Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My poor children were born to a mother who was under the influence of Adelle Davis and Gayelord Hauser. I know these names are unfamiliar to many of you, but back in the day, these two nutritionists were commanding personalities in the food and diet industries. They adhered strictly to FDA dietary guidelines and didn't believe a morsel should reach the alimentary canal if it wasn't good for you or contribute, in some fashion, to vibrant good health. They were more concerned with nourishment of the body than the soul, and that put a serious crimp in to the diets of many food and dessert lovers. A lot of folks considered them to be the first " food Nazis" and simply tuned them out. I mention them, only because I was so under their influence, that my children were in university before they knew cookies could be made with anything other than peanut butter or oatmeal. There were excesses in my kitchen to be sure, but cookies and snack foods were not among them. The only upside to that, is the cookies that I did make had to be really good. Today's recipe comes from that period of my life. The cookies have a faint taste of peanut butter but most of their flavor comes from the addition of chocolate chips to the cookie dough. They were originally made made with semi-sweet chocolate chips because nothing else was available. These days, I like to use milk chocolate or a combination of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips when I whip them up. They make a perfect lunchbox cookie and I suspect your family will love these crisp treats. I know you'll like them because they are so easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Crunchy Chocolate-Peanut Stix

                                        My thought for today can be found  here.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While they may not be pretty to look at, I think you'll enjoy this simple confection that tastes a bit like a Twix bar. I found the recipe in the February issue of Family Circle magazine and its simplicity intrigued me. I figured that any recipe that used a combination of milk chocolate, caramel and peanut butter couldn't be half bad, especially when the combination is used to cover a base of salted crackers. I clipped the recipe and finally, in what the Silver Fox calls a Paula Deen moment, got back to it this week. I had no expectations for the recipe, so I was delightfully surprised when my creation turned out well enough to share with you. These are kid cookies that will never make it to a tea tray, but they are perfect for a cookie jar and you'll find that small hands can finish a batch with great dispatch. So, if you tend to the young or young at heart, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how this confection is made.

This week's Weekly Menu is ready for browsing. The Seasonal Menu will be changed this morning. I hope you'll take a peek at both of them.

Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Stix...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
75 rectangular buttery crackers (i.e. Keebler Club)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1-1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups finely crushed honey graham crackers
1-1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:
1) Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving extra on ends for handles. Line bottom of pan with 25-27 butter crackers and set aside.
2) In medium saucepan, melt butter and add in milk, brown sugar and white sugar. Bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs. Simmer, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
3) Pour 1 cup of butter/crumb mixture over cracker layer in pan. Top with another layer of crackers and spread remaining butter/crumb mixture over it. Cover with another layer of crackers.
4) In microwavable bowl, combine milk chocolate and peanut butter chips. Cook on high for 1 minute and stir. Continue to cook in 30 second intervals until chips can be stirred smooth. Pour over top of final cracker layer and spread evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Carefully lift out of pan and place on cutting board, removing foil. Cut into 1 x 4 inch bars with a serrated knife. Yield:6 dozen bars.









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Sweets for the Sweet - Chocolate Mint Fudge

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've just finished making a double batch of this fudge for a holiday bake sale. Candy has proved to be popular at the sales that are held just before Valentine's Day and this recipe is so simple that I was delighted to contribute something, especially when it is so easy to make. This is truly a no-stress confection. There are a boatload of fudge recipes floating through cyberspace. I chose this one because the use of two types of chocolate and peppermint oil or extract make it more interesting than most. I use oil rather than extract in baking because I prefer its more intense flavor, but it is important to know that one can't be substituted for the other in a one-to-one ratio. Peppermint oil is four times stronger than extract and it does not bake off when exposed to oven heat. The oil is available at farmer's markets in my area, but Ive been told it can also be ordered from the King Arthur website. You'll notice that I've used the old-fashioned method for melting chocolate. This again is a personal preference and while I often use the microwave to melt chocolate, I've found there is less chance of it seizing in this recipe when I use a double boiler and take it nice and slow. This recipe was originally developed for Taste of Home magazine and you can their version  here.  If you are looking for something simply scrumptious to prepare for Valentine's Day, you might want to give this recipe a try. Here is how the mint fudge is made.

Chocolate Mint Fudge...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/2 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon butter, divided use
2 cups (12-oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 package (11.5-oz.) milk chocolate chips
1 can (14-oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint oil or 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Line a 10 x 6-inch pan with foil and grease it with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter. Set aside.
2) Melt chocolate chips and reserved 1 tablespoons butter in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and quickly stir in condensed milk and extracts, stirring until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil and cut fudge into 1-inch pieces. Store in refrigerator. Yield: 60 pieces.

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Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What do you have a taste for? Today's adventure started with that simple question. The answer came quickly and was as straightforward as the question. It turns out, he wanted something made with chocolate and peanuts. Peanuts were out, but I knew I could make him something that was more easily digestible yet still peanut flavored. Last year, I made a special dessert from a recipe that I had found in Bon Appetit magazine. It was a layered pudding that contained chocolate, peanut butter and whipped cream. I'd love to tell you, we loved that pudding, but, truth be told, it was simply too rich for our palates. The first bite was delicious, but the pudding quickly became cloying and its creaminess left an unpleasant coating on the tongue. Normally, I would have tossed the recipe, but the taste of that first bite was so extraordinary it convinced me that the pudding was worth saving. I did some experimenting and by eliminating the heavy cream I was able to make something we really liked. Now I must tell you there are folks out there who love the richness of the original dessert. For that reason, the recipe that appears below is an exact copy of the one that appeared in the magazine. I used only milk in the pudding layers I made tonight  and cut way back on the amount of cream I used to top them. I effectively ditched the richness but kept the flavor of the combination we like so much. If you like puddings, I hope you'll give this dessert a try. Here's the original recipe.


Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Pudding

1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy (smooth) natural peanut butter (made with only peanuts and salt)*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Pudding

6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:
1) To make peanut butter pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Slowly add milk and cream. Place pan over medium heat and whisk until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Add peanut butter and boil, whisking often, until mixture thickens again, about 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Place 1/3 cup pudding in each of six 1-cup dessert glasses. Chill while preparing chocolate pudding.
2) To make chocolate pudding: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt in a heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and cream. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Boil until thick, whisking constantly, about 30 seconds. Add chopped chocolate. Boil until chocolate melts and pudding is thick again, whisking often, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Cool pudding 5 minutes. Spoon 1/3 cup chocolate pudding over peanut butter layer in each dessert glass. Chill puddings, uncovered, until cold, at least 2 hours. To keep overnight, cover with plastic wrap.
3) To make whipped cream topping: Whisk cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon topping over pudding and serve.Yield: 6 servings.

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Milk Chocolate and Caramel Mousse Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I received a bottle of a, new to me, liqueur for Christmas this year. It was Bailey's, but this version had hints of caramel added to the base and that gave the familiar liqueur an entirely new taste. To be honest, I had absolutely no idea what to do with it until last night. This obviously is not going to be a sponsored post. Late yesterday, I was asked to step in and make desserts for a pot luck supper. I quickly bounced ideas against the contents of my pantry and refrigerator and came up with the pie I'm featuring today. As it happens Monday, January 23rd is National Pie Day and that special request is going to make me seem a more informed and better blogger than I actually am. I, quite by chance, have a pie for National Pie Day to share with you this year. I've been holding on to a recipe for a mousse-style pie for a while now. It had been published in the Providence Food Examiner and I had never gotten around to testing it. I had to make a few substitutions because I had no white chocolate in the house, but I thought I could create a milk chocolate version that would be as tasty. It is that. The pie is extraordinarily easy to make, though it requires considerable time to set. It contains no gelatin, so I'd advise it be made a day before you plan to serve it. The pie contains uncooked egg whites. If there are any in your home with compromised immune system, you should use pasteurized eggs when you make this. I think those of you who try this recipe will enjoy the pie and the ease with which it comes together. Here's the recipe.


Milk Chocolate and Caramel Mousse Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Donna Diegel of the Providence Food Examiner

Ingredients:
1 chocolate cookie pie crust
Milk Chocolate Mousse:
1-1/3 cups milk chocolate baking chips
1/3 cup Baileys with a Hint of Caramel
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 eggs)
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Sweetened Whipped Cream Topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate curls or cookie crumbs for garnish, optional

Directions:
1) Melt chocolate and Baileys spirits in top of a double boiler set over hot water. Use a spatula to blend well and keep from burning. Remove from heat.
2) Using an electric mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks hold their shape. Set aside.
3) Whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff.
4) Gently fold egg and whipped cream together.
5) With a large spatula, fold milk chocolate into egg white mixture. Do not over mix.
6) Spoon into cooked pie crust and chill while preparing whipped cream topping.
7) To make topping: Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon or pipe onto top of mousse. Decorate with chocolate curls or cookie crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.








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Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake

From the kitchen of OnePerfect Bite...This cake, now known as the Classic Hershey Bar Cake, has been around for a long time and a lot of people have experimented with it. It was developed in the Hershey test kitchens back in the day when chocolate syrup came in a can and had to be opened with a church key. Since then, eager cooks have tried to make it their own by making small changes to the original recipe. I've tried many of them because I like to mix things up a bit and this is the type of cake that travels well, making it perfect for picnics or church suppers. While I won't be talking numbers, I've been to a lot of picnics and church suppers in my day, so I've a good working relationship with this cake and I've made it a lot. It is a sweet cake, actually sweeter than I like, but it is always well-received and disappears before it has a chance to stale. I've come full circle on recipes for making it. I began with the one that came from the Hershey kitchen and that's the one I've finally settled on. This is very easy to make and there is little that can go wrong, save for over-baking it. Milk chocolate cakes have a slightly anemic appearance, so, I like to sprinkle this one confectioners' sugar before serving. It is also lovely when served with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. I think those of you who try the cake will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Milk Chocolate Bundt Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Hershey Test Kitchens

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
6 (1.55 oz. each) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars, melted
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup Hershey's Syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Optional:
Confectioners' sugar
Additional chocolate syrup

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup fluted tube pan.
2) Beat butter in large bowl until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating on medium speed of mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate; beat until blended.
3) Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until blended. Add syrup and vanilla; beat until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4) Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Sift powdered sugar over top and drizzle with chocolate syrup, if desired. 12 to 16 servings.

*Cook's Notes: To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.










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Glazed Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is not tea party fare, but if you picnic or provide snacks for a youth group or school sports team, you might want to add this recipe to your files. These cookies are really easy to make and what they lack in refinement they make up for in taste. The recipe is so straight forward, that I have little to add to the instructions that appear below. I've found the flavor improves if the cookies are made the day before you plan to serve them. They also freeze well if long term storage is your goal. I do have one small caution to share with you. While freezing does not harm their flavor, it will cause the gorgeous glaze to lose its sheen and become cloudy. I hope those of you who have children will give these a try. You won't be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Glazed Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
Cookie Base
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons water
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Glaze
1-1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
1) Grease a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Cream butter, peanut butter and white and brown sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, water and vanilla.
3) Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt in another bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture.
4) Spread in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 18-22 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, combine peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch chips in a microwave bowl. Melt, on HIGH power, stirring until smooth. Pour over warm bars, spreading evenly. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. Yield: 48 bars.







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