchy, but not stale by any means, and with a little zap in the microwave (or a dip in chocolate milk), they were back to bendy. And the flavor cannot be beat.
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 and put rack in center of oven. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through salt); set aside.

2. In an electric mixer bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the egg and combine, then add the peanut butter. Reduce speed to low, add the flour mixture, and beat until incorporated. Stir in the peanuts.

3. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll in the remaining sugar and place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Using the back of a fork, gently press the cookies to form a crisscross pattern. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until just golden. Cool on racks. Makes 2 dozen cookies

Recipe from Real Simple, September 2005

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I'm discovering there are oh-so-many ways to pair peanut butter with chocolate into something outrageously yummy. I took a BHG recipe and tweaked the ingredients here and there. When they came out they smelled like peanut euphoria but looked just too plain. Nothing a quick dip in melted chocolate couldn't fix!

I added a small amount of vegetable shortening to the chocolate; it gives the chocolate a sheen and helps prevent blooming when it cools. Don't add much - no more than a teaspoon - or else the chocolate will be too soft and you'll get a slight shortening taste, which you DON'T want. And if you're opposed to shortening altogether, leave it out.

This makes a stiff dough that doesn't spread much while cooking, so you have to shape it before it goes in the oven. If you want a rounded shape like a ball, make a ball or use a cookie scoop. If you want a flatter cookie , smash it with a fork or glass before cooking. I shaped each ball of dough into a patty using my hands before placing on the cookie sheet.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped salted roasted and/or honey roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or about 8 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 tsp vegetable shortening (optional)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for at least 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in the flour. Stir in the oats and peanuts.

2. Place balls or discs of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to rest on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

3. Place chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a microwave save bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Remove, stir well, and heat again for 20 seconds, repeating until chips are almost all melted. Stir until smooth. Do not overheat chocolate. Dip cooled cookies halfway in chocolate, allowing extra chocolate to drip off into the bowl. Dip in more chopped peanuts if desired.

Mmm...desired is a good word for these cookies.

Chunky Peanut, Chocolate and Cinnamon Cookies

I saw this recipe while flipping through Martha Stewart's Cookie book at Border's and it stopped me in my tracks. Genius. She is a genius. I had to try it immediately, and it was so, so worth it. Chunky, yes. Peanuty, chocolatey, and cinnamony, yes. Don't even question. Martha doesn't make mistakes.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

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

2. Put butter and peanut butter in an electric mixer bowl and mix on medium until combined, 2 minutes. Add sugars; mix 2 minutes. Mix in eggs. Gradually add in flour mixture; mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips, peanuts and vanilla with mixing spoon until well distributed. Refrigerate dough until slightly firm, 15 minutes.

3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Space balls 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone. Flatten slightly. Bake until golden around edges, about 13 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool and serve with ice cream. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen with medium cookie scoop.

Fast Sunday Banana Pops

The girls have both had the stomach flu this weekend, so we didn't take them to church. Ed went to help with nursery and I stayed home. Dinner's going in the slow cooker and filling the house with tummy-grumbling aromas. So what's a Mom to do on fast Sunday afternoon with two sick girls? Make food, of course!

I got this idea from my visiting teacher Heather (of the Black & Brown Chocolate Chip Cookies.) She and I share a love of cooking and always have lots to talk about, usually followed up by emailing recipes. Heather has kids in elementary school and she said they've had PBJ in their lunch boxes all year so she was trying to branch out and get creative with their lunches. One idea was frozen bananas, dipped and rolled in a variety of things. We brainstormed until my mouth was watering and I have been wanting to make some ever since.

What we did today -

4 bananas, peeled & cut in half

8 wooden craft sticks (lollipop sticks from the candy-making aisle at Michael's; could also use the straight end of plastic spoons)

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 to 3 T vanilla yogurt

Handfuls of puff cereal, graham crackers, oats, flax seed, and some stale danish butter cookies leftover from Christmas, finely crushed in food processor

Jimmy sprinkles and mini M&M's, also leftover from Christmas

Cut bananas in half. Spread a banana half with peanut butter/yogurt mixture, then roll in crumbs and sprinkles. I had sprinkles on one plate and crumb/M&M mixture on another. I had to mix the M&M's with the crumbs because if any part of the banana were to have only M&M's on it I know the girls would just eat them off and abandon the rest of the popsicle. This way we have a fighting chance.

Lay on cookie sheet and carefully insert a pop stick in the bottom of banana half. Freeze for 3 hours or until solid.

(Hazel insisted on one plain one)

Other things to try -

Dip/spread any of the following or combinations of them:

Peanut butter

Yogurt

Honey

Melted chocolate

Cream cheese

Fruit puree

Roll in:

Sprinkles

Crushed cookie/cracker/pretzel crumbs

Wheat germ or flax seed

Granola/oats

Coconut
Mini chocolate chips /M&M's/candy

Coarsely crushed Rice Krispies/corn flakes/cereal

Chopped nuts

One of my favorite treats to get on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO was a chocolate-dipped frozen banana at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Frozen bananas are creamy like ice cream, mmm. And what's great about making them at home is they can be a healthy snack or a sweet treat, depending on what you use. Either way, they're mostly banana, a whole food that most kids like.

I haven't asked Heather if she's sent these in lunches yet. I worry they would thaw in the lunch box and then be kind of messy, but maybe if you packed them in foil with an ice pack? I don't know; I welcome thoughts. And I also welcome the next 2 hours passing quickly so I can gobble up one of these bad boys. After ending my fast, of course.

VGP #15 Peanut Butter Bites

Here's your second SURPRISE! cookie.

I think we all know from the Blow-Outs that I looove peanut butter & chocolate. And we also know I had a half a bag of Reese's peanut butter cups left after making them (that's right folks - I didn't eat them!) So imagine my thrill at finding these little treats in yet another Better Homes and Gardens cookie magazine. It's like a more refined (and self-controlled) version of the Blow-Outs. Lovely cocoa-dusted peanut butter bites...

with a super SURPRISE! inside.Honestly, I don't know why anyone would ever make plain peanut butter cookies again.

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

About 17 to 20 miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cups, halved

Unsweetened cocoa powder, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl combine butter and peanut butter - beat with electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. If necessary, cover and chill about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Press a peanut butter cup half into each ball and shape dough around peanut butter cup to enclose. Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. If desired, sprinkle with cocoa powder. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.