Peanut Butter Brownies

Today was Jordan's first day of second grade. I got a little sad. And then I realized something.

She's gone! At school all day! I kinda felt like that lady in the empty-nester commercial, the one who redecorated her kid's room as soon as he left for college?

It's amazing the difference that happens to a kid between kindergarten and second grade. Ginormous difference between then and now. And I know she's only going to grow up even more in the next few months.

She'll probably think she's ready for her driver's license by the time she ends second grade.

And she's still super excited still about her braces. She made sure to seek out her old teachers, her principal, and parents of several friends to show them her NEW BRACES! and NEW EARRINGS!

{Shy my child is not.}

So, what did I do to celebrate today?

Remember last year? How a bunch of us moms started walking after drop off? We kicked it off again today.

My friend told me it was "about an hour walk."

We did over seven miles. SEVEN.

So I'm not sure if my friend is a friend or if she's out to kill me? The jury is still out on that one.

After I walked SEVEN miles this morning I think I deserve a treat.

And luckily, unlike most of the treats I share with you, I still have some of these babies in my freezer.

I was going to take them to school this week.

They might not make it.

Remember those Very Vanilla Bars I made you a few months ago? You know, the ones for that unmentionable party? Well, they were actually called Very Vanilla Brownies...a fact I realized I messed up on only after photo editing. Anyway, they were made with white chocolate chips.

As I stood at the stove making them, my mind wandered and I began to wonder if I could make them with other kinds of chips. Like peanut butter chips.

You know, make Peanut Butter Brownies.

Sometimes I astound even myself.

Because these are amazing.

Of course, I had to do more than make brownies with frosting. I added a crust.

Because I'm me.

Pretzel crust. Peanut Butter Brownies. And Peanut Butter Frosting (which totally makes them; do not skimp on the frosting!)

You could add chocolate. I almost did. But this way the peanut butter is the total star. She doesn't have to share the limelight with her pesky BFF, chocolate, throwing her perfect hair around or strutting her stuff in her milk chocolate stilettos.

Nope, peanut butter is the star here.

~Read More~

Deep Dish Peanut Butter Cookie Ice Cream Sundaes

So...yeah. If you don't like peanut butter this may not be the post for you.

Monday was my husband's birthday. Whenever I start brainstorming what to make for his birthday, two things come to mind: carrot cake and peanut butter and chocolate.

When I asked him if there was something he wanted me to make he mentioned maybe something with peanut butter cups.

Well. Now, we all know I did that. Last year. And then some.

Also, I didn't want to make a cake. Too much leftover. You all know my husband pretty well by now. If I made him a cake he would eat one slice and then guess you would eat the rest?

All the running in the world wouldn't cure that, now would it?

So I made him some simple deep dish peanut butter chocolate chip peanut cookies.

And then I dressed them up like they were Cinderella, going to the ball.

No one likes a nekkid cookie. A nekkid cookie might get teased and then feel bad about itself. We can't have that, now can we?

So I made some ice cream. Peanut butter ice cream. You know, using that two ingredient method?

{But this time I used actual whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. 'Cuz my guy is one of those people...you know the type. The "hmmm...that's too sweet" type. WTH does "too sweet" even mean?}

Now, normally, I would have stopped there. But since we're dressing up the cookie, she needed some accessories. A hat, perhaps.

Made of chocolate sauce. And peanuts.

There she is. All dressed up and ready for the ball.

Hubba hubba.

Happy Birthday to my sweet husband. You're a fantastic husband and father.

Now go eat another cookie, will ya'?

Deep Dish Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cookie Sundaes

by Crazy for Crust (Chocolate Sauce adapted from Kitty's Kozy Kitchen)

Ingredients

For the Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Peanut Butter Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Peanut Chocolate Sauce

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup roughly chopped peanuts

Instructions

Make the Ice Cream

1. Whip heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Mix peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla together with a hand mixer.
3. Fold together peanut butter mixture with whipped cream. Transfer to a sealable container and freeze until hardened, four hours or overnight.

Make the Chocolate Sauce

1. Place chocolate chips and oil in a microwaveable bowl. Heat 1 minute, or until chocolate begins to melt. Stir until melted and combined. Stir in nuts. Place in a jar and let come to room temperature.

Make the Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a whoopie pie pan with cooking spray.
2. Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until well combined. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add salt and baking soda and mix well. Add flour and mix until just combined. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.
3. Scoop large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons) into pan, press to fit. Bake 8-10 minutes, until edges are brown. Centers will still be a little gooey. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a helping of chocolate sauce.

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Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!

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Cookies 'n Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Okay, so I couldn't let Father's Day go by without talking about my husband. He's such an awesome dad to Jordan.


He's so freakin' awesome that I'm willing to overlook the fact that he can idly sit by and eat his WW desserts and fat-free Breyers instead of joining me in the "let's see who can eat the entire batch of cookies I made today" contest.


Mel is a natural with kids. I remember one time he joined us at the park during a mom's club play date. All of us moms were sitting at the picnic table chatting (where else would we be?) and all of a sudden I realize it's quiet on the playground. I look around and find that all of the kids (ours and some not in our play group) had gathered around Mel and he was telling stories.


Yeah, it's good I married him. Because that is so not me.


He's my rock at the end of the day when I've hadituptohere with Jordan. He brushes her teeth and puts her to bed.


He makes sure to build "daddy-daughter" time into the weekends, so that I can blog, run errands, or watch endless episodes of RHOOC. Or NY. Or NJ. Or whatever freaks they are showing on Bravo.

He gets Jordan. I totally don't, so it's good he does. They have the same personality. And the same laugh.

When she hasn't stopped all freakin' day and then wants to do more! more! more! and I know he's tired, he still goes and plays princesses with her.

And he does all this while working all day, travelling, and saying "NO" to fatty Dorothy-desserts.

I think he's a robot.

~Read More~

Peanut Butter Coconut Spread {Quaker Soft Baked Bars}

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm a big advocate of breakfast. I eat it every day. In order for me to get through my workout I need to have something in my stomach.

The problem is, I get bored with my breakfast.  I eat the same thing, every day. (Are you at all surprised?) A bowl of vanilla almond flake cereal and coffee. Every. Day. And then some days I don't want cereal. And I find my self eating pounds of other food to make up for the fact that I have no idea what to eat.

Sure, I'd love to eat a big breakfast of eggs and bacon (who wouldn't?) but that just leaves me feeling full and greasy. Not a great workout lead-in.

I love a good bagel and cream cheese, but that usually leads to a crash mid-CORE class, which can have dangerous consquences.

I've heard about these Quaker Soft Baked Bars and I've always wondered how they tasted. I mean, they are full of fiber and protein and don't have that many calories. So when the opportunity arose to try them out, I jumped at the chance.

~Read More~

Chocolate Cake Ball Stuffed Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Hey, before I tell you about these awesomeamazingyouwon'tbelievethem cupcakes, I wanted to let you know that I was a guest poster today over at Something Swanky! I'm talking about using Curves in PicMonkey and another little helpful commenting/HTML tip. Go check it out!

And now, on with your show...

I work out every day. I mean I stuff Almond Joy candy bars in crescent rolls for breakfast. I kind of need to exercise.

Usually I go to the gym, where I embarrass myself in a Core class or I read 50 Shades of Grey on the elliptical and try not to blush.

{Side note: have you read that book? Oh my. It's...intense. And I don't quite understand why everyone is so thrilled about a book where a girl chooses to be in an abusive relationship? If it wasn't for the good...stories...I'd probably have stopped reading. Just kidding... I'm so excited I'll be discussing this at a book club. That night should be interesting. There better be lots of cocktails.}

I've been really enjoying running, which is a lot for me to say because my running is a lot like Phoebe's. {If you have no idea what that means, well...can we even move on from there?}

I can't do it more than a couple times a week, as I have an old lady body with old lady knees and ankles and a bad lower back thanks to being pregnant with Jordan. (I swear, it's all been downhill since I had a kid. What the heck is up with that?)

{Speaking of kids ruining your body, when I'm at the gym and see the clique of 12-pack ab moms at the pool in their teeny tiny bikinis with three kids apiece, I want to cry. Or maybe go and poke them and look for their alien not-from-Earth marks. Because, seriously, how is that possible?}

I really enjoy running outdoors, although my geriatric knees don't allow it as much as on a treadmill. Nevertheless, I strap on my running shoes a few times a week and head out, jamming to I'm Sexy and I Know It.

And every single time right when I get sweaty and out of breath and I feel like I'm ready to die because I'm running a 12 minute mile, an old dude passes me.

The same old guy. Every time. He's gotta be in his 80s. All hunched over and running.

Faster than me.

It's humbling.

But then I remind myself, he's probably an alien too. And then I feel better.

Also something that makes me feel better?

Doing this:

~Read More~

Peanut Butter & Jelly Tart

Can I tell you something and you promise to stay my friend?

Yes? Okay, ready?

I don't really like jelly. I never have.

I especially don't like jelly with peanut butter, like, in a sandwich. Ew.

Growing up I ate plain peanut butter sandwiches. As an adult I rarely eat peanut butter sandwiches, but I still like them plain. (I'd rather consume my peanut butter in say, a cookie. Or a tart. Or a pie.)

A few years ago I was craving something. Something sweet. and fruity. I really wanted this sweet and fruity thing but I didn't know what it was.

I made toast for breakfast, opened the fridge to get the butter and saw the strawberry jam. I don't remember if I was pregnant or what but I had to have that jam (that I hated) and I had to have it on this piece of toast right now.

So I did. And I liked it.

*Gasp*

So now I eat jelly on toast. Sometimes. When I'm not being boring and just using butter.

But I won't eat jelly on a peanut butter sandwich, no way. Not ever.

I'll save my peanut butter and jelly for this tart, thankyouverymuch.

I actually made this awhile ago...for the teachers on Pie Day. I didn't get any photos of it cut...as it was for giving away. But I did taste a little bite of it when I dropped it off.

And it was good. So...let's change it to "I don't like jelly except in tarts. And on toast. And maybe in cookies?"

So I made this tart and I kinda forgot about it. Then I remembered that the Improv Challenge (hosted by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker) for April was peanut butter and jelly. Perfect!

Enjoy, and I hope you find some more yummy peanut butter and jelly treats in the hop below. Maybe I'll find more jelly things that I'll eat. :)

Peanut Butter & Jelly Tart

by Crazy for Crust (Recipe from Food Network Magazine, September 2011)

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup strawberry (or your favorite flavor) jam

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9” fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream peanut butter and butter with both sugars using a mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
4. Press half the dough in the prepared tart pan. Spread with the jam, leaving a ½ inch border around the edge. Drop about half the remaining dough around the top of the jam, and press the remaining half around the border to seal the edges. Bake until golden, 45-50 minutes. Cool completely before removing ring and cutting.

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And now for the Improv Challenge Blog Hop...




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Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Donuts

I have a serious problem with breakfast pastries. I love them. A lot. It's hard for me to go to Starbucks and NOT buy a scone.

I also have a serious problem with free things. Like, I get all crazy and my eyes get big and my heart rate speeds up when I'm in Costco at lunchtime. I love free samples. Of anything. Shampoo, food, you name it. I'm addicted to little packets and I firmly believe that one bite of a deep fried piece of shrimp has no calories, because it is a sample and therefore, free.

So, you can assume correctly that free food + breakfast pastry would send me into an absolute tizzy. And you'd be right.

Way back in the dark ages, when I was a teacher at the high school I attended (what up, BHS peeps?), Wednesdays were staff meeting days. School started an hour later for the students, and we teachers got to go to a faculty meeting and enjoy the droning of whatever was deemed important that week.

It was also "Starbucks leftover day." The best day of the week, if you ask me.

I don't know if it was a mom who worked at the local Starbucks or if it was just some good samaritan parent who knew we teachers would devour anything free that wasn't nailed down. Whoever she was, she was like a Goddess sent to us by the Heaven of Free Pastry.

The Goddess would bring in the day-old pastry, rescued from certain dumpster death, and drop them on the front counter in the main office for us.

But here's the funny part. Were they in bakery boxes? No. Paper Starbucks bags? No.

She would drop them on the counter in all their glory...in a big, clear, plastic garbage bag. (So I never really knew if they actually came from the dumpster or if they were just awaiting their trip to the dumpster when she picked them up for us.)

And us teachers would descend on that garbage bag like it was the last food on earth. I'm amazed no one got penciled over a blueberry scone.

And if I got the blueberry scone? Then it was a good Wednesday.

There would most certainly been some bloodshed if these donuts had been part of the garbage bag.

A peanut butter donut. Dipped completely in chocolate. And topped with chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Has your head exploded yet?

These were a Happy Birthday-Thank You gift for a friend of mine. I hope she doesn't mind she only got five of them. I had to eat one. Blogging rule #1: always taste.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Donuts

by Crazy for Crust (donut recipe from Fake Ginger)

Ingredients

• ¼ cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 bag chocolate candy melts
• 1 cup chopped mini Reese’s peanut butter cups (or you could use peanuts)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a 6-hole donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix peanut butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy. Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla; mix. Stir baking powder, salt, and flour into wet mixture. Mix just until combined. Place your dough into a large Ziploc bag and cut off the tip. Pipe evenly into the donut pan.
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool a few minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When donuts are cool, melt your chocolate according to package directions. Place a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Place the donuts in the chocolate, covering the entire bottom half. Place chocolate-side up on the wire rack and chill to harden. Repeat the dipping process, covering the other half of the donut with chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped peanut butter cups while still wet. Let harden and enjoy!

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I link up to all of these fabulous parties each week!

Tea Party Tuesdays at Sweetology, Talent Show Tuesday at Chef in Training, Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life, Cast Party Wednesday at Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Treats Thursday at Something Swanky, Chic-and-Crafty at the Frugal Girls, Tastetastic Thursday at A Little Nosh, Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli-n-sons, I'm Lovin' it Fridays at TidyMom, Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies, A Well-Seasoned Life, Strut your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters' Stuff, and all of these too!

Leprechaun Gold

I think this recipe fits me right now.

Because I feel like I've already been lucky, even without finding gold.

I'm lucky because my dad is okay. He's home and well and hopefully the whole scary incident is a one-time thing, not to be repeated.

I'm lucky because my parents were able to celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary last week.

I'm lucky because my husband is finally home from Florida. (Thank goodness!)

And I'm lucky because I have all of you, my sweet and awesome readers.

Part of being a blogger is community. You read blogs, you comment on blogs, you make friends with bloggers. All of the comments you made on my post last week made me almost tear up. So thanks. For everything. (Insert sappy music and a Hallmark commercial here.)

Oh, and you know what? You're lucky because I'm bringing you probably the easiest recipe ever. There are two ingredients. Three, if you count the sugar for decoration.

Now, I've served peanut butter crackers on St. Patrick's Day a lot. They're round and they're golden. Perfect fit, right?

When I was making the Cupcake Toppers for the Rainbow Cupcakes, I had some melted green candy left over. I didn't want to waste it. What to do?

Then I spied my daughter's half eaten snack pack of peanut butter crackers on the table and, for once, wasn't angry she didn't clear her place. I dipped them in the green candy, and presto! Got a treat for myself.

What? She didn't even realize they were gone. What she doesn't know can't hurt her, right?

And who says leprechaun gold isn't green? Have you ever actually seen a leprechaun's gold?

That's what I thought.

Leprechaun Gold

by Crazy for Crust

6018980

Ingredients

• Peanut butter sandwich crackers (or Ritz crackers and some peanut butter)
• Green candy melts (or white melts and green candy color)
• Green sanding sugar or sprinkles, for decoration

Instructions

Probably the easiest recipe ever! Melt your candy melts and tint them green (if using white). Dip your peanut butter crackers in the candy and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with green sugar and let harden. (Alternately, you can make peanut butter sandwiches using two Ritz crackers and some peanut butter, then dip them in the candy.)

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Do you ever feel like you have a double identity? I do.

There's the way I am in the outside world and the way (I think I'm) perceived by others. And then there's the way I am inside, where the little voices talk.

Often, I wonder if the people who see me on the outside know how I am on the inside.

Recently I hosted a mom's night in at my house. Vodka was served. The inside Dorothy made quite an appearance, from what I recall. I think some of my friends were a little shocked.

But the funny thing? Is that's the way I am all the time. Inside my head.

I just don't have the nerve to say it all out loud. To people. Lest they judge me and not like me for making teenage boy jokes when someone says something about a long stick. (I told you. My sense of humor is all my mom's fault. Blame her.)

I do, however, have the ability to do it in writing. Good thing I'm a blogger.

Hence the whole double identity thing. These cookies also have a double identity. Peanut butter on one side, chocolate on the other. It can't decide what it wants to be, either.

These cookies could also be called "secret identity cookies." Because they have a secret.

They're made of cake mix. Yellow cake mix.

Both sides. The peanut butter side AND the chocolate side. One box of yellow cake mix.

I didn't want four dozen cookies, so I didn't want to use two cake mixes. And Google failed me. No where on the internets could I find a recipe for a chocolate cookie made with a yellow cake mix. I cannot believe I'm the first one to ever do it.

(Pssst...it was easy. I just added some melted chocolate.)

(Pssst again...these cookies were inspired by lots of other versions. Like Maria's. And Robin's. And Jessica's.)

What's your double-identity secret?

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

by Dorothy Kern

Keywords: peanut butter chocolate cookie

6014628

Ingredients (24 cookies)

• 1 yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super-Moist)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (2 one ounce baking squares), melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons water, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Using a hand-held mixer, beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl just until combined. Place half of this mix in a new bowl.
3. Make the peanut butter cookie side: in the original bowl, add peanut butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon water to half of cake mix. Beat until combined. Set aside.
4. Make the chocolate side: add the melted chocolate to the second bowl, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Beat until combined.
5. Roll 1 tablespoon balls of the peanut butter dough. Add one tablespoon of the chocolate dough to the side of each peanut butter ball. Roll in your hands slightly to make them stick together. Place on cookie sheet and press down slightly. Repeat for the remaining dough. Use a fork to make crisscrosses on each cookie. (The cookies will not spread much.)
6. Bake 8-10 minutes until the peanut butter side is slightly golden. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets, then move to a rack to cool completely.

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Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts, Creative Monday (Clairejustineoxox), Mix it Up Monday (Flour Me With Love), Things that make you say mmmm Monday (Cooking with Karyn), Mop it Up Mondays (I should be mopping the floors), Show me what you got (Our Delightful Home). Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box), Talent Show Tuesday (Chef in Training), Trick or Treat Tuesday (Inside BruCrew Life), Let's Do Brunch (My Sweet & Savory), Wednesday: Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party (Mrs. Fox's Sweets), Cast Party Wednesday (Lady Behind the Curtain), Famous Linkz Par-tay (Made-Famous-By), Bakes with Bizzy (Bizzy Bakes), From Dream to Reality (DIY Dreamer), Whip it Up Wednesday (Crockpot Ladies).  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy), Tastetastic Thursday (A little nosh), Sweet Temptations (Talking Dollars and Cents), Taking a Timeout Thursday (Mom on Timeout), Things I've Done Thursday (BearRabbitBear), (RHW Recipe Round-Up) The Real Housewives of Riverton, BFF Open House (The Answer is Chocolate), Recipe Round Up (Eat, Pray, Read, Love). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog), Foodie Friday (Not Your Ordinary Recipes), Dwell on Joy, Fun Finds Friday (Kitchen Fun with my 3 Sons), Sugar and Spice. Saturday: Country Mom Cooks, Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos), You inspire me (Polka Dot Pretties). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters), Strut your Stuff Saturday (Six Sisters' Stuff), Recipe Party (The Sweet Spot), Seasonal/Occasional Linkys: Moms Crazy Cooking, Southern Mom Cooks, Cheap Crafty Momma, Susie QT, Springtime Holiday Link Party (Michelle Paige)

Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

Growing up, I never expected to live farther than five minutes away from my parents. After all, my Nana was about two minutes from my house, and my Grandma was three, depending on traffic lights. But life never really goes as planned, and we have landed about a two hour drive from my childhood home.

I'm not complaining; two hours is much preferable to the 11 hour drive it used to take my parents to come visit us when we lived in Arizona. Plus a time difference, for six months (I really don't get that, BTW). I'll take two hours, no problem.

The problem with being far away is that we don't always get to celebrate birthdays on the actual day. And in my family? Birthdays are big. (Like you didn't guess from yesterdays post.) Big with cake and candles and singing. Usually a dinner out, to a nice restaurant where you can wear your dressy jeans.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. We couldn't be there, it being mid-week during school time and all. We're going to see her next week, but still. I couldn't let her birthday go without some sort of celebration, right? I can't very well mail a birthday cake. So I made cookies instead.

Rolo stuffed cookies aren't new, but they're new to me! I've been wanting to make them for ages now. So I combined my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe with one of my mom's favorite candies.

All you have to do is get a scoop of cookie dough and wrap a Rolo inside. Easier than inventing mail-proof buttercream. I added some crisscross marks 'cuz, well, it's not a peanut butter cookie without fork marks.

Voila! Insta-birthday.

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you!

Rolo Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

by Crazy for Crust {Recipe adapted from Crisco}

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Ingredients (About 2 dozen cookies)

• ½ cup softened butter
• ¾ cup peanut butter (I use creamy Skippy Naturals)
• 1 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• About 24-30 Rolo candies, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
2. Mix butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla with a stand or hand-held mixer until just blended. Add egg and beat until incorporated.
3. Whisk baking soda and flour in a medium bowl. Add to wet ingredients and mix just until blended.
4. Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls of dough. Place a Rolo in the center of each and roll so that the Rolo is in the center of the dough and does not show. Place 2” apart on baking sheet. Use a fork to make crisscross patterns on each cookie (dipping the fork in water will help it not stick to the dough).
5. Bake about 8-9 minutes just until set. Bottoms will slightly brown and centers may still look a little under baked. Let cool on cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

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