A Very Bloggy Christmas Filed under ( bars, chocolate, Cookies, dessert, holiday food, mint, peanut butter )

Initially I didn't plan to do this, I was just going to start fresh for the new year. But I just don't feel right about letting these wonderful treats go without giving credit and thanks to the bloggers who posted them.

I basically found all of my baking and treat ideas from the blogosphere this year, and while I didn't get to make near as many things as I would have liked, what I did make turned out ah-mazing! Here are some of the reasons my pants no longer fit :)




I absolutely could not go an entire Christmas season without making my all time favorite Christmas cookie, the Peanut Butter Blossom! So quick and easy, and when I say easy, I mean easy to stuff about ten down my throat at once! I know this recipe isn't much of a secret, but I always visit my aunts cookie blog, Sugarbliss for the recipe every year. Thanks Rebecca!




I found this sweet Holiday Chex Mix on Cooking with Cristine. Look at those adorable homemade Santa hats! So simply made by dipping bugles into red or cherry chocolate, and then into white for the trim. This was a pretty and delicious treat to pass out to friends. Thanks Cristine!




When I found these Creme-de-Menthe bars on Joanne's blog, Eats Well with Others, my oven was still broken and I could barely stand to wait to make this. Rich chocolatey brownies, with a creamy, minty, butter cream center, and a shell-like chocolate finish to this brownies from heaven, made for a very happy Teresa. No one else in my family is big into the mint-chocolate combo (crazies!) so I ate half the pan, and the other half is in the freezer just biding their time until I decide to cheat on my New Year's diet. Oh Joanne, how I love these bars!





And last, but certainly not least, Peppermint Thumbprint Cookie Cups from Barbara Bakes. Okay, so I did cheat a bit by just adding kisses instead of "thumbprinting" them, but I guarantee that either way you make them, you'll love them! Thanks so much Barbara!

And thanks to Blogland for providing us with SO many Christmas goodies, stories and heartfelt wishes. Even if I didn't make your treats, rest assured I imagined their smells and tastes and enjoyed a bit of the season with you! Enjoy the rest of your break and Happy New Year!

Monster Cookies Filed under ( chocolate, Cookies, dessert, oatmeal, peanut butter )

My oven is broken, and it won't be fixed for a week. I. AM. DYING. Not only does it hamper my ability to cook regular meals for my family, but it's also broken during the biggest baking season of the year! If you listen very carefully, you'll hear my waistline sigh in relief. However it's being completely drowned out by my heart, soul and stomach, who are screaming in bitter protest. I'm not a huge baker, but this time of year I live for it. Lord, give me the strength to last the week.

Dramatics aside, I have to share with you one of my favorite cookies. The first time I tried these I was at my cousin's house. She keeps the dough, frozen in ready made blobs, ready to throw in the oven, how genius is that! I ate one fresh out of the oven, closed my eyes and sighed that it was the best cookie I had ever eaten. That hasn't changed, which is why it's a surprise to me that it's taken this long to make them again. This was actually a product of having way too many leftover M&M's from Halloween. These cookies seriously have everything in them, peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate, raisins, no wonder they're my favorite!

Sigh, I'd like to post this recipe in honor of my broken oven, I can't wait to be reunited!

Monster C0okies
Paula Deen

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert Filed under ( chocolate, Cookies, cream cheese, dessert, peanut butter )

Do yourselves a favor and don't make this dessert. I wouldn't even continue reading this post if you don't want to get sucked in to making this dessert. You see, this particular dessert is pure evil. Honestly, I don't even remember making it, it was just there, in front of me, forcing me to take one bite after the other! Even when my belly was screaming to stop, I couldn't stop myself from taking just one more bite! It calls to you at inconvenient times, like at two in the morning, when you can't sleep, or while you're on the treadmill, or singing hymns at church. You'll crave it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And when it's finally gone, and you think you're free of it, it will continue to haunt you, begging you to make it again. And you'll lay awake at night thinking about how much you miss it's rich layers of it's crumbly oreo crust, creamy peanut butter center, chopped peanut butter cups, fluffy chocolate spread and crushed oreo topping.

Luckily I've managed to escape it's evil spell, that's right, I've learned my lesson. I'm never making this dessert aga.....

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert
By Taste of Home, Best of Holiday Recipes 2008

Ingredients

20 oreos, divided
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups cups confectioners sugar, divided
1 16 oz carton whipped topping, thawed, divided
15 mini peanut butter cups, chopped
1 cup cold milk
1 3.9 oz instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

Directions

1. Crush 16 cookies (I used my food processor), toss with the butter. Press onto the bottom of ungreased 9-inch square dish.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups.

3. In another mixing bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix, and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold in remaining whipped topping. Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over top. Cover and chill for at least three hours before serving.

Chocolate Scotcheroos Filed under ( bars, chocolate, Cookies, dessert, peanut butter )

A few weeks ago I had to make treats for a large group of children. I found these Scotcheroos on allrecipes.com, and got really excited, because my mom used to make these for us all the time for an after school snack. They just about as quick and easy to make as regular rice crispy treats, but have all the extra flavors of peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch. They also have a magic power that will force you to eat five or six in one sitting, don't blame yourself, it's not your fault.

If you're looking for an easy, quick treat, give these a try. They're a hit with kids and adults!

Chocolate Scotcheroos
Found in allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup Light Corn Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter 6 cups crispy rice cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Cook corn syrup and sugar together in a large pan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter; mix well. Add cereal; stir until evenly coated.

2. Pour into greased 13x9-inch pan and pat into place.

3. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread over cereal.

4. Cool at least 45 minutes, or until firm. Cut into bars.

Peanut Butter (Flour) Breakfast Biscuits Filed under ( Breakfast, giveaway, peanut butter )

And it starts all over! How was the weekend? Ours was good. Lots of teaching & family time. We had our special facebook Body Pump launch at the gym on Saturday afternoon, which great! The music in the new release is really fun. There were four of us that taught (I’m in the upper right, not sure why this picture is so fuzzy…)

 

Josh’s parents also arrived Saturday night and we have been enjoying their company ever since. Josh’s Mom brought me a HUGE new supply of Trader Joe’s goodies (based on many of your suggestions).  On Sunday morning, I continued my love affair with Trader Joe’s Peanut Flour and made up Peanut Butter Flour Breakfast Biscuits. I started with Alton Brown’s scone recipe & adjusted as needed:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups peanut flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 6 tablespoons butter (smart balance, earth balance, etc)
• 3/4 cup milk (cows, almond, soy, etc)
• 1 egg (or 1 tablespoon flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, baking powder and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter. In a separate bowl, combine milk with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients.  Drop by heaping tablespoon full on a baking sheet.

    

Bake for ~17-18 minutes.

These are light and delicious!

And now- for the winner of the peanut butter flour chocolate chip cookie giveaway:

LEA from Healthy Coconut! Send me an email (itzyskitchen at gmail dot com) with your address and I will get your prize out to you!

Have a good Monday!

Peanut Butter (Flour) Chocolate Chip Cookies Filed under ( Dessert, peanut butter, Restaurant Review, Vegan )

First things first- Happy Birthday Cookie(Josh’s Mom)!!!! Hope you are having a spectacular day.

How was your weekend? Hopefully the weather was just as beautiful where you are as it was here.  My weekend involved tasty eats, time with friends, Josh & Frank, great workouts and lots of house/yard work. A few pictures from the weekend. Veggie Quesadilla from Poe’s:

This morning, Lindsay and I walked the bridge and then had brunch at my favorite place:

 

Lindsay came with treats!! She knows how much Josh loves key lime pie, so she snagged him a pack of this key lime pie gum:  

She also shared some of her Artisana samples with me (thank you thank you!):

 

When I got home, I got to work on a new recipe, peanut butter flour chocolate chip cookies. I used the trader joe’s flour to create these beauties. This was my second attempt and they turned out really well (unlike my first batch ;)).

 

Vegan (or not) Peanut Butter Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut flour
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients:

• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil or earth balance (1 stick) (or regular butter)
• 2 tablespoons flax mixed with 6 tablespoons water (or 2 eggs)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate chips (vegan, carob or milk)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Mix wet ingredients in one bowl and dry in another.
• Combine wet & dry ingredients and add chocolate chips
• 
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto a cookie sheet
• Bake for 10-12 minutes
• Let cookies cool for 1 minute on baking sheet then remove to cooling rack. Makes ~ 2 dozen cookies

 

The rest of my afternoon will be spent doing some work, changing up my group fitness choreography & watching football with Josh & this sleepy guy:

Favorite part of the weekend? I really enjoyed my walk this morning with Lindsay :) Who needs a therapist when you have fabulous friends?

Thank YOU and Sesame Noodles Filed under ( peanut butter )

Hi friends! Thank YOU so much for voting on what I should wear to the wedding (and for all your kind comments - you made my day)!! Gray is in the lead right now. Keep the votes coming!!

It has been a lovely day thus far. I did a two mile run this morning and then took body pump. Work was busy busy. This afternoon/evening I am working on cleaning the house. I also just finished prepping dinner, one of my favorites- Rachel Ray's Hot and Cold Sesame Noodles. I made Josh's with chicken:


And mine without+ extra veggies. It is chilling in the fridge and I cannot wait to dive into it later. Rachel has some fun and easy recipes. I usually try to lighten them up a bit.

Who is your favorite food network host? Do you have a favorite recipe from this host? I have a few favorites- Giada (Parmesan, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad), Ina (Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad) and Ellie (Macaroni and 4 Cheeses aka Squash Mac n Cheese).

Oatmeal Peanut Butter (Flour!) Chocolate Chip Bars Filed under ( Breakfast, Dessert, group fitness, peanut butter, product review )

Hi guys! How are you doing? After all the traveling I did last week, it has felt SO good to get back in the kitchen to bake & cook!  I got my bake on last night for sure. I made vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for wonderful friends of mine:

I also finally experimented with my Trader Joe’s Peanut flour that my MIL sent me:

 

Since I always love mixing up my bar recipes, I decided to test this flour out first in an Oatmeal Peanut Butter (flour) Chocolate Chip Bar:

 

Ingredients:

• 2  1/4 cups old fashion rolled oats
• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup Peanut Flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds (raw)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or applesauce- unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs or egg substitute

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients (first six). Add in wet ingredients and stir until combined. Spray pan (I used a Pyrex dish), press mixture into bottom of pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Let the bars cool completely, cut & serve.

These taste like those no bake peanut butter/chocolate cookies! So yum.

Also of note, we had our first spaghetti squash of the “fall” last night! Josh had his topped with homemade turkey meatballs, cheese and marinara. I had mine topped with cheese, marinara and black beans. YUM!

And for your workout Wednesday (Thursday), here is my plan for the week:

• Monday: Ran 6 miles outside
• Tuesday:  Taught Body Attack
• Wednesday:  Ran 6 miles outside
• Thursday: Teach 45 minute Body Step & 45 minute Body Pump
• Friday:  Off
• Saturday:  Teach Body Step
• Sunday:  Off

How are your workouts coming?? And what is your favorite kind of squash? I love them all…but I think Acorn is my favorite.

Vegan (or not) Almond Butter Granola Bars Filed under ( Breakfast, Dessert, peanut butter, Restaurant Review, Vegan )

Sunday morning:

…never lasts long enough :). Hope your weekend has been treating you well. Mine has been so, so nice. Lots of time with my Mom, Josh and Frank….

I wanted to share with you a few pictures from two restaurants I visited this weekend, as well as a pretty tasty almond butter granola bar recipe.

First up, Daniel Island Grille. Saturday morning was my idea of perfection. My Mom came down early to take my Body Step class. I hope to goodness I am able to stay in as great of shape as my Mom is in. As I’ve told you before, she was the one who really got me into Group Fitness and has always been a healthy balance role model. After class, we showered up and headed to Daniel Island Grille.

 

They were offering both lunch & brunch.  I ordered coffee:

 

and…shocking, a parfait. Their parfait was heavy on the yogurt, super light on the granola and had whipped cream on top. It was served in an elegant little glass. Very tasty, but much lighter than my usual Charleston’s Cafe parfait love.

  My Mom got the family circle spinach salad. She said all of the ingredients tasted super fresh:

I also tried a second new restaurant this weekend, Your Pie.

 

Your Pie is owned by the people who own Moe’s and the concept is the same, customizable pizza & calzones. They also offer salads in bread bowls, panini’s and gelato. I first heard about this restaurant from Amelia. Josh and I met some friends there for dinner. I got a 6” kids pie with marinara and veggies (no cheese). It was pretty tasty, but the restaurant is somewhat far from our house….and it wasn’t good enough to make the drive out to again.  Josh also ordered a calzone that was pretty tiny (no picture)

We also tried their gelato. They use lower fat ingredients, so I think the gelato is actually something like 93% fat free. We got the mint chocolate chip and coconut. Both were pretty good.

 

Last up! I made some tasty Vegan (or not) Almond Butter Granola bars this morning. I think they turned out well.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey for non vegan version)
• 1/3 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
• ½ cup almond butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together dry ingredients (first 6). Add wet ingredients. Mixture should just pull together.

 

Spray baking pan and press mixture into the pan using the back of the spatula/spoonula.

Bake for ~25 minutes. Let the bars cool and then cut into squares.

I may tweak the recipe a bit, but I think this is a great start! How are you spending the rest of your day? My plans are still up in the air ;)

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Sauce Filed under ( berries, chocolate, dessert, peanut butter, puff pastry, quick and easy )

This dessert totally reminds me of my daughter. She is as girly as a four year old girl can be. She once told me that she didn't need makeup because her face is still too fancy! She loves to twirl in pink fluffy skirts and pretty shoes. The best day of her life is when she gets her hair done or nails painted. And her favorite Disney princess is...all of them!


So the reason this dessert reminds me of her is because it's what I would consider a "fancy" dessert. Buttery puff pastry wrapped around oozy chocolate and peanut butter in a shape that resembles a little handbag. It's then adorned in whipped cream, chocolate ganache and strawberries. As Fancy Nancy would say, Magnifique!


But, here's the real kicker to these precious little treats, they take about five minutes to make, and require only a few simple ingredients. There is no trick to them, no intricate technique or unattainable ingredient. In fact, I kind of just threw them together, I was in a hurry! The perfect dessert, good enough for all of us princesses!

Chocolate Bundles with Chocolate Sauce
By Paula Deen

Ingredients

For the bundles:
•1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
•2 eggs
•1 teaspoon whipping cream
•8 chocolate drops (recommended: Hershey's kisses)
•8 miniature chocolate candy bars (I used Reeses mini cups)
For the chocolate sauce:
•1/2 cup heavy cream
•4 ounces milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
•Sweetened whipped cream, optional
•Fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish
•Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the bundles:
Allow the puff pastry to thaw, covered, for 30 minutes at room temperature. When it is pliable, unfold puff pastry and cut the sheet into 4 squares

Beat the eggs and cream together to create an egg wash. Brush the entire surface of each pastry square with egg wash. In the center of each pastry square, place 2 chocolate drops and 2 miniature candy bars. Pull the corners of each square up around the chocolate, and twist the top of the dough clockwise to complete the "bundle." Brush the exteriors of the chocolate bundles with more egg wash.


Place the bundles on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.

For the chocolate sauce:
In a small saucepan bring the heavy cream to a boil. Place the chocolate pieces in a bowl and pour hot cream over the top. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.


Puddle the chocolate sauce on each plate and place a bundle on top. Top with whipped cream and additional chocolate sauce, if desired. Serve the bundles garnished with strawberry slices and mint sprigs.

I made these to share with my foodie friends Alissa and Sara. In return Sara shared with us her delicious pasta with sage and browned butter. Alissa brought along an incredible watermelon salsa, both dishes I could not keep my fork out of! Be sure to keep an eye on their blogs for the recipes!