Chunky Cookies

I LOVE these cookies!  They're loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips which, I believe, makes most things better.  They're high in protein and fiber, which makes them health food, right?

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 c chunky peanut butter
1/2 c butter, room temp
1 c brown sugar
1 c sugar
3 eggs, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 c oatmeal (I use old fashioned)

1 c chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream the peanut butter, butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. There should not be any gritty feel from the sugar when you rub it between your fingers.

Beat in eggs, vanilla and baking soda until well mixed.

Place the oats in a large bowl.  This makes it easier to get them well incorporated.  You can use your mixer, if you want, but I was making a double batch, so this was easier for me.

Add half of the peanut butter mixture and stir until the oats are combined.

Add the rest of the peanut butter and stir until all the oats are incorporated.  Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.  Scoop cookies onto sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.

Bake 12-14 minutes, until they are browned, but still a little soft in the center.  They will firm up as they cool. Let rest on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing them.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Dreams

Chocolate and peanut butter.  Can there even be a better combination?  This cake is decadent and delicious, which makes it perfect for the holidays.  It's a dark chocolate cake with a peanut butter cheesecake center, all held together with peanut butter cream frosting.  This post is a little longer and more detailed than what I usually do.  Please don't be overwhelmed!  There are a lot of steps, but they are EASY.  And you can do them on separate days to help break it down.

Start with the cake layers.  They can be made pretty well in advance, since they need to be frozen.
Here's what you'll need:
12 TBSP butter
2/3 c brown sugar
2/3 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c sour cream
2 TBSP brewed coffee
1 3/4 c flour
1 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 9" cake pans.  Line them with parchment paper (to help prevent sticking), and grease the parchment.  Set aside.

Your butter, eggs, buttermilk and sour cream need to be at room temperature.  The eggs and butter can sit out on the counter overnight.  In the morning, set out the buttermilk and sour cream.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  This will remove the lumps and lighten the flour, creating a lighter cake.  Set aside.

Whisk together vanilla, buttermilk, sour cream and coffee.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat them until their light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, blend well.  Add 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Stir just until the flour disappears.  Add 1/2 of the milk mixture.  Repeat, ending with the third flour addition.  Combining it this way creates a finer crumb (cake texture).

Divide evenly between the two prepared cake pans.  Smooth the tops.  Bake at 350 for 27-30 minutes. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Then remove from their pans.  The easiest way to do this is to place the rack on top of the cake, then flip the whole thing over.  The parchment paper will help them come put easily.

Remove the parchment paper.  Cool completely.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.  Freeze, at least, overnight or up to one week.

Make the cheesecake layer next.  It, too, needs to freeze overnight.
Here's what you'll need:
2 8oz cream cheese, room temp
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
2/3 c sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs, room temp
1/3 c heavy cream, room temp
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325.  Grease a 9" spring form pan.  Wrap foil around the outside of the pan.  Place the pan in a casserole dish just big enough to hold it.  Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar together until well-blended, light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, just blending.  Stir in remaining ingredients until just mixed.  Pour into prepared pan.

Pour warm water into the casserole dish til it comes half way up the foil.  This will keep the top of the cheesecake from cracking.  Bake 40-45 minutes, until the center is set.  Carefully loosen the foil from the edges of the pan.  Lift the spring form pan from the water bath.  Allow to cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.

Leave the cake in the pan.  Wrap the whole thing tightly in foil.  Freeze overnight or up to one week.

Make the frosting the day you want to assemble the cake.  Remove the cake and cheesecake from the freezer.  Unwrap the cakes.

Here's what you'll need:
8oz cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter, room temp
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBSP heavy cream
3 c sifted powder sugar, sifted

Beat together the cream cheese, butter and peanut butter.

Beat until well-blended.  Stir in the vanilla and cream.  Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until absorbed.  Turn the mixer to high and beat for 5 minutes.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer, flat side down, on a cake plate.  Spread with 1/2 cup of frosting.

Place the cheesecake layer upside down on the frosted layer.  Remove the parchment paper.  Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.

Place remaining cake layer, flat side up, on top of frosted cheesecake.

Spread frosting, in a thin layer, over the sides of the cake.  This will seal in the crumbs.

Press chocolate chips around the sides of the cake using the palm of your hand.

When the sides are completely covered, gently press the chips into the cake.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake, creating a swirling pattern.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.  This is a VERY rich cake, so thin slices are all it takes.

Enjoy!

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

There's nothing like a really good chocolate chip cookie.  I use one that's been in my family for a long time. Of course, I've tweaked it a little to better suit my tastes.  The fact is, the recipe is less important than the techniques.  If you have the basics down, you can turn any recipe into something fabulous.  This recipe makes about 10 dozen cookies, but it can easily be cut in half and still have the same flavor results.

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temp
1 1/2 sticks margarine, room temp
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar, packed
4 eggs, room temp
1 TBSP water
2 tsp vanilla
5 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c dark chocolate chips
1 c white chocolate chips

Eggs take a long time to come to room temperature.  (The FDA says it's safe for them to be un-refrigerated for 24 hours.)  I place mine, with the butter, on a cooling rack and let it sit overnight.  Then, both are ready to use.  Room temperature items blend easier, creating a nicer dough. 

Sift together your flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.  I just run it through a colander.  This removes the lumps and adds some air to the flour, creating a lighter texture in the dough.  Set aside.

Combine the butter, margarine and sugars in a mixing bowl.  I use a mixture of butter and margarine because I like a soft-textured cookie that holds it's shape.  If you like crisper cookies, use all butter; if you like soft cookies, use all margarine.  (One warning:  margarine contains water.  The higher level of moisture will cause the cookies to spread out while baking and be very thin.)

Start on low until sugar blends in, then increase to medium.  You want to cream the sugar into the butter. That means you're going to incorporate air into the butter while dissolving the sugar.  This will take about 5 minutes and is the most important step in this recipe, or  cookie making, in general.  To test if it's done, rub a small amount between your fingers.  You should not feel any grit.  If you do, keep mixing it.

Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each.  Add the vanilla and water.  Mix well.  With the mixer on low, slower stir in the flour mixture.  Blend just enough to get the flour incorporated.  Over mixing will make the gluten in the flour bloom, creating a tough cookie.  Get ready for the chocolate chips!

The old family recipe calls for just semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I really like this combination.  Every bite is full of chocolate, and no two bites are the same.  Mix the chips into the cookie dough, just until mixed.  I usually stir them by hand at the end to make sure the dough at the bottom has as many chips as the top.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Chill at least 1 hour, up to overnight.  This allows the butter to re-harden and helps the cookies keep their shape.

Preheat the oven to 375.  I line my cookie sheets with parchment.  This helps the cookies to brown more evenly, but is not necessary in order for them to turn out right.  I normally use a medium-sized cookie scoop, but a table spoon works well, too.  Give the cookies some space. On a normal tray, I put about 12 cookies.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, switching trays halfway through.  The cookies will be light brown and slightly puffy. Let cool on the tray, or a wire rack for 1 minute before removing from the trays.  Cool completely on the wire rack.

Enjoy!