White Chocolate M&M's and Peanut Butter Blondies

A few weeks ago I made some more blondies.  It's the same recipe as the one I made the night it sleeted here last February.  It is such a yummy recipe.  But, this time I added peanut butter chips and white chocolate m&m's that were colored orange, yellow, and white like candy corns.  So festive!

These blondies really are a winner.  They are so versatile and are a great dessert to take to a party or just enjoy at home.

Reese's now has a white chocolate peanut butter cup.  They are so good.  So, when I saw I had some peanut butter chips and the white chocolate m&m's, I had to combine them in the blondes.

I also love this cookie tin.  It is spray painted in chalkboard paint, so you can change the message for different occasions.  I think I need to go find all the cookie tins I can and paint them all for my upcoming cookie exchange this Christmas!  Have some sitting around?  Paint them and use them to deliver your baked goods to friends :)

You could totally switch out these fall m&m's for red and green.  They'd be super cute in your new tin.  Just sayin'.

Here's the recipe.  It's adapted from my good friend, Eliza.


Blondies

2/3 cup melted butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup m&m's, plus extra for sprinkling on the top before baking
1 cup peanut butter chips

Blend together the butter and brown sugar.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Then add the dry ingredients, mixing well.  Finally, add in the m&m's and peanut butter chips.  Spread into a 9x13 inch pan and sprinkle on a few extra m&m's.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  The blondies will be gooey in the middle-- bake longer to avoid the need for a spoon.  :)

Fresh Pear Cake

Well, (this might sound like I'm starting an entry into my journal, or at least how I would start an entry if I actually journaled) this week started off with a whirlwind.  Yesterday was October 15.  What's so special about this day?  It's the day that I have been working towards for the last month and much more than that.  It's the day that all the extended 401(k) tax filings are due, and with that filing, a set of audited financial statements must be attached.  That's where I come in.  I've been auditing 401(k) plans.  I'll grant that they aren't my favorite.  I could go on with stories, but I'll spare you, because they might only be funny to a really tired CPA.

It's also the day that all extended gift tax returns are due.  But, wait, the government is still shut down.  What are they going to do with all these returns?  They will probably just set them aside and look at them later.  Meanwhile they'll take the any taxes that are remitted with the returns and use them to fund the government.  And, if they owe you a refund, they are planning to hang on to that for a while, too.  As I read today in a tax newsletter, the IRS's middle name is "Revenue".  But, that's not why I'm in the picture.  In order to file the gift tax returns, you have to know the value to of the gift being given.  Again, this is where we end up in the picture.  I promise there is a point to this story...

I was pretty much done with all my 401(k) audits Friday (several days early), but was asked to help out with the valuations for the gift tax returns.  I think what I helped with barely scratched the surface of what had to be done before today.  My tax attorney roommate was in charge of a number of the gift tax returns being filed at her firm.  And due to all the changes in the estate laws at the end of 2012, there were a ton to be done.  So, Monday night, we had a work party (if you can call it that; it was a nerd fest) at home until late.  The effects of a late night are still showing their signs. Here was the living room with our files spread out.

Over the weekend, I had thought about making this cake to take to work, but then decided not to.  But, when I walked into the office on Monday morning and it looked like a warzone (there were folks that had pretty much worked all weekend long and would continue to work late into the day and all night), I knew that a cake would be a nice thing to bring to work with me on Tuesday. 

So, here is the cake that I baked up Monday night while the roommate and I worked.  It's technically a Fresh Apple Cake, but you can easily interchange the apples for pears.  It's such a great fall dessert.

 

Here's the recipe.  Be a hero and make it for your next fall event.  You'll get an A+ from your tax lady coworker like I did or comments like, "it was so good, I had two pieces!"

Fresh Apple (or Pear) Cake

1 1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups chopped apples
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Cream together the oil and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well combined.  Next, add the eggs one at a time.  Sift together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and add to the creamed mixture.  Add in the vanilla.  Alternate adding the apples and chopped nuts.  Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake at 290 for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let cool before removing and placing on a plate.

Serve with cool whip.  OR if you don't have cool whip (like me), you can top it with a simple vanilla glaze made with some powdered sugar, milk, and a bit of vanilla extract.  Also, you can easily omit the pecans or walnuts, if you don't have those on hand (like me, again :) ).  Lastly, it saves super well.  Just cover it well and place it in the fridge.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

A miracle happened in my oven this evening.  I kid you not. 

So, let me just give you the background: I'm sitting here on the couch watching "Chopped".  My roommate and I enjoy such shows.  While we watch such shows, we also will simultaneously be on Pinterest.  We will frequently re-pin each others pins.  Anyway, I came across this pin from Southern Living for Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies.  I love peanut butter and chocolate.  So, I clicked on it to find out just what is in these cookies and how could they possibly work.

After reading the recipe and reading off the list of ingredients to my roommate, I decide I need to make these cookies.  What did I have to lose anyway?  If they're good, I will eat one tonight and take the rest to work.  If they're bad, I'll never make them again.

Well, I didn't have the creamy peanut butter that the recipe called for.  Nor the semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I had crunchy peanut butter and milk chocolate chips.  But, I still pulled out the Kitchen Aid and went to work.  In less than five minutes, I had some cookie dough that I thought would never bake up.  There was no way possible.  It was crumbly and a very odd texture.  But, I persevered on and scooped them onto my cookie sheet.  And into the oven they went for 12 minutes.

And this is when the miracle happened. 

They puffed up just like the recipe said they would, and they are delicious-- divine, to use my roommate's words.  I don't think I'm being overly dramatic about this either ;)  I'm probably just ignorant of how the food science works.  I should call Alton to ask him.  In the mean time, you should definitely try them!

They'll be going to work tomorrow with me.  And you thought you loved your auditor?? :)

Here's the recipe.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used crunchy, which worked too)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Stir together the first five ingredients until well blended.  Then, stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until the cookies are slightly puffed and golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.  Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen.

S'mores Pie

I don't know about you, but I love, love, love a s'more.  The whole process of picking out my marshmallows (yes, that was plural), roasting them over the fire, the melting chocolate, and the graham crackers.  I could go on, because they are so delicious and a perfect summer treat.  I usually have two.  I mean, if I'm going to be hanging out at a campfire, which doesn't happen that often, I might as well take advantage of the opportunity, right?  Besides, I probably hiked to the camp fire spot.

Well, I recently came across this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen blog for a S'mores Pie.  It looked divine and a great way to enjoy a s'more inside the A/C.  That's important here in Arkansas. ;)

I made this for a dinner I went to recently.  We finished the pie that night, and my roommate and I were trying to figure out a reason to make another one ASAP.  

The pie has a soft cookie crust, ooey gooey marshmallow cream, a layer of yummy chocolate bars, a sprinkling of mini marshmallows, a top cookie crust and finishing touch of chocolate chips.  The chocolate melts, and all the marshmallows bubble up and become toasty on top.  

This is definitely a crowd pleaser.  Once you have a slice, you might need a second one (not that I'm speaking from experience or anything).

Here is the link to the original recipe.  I did make one alteration-- the original calls for 8 Hershey bars, but I only used 4, which turned out to be plenty!

Peach Cobbler

If any of you have peaches that need to be consumed, I have a delicious method for you to do so.  I know they taste great just by themselves, but, oh, they are heavenly when they are baked into a cobbler and served with homemade vanilla ice cream.  I have been craving peach cobbler-- it just tastes like summer!

I stumbled across this blog called The Law Student's Wife last night and enjoyed looking at a few of her recipes.  She has a few that look wonderful.  But, one in particular caught my eye....

Yes, you guessed it-- Prize Peach Cobbler!

And yes, you remembered that I had peaches from the fruit stand from this weekend.  No, they didn't make their way into the freezer, but instead several of them were baked into my cobbler. :)

Here's the recipe.  I did make one alteration-- I added a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.  It was so, so good.  I just have to stop there or else I would go on all night!

Prize Peach Cobbler

From “The Law Student’s Wife”, with a slight addition

Serves 6-8

3/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 3/4 cup sugar, divided 

3/4 cup milk 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 

3 cup fresh, ripe peaches* (5-6 peaches) 

a dash of cinnamon

a dash of nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix in 1 cup sugar. Slowly stir in milk to make batter.
2. Melt butter in deep casserole dish (about 3 quarts). Pour batter over melted butter. Do not stir.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully add peaches (I use tongs) and boil for about 1 minute. Remove peaches from pot and plunge into a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Skins can now be easily removed with fingers. Slice peaches into bite-sized pieces.
4. In a clean bowl, Mix the peeled, sliced peaches and 3/4 cup sugar thoroughly and carefully spoon them over the batter..
5. Bake 1 hour. Batter should be nicely browned on top before removing from oven. Top with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream.

*Ingredient tip: Be sure peaches are ripe and slightly soft—place in brown paper bag on counter-top for a few days to ripen if necessary.

Sleet and Blondies

So, we had a bit of a crazy winter storm blow through here last night.  It never dropped below freezing, but the sleet was enough to make evening activities canceled.  I was pumped to have an extra night at home to chill and relax.  But, this is what happens when I get an extra night at home... and it's sleeting and freezing outside...

I bake.

I baked some blondies and took the remaining ones to work today.  Really it was the whole pan minus two-- one for me and one for my roommate.

Little did I know how big of a hit they would be at work.  I've taken goodies there, and my co-workers enjoy them.  But, I've never seen anything go so fast.  I really didn't know what was going on, but by 9 am more than half of these guys were gone out of the break room.

A little later, I was talking to someone and learned that the weekly doughnuts and muffins were being cut, and today was the first day for there to be no doughnuts or muffins to be enjoyed.  The weekly goodies were gone leaving all my doughnut and muffin dependent co-workers without breakfast.  Today the blow was softened by the blondies (thank goodness!  CPAs don't need to starve during busy season!).  I've never had so many 'thank you for bringing the _______' emails than I did today.

Here's the recipe.  It's from my good friend, Eliza.  Take these to work, and you will be a hero.

Blondies

2/3 cup melted butter
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or if you are me, you'll add a few more!)

Blend together the butter and brown sugar.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Then add the dry ingredients, mixing well.  Finally, add in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes in a 9x13 inch pan.  The blondies will be gooey in the middle-- bake longer to avoid the need for a spoon. :)