Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Candied Pecans

I think we all grow wiser and wiser each day that passes. I've learned a few things in the last couple of days. Let's discuss.

#1 - Two minutes and thirty seconds is too long to cook microwave popcorn. I'm really questioning my cooking ability right now. I thought that was the perfect amount of time when I put the popcorn in the microwave. Then I sprinted into the other room to continue watching Top Chef. I mean, I was dying to find out what the results would be with Big Caribbean Ron and his paella. And then I smelled the smoke... I returned to the microwave to find a bag full of burnt popcorn, and a toxic foul smell in the kitchen.

Anything that smells that bad after burning should not be consumed. I'm never eating microwave popcorn again. I don't know why I was going to eat it in the first place. It just sounded so good at the time...
So anyways, how do you get the smell of burnt popcorn out of your microwave? Every time I open it up it smells like a microwave in a hotel room or a community microwave in a break room. The lingering, ghastly smell of past burnt popcorn.

#2 - I've learned that these POM pomegranate juice people are awesome. They sent me a case of pomegranate juice a couple of months ago to try, and just the other day they sent me a sample of their POMx Iced Coffee, in chocolate and cafe au lait flavors. They also have a new vanilla flavor that I'm eager to try. I LOVE COFFEE! Their coffee is made with Italian-roasted Arabica shade-grown beans, rBST-free milk (no synthetic hormones), and organic cane sugar.
And no, it doesn't contain pomegranate juice.

This iced coffee is healthy and delicious, and I don't think I can go back to any other iced coffee brands because I'll feel terribly guilty. Look how cute that bottle is!

#3 - The third thing I've learned, and you should learn too, is that raisins aren't that bad and we should give them a chance. They're just dried grapes - when did they develop such a bad reputation?


Is it this girl? Do you not like this poor, innocent raisin girl or something? Sure, she's a little creepy, but give her a break! She's been picking baskets full of California raisins just for you... with a smile on her face... wearing a big, red bonnet - that thing has to be hot under the giant yellow sun.



To conclude today's post, don't eat microwave popcorn, drink POMx Iced Coffee, and use raisins to bake these Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Candied Pecans. I saved this recipe from cookie week, because I thought it was more suited for fall. These are really, really good. Give them a try!

In other news, tomorrow I'm flying to New York City for a little week-long trip.
Please keep me in your thoughts.

I won't have internet access, so if you don't see your comments showing up, or are wondering why I haven't stopped by your blog - that's why. If you need to get a hold of me you can send me a message on Facebook, because I get that on my phone. I'll be updating Facebook with my whereabouts and pictures, so look for that stuff, my super awesome Facebook friends.

Ahhh, I love communication via the world wide web using my cellular phone.

See you in a week. In the meantime, listen to some tunes. Located at the bottom of this page.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Candied Pecans (Recipe by Me)

Printable Recipe

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, plus 3/4 cup
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup raisins, soaked in hot water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently, until it foams and turns golden brown. Pour all but 1 tablespoon butter out of saucepan and into a large mixing bowl. Place remaining butter back over heat, add pecans, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved, and nuts are golden brown. Pour nuts into a small bowl and set aside to cool completely.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt and cinnamon; whisk in oats until combined.
Add remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar into large bowl containing browned butter, and beat together using a mixer on medium speed until well combined; beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in pecans and raisins until combined.

Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, place on cookie sheets, and flatten into a 1/4-inch thickness using palms of hands. Bake 12=14 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Toasted Hazelnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread

This weekend passed by too quickly and I didn't get a chance to make those pancakes I was talking about.

Lucky for me, the boyfriend was craving pancakes also. So where do you go if you're jonesin' for some real nice flapjacks and a cigarette?

Well, the International House of Pancakes, of course. It's a house of pancakes for pete's sake.

Or IS it? I grew suspicious when I looked at their menu and saw only four choices for pancakes. If you're the international house of pancakes, I want to see a full page or two of pancake options, damn it. They had page after page of sausage, bacon, egg and hashbrown combinations.
I can go to Denny's if I want a Grand Slam breakfast. You know?

And here's another thing you don't know about IHOP: they have crepes, but you shouldn't order them. At least not the Swedish lingonberry crepes. Bad, very bad.
(Do you say crehhps or craayps?)

But the seasonal pumpkin pancakes were pretty good, although a little doughy and undercooked. I ate one and I was full and felt a little sick. That's how it always is for me when I eat pancakes - and I bet a lot of people as well. That's why I'm working on a pancake diet plan and I will make millions off of it.
A pancake for breakfast, a pancake for lunch, a pancake for dinner. The pancakes will keep you feeling full and a little sick all day, and you won't feel like eating anything else. And there's no exercise involved. All you have to do is sit on the couch and watch reruns of Home Improvement.

So in conclusion, try my special pancake diet plan. Also, make your own pancakes at home. Good luck making pumpkin pancakes at home, though. Do you know why? Don't be alarmed, but...



There is a canned pumpkin shortage.
I repeat: a CANNED PUMPKIN SHORTAGE.
I don't think you realize how serious this is. Tell your loved ones. If you go to the store right now I guarantee they'll be out of canned pumpkin. I have been searching for pumpkin for weeks now. I've been to every grocery store in the area and haven't been able to find any. When I do find some, I'm stocking up. If you've had similar problems or know what's going on, let me know. Maybe it's just in this area.

I baked this bread a few weeks ago when pumpkin was still available, and it is very scrumptious. It's moist and flavorful with spices and molasses. It's topped with a hazelnut streusel made out of toasted hazelnuts, brown sugar, butter and oats.

Perfect for autumn. Happy autumn!

Toasted Hazelnut Streusel Pumpkin Bread (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons, softened
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons molasses
2/3 cup milk

Toasted Hazelnut Streusel
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts, toasted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup quick or old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a loaf pan.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently, until butter starts to foam and turn golden brown. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together browned butter, 3 additional tablespoons softened butter and brown sugar, until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin and molasses until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until combined, about 1-2 minutes. Spread batter evenly into loaf pan.

To make the hazelnuts streusel, in a medium bowl, stir together hazelnuts, brown sugar and oats; knead in butter until mixture is well combined, mealy, and starts clumping together. Sprinkle the clumps evenly over batter. Bake for 1 hour-1 hour & 10 minutes (cover with foil 25 minutes it to avoid overbrowning), or until well risen and set, and a wooden pick inserted into bread comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool in pan completely before removing.

Makes 1 loaf

Cranberry, White Chocolate & Toasted Walnut Scones

I want to make pancakes. Right now, this instant, on this Friday afternoon.

Would this be appropriate right now? (Sorry, I love that - gets me everytime.)

I'm dying to make and eat blueberry pancakes, because I just watched this blueberry pancake throwdown on Food Network.

Bobby Flay challenged Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman of (Clinton St. Baking Co. & Restaurant (4 Clinton Street, between East Houston & Stanton) to a blueberry pancake throwdown because their pancakes were voted best pancakes in New York City, as well as best breakfast in the city.

The pancakes they made were light, fluffy, and aerated by whipped egg whites. Then they were cooked on a hot, buttered griddle, topped with fresh blueberries, and doused with homemade maple butter.

Bobby's looked good too; he topped them with a blueberry compote, blueberry syrup, and fresh ricotta cheese.

I love the idea of a lemony-vanilla-pancake topped with blueberry compote and ricotta. So into the kitchen I go, to try and create a pancake that could compete with Bobby's.

If he were to arrive on my doorstep and challenge me to a scone throwdown, he might have some regrets. I'm pretty darn good at making scones, if I do say so myself.
Or maybe I'm not? Why don't you try these scones and let me know...

I love cranberries, white chocolate and nuts together, and I thought they would go perfectly into a scone. These scones are topped with a sprinkling of sparkly crystallized ginger, for some additional sweetness and texture.

I'm transitioning my recipes into more fall-appropriate flavors now, and I am so, SO excited about that. Nice warm and comforting flavors. Expect apple, pumpkin, cranberry, pomegranate, sweet potato, oatmeal, cinnamon, butterscotch and maple posts in your future.

Cranberry, White Chocolate & Toasted Walnut Scones (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (spooned into cup & leveled with knife)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries, soaked in hot water
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3 large eggs, divided use
1/4 cup yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; whisk in 6 tablespoons sugar until combined. Knead in butter, using fingertips, until well incorporated and mixture starts to clump together, forming pea-sized lumps. Gently stir in cranberries, walnuts and white chocolate chips until combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, yogurt and vanilla until combined; sprinkle into flour mixture and toss together using a fork.

Turn shaggy dough out onto a floured surface, and gently pat and knead until it comes together, handling as little as possible. Form two (6-inch) rounds. Insides of the rounds should be thicker. Slice each round into 6 equal triangles and place on cookie sheets. Whisk the additional egg in a small bowl and brush evenly on scones; pat crystallized ginger into the tops and sprinkle with additional sugar if desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks until ready to serve.

Makes 12 scones

Nutella Hazelnut Cookies

I cheated a little bit on this last cookie post. I started writing this post on Sunday, saved it, and I'm really publishing it on Monday. So that's why it says Sunday. I did NOT want to skip a day of cookies. That goes against everything I stand for.

You see what I mean? No? I don't blame you - that was confusing.
I didn't really have time to write a post on Sunday. After all, Sunday is a day of rest. It's a day of relaxation, football, US Open (Ahhh! Serena Williams! I would never want her mad at me!), Target shopping, snickerdoodle baking, and Kanye West outbursts.

I'm behind on my blog reading, so I'm going to wrap this up. I present to you, on this fine September morning, Nutella Hazelnut Cookies!

I made these to use up the rest of the Nutella and hazelnuts I had. They're a chocolate brownie-like cookie with Nutella and toasted hazelnuts in them, and they are deeeelicious!



I love Nutella so much. I was first introduced to it when I visited France in high school. At the hotel breakfasts they had little packages of Nutella to spread on your croissant or baguette slice. Miam miam! I even brought some of the packages home with me. But then I discovered you could buy it here.

I loved Nutella so much, I joined their fan club at some point and got a free T-shirt. It's an XXL but it makes fashionable sleepwear.

You know what else I love? Toasted hazelnuts. I would take a bath in toasted hazelnuts if I could.

Nutella Hazelnut Cookies (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Nutella
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook butter, whisking frequently, until it turns golden brown and foams, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate until melted. Place sugar in a large mixing bowl; add butter-chocolate mixture, and beat using a mixer on medium speed, until well combined and grainy - about 2 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat Nutella, eggs and vanilla into sugar mixture, until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in hazelnuts until combined.

Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, place on cookie sheets, and flatten slightly using palms of hands. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until set and slightly crisp. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Rocky Road Cookies

Ha. Come on... did you really think I'd let Saturday go by without posting a cookie recipe?

Here it is, thirty minutes before midnight, but I think I can make it.

...Eek. Only fifteen minutes now. Facebook sure does make the time fly by.

Let's talk cookies: these are Rocky Road Cookies. These are tasty - very tasty.

I LOVE rocky road ice cream. It was my favorite before I discovered chocolate chip cookie dough. These are chocolate-marshmallow swirled cookies with toasted almonds, mini marshmallows, and chopped chocolate in them.

That's all for now. This was a crappy post, but I'm in a hurry. Next one will be better, I promise. One cookie to go!

Rocky Road Cookies (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup marshmallow cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped dark or semisweet chocolate
1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; whisk in marshmallows until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute; beat in marshmallow cream, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate and almonds until combined.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheets, and flatten slightly using palms of hands. Bake 12-13 minutes or until set, and marshmallows are starting to ooze. Cool almost completely before transferring cookies to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies - The Final Chapter (Maybe)

I'm obsessed with finding the perfect and ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. I think about it probably once a day. I have to stop myself from running to the store and buying all of the ingredients.

Well, not run. Drive to the store. Let's be honest - I haven't truly ran in about six years. Yeah! High school track team '02!

Everyone has their own opinion about what makes the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Some people like crispy, some chewy, some soft and undercooked. Some people like nuts (walnuts, pecans), some people don't. Then there's also the issue with chocolate - bittersweet or semisweet? Chopped bars of chocolate or chocolate chips?

I packaged these up and gave them away as thank-you gifts. :)

After much cookie research, this is what I've discovered I like, and consider to be important parts of the chocolate chip cookie:

-Browning part of the butter
-Using a high proportion of brown sugar
-Toasting the nuts
-Using chopped dark or semisweet chocolate instead of chips
-Chilling the dough
-Baking at a higher temperature (to start, at least)

I like for the cookies to be crispy on the outsides, soft and almost undercooked in the insides, and slightly chewy. I also like for the tops to be crinkly and dimpled... like my smile after I eat one of these. Heh heh.



This is my new, revised best chocolate chip cookie recipe.
This was the old one. Remember? I used yeast and a lot of you called me out on that.

I didn't use yeast in these - I used baking soda only. But you know what? I miss the yeast. For my next batch of chocolate chip cookies, I'm going to use a combination of rapid yeast and baking soda, and I think I'm going to age the dough overnight, like the NYT recipe. I think both of those elements will give the cookies a deeper, more complex flavor.

I think I will also brown part of the butter and add the rest later on in big chunks. And I might play around with the baking temperature, too... start out at a high temperature, then reduce heat and continue to bake.

I want my cookies to look like Levain Bakery's, which some people consider to be the best chocolate chip cookie in the world. Look how big and delicious they look! They almost look like a scone. I'm dying to try one. Hopefully someday I will.

That's it... I can't stand it any longer. I need to work on this recipe, improve it, and truly make the best ever chocolate chip cookie. I better jog to the store now. (To get ingredients, and get in shape.)
Does anyone feel like chocolate chip cookies?

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies - The Final Chapter (Maybe) (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1 cup unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground sea salt, plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter cookie sheets.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; stir in 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Boil 1-2 minutes, whisking frequently, until golden brown; stir in walnuts until well coated. Place on a sheet pan, and bake for 5 minutes or until well toasted; cool.

Melt 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking soda; stir in 2 teaspoons salt until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat 1/2 cup softened butter, brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute; beat in browned butter for 1 additional minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate and walnuts with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)

Drop 1/4 cup measures of dough onto cookie sheet, forming into large mounds, and flatten slightly. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Cool 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Makes 4 dozen large cookies

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Peanut M&M Cookies

Cookies, cookies, cookies. My head is spinning with cookies.

My head is spinning in general. I just woke up from a forty-five minute nap on the couch in the basement. I fell asleep after watching Top Chef Las Vegas. I had eaten a scrumptious bowl of Golden Grahams and it was all warm and cozy under the quilt.

Now I'm tired and groggy and my hair looks really bad. Really, you should see it. There's a piece in the front that's sticking straight out.

So let's keep this short, shall we? After all, I still have three or four more cookie recipes to post in the next couple of days..



I think peanut M&M's triumph all other M&M's, and I was determined to use them in a cookie. Seriously, aren't peanut M&M's the best movie-watching snack? And Care Bear Gummi Bears. They make bad movies so much more enjoyable.

Here the M&M's are incorporated into a half chocolate-half peanut butter cookie, and also crushed and rolled into the outsides. Aren't they beautiful?

I want some of these right now. Right now!
Or maybe some of those mini chocolate donuts you buy in gas stations.

Good night.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Peanut M&M Cookies (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus an additional 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups peanut M&M's
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets using preferred method.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, peanut butter, sugar and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined.

Divide dough into two bowls. In one bowl, beat in additional 1/4 cup flour until combined; stir in 1/2 cup M&M's. In additional bowl, beat in cocoa powder until combined; stir in 1/2 cup M&M's. Lightly cover dough and chill in the refrigerator or freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.

Form dough into two balls, shape into logs, and wrap in separate pieces of plastic wrap; chill for 10 minutes.

Place additional 1/2 cup peanut M&M's in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Remove cookie dough logs from freezer, press together, and roll into crushed M&M's to coat the outside. Cut log in half, wrap logs in plastic wrap, and chill for 10 additional minutes.

Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds, place on cookie sheets, and bake for 14-15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Chocolate Topped Frito-Peanut Butter-Pretzel Bars

Sometimes I really don't know what I'm thinking when I come up with these recipes. They sound like a good idea at the time, but later on they seem crazy. Take these bars for instance: Chocolate Topped Frito-Peanut Butter-Pretzel Bars.

I probably made these two months ago. I'm trying to remember why I made them in the first place. Oh, okay - I had been thinking about creating a chocolate-pretzel-peanut butter cookie for some time. This is, like, my favorite snack in the whole world - pretzels dipped in peanut butter with an ice cold glass of chocolate milk.

I was also influenced by the Take 5 candy bar, which I had never had until a few months ago. That is the best damn candy bar in the world. WHY are they not more popular? If you don't know what a Take 5 is, it's a candy bar layered with pretzel, peanut butter, caramel, peanuts and milk chocolate. I'm a huge fan of sweet and salty combos.

I created my own version of the candy bar, but I used Fritos in a cookie base for the bottom of the cookie, topped with pretzels, peanuts, peanut butter, caramel, and semisweet chocolate. So I guess this is a Take 6 bar.
Nah, I'll just stick with Chocolate Topped Frito-Peanut Butter-Pretzel Bars.



These were good, but a little sloppy looking, and my pictures didn't turn out well. I ended up sneaking the bars into work, leaving them on a table, and walking away. Within ten minutes, they were completely gone. I sheepishly admitted to my fellow employees that I made them. I hate bringing baked goods into work because I never know what people are going to say about them. I know I need to get used to criticism and feedback if I'm going to do this for a living, but it's difficult.

Thankfully, everyone liked them, and a woman I work with came up to me the other night and spoke with me about the bars and wanted the recipe. And I made them months ago! So I guess these cookies made quite an impression. Although it seems like if anyone brings ANYTHING into work to eat, it gets eaten instantly.

Chocolate Topped Frito-Peanut Butter-Pretzel Bars (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely crushed Fritos
3 cups very coarsely chopped or broken up pretzels
1 cup Spanish peanuts
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup caramel sauce
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening (optional but recommended)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil; grease bottom and sides using preferred method.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour, baking soda and salt, until combined. Beat in Fritos until combined. Spread and press cookie dough evenly into bottom of pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown around edges.

Remove pan from oven, evenly press pretzels and peanuts into cookie dough, and bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven.

Warm peanut butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until pourable. Evenly drizzle peanut butter over pretzels, followed by caramel.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave, stirring often, for 30 seconds-1 minute, or until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate evenly over the top of peanut-butter caramel mixture and spread. Cool bars completely before lifting foil out of pan and slicing. (Freeze for easier slicing.)

Makes 32 bars

Chocolate Chunk Cookie-Topped Brownies

Cookie week continues! Bring out all of your cookie recipes, everyone. It's a cookie bonanza around here this week.

I have too many cookie recipes in my collection, and this is my way of getting rid of them. I even deleted two recipes because the pictures weren't any good. And the other day, for a family reunion, I made oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies with cinnamon apple pieces and toasted pecans in them, and I didn't write down the recipe or take pictures or ANYTHING.

Because I have too many cookie recipes on this blog. I kind of wish I did because everyone at the family reunion liked them. Oh well.
At this time, I'd like to give a special shout out to Eric's Aunt Patti! She is SO nice. I just love her. Hey Aunt Patti! Hope your day is going well. I really, really want your famous lemon cake recipe, but I know it's top secret.

Mmm lemon cake. That sounds so good right now. Chocolate chunk cookie-topped brownies sound pretty good too, do they not?



These were good, and I'm going ahead and posting the recipe, but I think I can make them even better. Like, the ULTIMATE chocolate chunk cookie-topped brownie. All recipes have to be ultimate to me. Kind of like Ina Garten and Paula Deen. I have to use the maximum amount of butter, cheese, chocolate or salt in my recipes.

Have a good Tuesday. HAPPY NATIONAL DATE NUT BREAD DAY.
DON'T YOU JUST LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE TYPE IN ALL CAPS AND MAKE YOU THINK THEY'RE SHOUTING AT YOU?!! I've noticed a lot of people like to do that on forums. It confuses me.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie-Topped Brownies (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

Brownie
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

Chocolate Chunk Cookie
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with foil, and grease foil.

To make the brownies, in a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Beat in eggs until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; spread batter into baking dish.

To make the chocolate chunk cookie, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently, until butter turns golden brown. Set aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together brown sugar, sugar and melted butter, until grainy and combined - about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate until combined. Drop teaspoons of cookie dough onto brownie batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before lifting foil out of dish and slicing into bars.

Makes 9 brownies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Toffee Peanuts

Welcome to Labor Day cookie week. This week features a variety of strange cookies I've made and have been holding off on posting because the pictures aren't that good.

But the recipes are good. Maybe I should make this a yearly event? We'll see.

Ironically enough, I'm posting this right before I have to go to work.
On Labor Day. Happy Labor Day to me! I don't even have enough enthusiasm right now to tell you about the meth addict-woman that yelled at me in the Asian food section at Wal-Mart the other day.

So let me tell you about these cookies. Well, is that necessary? The title of the post tells you everything you need to know. Do you even need me?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Toffee Peanuts. YES! Delicious! What could be better than peanut butter cookies with chocolate chunks (Ghiradelli) and homemade toffee peanuts in them. Nothing.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Toffee Peanuts (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar, divided use
1 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a small cookie sheet with waxed paper and grease waxed paper.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk in 1/4 cup brown sugar and bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Stir in peanuts until well coated, then spread out on waxed paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely before crumbling into pieces.

Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, about 8 minutes.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt; stir in yeast until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat peanut butter, remaining brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute; beat in browned butter for 1 additional minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate and toffee peanuts with a wooden spoon until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. ( You could speed up this process by placing the dough in the freezer for about 40 minutes.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, place on greased cookie sheets and flatten slightly using palms of hands. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I was going through my list of recipes I need to post on here, and I noticed more than half of them are cookies. I have WAY too many cookie recipes. So next week I think I'm going to post a cookie recipe every day, otherwise it's going to take me a lifetime.

Which got me to thinking about what things I prefer to bake, and what flavors I prefer over others.

Cookies are probably my favorite, because they're easy, and you can change the flavors and textures around a lot. And everyone likes cookies. You know what's crazy? Biscotti is my favorite type of cookie to bake, even though more effort goes into making it. I love mixing up the dough, forming the logs, baking them, slicing them, baking them again, and then dipping each cookie into chocolate. It's so much work but I love it!

Now what flavor do I prefer to use over others? Do you really have to ask?
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! All kinds.

What's your favorite thing to bake? What's your favorite flavor to use?



I know by reading many food blogs a lot of you like to bake muffins. So do I!
They're easy, scrumptious, and you can have them baked in thirty minutes.

My family would bake muffins on weekend mornings and I'd always go for the lemon-poppyseed over the blueberry, strawberry and banana nut.
Now I would have to try one of each. :) But I still love lemon poppyseed.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 cups cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon poppyseeds
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon almond extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk in sugar and poppyseeds until combined.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and almond extract until combined; stir in dry ingredients until just combined.

Divide batter into muffin cups. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Cool five minutes before removing from pan.

Makes 1 dozen muffins