Recipe of the Week: Chocolate + Peanut Butter= Best Combo Ever!

Don't even try to argue with me, chocolate and peanut butter married together is pure bliss! This recipe came about because #1 currently can't leave the house due to recovery from a recent surgery, which meant no going to the grocery store, had to use what I had. And #2 brownies sounded like fun, but I'm completely and utterly addicted to making cupcakes...so what was left to do?...combine the 2!! Brownie mix + extra chocolate + peanut butter frosting, really does it get any better then this?! These rich cupcakes are so delicious and make the house smell INCREDIBLE. Just try not to give yourself a tummy ache with all the bowl licking you'll be doing while making the scrumptious frosting.

Double Chocolate Brownie-Cupcakes w. Peanut Butter Frosting
Chocolate fudge brownie mix
3 eggs
2 oz good quality dark chocolate
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
3 tbsp milk

Peanut butter frosting
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 12 cup muffin pan (or line with cupcake liners if preferred). Set a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm. Whisk eggs in a medium-large bowl to combine; add milk, water and vegetable oil until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Gradually add in brownie mix. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 28-35 minutes. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and cool to room temperature before icing.

PB Frosting: Place the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go. Add the heavy cream,beat on high until light & smooth.

Recipe of the Week: Peanut Butter, Oats & Chocolate, Oh My!

Are you a fan of peanut butter, chocolate chips, oatmeal? Well these are most definitely for you! Such a wonderful combination of smooth peanut butter, a toasted oat flavor with a touch of sweet chocolate. The texture is perfectly crisp on the outside with a chewy indulgent middle. This scrumptious recipe is from one of my favorite baking bloggers Brown Eyed Baker, make sure to take a peak at all her other fabulous recipes!

Peanut Butter & Oats Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup all natural creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy)
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and mix together for another minute. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note: The cookies will not look 100% “done” when you pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet once taken out of the oven. If they are slightly brown, and are puffy in the middle they are ready to come out promise :)

Makes about 18 cookies

Recipe of the Week: A Peanut Butter Classic

Introducing Pretty in Pink Sweet's recipe of the week! Every week I will be posting one of my favorite recipes that I turn to time and time again for special occasions, homemade presents, and just those days when you want to share a yummy treat with family and friends :)

Peanut butter cookies are one of those cookies that stand out as a childhood favorite. I have tried many a recipe, but continue to come back to this recipe originally developed from Taste of Home. Why are these so amazing? It is the perfect rule of thirds:thick, soft, AND chewy! They have such a wonderful texture that will have you going back for 2nds with a tall glass of milk, I can promise that. I DON'T suggest substituting butter for the shortening in this recipe-it effects the amazing texture, there is a science to baking folks I promise you it will effect it (although I'm sure they would still be tasty). Enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think!

"Oh Honey" Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
Sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

sources: Annies Eat's/Taste of Home

Peanut Butter Heavens

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups peanut butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
2 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Directions:
1. Cream together the butter, vanilla, salt and peanut butter. Stir in 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, nuts and all but 1/2 cup of the graham cracker crumbs. Add the last 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs only if needed; otherwise it may be difficult to mold the balls.
2.Form the mixture by hand into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the remaining cup of confectioners' sugar. Set the balls in a single layer on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).
3.To Dip Balls In Chocolate: In the top half of a double boiler; melt the chocolate chips and shortening just until the chips are melted. Remove from heat but leave over hot water. Insert a toothpick into the chilled balls or use 2 straws in a chopstick fashion and dip into the melted chocolate until coated. Set on waxed paper until hardened.

Chocolate PB Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (4-serving size) vanilla Instant Pudding

1/2 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cups thawed Whipped Topping

4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate

1/4 cup peanuts

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare cake mix and bake in 24 paper-lined muffin cups, as directed on package. Cool only 30 min. (Cupcakes need to still be warm to fill.)
3. Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Add peanut butter; beat well. Spoon into small freezer-weight resealable plastic bag or pastry bag; seal bag. (If using plastic bag, snip off one of the corners from bottom of bag.) Insert tip of bag into center of each cupcake; pipe in about 1 Tbsp. of the filling.
4. Microwave whipped topping and chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1 min.
5. Dip the top of each cupcake into glaze. Sprinkle evenly with peanuts. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

Review:
very yummy, if you like the peanut butter chocolate combo then you will LOVE these. A big hit with the chocolate lovers of my family.

No-Oven Peanut Butter Squares

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
12 squares semi-sweet Baker's chocolate (melted)
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
1. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Set aside.
2. Combine butter, sugar, peanut butter and crumbs. Spread into prepared pan
3. Microwave chocolate in a small bowl on high for a 1-2 minutes or until melted, stirring after each 30 seconds. Cool slightly; pour over peanut butter mixture in pan. Cool. Cut partially through dessert to mark squares. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set. Lift from pan, using foil handles. Cut all the way through dessert into squares

Rating:
Super easy! If you like peanut butter cups you will love these. They are definitely rich and indulgent-so one square should satisfy. And don't forget to serve some ice cold milk along side these. enjoy! :)

Peanut Butter Temptations

recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
36 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar and butter. Stir in the peanut butter, then the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the peanut butter mixture until the dough comes together. Shape into 1 inch balls and press them into the cups of an unprepared mini muffin pan.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a mini chocolate covered peanut butter cup down into the center of each cookie until only the top is showing. Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from their pans.

Rating:
WOW are these yummy!! great peanut butter taste and just the right size. your family and friends will think you spent hours preparing them but they are really are very easy and fast. (10/10)

PB Chocolate Bundt Cake

My State Fair blue ribbon winning recipe:

Ingredients:
1 package devils food chocolate cake mix
1 (5.9) box chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup warm water
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 big tbsp peanut butter
1/2 bag of chocolate chips

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease bundt pan
2. In a large bowl mix together the cake and pudding mixes, oil, sour cream, and water. Once throughly combined add each egg in one at a time.
3.Add in peanut butter and chocolate chips and stir until evenly spread
4.Pour batter into greased 12 cup Bundt pan
5.Bake for 45-55 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for at least 40 minutes before removing.
6.Drizzle with chocolate or a dusting of powder sugar if desired

Rating:
This is a big big hit in my family. Its really moist and has a great chocolate taste. (10/10)