Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe on The Wednesday Baker's wonderful blog. These cookies are really soft and chewy, just the way I like them. I cooked them a little less than the original recipe said to do. I also found them a little too salty, so I cut the salt in half.

The original recipe also calls for chocolate chips, and they were fabulous. The second time I made them, I didn't realize I was out of chocolate chips, so I used white chocolate chips instead.  Delicious! Now, you all know I am not a fan of white chocolate. However, I do like it with peanut butter and these turned out really yummy. You can use whichever you like!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: ~35 cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup quick oats
12 oz chocolate

Preheat oven to 350-F.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening with the sugars. Add the peanut butter and the eggs. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Scoop with a cookie scoop onto an ungreased cookie sheet and form into 1-1/2 inch balls. Bake for about 10 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to rack to cool.

Happy Baking!

Chocolate Caramel Bars

I found this awesome recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Sweet Pea's Kitchen. I saw her photo and started drooling right then. I find a lot of great recipes on her blog and you will too. You can see her original write up and photos (which are far superior to mine!) at this link.

I will definitely make these again and the recipe is now a permanent part of my binder. I know they look tricky to make, but they really aren't. The layers are just made with crackers and you don't even have to bake them! Very simple.

Chocolate Caramel Bars
Yield ~3 dozen bars

Base and Second Layer
48-64 butter crackers (I used Keebler Club)

Caramel
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup milk
pinch salt

Frosting
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Grease a 9x13 pan. Arrange 1/2 the crackers in the bottom of the pan. You may have to cut them to fit the edges.

In a saucepan over medium heat, boil all caramel ingredients for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour caramel over the crackers and spread to cover evenly. An offset spatula works great. Top the caramel with another layer of crackers.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt peanut butter and baking chips until smooth. Pour gently over crackers and spread with offset spatula.

Sprinkle peanuts over the top and chill until set, at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.

Happy Baking!

Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These are not your ordinary peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips thrown in. This recipe has its own identity, with roasted peanuts and a chopped up chocolate bar for lots of crunch and flavor. When I'm in the mood for a peanut butter/chocolate combo, this is the recipe I choose. I don't know which I prefer, the dough or the finished cookie! :-)

If you don't have a chocolate bar laying around (What? You don't?) then by all means feel free to use chocolate chips. Milk or dark chocolate works just fine. If you like white chocolate, I'm sure that would be great too!

Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes ~ 24 cookies

2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or regular butter and omit 1/2 tsp salt)
3/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 bar (8 oz) milk or dark chocolate, chopped coarsely (or 1 cup chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350-F.

In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until blended. Add in both sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate until combined.

Scoop with cookie scooper onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Happy Baking!

Peanut Blondies

Here's a great recipe for peanut lovers.   I got this recipe from a magazine, but don't know which one. It's a little different because it includes white-chocolate. It's a great combo! Now, I admit I am NOT a fan of white-chocolate. It's not even real chocolate, it's candy. I don't know why they call it any kind of chocolate, but so be it. So the fact that I like these bars is saying something! They are very easy to make too.

Peanut Blondies
Makes ~18 bars

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (or use salted butter and omit the 1/4 tsp salt)
1/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1-1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
1 11-12 oz bag white-chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350-F.  Grease and flour (or use PAM baking spray) a 13x9x2" baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter for 1 minute, until blended. Add brown sugar; beat for 2 minutes, until smooth.  Beat in vanilla.  Add eggs; beat until smooth, about 1 minutes.

Stir in the flour mixture and 3/4 cup of the nuts.  Spread the batter evenly into the pan.  Bake for 20-25 min. or until lightly golden. Keep an eye on them because they will be dry if you over-bake them. Remove from oven.  Immediately sprinkle the white-chocolate chips over the top.  Let stand 5 minutes or so until the chips are soft enough to spread.  Spread over the top; sprinkle on remaining 1/4 cup chopped nuts. Cool in pan. Cut into bars.

Happy Baking!