chocolate chips

Reese’s Cup Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookie Pie

July 18, 2014

I’ve been in a cooking funk.

I’m currently in a ‘nope don’t wanna cook anything’ phase. Basically, all I make anymore is pies. And that is just to have something to post on Fridays. I guess I could post about making Bacon Egg and Cheese sandwiches since I’m a rock star at at making them. But I should be since that is about all I’ve been making lately- breakfast sandwiches, bowls of cereal, and making calls for take out.

Shouldn’t I be super inspired to make some great meals now since some much is in season and we love summer time grilling? It be great for some BBQ chicken breasts with some grilled veggies. Or some of these pork kabobs? What about a juicy steak? Or skip the grill and at least make a great fresh salad, no?

But truthfully, we’re beat. Autumn hasn’t been sleeping that well. Thanks teething. And whatever else is going on. Blah.

And I recently got a Fitbit Flex so I’m all about walking while it’s still nice (I shudder thinking about winter already) and before Autumn’s bedtime so getting out of the house for a 2 1/2- 3 1/2 mile walk at night it my top priority. It’s sooo nice to be able to get out to stretch our legs. But it just means something has to give and that has been making a real dinner.

At least all that walking has helped balance things out when I shovel mouthfuls of warm ooey gooey pie into my mouth. RIGHT?!? That’s what I figure when I walk over 15,000-18,000 steps in a day.

When I was taking photos of this pie in front of our house (best lighting) my neighbor started to say hi and ask what I was doing. He doesn’t know English that well, so instead of trying to explain what blogging is to him I told him to go back inside and get a plate. He then came over with this plate and I slapped a piece of warm pie right on it. I think his eyes bugged out of his head a bit when he really saw this baby.

And then a guy driving by in a truck slowed down and stopped saying “You taking a picture of a pie?” I shouted back “Yep!” He still looked a bit confused but went with it “Okay…” and then drove on.

That’s right, this pie is attention getting!!

How could anyone ignore this Reese’s Cup Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookie Pie?!?! I mean, come on, a peanut butter cookie crust, chocolate chips, Reese’s Cups, and mini marshmallows. Ridiculous.

The crust is easy to make but if you find a roll of refrigerated peanut butter cookies at your grocery store then feel free to give that a try. Then it’s all about raiding the candy aisle and dumping that into this pie. The candy make the filling ooey gooey so just accept some sloppy slices, but it’s worth the mess. I swear.

Reese’s Cup Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cookie Pie

Make a 9″ deep dish pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

1/2 cup of unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup smooth creamy butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups self rising flour

For the Filling

1/2 cup chocolate chips
12 Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 to 2 cups of mini marshmallows

Process

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a deep dish pie plate by spraying with non stick cooking spray.
To make the crust, cream together the butter and brown sugar together. Add the peanut butter, egg, and flour and mix to thoroughly combined. Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom and up sides of the pie plate. Place the remaining dough into the refrigerator. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until it’s just starting to set up.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the semi-cooked bottom. Place the peanut butter cups over the chocolate chips. Lastly, sprinkle the marshmallows over the top.
Roll out chunks of dough to create 1″ round balls of remaining dough into the palm of your hand, press to create a 1/4″ thick disk. Create the top crust by placing the pieces on top of the marshmallows (pieces can overlap).
Bake for an additional 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. The center of the pie will still be very jiggly as the filling should be very gooey.
Cool for at least 30 minutes for the perfect piece to come out. Serve warm.

Crust adapted from I am a Honey Bee, filling from Oh Sweet Basil

Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

May 16, 2014

Oh, what a week it has been!

Our poor pup starting throwing up on Monday night and has been sick since. We had hoped his stomach issues would clear up on their own but no luck. As Price was hand feeding him rice on Wednesday night we decided he would go to the vet as soon as the opened on Thursday morning. So Kemper spent the day at the vet getting tests run to figure out what was wrong with him. Thankfully, he tested negative for giardia but he definitely has a stomach bug.

I’m hoping that his pill, powder for his food, and his prescription food help him feel better quickly. Especially since I stepped in some poo this morning before I put the lights on. It’s not like him to have accidents so I know he is sick so I can’t get mad but man, what a way to start a Friday morning.

But it’s Friday, so that means it’s time for pie!!!

I had been thinking of making a pie with a pretzel crust for a bit now. I’ve done the graham cracker crust. And the chocolate cookie crust. So I wanted to try something different and I just love the sweet and salty combo of things.

This Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie will leave you weak in the knees. It’s really rich. It’s the perfect triple threat of pretzels, peanut butter, and chocolate.

I highly recommend pulling out your food processor to make this crust. I’m sure that you can crunch up the pretzels in the ziplock bag using a rolling pin but I just don’t think you’ll get the pieces small enough for the crust to hold together well.

The peanut butter filling is really light and crunchy. Using crunchy peanut butter adds a little extra crunch to the pie. If you don’t have crunchy peanut butter on hand then just use creamy. Don’t hold off on making this pie just for that.

But the chocolate ganache that tops off the pie is the finishing touch! It’s silky, rich, and chocolately. And then jazzed up some more with the chopped up peanuts and pretzels that are sprinkled on top.

Plan ahead when making this pie. This is not a last minute project as it needs to chill for a few hours. I suggest making it the morning that you want to serve it. Or even the night before so it sets up really well.

Thankfully, I am kicking it out of my house before I eat it all. Five slices will be on their merry way out the door today when our dog walker comes for Kemper today. She is the best but her flexibility this month has been incredible. There have been so many last minute changes from the typical M-Th schedule with extra vet appointments for Kemper to have a cracked molar extracted, to days I’ve worked from home because of appointments for Autumn, and now this latest adventure. I just hope they enjoy it for dessert tonight as much as we did! 🙂

Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Makes a 9″ Pie

Ingredients

Crust

7 ounces/200 grams of pretzels
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache Topping

1 cup of heavy cream
8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate

Garnish

1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
1/4 cup pretzels, chopped up intosmall pieces

Process

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Put the pretzels in a food processor and process until the pretzels are crushed enough to resemble crumbs.
Combine the ingredients, and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides a lightly greased 9″ pie pan.
Freeze the crust for 15 minutes (which will prevent over-browning).
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until it’s lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
To make the whipped cream for the filling, whip the heavy cream until there are stiff peaks. Set aside.
To make the filling base, beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes, scrape the bowl every minute. Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat for another minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract, beat for another 2 minutes.
Completely fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.
Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Smooth out the top and then put the pie into the freezer.
Prepare the ganache but setting a heat safe bowl over a pot with some water in it. Do not allow the water to touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the water to a simmer and add the heavy cream. Heat the cream until it is warm and add the chocolate. Mix the chocolate until all of it is melted into the heavy cream. Remove the bowl from the top of the pot and let cool for about 10 minutes.
Mix the ganache one more time and then pour it on top of the chilled filling. Tap the pan to even out the top and to remove any bubbles in the ganache.
Sprinkle the top of the ganache with the chopped peanuts and pretzels.
Return to the freezer for at least 4 hours. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. Slice and enjoy!

Inspired by Baking the Goods

Kentucky Derby Chocolate Walnut Pie

May 2, 2014

This time last year Price and I were visiting his family back in central New York so we could attend his niece’s Christening. And we just happened to enjoy watching the Kentucky Derby there as well. It was so much fun with the big group of us cheering on the horses kick up lots of mud. Plus, Price won the money in the pool in the super competitive pick-a-piece-of-paper-with-a-name-on-it game. (Thanks Orb!!)

While there we also did the fun game of “pass the drink”. It was still early on in my pregnancy so we didn’t want to share the news just yet so we were trying to act normal so no one would suspect anything. So Price would drink his beer and I would hold on to a beer then we would each out our beers down and swap so it would look like I had been drinking. We did this over and over until our beers would run out and I’d say that I was getting ‘us’ new beers. ha!

Well now I’m able to enjoy a fun bevie every now and then so I am ready to enjoy one tomorrow while we watch the Kentucky Derby. And while enjoying a Mint Julep I can enjoy some Kentucky Derby Pie.

The offical Derby Pie recipe is Top Secret! (And the name is even trademarked too!) So this is a version that is close to the pie that the Kern family created and has made ever since.

This pie is very similar to the Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie I made back in January. But with Bourbon!!!! Oh man, I L-O-V-E Bourbon. I actually missed white wine and bourbon the most while I was pregnant. The bottles of bourbon I had on hand just sat there collecting dust. So sad! But now I can enjoy making Kentucky Mules again with my favorites, Woodford Reserve and Bulleit Bourbon.

I bet you have all of the ingredients for this pie at home and it only takes about 10 minutes to mix together so you better make one to enjoy while watching the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby Chocolate Walnut Pie

Makes a 9″ pie

Ingredients

1 9″ pie crust
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the 9″ pie crust in the pie plate.
Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs and butter. Stir in the bourbon, walnuts, chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt.
Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie crust.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

Sightly adapted from American Food

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

March 24, 2014

This weekend Price and I went to visit a wedding venue location in the Berkshires. I guess we should do some sort of wedding planning… only been together 9+ years and engaged since Sept. Oh, yeah… and we have a baby together. Been kinda busy with her.

Well, Crissey Farm has beautiful details, great menu options and price points, and it’s in a great location. Unless something incredible jumps out to us this week it seems like that is the place. Plus they have availability in August, November, and this winter.

The owner suggested a New Year’s Eve wedding as they have had so fun ones in the past. He explained that we could get married in front of one of their fire places. I love that idea, but I loved the idea of getting married on 1/2/15 even more as that would be our 10 year anniversary together. But once Price and I thought about the logistics of everyone traveling from WA, AZ, PA, NY, NH, CT, AND FL it became to risky in dealing with travel issues. This winter sucked, and it snowed 8″ inches on our anniversary, so we ultimately decided that was not a risk we would want to deal with.

So that leaves August and November. We quickly ruled out November as all the leaves have fallen at that point so it just won’t be as pretty for pictures. Plus, we would be juggling with Autumn’s first birthday and then Thanksgiving. Just too much going on there.

Now if you look at the calendar you would see that there are only a few months between now and August. So if we decide on that things will be fast passed. That really is okay since the simpler the better for us. Plus Crissey Farm is basically 1 stop shopping since they handle everything so we don’t need to worry about silly suff like linen rentals.

Anyway, if we’re actually cracking down and getting married this year I better stop eating sweets like this!

Well, honestly, breast-feeding and it’s associated weight loss is THE BEST thing ever. hehe! So, I’ll get to enjoy a few of these every now and then.

I used the Nestle Toll House Spring Time Baking Morsels instead of just a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The Spring Time bag is only 10oz so jut be sure to add another 2oz of chocolate chips to get to the 12 oz needed for the recipe.

These are basically just cookies but they have a softer texture because there is less surface area to them in the bar form compared to the cookie form. Love that. Just like I love the sugar cookie bars I made before.

Enjoy these yummy treats!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Process

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13×9 metal pan.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
Beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Spread into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 24 bars.

Slightly adapted from Nestle

Post contains affiliate links

Andes Mint Chip Brownies

January 8, 2014

I’m kinda hooked on brownies.

I have been baking them up like crazy lately and have plans on several more different kinds of batches to bake up in the next few weeks. I kinda can’t wait!

Anyway, I whipped up these Andes Mint Chip Brownies up right after Christmas so that I could start to feel a bit more normal after having my typical life (showering, cooking, baking, eating, thinking) had been flip flopped after having Autumn. They are so quick and easy to whip up that even I can do them with new mommy brain!

The base for these brownies might just be my favorite. It might be the butter. Or the chocolates. Or maybe it’s the butter AND the chocolates. Maybe it’s the combo of it all. Probably that all together they create a soft, yet sturdy, brownie. I’ve made plenty of really soft brownies that just about need a spoon to eat them (de-lightful!) but these are bake sale brownies. What I mean by that is that you can cut them easier from the pan and could easily package them up to sell at the bake sale. Or toss into a lunch. Or delicately place on the rim of a glass of milk awaiting its sweet demise.

Adding the Andes Creme de Menthe Chips add such a great kick to the brownies. I just love this flavor. It just screams winter to me.

Since we’re still locked into this deep freeze from the “Polar Vortex” I think it would be a great idea to whip up a batch of these brownies to help you get through these cold days and nights. Days like this just call for a brownie and some hot chocolate.

Andes Mint Chip Brownies

Makes 24 brownies

Ingredients

12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips

Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan by buttering/spraying with non-stick cooking spray the bottom and sides and lining the bottom with parchment paper or tin foil.
In a large microwavable safe bowl, melt 8 ounces of the chocolate chips and the butter together, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted and combined.
Add the cocoa powder and sugar, mixing completely.
Add in the beaten eggs and vanilla extract.
Stir in the flour, salt, remaining chocolate chips, and the Creme de Menthe chips to gently incorporate.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center is clean upon removal. Do not over bake. Let cool prior to cutting into 24 pieces.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

January 3, 2014

I enjoyed last year’s Thirsty Thursday’s posts so much that I started to think of another series that I could tackle. I wanted to do something that was a bit more of a challenge for me. I was thinking of breads and pizzas but then I would be eating a lot of carbs and cheese. And neither of of those are easy to share with other, which is what I really like to do. So I kept thinking and decided that I would have a year of PIES!!!!

I want to conquer making homemade crusts, creating lattice top pies, making the perfect crimped edge, and creating the perfect filling. This will be a year of fruit pies, chess pies, savory pies, chocolate pies, and meringue topped pies. There will be deep dish pies, tarts, mini pies, and hand pies. This will be an awesome year. 🙂

So I am kicking this year off with this Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie. It’s the combo of 2 great things… chocolate chip cookies and pie!!! And it’s just as amazing as you imagine.

The key to making this super simple pie is slowly incorporating the ingredients into each other. This makes the pie really smooth and light in texture. As well, the butter needs to be really soft as you are adding it into the rest of the beaten ingredients and you really don’t want any lumps.

The pie is best right out of the oven but if you can’t enjoy it right then you should just microwave it on a low power level until it is warmed through again. It makes the chocolate chips ooey gooey and irresistible.

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Stay tuned for another irresistible pie recipe next week!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 9″ pie crust
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 oz.) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts

Process

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place pie crust in pie plate.
Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of stand mixer on high speed until foamy.]
One at a time, slowly beat in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and flour until each is incorporated into the eggs. Beat in the softened butter. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon the mixture into the pie shell.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Sourced from Nestle

Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 30, 2013

Snickers Chocolate Chip Cookies- mix in chopped up Snickers bars into chocolate chip cookie dough to make some epic candy loaded cookies.

Post from 12/30/13, pictures updated 8/24/18

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

Candy and cookies are pretty cool. But candy inside cookies are ever better.

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Halloween Oreo Brownies

October 30, 2013

Halloween Oreo Brownies- Mixing in chopped up orange filled Oreos into light brownie batter makes for a spooky, delicious treat!

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

What are you favorite cookies from the grocery store? I love grabbing the occasional special treat while there, but it’s a clear choice for me… Oreos are my Achilles’ heel.

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Monster Cookies

September 27, 2013

Sorry I couldn’t resist. Not this time…

I have really tried to steer clear from making cookies, or most sweets, while I’ve been pregnant. Sometimes I cave, but I at least plan on getting them out of my house ASAP and share so I don’t eat them all.

You see it’s just that I’ve been too afraid that I can’t resist just having one and before you know it the whole batch of cookies are gone.

Or a tray of brownies.

Or a pie.

I can’t stand that I am in love with sweets now. I can’t get off Pinterest looking at desserts hoping they would magically instantly appear in in my kitchen just for me. So when I decided to make Monster Cookies for this weekend’s race at “The Monster Mile” I was just about going to eat my laptop screen. But thankfully I resisted and held out for these mega cookies to appear in real life. And of course, hot from the oven!

These babies are large and in charge. They look really cute with the teeny tiny M&M’s throughout but they are monsters! They pack a punch from the creamy peanut butter, oats, and the double dose of chocolate. Plus they are just giants. Well, isn’t that really the point of Monster Cookies?!?!?!

Hope you enjoy this weekend’s race at Dover.

Monster Cookies

Makes 18-20 large cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn syrup
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups quick oatmeal
1 cup mini M&Ms
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Process

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Blend together the butter and sugars in a mixer.
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and peanut butter and blend until combined.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, oatmeal, and flour and mix until everything is well blended.
Stir in the M&Ms and chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop (or just 2 spoons!) scoop dough into balls about 1 1/2″ round on a cookie sheet about 2″ apart. Just slightly flatten the dough balls.
Bake for 11-13 minutes until lightly brown and just set in the middle. Cool slightly on the pan for 3-5 minutes before removing to enjoy

Sourced from Skinny Not Skinny

Thirsty Thursday: Snickers Milkshake

June 13, 2013

Thirsty Thursday – Snickers Milkshake – Who wouldn’t want a candy bar in an ice cold glass overflowing with chocolate and peanuts

It’s mid June and it’s really freaking cold out here in Boston. Plus it’s been raining non stop. I am not happy about this. Not happy at all.

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Peppermint Chip Brownies

December 19, 2012

Peppermint Chip Brownies will get you in the season with the irresistible combination of mint and chocolate flavors. Be sure to make some for Santa too!

post from 12/19/12, pictures updated 12/9/18

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

I’ve been such a horrible slacker this holiday season. I am behind with everything, but really, I think I always am. So, no difference than the norm then! ha!

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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls

December 13, 2012

Amanda picked peppermint for this week’s theme Thirsty Thursday. I honestly can’t stand peppermint outside of the holidays. However, from the day after Thanksgiving to New Years it is full on peppermint explosion. But then nope, not happening at all (with the ice cream exception)!!! So bare with all of my minty recipes now, including this recipe for Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls.

When I was younger I would take Godiva hot chocolate truffles and put them into cups of hot milk and stir like crazy so melty ribbons of chocolate would swirl around the cup before I would take a big gulp. It was my favorite thing to do at my dad’s house at the holidays. Since I made a hot chocolate mix last week I figured I would make a hot chocolate truffle for this week to transport me back in time.

While you can make these hot chocolate truffle balls like me with peppermint extract and Andes Peppermint Mint Chips on the outside, you can make them in a variety of ways.

A plain truffle would be nice with a sugar and cocoa powder mixture on the outside.
A truffle with some cinnamon extract and a cinnamon and cayenne mixture on the outside for a Mexican hot chocolate.
Use a orange, hazelnut, or raspberry extract without coating. Really the flavor possibilities are endless!!

I hope that you enjoy my Hot Chocolate Truffles as well as Amanda’s Peppermint White Hot Chocolate. The peppermint and chocolate combination is such a hit that we both featured the peppermint in hot chocolates, but in very fun, very different ways.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Balls

Makes 12 truffles

Ingredients

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips

Process

In a heavy bottom sauce pan or in a double boiler, melt the chocolate, cream, sugar, and salt together on low heat. Whisk consistently until smooth. Add the peppermint extract prior to removing from heat.
Let the chocolate cool to room temperature and then put into the refrigerator to completely chill.
Once solid, scope out into 12 truffle balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill again for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the chocolate into balls, then chill again until completely solid and formed.
Push the Andes mint chips into the surface of the ball. Stone in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Enjoy your hot chocolate truffle with 8 ounces of hot milk. Drop the truffle in and stir until the ball has melted.