Pumpkin Spice Pudding Cookies

Hey all. Thank you for the comments and feedback about the layout.  I think I'm going to keep it like this, at least for a while. I hope you're having an awesome Halloween.  What are your costumes, if you celebrate? I dressed up as a "Bloody  Baker" and I passed out cookies.  

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Halloween is right around the corner and I have no idea what I want to be.

I was reading Joy's blog today and all I could think the whole time was, "Thank GOD."

Her post was all about how slutty costumes are no bueno and I couldn't agree more.

Living in the dorms, it's almost impossible to get away from slutty costumes.  I just have absolutely no desire.  I mean it's your one night of the year to be whatever you want.  Why would you pick something slutty?  I just don't get it.

Oreo Pudding Cookies with Cookies 'n' Cream Hershey's Chocolate!

I really, really want a VitaMix!!

And now we all have a chance to win one for free!!

To celebrate the success of the world's first Flaxmilk, Flax USA is
giving away a Vitamix Machine to one of their lucky Facebook fans! You
could bring home the same power and performance, in a blender,
experienced by chefs and restaurants around the globe and start making
smoothies, soups, frozen desserts and more.  Just "like" Flax USA on
facebook to enter!

http://www.facebook.com/flaxusa?v=app_181335378572390&rest=1


I also made some delicious cookies that I'm excited to share with you guys!  These cookies can be best described as "Oreo cookies that have the texture of a chocolate chip cookies." So basically better Oreo's.  I used my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe and decreased the amount of flour by a little bit and it made the most amazing cookies.  They're pretty chewy on the inside and the outsides are semi-crunchy.  The best 
part is the bites with the Cookies and Cream Hershey's Chocolate in them.  These are so good! 

Oreo Pudding Cookies with Cookies and Cream Hershey's 
Chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, very soft
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 packet (4.2 oz) Oreo Cookies 'n' Cream Pudding
1 bar Cookies 'n' Cream Hershey's Chocolate, crushed
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and stir well. Add the egg and stir until well blended. Add the baking soda, flour, and Oreo pudding, mixing until blended. Stir in the chips and crushed Hershey's bar.
3. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto light-colored baking sheets. Flatten into disks, using gentle pressure from your fingers.
4. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned; the tops shouldn't brown, they should still be slightly gooey. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a rack to cool completely. 

You Know You're a Baker When... (Vanilla Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies)

...Your kitchen floor is covered with flour, sugar, etc.
...Bakeries are a must on vacation.
...When you have to do a fundraiser, "Bake Sale" is your first idea.
...You bake your own birthday cake.
...Along with regular milk, you also have heavy cream and buttermilk in the fridge.
...Flour and sugar are at the top of your packing list when moving (to college...or wherever).
...You have a 'paintbrush' in your kitchen utensils drawer.
...You have way too many aprons.
...You walk past the baked goods/packaged cookies at the store for inspiration.
...Baking at 10 p.m. is the norm.
...Your friends know who Joy is.
...You're happy your bananas have gone bad.  Or neighbors give you their overripe bananas.
...You can make cookies out of egg whites.

All of these "You know you're from ____ when..." groups started popping up on Facebook that saidand I was looking through them and I saw one that said   "You know you're a baker when you have sourdough on your pajamas".  Then I thought, "I don't do that, but..." and started thinking of all of the things I do do...and there you have it; my "You know you're a baker when..." list.  

I know there are a bunch more... continue the list in the comments!

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Emeril

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy.
3. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not at all dry. (Be careful not to over beat.)
4. Add the sugar gradually, about 3 tablespoons at a time. When 1/2 of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding remaining sugar in batches, until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very shiny and tight.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoonful of meringue from the tip of 1 teaspoon with the back of another teaspoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1-inch of space between cookies.
7. Place baking sheets in the preheated oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies (undisturbed) in the oven for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, or until cookies are crisp and dry.

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Thank goodness this no sweets week is coming to an end. 

I will admit that I thought it was going to be harder, especially since I've baked 3 times this week, but it actually hasn't been that bad.  I've felt pretty good!  I've even been exercising this week, which lately I've not been able to motivate myself to do.  So... even though it probably won't last, I'm not taking the motivation for granted.

Anyway, I made some cookies!  I'm a sucker for white chocolate, and these have white chocolate in them so I was disappointed that I had to pass them up.  Hopefully there will be some left for Sunday!  My neighbor came over and had one... and then came back again for another one, so I'm assuming they're good!

Anywayyy.... I'm leaving tomorrow and I'll be back Monday the 1st, but I'll have some delicious guest posts for you in between. 

Do you guys go through spurts of motivation to work out? What do you do to push through the times when you aren't motivated?

White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from: Southern Living

****I cut the following recipe in half and got about 20 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked quick cooking oats
• 1 cup (12 ounces) white chocolate morsels
• 1 cup (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:

• 1.  Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• 2.  Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in oats, morsels, and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.
• 3.  Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 3 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

Hi all!

Let me tell you about this crazy rest of the summer I have.

Friday morning, my sister, nieces and I leave around 6 for a 10-11 hour drive to Chicago for a family get-together sort of thing.

Sunday morning, I drive back home with my parents so I can be dropped off with Kellen because...

Monday morning, Kellen and I leave for Portland with his family because his brother is getting married!

The following Monday night, we fly out of Portland to come home.

Friday and Saturday (Aug. 5th and 6th), Kellen and I are going to KanRocksas (my birthday present to him).

Thursday (Aug. 11th) I leave for school.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm stressing out a little bit.  I tend to do that...

Anyway, I decided I should probably bake something for the looonnng drive to Chicago, so I made peanut butter and jelly bars.  Since I'm not eating sweets this week, (Thank God for this.) the taste tester (dad) grade: A. I'm starting to think he might be biased.  Also, he doesn't give details.  All I got out of him was a muffled "mm good" while he still had food in his mouth.  I'll take it.

Peanuut Butter and Jelly Bars
barely adapted from: First Look, Then Cook

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup grape jelly or other jelly or jam

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Line an 8x8x2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving 2-inch overhang around edges and pressing firmly into corners and up sides of pan. Coat foil with nonstick spray.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl.
4. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, sugar, and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low-speed until smooth.
5. Add flour mixture; beat on low-speed just to blend.
6. Transfer half of dough to prepared pan (about scant 1 1/2 cups). Place remaining dough in freezer for 10 minutes.
7. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto bottom of pan. Spread jelly over in even layer.
8. Remove dough from freezer; using fingertips, break into grape-size pieces and scatter over jelly layer.
9. Bake bars until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool bars completely in pan on rack.
10. Using foil overhang as aid, lift bars from pan. Gently peel foil from edges. Cut into 16 squares.

I only have 1 guest poster for the whole time I'll be gone (thanks, Gen!!), so if anyone else would like to volunteer I would really, REALLY appreciate it! Please... pretty please!  It can even be something you've already written/posted. 

What are/have you all done this summer? When I was younger, the only traveling my family ever did was to Branson, MO, so I'm taking full advantage of all of these opportunities!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Cream Filling

First of all, thank you all so much for the kind words on my last post! You all made me feel really good and next time I don't have anything to write about, I won't feel so bad. You're awesome. :)

To repay you, I've made you something.

How many of you like Oreo's?

Most of you? Okay, good!

How many of you like chocolate chip cookies?

All of you?  Perfect!

How about a chocolate chip cookie sandwich with cream filling?

Not sure? Check it out! :)

Do you guys ever sit around and dream of new recipes?  Or am I alone on this one? ;)

 Yes, that's Harry Potter in the background.  Are you guys excited!?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches with Cream Filling
Makes 24 sandwiches


Cookie:
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4 cups (11 5/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chocolate chips


Cream Filling (From Smitten Kitchen)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and stir well. Add the egg and stir until well blended. Add the baking soda and flour, mixing until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop rounded teaspoons of dough onto light-colored baking sheets. Flatten into disks, using gentle pressure from your fingers.  You can also flatten with the bottom of a cup or something.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 375°F oven for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned; the tops shouldn't brown, they should still be slightly gooey. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a rack to cool completely. 


To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.


Place half of the cookies bottoms up and place a little less than tablespoon of filling on each one.  Top with another cookie.

One Bowl Cranberry-White Chocolate Orange Cookies

I got a precious new kitten; his name is Francis.

It broke my heart taking him away from his family, so I knew I had to make him feel extra special when he came home with me...

...which is why I made him a house!!

To find instructions on how to make the house, click here.

I also made him some milk and cookies... but he only liked the milk. ;)
These cookies are amazing though!! Seriously good.  Maybe even my new favorite... the different flavors all go together so well.  I was looking for a "one bowl" recipe and these are what I found.  So they're obviously easy, since they're one bowl, but the taste is out of this world!!

One Bowl Cranberry-White Chocolate Orange Cookies
King Arthur Flour
Yield: about 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon orange oil (4 to 5 drops) (can substitute with almond!)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4 cups (11 5/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups (5 1/4 ounces) dried cranberries
1 cup (3 3/4 ounces) chopped pecans or walnuts

Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and orange oil, and stir well. Add the egg and stir until well blended. Add the baking soda and flour, mixing until blended. Stir in the chips, cranberries, and nuts.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto light-colored baking sheets. Flatten into disks, using gentle pressure from your fingers.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 375°F oven for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned; the tops shouldn't brown, they should still be slightly gooey. Remove the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then slide them onto a rack to cool completely.