Brianna's Scrumdiliumptious Cookies and a "Quail Crossing" Intervention

Check, check, checkedy-check, and check is my sanity still in the building?  I think I somehow lost track of days and whether or not my sanity was still hanging around sometime back in June. (Could have been much earlier than that, hmmm?)

It all started innocently enough.  I hopped in my car to run down to the farm stand to pick up more fruit for another jam run when I saw them with my own two peepers falling out of my eyes; a daddy quail playing crossing guard in the cross walk across the street from my house. 

Seriously, it wasn’t even my fault I almost ran them over. I mean for Pete's sake who in their right mind plays crossing guard without a proper uniform on?  An intense stare down between Daddy quail and me ensued.  I darted him my harshest “Dude, really” glare.   It had little effect on him though, he was relentless I tell you as he glared back at me with his, "I'll end you right now Hot Pajamas" stare. He waited until the wife and kids were safely across the street and stood there in the middle of the cross walk and did the unthinkable, I’m completely sure he winged me the bird. That was totally uncalled for in my opinion.  I hollered at him, "Dude if you want to play crossing guard for your woman and kids you should have at least have a brightly colored vest on."  I mean come on, you are smart enough to use the crosswalk, yet lack the comprehension that wearing highly visible apparel (especially with your 9-inch stature) would be a good idea.   

I proceeded to tell Hot Dog Dude all about the traumatic incident, but he just looked at me like I was crazy. I reminded him, hey sometimes I really am crazy, but this time I assure you I was not.

I decided to take action into my own hands and contact the neighborhood watch captain to see if we could get some signs installed or something.  When the neighborhood watch captain finally did get back to me apparently there is no money in our budget for quail crossing signs or apparel. Kind of pisses me off, I mean if we don't have the money for such necessities; are the street lights going off next.

So out of the kindness of my own heart I decided to work on outfitting Mr. Quail with proper safety attire. I got the hat designed so far, and I used Ted as a model. 

Not so bad if I do say so myself.  I will work on the vest soon and then comes the tricky part, getting Mr. Quail to come over so I can measure him for a fitting...

Oh my God!  Here I am rambling on and on again and you probably only stopped by here because you saw the kick-ass cookies my niece had me make for her.  Well, with no further ado.

Brianna's Scrumdiliumptious Cookies

Adapted from The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook, Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, aka “the Nora Ephron” 

Peanut Butter Cookies: 

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup (3 1/2 ounces/125 grams) crunchy peanut butter  

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces/150 grams) granulated sugar 

2/3 cup (5 1/4 ounces/150 grams) packed brown sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 1/2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

2 cups rolled oats, such as Quaker Old Fashioned 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Chocolate Ganache filling:

6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

4 ounces or 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

2.  Make ganache.  Heat the heavy cream in a small sauce pan until simmering.  Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl, whisk until combined.  Whisk in butter and set aside.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, peanut butter, and sugars and cream on medium speed about 3 minutes.

4.  Add the eggs and mix until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, and vanilla and mix until combined.

5.  Chill dough for 1-2 hours.  

6.  Scoop tablespoon sized balls (no need to flatten) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat.

7.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

Cool the cookies on a rack.  Once cool spread the thickened chocolate ganache on one cookie and top with another.  If your ganache hasn't firmed up enough, put it in the fridge for a little bit and it will be nice and workable.

I think I got about 24 sandwiches out of the deal, but I was quality testing as I was making; so don't quote me on that.

My niece named these cookies and I have to say besides her being one super smart cookie they have become one of my new favorites.

Quail Out!  

Gina 

Hazelnut Whole Wheat Scones with Maple Glaze and "Whoops, My Bad"

Have you ever been stone cold busted with peanut butter buttercream on your face?  The other evening I posted a picture on my Facebook of the banana macarons I was working on and Azmina instantly busted me out by commenting, "Heh, I think it's awesome that your last post said you were going to focus on easy food and then you happened to whip these up."  (Whoops, my bad!)

You see Azmina is a skilled and seasoned lawyer.  Armed with the following evidence "Easy crap to make for dinner", she didn't waste any time zeroing in on my truth twisting and extracting a confession out of me in a mere 2.6 seconds.  It spewed off my tongue faster than kale chips, "Obviously, I'm a liar."

Luckily for me I wasn't in a real court or right about now I'd be trying to figure out how not to shower for infinity. Instead I was thinking of inviting Azmina over here to interrogate my teenage daughter and her friends, I was also hoping instead of her hourly rate we could possibly work out some sort of cookies for services rendered type of agreement.

Seriously, she is that good.  After she busted me I was so riddled with guilt I was on the phone with my mom and felt the need to confess all sorts of things; like the time Hot Dog Dude came tumbling down the stairs and all I could do was stand there laughing before I realized I should probably ask if he's okay.

Or that I made the most amazing scones the other day and I was going to blog about them but my cuticles hurt and that really messed up my typing and so instead I just went shoe shopping.

Toasted Hazelnut Whole Wheat Scones with Maple Glaze

Or that I made both peanut butter buttercream and black sesame buttercream fillings, both were good, but the peanut butter made me feel special in a way I've never felt before.  

I also told her that when I lay my eyes on a cute cake stand; I can't just walk away quietly, instead I have to bring it home and load it up with baked good. 

I'm going to b.a.l's soon (bakers and liars anonymous).

Enjoy,

Gina

Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondie Bites

My daughter has a favorite saying, "That's doing too much!"  It never fails, I will be watching her do something and offer up a suggestion such as, "You know if you just..."  First of all I really should know better by now than to even go there.  You see my daughter is a teenager and of course she knows how to do everything and even if she doesn't she isn't open to suggestions (although that never deters me from offering them).  She has a fierce determination to do and solve things in her own way and time. Leaving me waiting on the sidelines hoping to jump in, help, fix things, but more often than not just left there to offer an encouraging word if things don't work out as planned.

On rare occasion though the clouds part and something thrown out there into their universe is accepted and even welcomed.  A couple of days ago I threw out the suggestion to make something with peanut butter. She welcomed the idea with open arms, I felt much better also because a few days earlier she had proclaimed my Meyer Lemon Cream Scones with Lemon Curd, Strawberries, and Whip Cream were, "Doing too much!"

As I changed the dates on my calendar this morning to February I was left with the sense that maybe I have been "doing too much".  January was a blur, wasn't it just Christmas?  I've been working a lot more, attending night school, and trying to make sure we still have clean underwear to wear.  The thought of taking a long protracted break from writing seems better and better, but I also know that as time goes by so does the chances I'll come back to it.  At the moment my brain hurts, luckily for me the hardest thing about these bites was deciding which flavor of jelly to use.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondie Bites
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4-6 ounces of your favorite jelly or jam

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl add butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and peanut butter and mix well until combined.  Add egg, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until well combined.

Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with liners.  I sprayed mine with no-stick spray but had to use a knife to get them out and wouldn't recommend that.  Save yourself the trouble and use the mini pan liners.

Divide the batter between the cups.  Add about 2 teaspoons of jelly to the top of the batter in each cup, you can also do it the other way around and add the jelly to the bottom and the batter on top for a different effect.  I used Santa Rosa Plum Jam that I had been hoarding since making it with friends at a jam party.  I have to say the tart plum jam was such a nice contrast to the peanut butter.

Bake for 23-28 minutes.



Enjoy,

Gina

Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles

We had to travel to Southern California this weekend for a cheer competition.  After listening to the Boom-Boom Pow of the competition for hours on end, it was late and we were starving.  There was this really nice looking steak place down the street from our hotel, and we decided to have dinner there.

One look at the menu and the prices and I about fell over.  I actually told my husband I wanted to leave, he didn't, so we stayed, and I tried to enjoy a salad and a petite steak complete with old lettuce and overly garlicky dressing I might add.  He just gave me the look he always does,;you know that "really" look.  I never thought I'd say this, but would a little salt on the food have killed them. Despite our waiters' best sales effort to push dessert on us, I said, "No thanks".  Why, because the dessert I really wanted was a chocolate souffle and after not loving my food I told my husband, "I can make a better one at home"! He hates when I do that, just thought you might want to know that.

Besides I needed an excuse to use the super cute teaspoons my sister gave me as a hostess gift at her birthday party!

Chocolate Souffle

8 ozs. Milk chocolate, chopped (I buy big bars of it at Trader Joe's.)

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole milk (I was out and used 1% and it worked fine.)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 large eggs separated, put the 4 whites in 1 bowl and 3 yolks in another and set aside 1 yolk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

8 mini peanut butter cups (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Butter 8 (6 oz.) ramekins and put a little sugar inside and swirl it around and dump out excess, set all the ramekins on a baking sheet.

3. In a clean mixer bowl, whip the 4 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, then pour in 1/4-cup sugar and beat until stiff.  Set aside.

4. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.  Which is just a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

5. Melt butter in small saucepan, add flour and whisk well.  Cook 1 minute, then add milk and cook for 1 minute or so until thickened.  Add this to the melted chocolate.

6. Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture.  Whisk well.  Then fold in beaten egg whites.

7. Pour the chocolate batter into ramekins about 2/3 full.  I dropped in a surprise, some heart shaped peanut butter cups I had on hand.  Then prepare peanut butter souffle mixture.

Peanut Butter Souffle

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole milk

2 large eggs separated

1/8 cup granulated sugar

1. In a clean bowl of mixer, whip the 2 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, then pour in sugar and beat until stiff.  Set aside.

2. Melt the peanut butter in the top of a double boiler.  Which is just a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

3. Melt butter in small saucepan, add flour, whisk well.  Cook 1 minute, then add milk and cook for 1 minute or so until thickened.  Add this to the melted peanut butter.

4. Add egg yolks to peanut butter mixture.  Whisk well.  Then fold in beaten egg whites.  I found whisking in part of the whites first works better because the peanut butter is denser and then fold in the rest.

5. I spooned this mixture on top of the chocolate mixture and it sunk down, creating an upside down effect, because the peanut butter souffle mixture is heavier.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes. You can eat these warm or put them in the fridge, just pop them in the microwave for a few when you are ready for one.

In my own defense, I'm not a bad dining partner or a food critic when I go out!  (Well at least not all the time anyways.)  You will have to try these for yourself and give me your food critic opinion.  Does paying a lot of money for so-so food bother you?

Enjoy,

Gina

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies & Red Velvet Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies and Red Velvet Cupcakes are just two of the items I have packed ready to bring up to my daughter and her college roommates.  I promised her I'd make dinner for her and her friends this week because they are starving to death up there eating cafeteria food.  Well maybe not literally, but by the way she was acting; definitely a little homesick for good food.

Yesterday I spent all day baking and today I will go up there and prepare the rest of their feast.  Tri-tips, chicken, asiago augratin potatoes, salad, zombies (don't worry we will get to those), a chocolate mousse pie, peanut butter cup blondies and red velvet cupcakes.  Let's just hope I have enough!

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped peanut butter cups, chopped into 1/2- inch pieces

In a mixer beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Add both sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, until well incorporated.  Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Add peanut butter and mix till combined.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Beat one more minute.  Add chocolate chips and peanut butter cups and mix in by hand.

Spread in a buttered 11"X13" baking pan and bake in 325 degree F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely and cut into bars.  Store in an airtight container.

I've never made blondies before, but I think I shall be making these again with some other add-ins.

Enjoy,

Gina

Chocolate Banana Swirl Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Today my youngest daughter is turning 13.  Despite my disbelief I've been busy working on her b-day bash complete with 50 guests! Note to self: schedule phych eval. next week. I wanted to share her cupcakes with you; they were created with her favorite flavors in mind.

I will barely have cleaned up from this affair when next week I get to do it all over again for my older daughters' Graduation and Farewell party. So between wiping my tears, I'm hoping to share some easy favorites with your next week.

Batter

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups cake flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

2 bananas, mashed

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

Add butter and sugar to mixer and beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until combined. Add flour, baking soda and baking powder, and mix until combined.

Place half of the batter in one mixing bowl and half in another. To one bowl add mashed bananas and stir till combined. To other bowl add cocoa powder and mix till combined.

Place paper baking cups in cupcake pan and pour one side of cup with banana batter and one side with chocolate. Swirl two together with toothpick or bamboo skewer. Should fill a dozen cups.

Bake in 350 F degree oven for 16-17 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ozs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. milk

Mix butter till softened.  Add cream cheese and beat till incorporated, then add peanut butter and mix till combined. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until smooth. Add milk a little at a time until smooth.

I piped my frosting on with a bag and tip. I love the disposable ones from the craft store. Just to make these a little cuter, I piped a little melted chocolate into hearts on parchment paper. I let the chocolate set up in the fridge and put the hearts on the cupcakes at the last minute.

Enjoy,

Gina