Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last year, I made a post about Chocolate Chip cookies. It was the ultimate no-fail cookie recipe. It was perfect and I then began to experiment. I created instead, Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies! Yum! These are the perfect blend of flavors and I am obsessed! I need to be careful not to consume too many. I lost 15 lbs in the last year and I'd like to keep it that way. So, these will be made to give out, not for me to consume! Trust me, this is a HUGE sacrifice! But if you're willing to just dive in... be my guest!

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c rolled oats, ground

1 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon, plus more for dusting

1/4 c butter, softened

1/4 c oil

1/2 c sugar

1/3 c brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c peanut butter, creamy

1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Dust with cinnamon. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Cupcakes

When there are 3 birthdays in one weekend, what do you do? You make cupcakes! And then you evenly distribute them amongst all 3 birthday friends! I tried to modify this and make it as healthy as I can. Hope you enjoy!

Fluffy Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter)

2 1/4 c flour

1 c cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 c firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 large eggs

1 1/2 c yogurt (regular or chocolate flavored!)

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease 12 cup muffin pan, dust with flour, and tap out the excess.

Sift 2 1/4 c flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another large bowl, beat 3/4 c butter on med. speed until creamy. Add brown sugar and continue beating for 1 min. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Mixture will look slightly grainy. Beat in sour cream, then add flour mixture in 3 batches. Mixture will be thick. Divide evenly and pour batter in muffin tins. May take a couple batches.

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes. Frost when cooled completely.

Caramel S'more Rolls

I made these up last night. Heaven. That's all I have to say....


Ok, maybe I'll explain a little bit more. Its basically a s'more inside of a pastry drizzled with caramel and powdered sugar. It doesn't get any better than that. Yum!

2 pkgs (8 ct) pillsbury crescent rolls
1 jar marshmallow cream
1 cup chocolate chips
cinnamon (for taste)
cinnamon sugar (for dusting)
caramel (for drizzling)
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray to prevent rolls from sticking. lay rolls flat on cookie sheet. Near the larger end of the roll, scoop 1 tbsp marshmallow cream for each roll. Dust with cinnamon and then add a tbsp of chocolate chips. Roll up so that no filling will come out while in the oven. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes and place on a platter. drizzle with caramel and dust with powdered sugar.

YUMMY!

Some of my favorites

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
(serves 2)
1 c pancake mix 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c cold water 1/4 tsp ground cloves (or ground ginger)
1/3 c canned pumpkin

Intructions: In a medium bowl, whisk pancake mix, water, pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves (or ginger), til blended.
In a pan, cook 2 minutes on each side.
Serve.

Fettucine Alfredo
(serves 4- 6)
1 1/2 c heavy (double) cream 5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 c Parmesean Cheese 1 lb fettuccine
salt & pepper freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions: Boil large pot of water. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, over high heat, bring cream & butter to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer 1 minute. Add 1/2 c of grated parmesean and whisk over low heat until smooth, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper to taste and a generous pinch of nutmeg.Salt the boiling water, add pasta, cook until al dente. Drain well. Put pasta in large warmed bowl. Pour on sauce and add 1/2 c of the cheese. Toss well. Serve immediately.

Cream Cheese Dip

8 oz Cream Cheese 1 stick softened butter
1/4 tsp vanilla 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup powered sugar

Instructions: Beat cream cheese, butter, & vanilla until fluffy. Beat in brown sugar & powdered sugar.

*Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Dip: Follow recipe as is and add 3/4 c chocolate chips. Serve and dip with graham crackers.

*Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip: Follow Recipe as is and add 1/4c more powdered sugar, 1/4 c pumpkin butter, & 1/2 c canned pumpkin. Serve with apples.

Frosting (sugar cookie)

2 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp milk

Instructions: mix. spread over sugar cookies.
*sprinkle quickly after frosting cookies because its hardens quickly