Mint Chocolate Delights

Just after Christmas I was doing some shopping at Target (while Mike graciously sat in the parking lot with the two kiddos – Madden sound asleep in typical newborn fashion and Mariah happily watching Elmo on the headrest DVD player.  Oh and Mike got to listen to sports on the radio… so really we were all happy!)  Anyways...on one of the sale endcaps at Target they had some bags of these Dark Chocolate and Mint chips.  I love mint and chocolate, so I grabbed one knowing it would be a part of a yummy treat down the road.

The bag sat in my pantry for a while (don't worry, they didn't expire until November 2012) and I kept looking at it and saying "I need to use those sometime soon".  Well last night we were in desperate need of a treat after dinner.  Opening the pantry for inspiration I again spotted the bag and knew today was the day.  Unsure of how I would incorporate them into a recipe I turned over the bag and saw the recipe for "Mint Chocolate Delights".  Um…YUM!

Luckily I had all the ingredients in stock so I got to work.

Dropping the dough using my small cookie scoop onto my NEW Pampered Chef metal cookie sheet (which I am in LOVE with) and bake.

Dare I say it’s a SOFT version of a thin mint cookie! :)

Mint Chocolate Delights

Nestle

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

10 oz. package Nestle Dark Chocolate & Mint morsels

Preheat oven to 325* F.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in morsels.  Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Box cake mixes are two things that I love - QUICK and EASY. Honestly, I didn't even know until about a year ago that you could make cake any other way (kind of kidding... but kind of serious, too!). Although cake from a box is plenty tasty... it just doesn't compare to made from scratch!

For Madden's baptism I decided to make these Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes. I actually came across the recipe on Pinterest and thought they sounded easy enough!

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.


Billy's Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, gradually add remaining 2 cups sugar to reach desired consistency.

The cupcakes were very yummy - especially the frosting! If I try this recipe again I might even fill the middle with the buttercream frosting! :) I also made white chocolate cross with a mold so the cupcakes looked appropriate for a baptism.

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Ever!

If you haven't caught on yet.... I enjoy doing things that are QUICK and EASY! I also enjoy baking with "common" ingredients (i.e. things I can pronounce and find easily in a grocery store).

I came across this Peanut Butter Cookie recipe on Pinterest.

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky, whichever you prefer!)
1 cup sugar
1 egg

That's IT! 3 ingredients! I couldn't believe it... and I thought the only way to know if this was a joke or not was to try them.

I mixed up the dough in about 2 minutes, plopped on my baking stone (making the pretty crisscross with a fork, because otherwise it's just not a peanut butter cookie!). Baked at 350 for 10-12 minutes and voila! Perfect and yummy peanut butter cookies!

Now if I'm ever caught in a bind and need a last minute dessert you bet I will be going to this recipe.