Chunky Monkey Oatmeal Cookies

Coffee is pretty important to me.  It is part of my day.  Part of my daily routine I would say.  Every day before work you can usually find me either going through the drive-thru at Starbucks (if I'm running late) or stopping on Main St. in my lovely town at a delightful little coffee shop called, Brewbakers Cafe.  It is here at Brewbakers Cafe that I found inspiration to make these cookies. Not only do I worship the coffee served at this establishment but also the wonderful muffins that are baked fresh every morning right there in their tiny little kitchen. Such flavors as Raspberry Mango, Four Berry and Pineapple Apple are just some of the muffins that are sold at BC.  On Saturdays Chunky Monkey Muffins are available for my eating pleasure.  Yet another reason for me to live for Saturdays! Bananas, chocolate and pecans all together for breakfast in the form of a muffin....goodness is that just simple yumminess. So good!

If all three flavors could be in a muffin than why not exist in a cookie?  Sure enough after a little browsing through the internet (Pinterest to be exact) I came upon the perfect recipe for such cookies.  Hooray! One of the best parts of this cookie recipe is that it has oatmeal in it! I love adding rolled oats to my cookies as it gives the cookies a hearty and healthier appeal. 

I loved this recipe.  I had to share!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (and my family).

Oatmeal Chunky Monkey Cookies

(recipe found on Martha Stewart's site)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (1 medium/large banana)

1 cup rolled oats

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut coarsely chopped into 1/4 inch chunks (I used Nestle semisweet chunks)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Whisk together flours, salt and baking soda in a small bowl - set aside. 

3. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract - mix until combined.  Add in mashed banana and then flour mixture - just until combined.  Stir in oats, chocolate chunks and nuts.

4. Drop cookie batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Allow 2 inches between each cookie scoop.  Bake for 12-13 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing.  Then grab a glass of milk and enjoy!

Happy Chunky Monkey Cookie Baking!

Fluffernutter Blondies (for the Secret Recipe Club)

I have a delightful treat of a recipe for you today! Yum, yum, YUM....Fluffernutter Blondies.  I found this recipe on the blog, The Spiffy Cookie that was assigned to me this month through the Secret Recipe Club. Definitely a recipe to make for those that you love, that you adore, that you know REAL well and even those that you may just know by name.  You will make ALL of them happy with these blondies (except those that are allergic to peanut butter as there is indeed PB in them as predicted by the name of these treats).  When you bite into one of these bars you will take a double take to the treat in your hand as you will think you just took a bite of a fluffernutter sandwich.  The taste of peanut butter and fluff melts in your mouth as you enjoy

The owner of The Spiffy Cookie, Erin is just adorable!  She is a graduate student that just adores to cook and bake - hmmm, sounds like someone else I know! Erin has worked hard on filling her blog with lots and lots of recipes.  Definitely take a moment to hop over to blog to check out her recipes. Also be sure to keep your eyes open for the gorgeous pottery in some of her pictures as SHE is one that has made them! Erin is an all around talented

gal. :-)

Fluffernutter Blondies

(recipe from The Spiffy Cookie)

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened + 2 Tbsp for melting

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 cup flour

1/4 + 1/3 cup peanut butter, divided

1/2 cup marshmallow creme (otherwise known as, fluff)

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 pan (I used a 9x9 pan with success) - set pan aside.

2. Cream together 8 Tbsp butter, white and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in eggs and vanilla extract - mix to combine. Add in salt and flour - again mix until incorporated. Next add in 1/4 cup peanut butter.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. In a small sauce pan add in the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter, 1/3 cup peanut butter and marshmallow creme.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly as it melts until it is smooth.  Drizzle this lovely mixture over the batter in the prepared pan.

5. With a knife swirl the peanut butter/fluff melted mixture into the blondie batter.  Lastly, sprinkle the white chocolate chips over the top.

Pop pan into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (23 minutes was just right for my blondies). Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Yum!  Enjoy!

Happy Fluffernutter Blondies Baking!

DEEP Dish Cookie Pizza

Pizza is so good.  In our house we have it at least once a week...sometimes twice in a good week. So yes, I have special place in my heart (or should I say tummy?) for pizza.  And as you all know very well by now I have a very special place in my soul for sweet baked treats.  Combine the two together and you have a SWEET pizza pie....HEAVEN.  A DEEP Dish Cookie Pizza - there is nothing wrong with that!  Yup, a lovely sugar cookie crust which is topped with a sweetened cream cheese frosting and fresh colorful fruit for the very top = a cookie pizza.

Not only does this recipe feed a crowd but it is a dessert that is fun.  Kiddos LOVE it and so do the grown-ups. A crowd pleaser of a dessert! :-)

DEEP Dish Cookie Pizza

(recipe from the Pioneer Woman - I am waiting on pins and needles for her NEW cookbook to show up on my front door!! Can't wait!!)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups shortening (butter can be substituted...which is what I used - unsalted)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

8 tsp whole milk (I used 2%)

4 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

*2 jars (13 oz. each) marshmallow creme (I only used 1 jar)

*2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese - at room temperature (I only used 1 package)

A variety of FRESH fruit of your choice - berries, kiwi, pears, peaches, bananas

Directions:

1. Cream together shortening (or butter) with sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract for a couple of minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.   Add in eggs and beat again until light and fluffy.  Add in milk and mix.

2. Sift together dry ingredients - flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. 

3. Remove cookie dough from bowl and slightly flatten between two sheets of waxed paper.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.

4. Press dough into cookie sheet that has a 2" deep rim. Or you can divide dough into 2 pieces and roll out into large circles and place in a pizza pan (I used one cookie sheet).

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookie dough is cooked and is lightly browned but not overly crisp.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

6. Make frosting while cookie sheet cools. *Combine marshmallow creme and softened cream cheese - beat until light and fluffy. I only used 1 jar of marshmallow creme and 1 package of cream cheese for my frosting - which gave me plenty to cover my cookie crust with some left over.

7. Spread frosting over cookie crust and then generously decorate with sliced fruit of your choice.  Slice into wedges or squares.

Enjoy!

Happy DEEP Dish Cookie Pizza Baking!