Crepes with Peanut Butter and Jam

  I made these crepes about 6 weeks ago and took a picture, even though I wasn't sure if I would be posting recipes anymore.  I saw the recipe in Food Network Magazine- it was a little blurb about Giada's new cookbook. 

Crepes are something that we ate on Sunday evenings sometimes, when I was growing up.  My mom would make a large stack of them and we would fill them with fresh or frozen fruit and a little sprinkle of powdered sugar.  They were a special treat for us  and I absolutely loved them.

 When I was a newly married person, about 11 years ago, I decided to make crepes for my husband.  He wasn't a fan and I didn't want to eat a whole stack of crepes by myself, so I didn't make them again.  It has been so long since I made crepes, I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it correctly!

 The good news is, that after a few messed up crepes that were too thick, too pale, and misshapen, I got the technique down and we were able to enjoy this meal as a Breakfast for Dinner.  I made these on a night that I knew my husband wouldn't be home to eat with us, so there were no complaints at all.  These were fun too because they were filled with peanut butter,  jam (I used Crofters Fruit Spread) and fresh blueberries.

Here is the recipe for Crepes with Peanut Butter and Jam

 We enjoyed these with Alfresco Wild Blueberry Chicken Sausage Links


   

Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread

  I still have quite a problem with my bananas turning dark brown or black before I can use them all.  I don't buy them for any other reason than to make smoothies, but somehow they always get the best of me.  I'm super picky about eating a banana as is (it has to be fairly unripe and slightly green, not too sweet or mushy), so I feel like it is always a race against the banana.


 A few weeks ago, there wasn't any chance that I would use the bananas before they were ready to be transformed into a baked good.  I've made just about every variation of banana bread there is ( I think I have made every Cooking Light version), as well as cakes, muffins, etc., so when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I immediately decided it would be the perfect way to use my bananas.  I knew I could send it to work with my husband, so there were not any worries about it being eaten.

I never, ever use more that a 1-2 Tablespoons of oil when I make quick breads or muffins.  I discovered that low-fat buttermilk can be a wonderful substitute that has less calories, less fat, but still makes things moist and delicious.   I always use this method and I have never had any problem. 

 I did cut a slice of this bread for my kids to try and I had a small bite.  It was pretty good.  It could never dethrone my favorite banana bread recipe, but it was a fun twist.  And, my husband brought home an empty plate, so I know that it was enjoyed by quite a few people.



Here is the recipe for Reese's Peanut Butter Banana Bread 
* I used low-fat buttermilk in place of most of the oil, all but 1 Tablespoon
* The mini Reese's stuck to the bottom of the pan a little bit, so I had to get creative and make a glaze to cover some of the holes and spots I had to patch up.

  

Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins and Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter

There is a small problem with opening a huge can of pumpkin puree- You must make more and more yummy pumpkin treats! Of course, I am joking, but I found myself with some leftover pumpkin puree after I made parfaits and donuts and decided to make these muffins. I sent them to work with my husband and didn't even get to try a crumb. I had made this banana version a couple of weeks earlier and thought the pumpkin ones would be perfect for fall.

I had just 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree left, so I made this Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter that I saw on Pinterest. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because it disappeared too quickly. But, I guess that could be a good thing since it just shows how delicious it was! Very good on whole wheat toast.

Here is the recipe for Self-Frosting Pumpkin Nutella Muffins

Here is the recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Peanut Butter
* I didn't have dark chocolate peanut butter, so I just followed her other instructions and
added a little bit of honey, to sweeten it, to taste

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

My sister came to visit for a quick weekend trip and I told her to find some recipes that use sweet potatoes, because I had a couple of extra large ones that really needed to be dealt with. She emailed me the recipe for this soup and I thought it sounded pretty interesting. When she was here, we decided to make this for lunch on a rainy day.

This soup is pretty easy to make, but as I was throwing it together, I was getting a little worried about the final product. V8, green chiles, sweet potatoes and peanut butter?? I was a tad bit hesitant to try it, but once I did, I realized that it was fabulous. It was spicy, creamy, and had great flavor from the sweet potatoes. As I was eating this, I realized that I no longer despise sweet potatoes. In fact, I can honestly now say that I like them. Thank you Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque!

Here is the recipe for Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque
I added chopped peanuts as a garnish

Fudge Brownies- using sweet potato puree

I can't remember how I found this recipe for brownies, but I was excited because I had lots of sweet potatoes and didn't know exactly what I was going to do with them. My son loooves brownies more than anything and I thought this would be a good way to make a slightly healthier brownie for my kids to enjoy. I cooked a bunch of sweet potatoes in the oven and then pureed them in my food processor. I made these brownies and the Sweet Potato Hummus on the same day, so at least I made my kids eat veggies and hummus before we moved onto the sweets. :D

I had some leftover peanut butter frosting from this Peanut Butter Cake in the fridge and for some reason, I just can't let a little leftover frosting go to waste. Does anyone else have this problem? The frosting I slathered on top probably killed the whole healthy idea, but sometimes, a brownie just needs a little frosting.

My kids didn't know that these had sweet potato puree in them and thought they were great. I am not a brownie fanatic, so I didn't mind that these brownies taste and texture was a little bit different than a normal one. They were still very good and quite fudgy.

Here is the recipe for Fudge Brownies
* I reduced the sugar by about 1/4 cup

Cap'n Crunch Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Marshmallow Frosting

I saw these cupcakes and thought they would be so much fun to make for a gathering where there were going to be lots of little kids. What could be better than combining Cap'n Crunch cereal and PB? Not to mention some fluffy marshmallow stuff and then turning it all into a cute cupcakes.

I don't ever use cake mix nor do I have it on hand (mostly because I enjoy make cake from scratch), but for this one, I went ahead and used a mix because that is what the recipe called for. This was a winning combination and everyone really thought they tasted great. Definite crowd pleaser!





Here is the recipe for Cap'n Crunch Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Marshmallow Frosting

Cooking School- Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce

Two months ago, I had zucchini and summer squash coming out of my ears and now it is happening with the eggplant! This photo is not very pretty- I apologize, but if you look at the picture with the recipe, it looks quite a bit more appetizing. I had to share this one, even if the photo wasn't the greatest, because I had some helpers putting it together and because this is the first time that my son has actually LIKED eating eggplant. I will repeat that, just in case you didn't have the chance to process it. My son ENJOYED eating eggplant the night we made this. He consumed it with no complaints, no fake fainting, no tears, no endless questions of why must we eat this- he just ate it. And then he even said that he liked it. I couldn't believe it. It must have been the peanut sauce or the mushrooms- I don't know exactly, but I was so happy.

So, if you have an eggplant hater in the house, this recipe might be the ticket to a happy night around the table. Oh, and I got so sidetracked about my son, that I forgot to mention that this dinner is also a good one for kids to help prepare because it is really simple and shows the technique of steaming veggies (I used my steamer basket) the the dressing is quick to measure and mix together.


Here is the recipe for Steamed Eggplant and Mushrooms with Peanut Sauce
* I served this with quinoa instead of brown rice, but I wish I would have used brown rice, so that there would have been something a little bit more chewy to contrast the veggies

Peanut Butter Waffles

I made these waffles almost 2 months ago when my brother and sister were here visiting. I had spotted them before that, but wanted to wait until we had visitors to make them. My sister and brother both love peanut butter, so I knew they would be a welcome breakfast treat.

These waffles were very tasty. The peanut butter flavor was noticeable, but not completely overwhelming. They were really good with bananas and strawberries on top. Now that school is back in session, I can't wait to make a big batch to have for breakfast on a school morning.

Peanut Butter Waffles
from Everyday Food, May 2011

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 cups buttermilk (I used low-fat)
2 large eggs
bananas, maple syrup for serving (optional)

Preheat waffle iron. If you want to make all of the waffles before serving, preheat oven to 275 F, set a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In your blender combine the melted butter and peanut butter, and blend until smooth. Add the buttermilk and eggs and blend to combine. Pour the wet ingredients from the blender over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated.

Fill the wells of the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. You want the waffles golden brown when they're finished. Serve with bananas and maple syrup, if desired. (Transfer the waffles to the wire rack in the oven to keep warm if not serving immediately.)

Chocolate Cake Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling

It seems I always have a little bit of something leftover in my fridge. This time, it was sour cream. I had exactly one cup and needed to make a dessert to accompany the dinner I was taking to a family who had an unexpected event occur.
We also had a teenager staying at our house, so I knew these would be fun treat for us as well.

I didn't try one, due to my not consuming sugar goal for the month, but they were very popular with the kids. The teenager who was at our house was so confused by the fact that a cookie could be like cake. It was fun to show him that it is possible to make cake cookies. These are a really great sandwich cookie and nothing goes better with chocolate than peanut butter!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Cookies
Makes about 48 cookies from Baking: from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/4 cups (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to tepid
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plump, moist dried currants or raisins (I left these out)

Getting Ready: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 375f. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy and smooth. Add the sugars and beat for two minutes or so, then add the eggs one by one. Beat for another minute-the mixture should be smooth and satiny. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the vanilla and melted chocolate. With the mixer still on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the sour cream alternatively, adding the dry ingredients in 3 batches and the sour cream in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients). Mix only until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth, then mix in currants.

Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, making certain to leave 2 inches between the spoonfuls.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will puff, spread and round themselves out in baking. They’re done when they are set on top but still springy to the touch. Pull the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest for 1 minute, then, using a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer them to a rack. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

PB Filling- from spikes.does.stuff

1 1/2 cups of confectioner’s sugar
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 creamy peanut butter (don’t use natural peanut butter)
3 tbs milk or cream

In a stand mixer, beat the sugar, butter, peanut butter on low until combined and then on medium until smooth. Add the liquid, and beat until combined- this should lighten the mixture a bit and make it easy to spread.

To Assemble:

Once the cookies are cool, try to match up similar cookies into pairs. Spread about a tablespoon of filling onto the flat side of one cookie and gently press the flat side of the second cookie to make a sandwich.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

This recipe was on the cover on the most recent issue of Cooking Light. Quick breads and muffins are always an easy option when you want to bake something and I wanted to take a treat to my friend, so this recipe seemed perfect.
I had some ripe bananas and I had seen Lori's in-depth review of the bread on her blog, Culinary Covers, so this went onto the calendar as a "definite make".

I made the full recipe but decided to do mini-loaves and muffins, since those are so much easier to share. Plus, I wanted us to be able to try this recipe as well. From the full recipe, I got 8 mini-loaves and 9 muffins. I left the chopped peanuts out of the batter, but sprinkled them on top of some of the loaves and muffins.

This bread was fabulous. I have made almost all of Cooking Light's varieties of banana bread and this was another great one. I didn't think that the peanut butter flavor was extremely noticeable in the bread, but the glaze and chopped nuts on top, really made it seem peanut butter-y.

I would definitely make this again. The person who I shared it with really loved it too.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Bread
* I omitted the chopped peanuts from the batter and sprinkled them on top instead, before baking
* I used skim milk in the icing and added more milk to make it the right consistency. I also added a little bit more powdered sugar.

TWD- Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

This week's Tuesday's with Dorie pick- Peanut Butter Crisscrosses, was chosen by Jasmine. You can find the recipe on her blog- Jasmine Cuisine.

I made a half batch of these last week while my kids were getting ready for bed. They were really easy to throw together and there is no chilling time for the dough, so as soon as it is mixed up, they are ready to go on the cookie sheet. I reduced the amount of chopped peanuts and added in some mini chocolate chips, at the request of my kids.

These were good. Just the right amount of chewiness in the center, yet a crunchy edge. I thought much better the next day as opposed to warm, but that is just my opinion. I got 30 cookies from a half batch of dough and will definitely make these again.

Check out everyone else's results by heading over to TWD!

Wicked Good Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cups

My son somehow saw this post by Bakerella and decided we needed to make this dessert as soon as possible.
I thought it would be a fun one to celebrate school getting out and the beginning of our summer vacation.

The idea and recipe are from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids by Jill O'Connor. Somehow I totally missed this cookbook, although I do have the original Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey, which happens to be the source of my husband's all-time favorite treat, Cheesecake Pops. A better picture can be seen in this post.

Back to the point- My son and I made the pudding on Sunday night. Yesterday we all made the chocolate cups and my kids consumed these for dessert last night. (I usually don't get posts of things I make up this quickly, but someone requested it)

I tasted a spoonful and thought that the chocolate pudding had the perfect mix of pb and chocolate flavor and it was just sweet enough. Smooth and silky. Everything chocolate pudding should be.
It does make enough to feed a small army. I should've halved or 1/3ed the recipe.


We used Baker's dipping chocolate for the cups- I would probably use a different kind of chocolate if I made these again.


The water balloons were impossible to blow up with your own lungs. I had to use a basketball hand pump to blow them up.
Naked pudding
Whipped cream and sprinkles added
Happy kids
Messy and fun treat

Recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding
* I used whole milk instead of half&half
* This makes a TON of pudding, especially when you are serving it in little chocolate cups

How-to for the Pudding Cups from Bakerella

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Milk Chocolate Ganache

One of the best things about living where we do, is the fact that we are close to grandparents. It is so fun for the kids to know them and to be close enough to see them frequently.
Recently Papa had a birthday and the girls wanted to make him a treat. We had a busy morning, so we decided cookies were the item to be gifted.

Papa loves chocolate and I had some milk chocolate ganache (leftover from these cupcakes) in the fridge that needed to be used, so I just had to find a cookie that would do the job.
I remembered this PB cookie recipe from a magazine and decided to switch out the PB & J filling the recipe called for and used the milk chocolate ganache instead.

The cookies were quick and easy to mix up. I used creamy PB instead of crunchy. I warmed the ganache slightly, slathered it on a cookie and then smooshed another cookie on top. Then the cookie sandwiches were ready to go.
The girls made some cute birthday cards and we took the treats over to Papa's house. They were enjoyed by those who tasted them. I let my girls try a cookie plain and they thought the cookies were great. So there you have it. Another successful birthday treat!
For the ganache I just heated some heavy cream in a saucepan and then mixed in milk chocolate chips, stirring until I got the right consistency.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

The nearly rotten bananas strike again!
I had to use a couple of bananas after going out of town for the weekend and wanted to make a healthy muffin.
I searched online for a recipe and found this great one from Baking Bites.
It had a small amount of oil and combined peanut butter with banana.
Everything is better with peanut butter, in my opinion. I really liked that they had oatmeal in them too- it meant they could be an option for breakfast.

I used low-fat buttermilk and we ate these warm out of the oven for breakfast. We didn't top them with anything.
They were really good. Nice flavor and texture.
I froze half of them because I knew my family was coming to visit and there are a few members of my fam who are obsessed with peanut butter. And a few who love muffins.

They are really great out of the freezer too!

Recipe for Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins from Baking Bites

TWD 2nd Anniversary !!!! Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake

2 years ago, Laurie started Tuesday's with Dorie. Please go check out her blog to get the recipes for this week's anniversary and also to read about how she started this wonderful group.

We voted on what recipe we wanted to make for this years anniversary. It came down to Tarte Tatin and Cocoa-Buttermilk Birthday Cake. Laurie decided to let us make either one or both if we wanted too. (Last year Dorie chose the recipe for the 1st anniversary and it was one of my favorites ever! Check out the French Pear Tart. It is absolutely fabulous.)
I have to say I am a little burnt out from Christmas vacation and traveling, so I took the lazy way out on this one since I have made this cake twice already.
Yes, twice. I made it in the spring as a full sized cake and also last year as cupcakes.
You can read more details about this cake from when I posted about it HERE.

Both times I frosted it with The Barefoot Contessa's Peanut Butter Frosting instead of the options given in the book, just because it is really a perfect combination.
I also used Reese's Peanut Butter cups to decorate it.
It is a great cake.
Go check out the other b-day celebratory posts by visiting all the great blogs on the TWD Blogroll!
And enjoy a few pictures from our recent trip to DisneyWorld. It was soo much fun!!

More Christmas Cookies and Treats

When my sister was here visiting a couple weeks ago, I asked her what cookies she wanted me to make and send her for Christmas. I gave her some Holiday Baking Magazines and told her to pick as many as she wanted.
She folded down lots and lots of pages and then I narrowed it down to 6. I chose things that I could make all in the same day and then threw in a couple more treats at the end.

First up is Peppermint Bark. This is a Christmas goodie that my mom has made for quite a few years and she uses Martha Stewarts recipe. I actually like it better when you use almond bark instead of white chocolate, so that is what I did. I like to sprinkle some of the chopped candy canes on top, as well as mixing them into the melted white stuff. My hubby really likes this and so do my kids. Great gift.
Recipe for Peppermint Bark
My sister requested a molasses cookie and I decided I would make Dorie's recipe, because I knew it was a crowd pleaser. This time I didn't flatten my balls of dough, so I had smaller, chewier cookies. This recipe is so great that it really deserves a repeat.
I sent some of the last batch to my family, so they will be super excited to get more of them in the mail.

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies
I saw this cookie in a Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie issue and was intrigued by the combination of cornmeal and dried fruit in a cookie. I knew sending this cookie to someone else would be great, since most members of my family do not like cornmeal. The recipe originally called for dried cherries, but I subbed in dried cranberries because that is what I had in the pantry.
These also have orange zest and they aren't overly sweet. Great cookie.
Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

I saw this cookie in a couple of different Martha Stewart mags and remembered that Tracey made them a couple weeks ago. I figured bars are great for sending and these have all types of mix-ins, so they were added into the bunch.
I subbed in peanut butter chips for the butterscotch chips, toffee bits for the white chocolate and then, on top of that, these have chocolate chips, cut up caramels, and marshmallows.
What a combination. I think I will have to make these again. My son was upset that he didn't get to sample one.
Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars
My sister wanted these peanut butter bars. They were supposed to have Hershey's Kisses on top, but I thought they would send better if they didn't have those on top. They are a play on Peanut Butter Kisses, but easier to make because they are a bar. I used creamy peanut butter in these, instead of chunky.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

My sister chose these bars and I thought they were a great choice because they have green and red in them naturally. They have a basic butter, flour, brown sugar crust, which you prebake for a few minutes and then the cranberry-pistachio topping is added and they are put back in the oven to finish baking.
Great way to use fresh cranberries.
Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars
My sister also chose these pumpkin oatmeal raisin cookies. They are just like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with pumpkin puree added to the batter. I made these into bars, simply because I was trying to bake 8 different things all in one day and it made it easier for me.
I wasn't too excited about these, but I did taste a small square and they really were good. Definitely more tasty then they might seem.
So, these are all the items that made it into my treat box. I sent a few of most of these cookies to my Secret Baker.
I also made a batch of Spiced Pecans and the upcoming cookie for Tuesdays with Dorie got thrown into the mix too.
Needless to say, after this day of baking, packaging and mailing, I was wiped out. It was worth it though.
I also threw in a picture of the Cake Pops I made last weekend for a birthday party. These are a fun little treat for a Christmas or Holiday get-together, if you need a fun idea.
How-to for Cake Pops
Pumpkin Raisin Oatmeal Cookies from Woman's Day Holiday Cookies 2009
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup walnuts (I omitted these)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in nuts and raisins.
4. Drop by rounded Tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 16 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned and set in centers. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Recipe for Peppermint Bark

Recipe for Cornmeal-Cranberry Cookies

Recipe for Rocky Ledge Bars

Recipe for Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe for Cranberry Pistachio Bars

Recipe for Sugar Topped Molasses Spice Cookies

Cake Pops