Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe

You should know by now that I am lover of all things dessert, specifically if it involves chocolate and peanut butter. I don't distinguish between "good better and best" very often, but these blondie bars soared to the TOP of my list of Favorite Desserts of All Time. (What else is on that list, you ask? You know, I'm not sure. I can only think of these blondies at the moment.) 

If you love the fudge-like denseness of brownies, then you'll love the thick chewy quality of these peanut butter blondies. AND they have chocolate chips on top. You can't go wrong. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe

recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Makes 24-36 blondie bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring until smooth. When it is smooth, remove from heat and add the peanut butter. Allow to cool, then add in the eggs and vanilla. 

In separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Pour the wet ingredients mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined. It will be a thick, smooth batter.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread to the edges. Top with chocolate chips, pressing them down into the batter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for 2-3 hours before cutting into bars. 

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies Recipe

This might sound completely crazy or it might go along with the rest of the baking world's recent addiction to bacon, but these peanut butter bacon cookies are super yummy. My brother in law wanted a "bacon themed" graduation party and I helped deliver with the addition of these cookies to the menu. They seemed to be a hit. The most important part of the bacon is that it is crisply cooked--this adds another depth of interest as you eat. 

And if you're afraid to go all in and make an entire batch of cookies with BACON in them, try adding bacon to half a batch (or just one pan of cookies) and see what you think. I bet you'll like them!

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies Recipe

recipe adapted from Jif

makes 3-1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter 

1/2 cup shortening

1-1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

6-8 bacon strips, crisply cooked and crumbled

Directions

 Heat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Add in the egg and beat to combine. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add in 3 increments to the creamed mixture, stirring after each addition. Mix just until blended.  Fold in crispy bacon crumbles. Scoop into tablespoon size balls of dough and place 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown.  Cool completely on cooling racks.  

Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe

My husband and I have been eating "Mexican" almost every day, enjoying the bounty of avocados, tomatoes, jalapenos, and peppers. This particular afternoon, I was looking for a new way to serve and enjoy these flavors, and I found a recipe for "Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad" on Tasty Kitchen. I took the basic idea and made it my own--it was a hit! We gobbled it up so quickly, there wasn't time for a photograph. Check out Lauren's post to get an idea of what this salad might look like.


Mexican Tossed Salad Recipe
adapted from Tasty Kitchen
Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients
2 cups shredded leaf lettuce
1/2 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4-1/2 cup crushed tortilla (or Dorito) chips, reserved until serving
1 whole avocado, diced, reserved until serving

for the dressing:
1/4 cup fat free Ranch dressing
1 tsp Srirachi (or other chili sauce)
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper

Directions
Combine salad ingredients (except the tortilla chips and avocado) in a large bowl. Toss together.

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients, altering to suit your tastes. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

A few minutes before serving, toss in the crushed chips and avocado.

Serve!

Bakery Blueberry Muffins Recipe

I have always been a muffin fan, but I have never made blueberry muffins before. And even when I bake muffins, I find it difficult to keep from overbaking them. I hope I'm not alone in this one. 

The night before mine and my husband's 4th anniversary camping trip, I decided to whip up a batch of blueberry muffins. I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and it resulted in THE BEST blueberry muffins I have ever eaten! Noshings calls them "bakery" muffins because of their high tops and the dense moist insides (not light and fluffy like most recipes)--just how we like them. An even better part? These muffins get better on day 2 and 3!  

Bakery Blueberry Muffins Recipe

recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cups shortening

1 heaping cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 whole eggs

1/2 cups buttermilk*

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1-1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

*buttermilk can be substituted by adding 1/2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to just under 1/2 cup milk. Let set for 5 minutes and then stir. 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large muffin tin with muffin cups or grease. 

In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Gently fold in the blueberries into the flour mixture to coat. Add the flour/berry mixture to the creamed ingredients and fold to combine. Do not over mix!

Fill the muffin cups all the way to the top with the batter. (Don't worry! This will work, I promise!)

Bake at 450 degrees for 5 minutes and then lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 15-20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN at any time. The initial high baking temperature helps create the domed tops. 

When muffins are slightly golden, remove from the oven, test the centers with a toothpick to see if it's done inside and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Store in an airtight container--they are even better on day 2! 

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