Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe makes a better-than-average fudge brownie that's perfect for school lunches or toting to fall meetings. The recipe is straight forward and, happily, is suitable for young cooks to make on their own. The brownies stay soft and chewy for days if they are wrapped and stored in an airtight container. They won't be the prettiest specimens to come from your kitchen, but they are delicious and will add 'creds' to your reputation as a cook. I have one small caution to share with you. The peanut butter swirl that tops the brownies is molten hot, so unless you have a band-aid fetish, don't test for doneness using the tips of your fingers. I speak from bitter experience. The brownies need to cool for an hour before they can be neatly cut. I love peanut butter, so I, of course, am awfully fond of this recipe. I do hope you will give it a try. Here is how the brownies are made.

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 They were originally made made with semi-sweet chocolate chips because nothing else was available.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.

A Crispy Ice Cream Crunch Cake for Kids Large and Small

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love recipes that draw children into the kitchen and involve them in food preparation. Supervision is, of course, necessary, but this dessert - an ice cream cake - can be made by a ten year old. The result is a cake worthy of a minor feast. Aspiring young chefs will need an apron or old clothes, and you'll need lots of paper toweling and a smidgen of patience to pull this off. It's a messy but doable dessert. Their pride when the cake is unmolded is unmistakable. That alone would make it worthwhile, but the cake is actually good. Over the next two weeks, I'll be working on the recreation of prize winning recipes. Some will be mine, some will belong to friends who've taught me grace in defeat. This recipe is an award winner from the Utica Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Festival. Wilma Griffin fashioned a cake that blends crisp rice cereal with chocolate and peanut butter to form a soft crunchy brittle that's worked into ice cream. You wouldn't want to serve this to the queen or your gourmet club, but it's great for any other occasion where family and friends gather to break bread. There are no special ingredients here, but good ice cream and chocolate help this along. You'll want to make this at least 8 hours before serving. Once you've tried this you'll probably want to experiment with other flavors, but here is the basic recipe.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to try these bars for the long holiday weekend. We are heading to the lake and will have in our company some folks who are notoriously late sleepers. I've long since given up the simultaneous preparation of breakfast and lunch. That means our bed heads will be pouring their own juice and grabbing a breakfast pastry while the rest of us are enjoying a hearty soup and sandwich for lunch. I found this recipe on the blog A Few Short Cuts and it looked so simple that I had to give it a try. Those of you who enjoy grab-and-go breakfasts will probably like these oatmeal bars. I must be honest and tell you they are too sweet and cookie-like for my taste, but I realize that my lack of a sweet tooth is not a universal affliction. While the Silver Fox is a bacon and eggs kind of guy, he has given the bars his seal of approval, as long as they are served as a snack rather than breakfast. Purist that I am, I will continue to enjoy my oatmeal as a porridge rather than in bar form, but if you are in the market for a grab-and-go breakfast, you might want to give these a try. Here is how they're made.

Child's Play - Peanut Butter Pancakes or Waffles with Honey Butter

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'll wager you didn't know that I have super powers. I can see some of you recoiling at the thought of peanut butter pancakes or waffles. I hope you'll man-up and give them a try despite your initial hesitation. The original recipe came from the Land O' Lakes collection, and this, like all the recipes they publish, has been carefully tested and makes delicious fail-proof pancakes and waffles. The recipe is simple enough for the kids to make by themselves, but they may need some supervision the first time they attempt them. It's important to incorporate the peanut butter into the other liquid ingredients, and that is most easily done by softening the peanut butter, which can be smooth or chunky, in a microwave until it can be easily stirred or melts into the other ingredients. Once that's mastered, they can be left on their own. I'm including the honey butter that was included in the original recipe, but there are other options. My gang happen to be peanut butter purists, so, rather than honey butter or maple syrup, they drizzle melted grape jelly over their pancakes, which they call PBAJP's. Now, I realize this is not a recipe for the masses, but if you are a mom or grandmother with young children who enjoy working in the kitchen, I hope you let them give this recipe a try. If they like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, they love the pancakes and have fun making them. Here is how they are made.

Refried Bean Dip

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Each year, I make it a point to share a new recipe  for Super Bowl Sunday. This year I'm featuring an effortless dip that some call Mexican hummus. I suspect that name upsets those who live south of the border nearly as much as it disturbs those living in the Mediterranean. I've decided to be diplomatic and call my creation a bean dip. While I primarily use it as a dip for tortilla chips, I've found it also makes a wonderfully flavorful base for sandwich wraps. This is a true pantry creation and the only effort expended in its preparation is the opening of jars and cans. If you have five minutes and a can opener, you can make a quick snack that is great for movie night or game day viewing. I use a teaspoon of smoked paprika when I make this, and Siracha is my hot sauce of choice because I like the vinegarless heat it provides. I hope you'll give this dip a try. Here is how it's made.

Frugal Foodie Friday - Curried Tomato and Peanut Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Summer refuses to let go. The Silver Fox and I are in a 10,000 step program and we were out the door shortly after first light this morning. The thermometer outside the door read 47 degrees F, and I mean to tell you it was chilly. The Fox is not a morning talker, so as we walk I usually ward off boredom with thoughts of meal planning or the mental creation of recipes that I hope will wow my immediate world. Under the circumstances, soup seemed like a pretty good bet for lunch or dinner today. I'm still no where near ready for the heavy soups and stews of winter, but I am entertaining thoughts about their lighter cousins and decided to make a pantry soup for our lunch. The original version of this soup comes from Epicurious.com, and while I've made changes to it over the years, it still remains their soup and it's one worth sharing. While it is inexpensive to make and easy to prepare, the best thing about the recipe is that it makes a delicious soup in a quantity that's perfect for a small family. One spoonful of this lovely curried soup will forever spoil you and you'll never look at canned soup in the same way again. I've cut back on the amount of liquid used in its preparation, so it is thicker than the original version. If you prefer a thinner broth use more chicken or vegetable stock to get the consistency you want. The recipe calls for Madras curry powder which usually is quite hot and spicy. If the curry powder you use is a milder variety, you might want to add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some pepper flakes to pep up the flavor of your soup. If you want to use the soup as a main course, add a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas to the pot and just heat them through. I do hope you'll give this Frugal Friday feature a try. It takes 15 minutes to prepare and costs less than $5 to make. Chances are you have all the ingredients you need to make the soup in your pantry and that saves you a trip to the store. It is perfect for these cusp days of early fall. By the time we were ready for lunch, the thermostat had climbed to 88 degrees and I was really grateful for the satisfying lightness of this very special tomato soup. Here is how it is made.

Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm trying to work my way through opened pantry stores in anticipation of our upcoming move. I had a partially used jar of peanut butter and a half bag of chips that I wanted to finish up before the big day arrives, and these bar cookies, an adaption of a recipe I found on Smitten Kitchen, seemed the perfect way to utilize them. The recipe is straight forward and I think you'll find the bars quite easy to make. One bite of them will send those who love peanut butter to the Valhalla of the goober world. I do hope you'll give this homely treat a try. Here is how the bars are made.

Family-Style Sweet and Salty Peanut Buttter Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a real weakness for desserts that are made with peanut butter, so, when this gem appeared in Food and Wine magazine I knew it was only a matter of time before it graced my table. I made the pie for my family today and it was so good that, despite having made it just this once, I'm comfortable sharing it with you tonight. If you like peanut butter and are occasionally willing to flirt with wretched excess, you are going to love this pie. I must admit that necessity forced me to use whipped topping rather than heavy cream as an ingredient, but the pie was delicious nonetheless. If you want clean slices, I suggest you freeze the pie for an hour or so before you cut it. Once it is cut, it can be refrigerated until you are ready to serve it. If appearances are not important to you, give everyone a spoon and let them dig in. This is a very informal dessert, so it is best kept for family and close friends who no longer need to be impressed. I do hope you'll try this. I suspect it will be a case of "once bitten". Here is how the pie is made.

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
8 ounces peanut butter sandwich cookies, such as Nutter Butters
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1-3/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse cookies with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until finely ground. Scrape cookies into a 9-inch pie plate. Stir in melted butter, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until crumbs have texture of wet sand; you may not need to use all of the butter. Using your fingers, press crumbs evenly over bottom and up the side of pie plate. Freeze crust for 15 minutes.
2) Bake crust for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool on a rack.
3) In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter with cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix until thoroughly blended.
4) In another bowl, whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream until stiff. Whisk whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Spread peanut butter filling in crust in an even layer. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
5) In same whipped-cream bowl, whip remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar with vanilla until stiff. Spread whipped cream over pie. Sprinkle pie with chopped peanuts, cut into slices and serve. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Sweet Potato Bread with Streusel

Two Years Ago Today: Banana and Carrot Muffins

Three Years Ago Today: Toasted Coconut Bread

Four Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Cake

Reese's-Like Peanut Butter Bars - A No-Bake Treat

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope at least a few of you share my enjoyment of chocolate and peanut butter desserts. The pairing in this candy-like confection makes me positively giddy and whenever these bars are around my resolve, which can be impressive, simply crumbles. I suspect you already have this recipe in your files, but I stumbled on it only a year ago and it has become my favorite go-to treat whenever I have the urge for something ridiculously sweet and truly terrible for me. I am in transit today and have some ridiculous layovers, so, my urges will definitely be met. Carrot sticks will simply not do it for me. The version I'm sharing today is all over the blogosphere, so, I had a really hard time determining whom to credit for the original creation of the bars. I ended up using date of entry as my guide and am, therefore,  crediting them to Food.com because they published the earliest version I was able to find. Truth be told, I have no idea who first developed the recipe, but God should have a special spot in heaven for them, whoever they may be. Without further ado, here is the recipe for the world's finest no-bake peanut butter treat. Enjoy!

Reese's-Like Peanut Butter Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 pound confectioners' sugar (3 to 3 1/2 cups)
1-1/2 cups + 2 teaspoons peanut butter, divided use
1 cup butter, melted
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet,bittersweet or combination)

Directions:
1) Line a 9 x 13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough to hang over sides for lifting. Mist foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) Combine graham crumbs, sugar and 1-1/2 cups peanut butter in a large bowl and mix well. Blend in melted butter until well combined. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
3) Combine 2 teaspoons peanut butter and chocolate chips in top of a double boiler or in a microwave bowl. Melt and stir together. Spread over peanut butter mixture.
4) Chill until just set. Use foil handles to lift from pan. Cut into bars (these are very hard to cut if the chocolate gets "rock hard". Yield: 36 bars









One Year Ago Today: Not Your Mama's Macaroni Salad
















Two Years Ago Today: Linguine with Snow Peas, Cucumbers and Peanuts
















Three Years Ago Today: The Last Best Egg Cream in New Jersey

















Four Years Ago Today: Very Berry Lemon and Blueberry Sweet Bread

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puddin' Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful family treat. We don't have it often because it is so rich and calorie laden, but my gang really enjoys it when I make it for them. I originally found the recipe for the pie in Saveur magazine. While I've made changes to it over time, the base recipe is still theirs. I no longer use the pie crust that was part of the original recipe because I found it to be tough. This sometimes happens   with an all-butter crust. Butter crusts tend to be crisper and less tender than ones made with a mixture of butter and shortening. Shortening is 100% fat, while butter consists of  20% water and 80% fat. The higher amount of fat in shortening results in a more tender crust because fat tenderizes by coating flour particles so that gluten can't form, and by trapping air between flour molecules to give the crust a layering or flakey effect. This really is not a difficult dessert to make, especially if you use  a commercially prepared crust as a starter. This dessert is so rich that you'll never miss the  butter crust.The filling is a peanut butter mousse that is topped with a chocolate pudding. It's probably best that we not speak of the whipped cream topping as it  could cost me my reputation for nutritional awareness. Obviously, the cream could be replaced with a whipped topping, but if you're going to make something so awfully wonderful it doesn't pay to stint. Have a small piece less often and enjoy it. If you love the chocolate and peanut butter you will really enjoy this pie. Here is how it is made. 

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puddin' Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
Crust
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Topping
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
1) Mix flour, salt and sugar in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse corn meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 4 more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of a rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into ball with your hands, then flatten into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour before rolling.
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges, prick with a fork. Cover with parchment; fill with dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans and bake until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool.
3) To make topping: Whisk together cream, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to stiff peaks. Set aside.
4) Place peanut butter and chocolate in separate bowls. In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together 1/2 teaspoon salt, brown sugar, cornstarch, yolks, and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cooking until custard thickens, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Mixture will be lumpy. Strain through a sieve, and divide custard evenly between peanut butter and chocolate, whisking each mixture until smooth. Fold half of whipped cream into peanut butter, then spread evenly in pie crust and chill for 20 minutes. Spread chocolate over top and chill until set, at least 45 minutes. Spread remaining whipped cream over pie. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Two Years Ago Today: Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Three Years Ago Today: Magyar Gulyas

Triple-Peanut Peanut Butter Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If I still packed lunchboxes, or their brown bag alternative, I guarantee you'd find this confection carefully wrapped and tucked between the sandwiches and fruit of our standard box lunch fare. There are a score of recipes for this triple-peanut cookie, and, over the years, I think I've tried every single one of them. I love peanut butter cookies and I stumbled on this kid-friendly version last year. It immediately became a favorite in my kitchen. The recipe was developed by Kate Ramos and I found it the CHOW website. The cookie is less sweet than most and I love its texture and intense peanut flavor. While the cookie has crisp edges, the center remains soft and chewy and is perfect with a glass of milk. These cookies are very easy to make, but you'll have to keep an eye on them as they bake. They'll probably need more time than is suggested in the recipe. I baked mine in a conventional oven on half-sheet pans and they needed 15 to 18 minutes to set. One of these days, hopefully before my 80th birthday, I'll get real cookie sheets and be able to see what happens when cookies are baked on a thin metal surface. Till then, vigilance will remain my watchword. I know those of you who try these cookies will love them. They are easy to make and they'll disappear long before they can stale. They would be a lovely treat for the first day of school. Here's how they are made.

Triple-Peanut Peanut Butter Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kate Ramos via CHOW

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 tablespoon sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
1) Adjust a rack to middle third of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3) Combine butter and sugars in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add peanuts and peanut butter chips, and mix on low, just until incorporated.
4) Scoop dough into heaping tablespoon-sized balls and drop about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until brown on the edges but soft in middle. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Yield: 48 cookies.

One Year Ago Today: Savory Monkey Bread

Two Years Ago Today: Sweet Raspberry Tea

Three Years Ago Today: Uptown Hoe Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Crispy No-Bake Corn Flake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If your cookie monsters like rice krispies treats, I suspect they'll really enjoy these simple no-bake cookie bars. Corn flakes add texture and audible crunch to this confection that is made with a near-perfect pairing of peanut butter and chocolate. I found the recipe on Serious Eats and it was developed by Yvonne Ruperti, who blogs at Shophousecook. This treat, actually more like a confection than a cookie, is almost effortless to make, and the batch quickly disappeared from my kitchen, where anything made with the peanut butter and chocolate combo never has a chance to stale. Kids will love these, and those over ten can actually make them for themselves -  if you can stand the mess they are sure to make as they assemble and eat them. Kids of all ages love these, so, if you are young at heart, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here's how the cookies are made.

Crispy No-Bake Corn Flake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Yvonne Ruperti and Serious Eats: Recipes

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
Pinch salt
4 cups corn flakes, lightly crushed
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped, divided use
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
1) Line a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with foil. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and salt and continue to cook, stirring, until melted and smooth.
2) Stir in corn flakes, 1/4 cup peanuts, and vanilla until just combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth top.
3) In heatproof bowl over pan of barely simmering water (or in microwave), heat chocolate until just melted. Spread over top. Sprinkle with remaining chopped peanuts. Chill until firm, about 2 hours. Remove from pan and cut into 2-inch squares. Yield: 16 squares.

One Year Ago Today: Crispy Oven-Baked Parmesan Fish Fillets  with Homemade Tartar Sauce

Two Years Ago Today: Lavender Cheesecake Squares

Three Years Ago Today: Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Spread

Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut and Milk Chocolate Morsels

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm afraid my grandson's aren't fans of the European-style cookies I usually feature here, so it behooved this grandma to get with the program and make something that's worthy of the cookie jar this summer. Longtime readers of my blog know that back in the day my family had a cookie jar we called Alonso. He was named after a pig who achieved some attention in the 40's because he was included in a verse much like the one that featured the Purple Cow.  At any rate, when Alonso was empty my mother would declare that it was time to feed the pig and he would be stuffed again.  The need to feed the proverbial pig led me  to the library in search of kid-friendly cookie recipes. I did some poking around and found the recipe for these peanut butter cookies in the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.  This is a sweet and very interesting cookie. The cookies have  crisp edges,  but a soft, almost cake-like interior that's given some texture by the nuts and morsels that are folded into the dough. While the cookie is too sweet for my taste, the Silver Fox and the neighborhood cookie monsters have assured me that these will be perfect for the grandchildren, so space was made for them in my luggage and a batch of them made the trip east with us. Those of you who have a demanding sweet tooth will really enjoy these cookies. I hope you'll give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut and Milk Chocolate Morsels...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter morsels ( peanut butter chips)
1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup sugar ( approximately, for rolling)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3) In a large bowl, beat butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy.
4) Add both types of sugar and beat until smooth. Add egg, milk and vanilla extract and mix well. Add flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in peanut butter and milk chocolate morsels. Stir in peanuts.
5) Refrigerate dough for 10-20 minutes. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into a bowl of granulated sugar.
6) Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, at least two inches apart. Using a fork, lightly indent with a criss-cross pattern (do not over flatten).
7) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone but they will continue to bake after removed from oven.
8) Cool cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

One Year Ago Today: Chocolate-Caramel Crunch Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Three Years Ago Today: Ice Cream Crunch Cake

Peanut Butter Blondies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I fall back on this recipe whenever I have a crowd to feed. This is a great substitute for a sheet cake and when you are asked to bring a dessert to a church picnic or similar event, you might want to keep these blondies in mind. They come together quickly and, in the relative scheme of things, they are inexpensive to make. I prefer to use butter in my baked goods, but, I've found through trial and error, that the texture of these bars is better when they are made with shortening. So, shortening, plain or butter-flavored, it is. I have one caution to share with you should you decide to make these. It is easy to over-bake the bars, so watch them carefully, starting at the 25 minute mark. You want them to be chewy, not crunchy. While ovens vary, my bars are usually done in 27 minutes. Be sure to frost the blondies. It may seem unnecessary, but the frosting adds another layer of flavor to the bars and helps to keep them moist and fresh. While the bars lack finesse, they are delicious and they are perfect for down-home type events. I found the recipe in Family Circle magazine and you can find their version of the recipe, here. If you take these to an event, I'd like to suggest you clearly label them, so those who have peanut allergies are not surprised. I know that those of you who try these bars will like them. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter Blondies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:

Peanut Butter Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

Frosting

1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup hot water

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 13 x 9-inch baking pans with cooking spray.
2) In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, beat shortening, peanut butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs; beat 3 minutes more. Add vanilla.
4) On low speed, beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the peanuts.
5) Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool slightly.
6) Frosting: Beat confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, shortening, salt, and vanilla. Add hot water, a little at a time Beat until smooth. Spread over blondies while still warm. Yield: 48 bar cookies.










One Year Ago Today: Country Ribs with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce
















Two Years Ago Today: Sugar Snap Peas with Fresh Mint Oil
















Three Years Ago Today: Coleslaw with Creamy Buttermilk Dressing

Adult PB and J's - Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These bar cookies are meant for adults who are embarrassed to be seen eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I think those of you who harbor pleasant memories of brown bag lunches and school cafeterias will enjoy them. They really do taste like PB and J's. I found the recipe in the summer issue of the Better Homes and Gardens Recipe.com publication. They credit The Food Channel for the recipe. I took it a step further and found that the recipe was developed by Ina Garten. I paged through the reviews of this recipe, which you can find here, and found that the bars were not universally liked. It seems that some folks found the cookies to be dry and impossibly crumbly. I can't speak to what their problems might have been, but I can tell you we enjoyed the cookies and I would make them again. Because the bars are expensive to make, I want to share some tips with you. The measurement of flour can be tricky because of the way we scoop it. In a perfect world, we'd all weigh our flour and results would be consistent from one kitchen to another. That's not going to happen any time soon, so, I wanted to let those of you who decide to make these know how I measured mine. I have for years been a fluff, spoon and level gal and I suspect the quantity of flour that I use is a smidge less then that used by those who fluff and scoop. That distinction can sometimes be important and probably explains why some folks ended up with dry and crumbly cookie bars. It is equally important to let these sit for at least an hour before you cut them. This is the type of cookie that improves with age, so I made mine the day before I cut and served them. Our bars were very moist and we really enjoyed them. These are not an everyday cookie and while they will never replace their chocolate chip or peanut butter cousins, they are a great occasional treat. Due to the richness of the cookie, I cut mine into a smaller pieces than recommended in the recipe. Here's how they are made.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
8 ounces unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature (2 sticks)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups peanut butter
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (16 ounce) jar strawberry or raspberry preserves
3/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
2) Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth; add sugar gradually until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter until combined.
3) Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix until just combined.
4) Spread 2/3 of the dough mixture into prepared pan; spread evenly with strawberry preserves and top with dollops of remaining dough.
5) Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.
6) Place baking pan on wire rack to cool for about an hour. Cut into 12 even squares.









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Chocolate and Peanut Butter Snack Cake and the WNBR Protest

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Today was a truly bizarre, died and gone to heaven kind of day. The Silver Fox and I had planned to pick strawberries at a local farm, but heavy rain last evening had battered the crop so badly that it made no sense to slog through muddy fields for badly bruised berries. Unfortunately, that conclusion was reached in the middle of a field where we stood knee deep in mud. Having determined that berry picking would have to be postponed for another week, we decided to drive through the Lorane Valley, which is beautiful at this time of year. We had a late, but lovely, lunch at King Estates and started home. That's when things got really strange. Now, the Fox and I live in a community that fosters free spirits and cherishes individuality. Demonstrations are commonplace here and it takes a lot to raise eyebrows. We encountered a demonstration as we headed home that would have raised my eyebrows to my hairline had I not been laughing so hard. We got caught in a traffic jam caused by the World Naked Bike Ride protest, which,while new to me, apparently is a yearly event here. And yes, most of them, about a hundred strong, were buck naked except for the helmets on their heads. These modern day Godivas ride naked through the street to remind drivers that cyclists are vulnerable when sharing the road with automobiles. Noble, huh? Local police are not particularly concerned with the annual WNBR protest because the group is peaceful and law abiding and there are certainly no concealed weapons to arouse concern. Photos of the event from prior years can be seen, here. We Oregonians are a peaceful lot, though we tend to view laws as suggestions rather than fiat, so, if ever you have the urge to ride your bike au natural, join us for the convention next year. Pack a fig leaf and I might even feed you.

I had planned to make strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight, but had no berries to work with. I decided to try a recipe that I had found in Bon Appetit magazine. It combines a dense chocolate cake with a peanut butter buttercream frosting. The combination is hard to beat and the cake did not disappoint. The cake layer is very similar to the Wacky Cake of WWII, but the buttercream, an Italian meringue, is in a class of deliciousness that is all its own. I urge you try this when you have some time. You won't be sorry. Here's how it is made.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Snack Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Charlotte Druckman via Bon Appetit magazine 

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (3-1/2 ounces)

Peanut Butter Buttercream

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup egg whites (from about 2 large eggs)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Kosher salt

Topping

1/4 cup chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (about 1 3/4 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan with nonstick spray; line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
2) To make cake: Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add oil, vanilla, and 1-1/4 cups water; whisk until smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, 35–40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
3) To make peanut butter buttercream: Combine sugar and egg whites in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot to the touch, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat; using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until cool and thick, 5–6 minutes. Beat in vanilla, then peanut butter. With mixer running, add butter a few pieces at a time, beating to blend between additions. Season with salt.
4) To finish: Run a thin knife around pan to release cake. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Spread peanut butter buttercream over top. Garnish with chopped chocolate and peanuts. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Cut into 2-inch squares. Yield: 16 servings.







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