Baking Bonanza.

Today, I was off work and instead of the nap that I had been fantasizing about all day, I went on foodgawker.com..like Pinterest, but ONLY food. That changed my plans a bit. So, I went to Wal-Mart and am now experiencing a food frenzy. I just finished making my first masterpiece which are Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies, and put it in the oven. Nom nom nom. Eight minutes left. Here's the recipe:

Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients(Makes 14 cookies):

• 1 cup no-stir peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 King size Reese’s peanut butter cups mini unwrapped

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine in a large bowl the peanut butter, egg, sugar, baking soda and vanilla and mix.
3. Add and fold in the mini Reese’s.
4. Roll the dough into balls about an inch in diameter in between your hands and place them on a non-stick baking tray.
5. Press down lightly on the dough in a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before moving them or otherwise they will break apart.

[SOURCE: http://www.thewannabechef.net/2012/09/26/reeses-mini-peanut-butter-cookies/]


This is what they're supposed to look like. We'll see how mine did in exactly...SIX minutes.

 

[Six Minutes Later]

 

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

 

Blogger won't let me add the picture, but they look pretty darn close to the original picture! Use your imagination. Now, I have to let them cool before I can try one.

 

 

Now, for Project #2: York Peppermint Patty Cookies

Mmmmm. You're just gonna die when you see the picture:

 

NOM NOM NOM. You see, that was very similar to my previous Nom Nom Nom, but it was bold and capatilized. That makes it way nomier more significant. Just saying.

Anyways, recipe time: 

York Peppermint Patty Fudge Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

• 1 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used 2 Ghirardelli bars)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 snack size York Peppermint Patties, chopped

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Continue to melt in 30 second increments until fully melted and smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
With an electric or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Beat in the sugars, scraping down the sides every 10 seconds or so. The mixture will be granular. Mix in the beaten egg/vanilla until incorporated. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients on slow speed. Fold in the chocolate chips. Do not overmix at any point in this process. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop about 2 Tbsp of dough and roll into a ball. Press a few pieces of peppermint patties on the tops of each cookie ball. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies have just begun to set with the centers still appearing very soft. They will firm up as they cool.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
[SOURCE: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/09/23/york-peppermint-patty-fudge-cookies/]

WONDERFUL. Baking is delightful.

Maybe if you're lucky enough, you'll get something tomorrow at school? ;)