Chocolate brownies with Peanut Butter cookie dough

There are few things better in this world than chocolate and peanut butter...that is, in my world.  Sure, I have my family and friends, but chocolate and peanut butter does not ever stress me out or give me any "lip."  I can curl up with it on a snowy day and it's happy to comfort me.  OK, I think I just described the definition of stress eating, but I digress...

Yesterday was National Peanut Butter Day. Woo!  I wanted to make something, but I was truthfully too lazy to drag out my trusty KitchenAid.  I wanted to make something I could whip up in a quick hurry.

I had not made brownies in a while, and that is something even my husband with little to no sweet tooth will eat.  I found this recipe for the "best gooey chocolate brownies" and decided to try them.  Then I decided to dress them up with some peanut butter chips.

Now we are getting somewhere.

I thought "hmmm...that's not enough peanut butter yet, what can I do?"  Light bulb!  I have an easy recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  I can throw some of that on top of the brownie mix.

I didn't want the cookies to become too crispy having been baked too long with the brownies, so I baked the brownies about half way and then added the cookie dough.

Oh my goodness, they are going to be wonderful.....the anticipation was driving me insane.  You will have to forgive the photography, I just was not interested in getting a great photo, if ya know what I mean.

Chocolate brownie recipe (from food.com)

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (omit if you don't want the crunchy crust)
• 1 cup peanut butter chips

1. 1
   Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
2. 2
   Melt the butter and lightly grease a pan of your liking (I used an 8x8 because I like a thicker brownie).
3. 3
   In a large bowl; combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
4. 4
   In another large bowl; combine the sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
5. 5
   Once combined beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each until thoroughly blended.
6. 6
   Gradually add in the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture.
7. 7
   Toss the peanut butter chips in a little flour. (The flour will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.).
8. 8
   Mix the peanut butter chips into the batter.
9. 9
   Bake for 20-25 minutes. (The brownies are done if you stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.
10. 10
    (ALSO, THE BATTER IS GOING TO RISE. PLEASE, DO NOT BE ALARMED! ONCE IT SINKS, WHICH TAKES ALL OF 10 MINUTES, I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY MIGHT BE THE BEST BROWNIES YOU'VE EVER TASTED.).

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (from The Girl Who Ate Everything):

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, mix in the chocolate chips. Using your fingers, form 1 1/2 inch balls (dough will be very wet and sticky) and place onto an un-greased parchment lined cookie sheet. You don't want to make them too big because they do spread. Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheet for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before letting cool on a wire rack. Makes around a dozen small cookies.

Sugar Cookies

No matter if you call them sugar cookies or sugar cakes, the fact remains that they are delicious.  I have a few recipes for these cookies, but I am always willing to try more.  My personal preference is more of a soft pillowy cookie....unless I am going to frost the top.  Then, I make a recipe with a crispier cookie.

This is a new recipe for me, and it seems to blend the two ideas together.  It is soft and crispy at the same time.

The recipe I found was named Amish Sugar Cookies.  I'm not sure what makes them Amish, but that's really not the point.  These cookies are good.

The recipe does not call for milk, but have a glass on hand when the cookies come out. It's the perfect compliment to a warm cookie!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 

1 cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract (I would add a bit more for a bolder tasting cookie)

4-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

1. In large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugars. Beat in eggs until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; gradually add to creamed mixture.
2. Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Banana bread counts as fruit...right?

Every week when I go to the market, I have the best intentions.  "I am going to buy lots of fruit and vegetable so the family can eat healthy."  Yeah...about that.  Every week I have an over ripened bunch of bananas to do something with.  This week, banana bread came up in the rotation.  You know, now that I think about it....I think there may be a conspiracy.  If we don't eat the bananas, she'll make something sweet with the.  Hmmmmm..I believe I'm being had here.  They are luck they're cute.

Anyway, I had soooo many bananas yesterday, I had enough to do 2 loaves of banana bread.  I baked these up while the troops were away, so I was able to freeze one loaf for later in the week. Are any of you as excited as I am for school to start again?  If for nothing else, to ease up on my food bill.

Wow...I'm a little scattered today.  Sorry about that.  I found this recipe on line quite some time ago. It is enough to make 1 loaf of the bread. I doubled the recipe and it turned out just fine.  It is really tasty.  It's moist with lots of banana flavor, but not too sweet.  I would imagine you could give it a quick toast and put butter on it.  Yummmmm ...

Preheat oven to 350 F

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking SODA
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2-1/3 cups mashed bananas

Lightly grease loaf pan (I line with parchment)

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and the brown sugar.  Add eggs and bananas until well blended.  Add banana mixture to the flour bowl and mix until just moistened.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.


Bake for 60-65 minutes.  When done, a toothpick inserted in the center will come back clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.  Then, place on a cooling rack until completely cool. ..if you can wait that long.