Tasty Tuesday: Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese's Pieces

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day! Did you know there was such a day??? Oh, the wonderful things you learn while homeschooling!  It worked out well that it fell on a Tuesday this year. Of course, that meant that we had to make something using peanut butter. (Trust me, there were no complaints here!) I looked through the archives and to see which pb recipes we've already made. There's mock Girl Scout peanut butter patties (which would be very close to the originals with a little modification), a divine peanut butter cream pie (which is so creamy and peanut buttery, and so delicious), peanut butter bars (which is our all-time favorite dessert), and even something for our outdoor friends.

What I did not find was peanut butter cookies. Sure, we have no bake cookies, that have pb in them, but no traditional peanut butter cookies, where the peanut butter itself is the star.

Don't worry, we remedied the situation.

Start with 2 kinds of sugar, 2 kinds of peanut butter, and butter (you could use 2 kinds if you really want to.)

 Beat it up. It's so much fun, you know.

Add in some eggs. This is still Jake's favorite part. Unfortunately for him, he has to share the experience with his sister. Alyssa has gotten pretty good at cracking eggs, too.

Beat it up again.

Stop to take a taste . . . or two.

Then attempt to stop the kids from eating the whole bowl full.

We had the inconvenience, I mean, joy of having Zac help us this time. He decided that he needed only a 20-minute nap. Making cookies sounded like much more fun than sleeping. 

I was reminded of 2 things:

1) Toddlers are messy. We ended up with a floury mess on the counter, on the floor, all over Alyssa. Some flour did accidentally make it into the bowl.

2) My kitchen is small. Between 3 children and all the ingredients and utensils, there was no room left to maneuver. Every year I ask Leighton for a bigger kitchen for Christmas. I have yet to find one wrapped up under our tree.

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.

Thankfully, it was not Zac's turn to add the next ingredient. I shudder at the thought of the entire bowl being spilled everywhere.

Then comes the very best part - adding the Reese's Pieces. Just try and add them without sneaking a few tastes. I dare you.  

I admit, I shooed the kids out of the kitchen while I rolled the balls. I knew exactly what would happen if I let my 3 little angels handle the dough - more would end up in their mouths than on the cookie sheets. Zac was upset enough when I put the dough in the fridge. "Hey! Where'd tookies go?" He was ready to make a meal of the unbaked dough.

Use the tines of a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie. Unlike other cookies, peanut butter ones tend to hold their shape pretty well. In order to not have little ball cookies, you'll need to press down just a bit. 

And this is how they'll look when they're done. They look pretty good, don't they? Let me tell you, they taste even better! The edges are a little crispy with a soft, chewy center. Exactly how I like my cookies. (If you want soft edges, bake a little less.) The combination of the crunchy and creamy peanut butter is perfect since it makes a nice balance, and the nuts are not over-powering. And of course, the addition of the Reese's Pieces is a must! That extra burst of peanut butter really makes these cookies stand out. Eat them with a glass of milk, and you'll be set. You might even want to hide the rest because they'll get eaten pretty quickly!

Don't wait until next National Peanut Butter Day to try these. Make them today! 

Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese's Pieces

Ingredients:

1 c butter                                                                             2 3/4 c all-purpose flour

2 c peanut butter (I used 1 c crunchy, 1 c creamy)             1 tsp baking powder

3/4 c white sugar                                                                1/2 tsp salt

1 c packed brown sugar                                                      1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

1 tsp vanilla                                                                        1 c Reese's Pieces

2 eggs

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Stir in Reese's Pieces. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and put on cookie sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely. Cookies will stiffen as they cool.

Linked to Watcha Making Wednesdays.

Make It Monday: Simple Piñata

In preparation of Leighton's birthday, the kids and I knew we wanted to make him something special. After all, he is the one who works so hard so the kids and I can stay home. He provides for us, takes care of us, and loves us unconditionally. This gift would be one of love.

And what screams love and birthday celebration more than a piñata?

Start by painting a paper bag. This whole side was green in honor of Daddy's favorite color!

 Then they added details, complete with a birthday cake and  balloons.

Don't forget to paint all the sides!

Once the paint is dry, fill the bag half-way with candy!  

Try to keep the toddler from eating it all before it makes it into the bag.

Roll the top of the bag down to close it. Staple it to secure it.

Using a hole punch . . . or knife or nail or your teeth - whatever you have on hand - make 2 holes in the top.

Loop yarn or string through the holes and tie, leaving one end long enough to hang the piñata  from.


Now comes the best part!

 BANG!

 BOOM!

CRASH!

Check out those goodies!

When you're younger, birthdays and gifts are about what makes you happy. As you have children though, so much of that changes. Sure, we all like to receive nice things, but more importantly we enjoy seeing our children happy. It brought us both so much joy to witness the excitement all 3 kids had. They were slightly concerned that Leighton only barely tapped the piñata, so as not to break it, but they didn't let that stop them from having a fabulous time. 

Long after we put the kids in bed, Leighton and I laughed and smiled as we reflected on the evening and the fun we had. No present - no matter how elaborate or how costly - can replace the love of a family.

Tasty Tuesday: Stained Glass Sugar Cookie Leaves

Fall is the prettiest time of year with the leaves changing and falling, the pumpkins all around, and the muted earth tones of the decorations. My mom bought me a set of leaf cookie cutters and I knew this was the perfect recipe for them.

Whip up a batch of sugar cookie dough. We used a pouch mix. (Hey, sometimes it's better to use a free mix than to take the time to make them from scratch. At least we didn't have a repeat of this!) Feel free to use your favorite recipe (or our favorite recipe).

Realize you're running late, stick the dough covered in the fridge, feed the kids dinner, rush everyone out to the van, go to your son's soccer game. (This step may be skipped if need be.)

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a floured surface. The more "help" the better.

Cut out your shapes. Of course, we used leaves, but you could use any shape. Flowers for spring, eggs for Easter, tree or star for Christmas, teddy bear or bottle for a baby shower, crown or cake for a birthday. The possibilities are endless.

Cut out the center of each cookie. We used the smaller version of the same shape, but you could make it with just a simple circle center. 

Transfer the cookies to foil-lined cookie sheets.

Break up some hard candy. Suckers, lollipops, Lifesavers, Jolly Ranchers, butterscotch, peppermint, candy canes. You got it, smash it. 

The kids LOVED using the wooden meat tenderizer to bang the candy. I think they get the demolition genes from their father.

 

Fill the centers of the cookies with the broken pieces of candy. We chose the multicolored route in celebration of the fall colors, but you could use a solid color if you wish.

Once the cookies are filled and ready, pop them in the oven to bake. When the cookies are done and the candy is melted, transfer the foil liner to a cookie sheet to cool completely. The cookies will pull off easily once the candy is cool.

The hard part is trying to keep the kids patient while they're cooling! Thankfully we kept those little leaf centers to appease them for a little bit.

They are fun to make and the kids just love them! Cookie and candy in one? What's not to love?

They're pretty too! Make a batch of these next time you have a get-together.  And be ready to hear lots of oohs and aahs!

Stained Glass Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

one batch sugar cookie dough

hard candy

Directions:

1. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes. Cut out centers. Transfer cookies to foil-lined cookie sheets.

2. Break up the hard candies. Fill centers of cookies with the broken candy.

3. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes, until edges begin to brown and candy is melted through.

4. Transfer foil to cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.


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