Peanut Butter Canes*

[Printable Recipe]

*Typically these are called Buckeyes, however, Matt saw the recipe sitting on the counter, and told me that I was not allowed to call them that. See Matt is not a fan of Ohio State because of  the 2002 Championship game where there was a blown call which cost Miami the win(or something like that). So now we don't like them. So I named them Canes in honor of the Miami Hurricanes. (My boss called them Terp Turds since I am a UMD grad, which is funny, but I can't eat something with turd in the name :-D)

These are really easy to make and were a big hit. I gave them away as gifts and took them to New Years party and everyone loved them. These will be my go to from now on.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, room temp
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar ( maybe a little more or less)
Chocolate Flavored Almond Bark (or any other dipping chocolate)

Directions:
Mix the peanut butter, butter and sugar together. Dough will be very thick and stiff. (shouldn't be crumbly or sticky- if crumbly add peanutbutter, if sticky add sugar)

Roll into 1" balls and set on cookiesheet

Store in freezer until firm - the more frozen they are the easier it is to dip
Melt Chocolate 30 seconds at a time stirring until all melted and smooth

Using a toothpick, dip them in the melted chocolate, leave a little bit of the peanut butter showing at the top.

Place back in the freezer.
When the balls get too soft put pack in the freezer to refirm up.

Store in fridge.

I bet you can't just have one!

UPDATE: I am linking this up to Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month link party.

Peanut Butter Kisses Cookie

[Printable Recipe]

This pic the cookies were rolled in sugar in the raw - I didn't take one of the in regular sugar :(

This recipe comes from Matt's mom by way of his grandma. This is also the one cookie that I can't not eat. All the other cookies I can ignore and walk right by, but these are so good I have to really try hard not to have 4 or 5 a day! :-D At least I am running 12-13 miles a week and can run off those extra cookies.

These cookies are super easy, and very good. I recommend you try them. They would be great if you have little helpers who can stick the Hershey kiss in the middle.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter

1 c. crunchy peanut butter ( we only had creamy this time - no difference in my opinion)

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Hershey Kisses

Directions:
Unwrap a bunch of Hershey Kisses(or have your assistant take a break from playing hockey and do it :-D )

With mixer on medium speed beat first 6 (RED) ingredents until fluffy.

 

On low speed add last 4 (GREEN)
Shape into balls and roll in sugar.

 

Place 2 inches apart and bake at 350 for 12 mins.

Immediately add kisses

This recipe makes a lot - about 40 depending on how big you make your cookies. I also experimented with rolling one batch in sugar in the raw, but I didn't like it. It made them harder, regular sugar you don't even notice is on the cookie.

You have to try these! I promise they will be great!!!


Also - Don't forget to vote for the recipe you want to see - I am taking it to a New Years Eve party!

Peanut Butter Fudge

[Printable Recipe]


I love peanut butter fudge - I don't get it often (which is a good thing because I would eat it all) There was a lady at church who would give dad fudge for Christmas...best ever. As you know I was bored this weekend - so I decided to make fudge because I had everything here I needed (except for the candy thermometer but I had to go to Wal-Mart anyway) I have heard that making fudge is really hard, I guess I got lucky because this was really easy for me - and it makes a ton... guess what may be my new go to Christmas present :-D I took some for Meredith and David on my first day of work and sent some with Matt to his work today - and I STILL have some.

I got the recipe from Dozen Flours. Enjoy

ingredients:

4 cups white sugar

1- 12 oz can evaporated milk full fat ( this is not the same as sweet condensed milk - which I ALMOST used- would have been interesting)

1 cup unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

1 - 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff

Directions:

* Line a pan with foil and spray with Pam



* Add sugar, salt, evaporated milk, and butter to saucepan ( I used non stick and it was fine)

* heat on medium heat



*Stir ingredients together until the butter is melted and it starts to boil

*stop stirring and let heat to 235 degrees or the soft ball stage on a candy thermometer - this takes a LONG time - be patient and don't have the heat too high.





*carefully remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and marshmallow fluff ( I poured the sugar mixture into another bowl with the PB and Fluff already in it but you can do it all in one if you want)

this looks gross but it is fluff and PB


sugar mixture incorporated


**** the mixture is VERY HOT! Be careful. The candy thermometer is also really hot - I was realllly smart and decided to take it off the pan - and it was much hotter than I was expected - so I dropped it - on the floor- I jumped back so the part that was in 235 degree sugar didn't touch me but it flung a little sugar on my leg, it hurt like crazy but only left a tiny mark. Lesson learned - always the hard way right?

*mix well and pour into baking dish



* let cool completely

* carefully lift foil out of pan and cut into small squares



This fudge is so good - the texture is perfect. Super smooth and creamy. It was really rich, which is good because if it wasn't I would have eaten it all Sunday. :-D

Tip for lining a pan with foil - I wish I thought to take pictures of this, and I am out of foil so I can't go recreate it for the blog -

When you have to line a pan with foil a quick and easy way to do this is turn the pan upside down - cover the bottom with foil to shape the foil, then take off the foil - turn over pan and the foil slips right in! I wish I had learned this trick a long time ago!

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

[Printable Recipe]


I had to make sure there was something I liked at dad's party so I made a peanut butter pie. YUM. This is my favorite. I could probably eat the whole pie. It is really easy to make and since it is frozen it can be made far in advance if needed.

Ingredients:

1 c. creamy or crunchy peanut butter ( I used creamy)

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c milk

1 8oz container frozen cool whip, thawed

1 9 inch pie shell

Directions:

Whip cream cheese until soft and fluffy.

cream cheese and peanut butter


Beat in peanut butter and sugar.

add sugar


Slowly add milk, blending thoroughly.

Fold cool whip into mix.

fold in cool whip


Pour into pie shell.



Sprinkle with chopped nuts, or chocolate shavings if desired (optional)

Freeze until firm - about 4 hours.



Take out about 30 mins before serving to soften so you can cut it.

Easter Bird's Nests

Disclaimer: My camera battery died, I don't know where my charger is and so I had to use my old camera. The pictures all have a funky coloring to them. Hopefully I can find my charger soon so I don't have crappy pictures for long. I am sorry for the lack of quality pictures

I know when you think Easter, you may not think birds nest. But I do. I have very fond memories of making these treats with my mom for all my friends at Easter. I took them to the Easter school party, and Easter sunday school party, and gave my friends Easter treat bags with them in it. Every holiday the teachers at The Bee try and give their students something. I find it very hard to get my kids something, they are 6 weeks to 9 months. They don't eat candy, they can't play with the toys that are at the dollar store, and the toys they can play with are expensive, and really expensive times seven. So I wasn't going to get them anything for Easter, even though the kids in the older infant room have really cool Easter baskets coming their way, I just couldn't afford it. Then I got to thinking about this recipe, and the memories I have of making it, I decided I would make them, and share the recipe with their parents, and maybe give them the gift of memories with their parents and siblings when they get older. Mom and dad get to eat the treat and the extra jelly beans I tossed in. :-D

NOTE: I doubled the recipe

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:



3 cup rice krispe cereal

1 cup shredded coconut ( I am not a big fan of coconut, I just used 1.5 cups)

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Jellybeans

Directions:

Mix cereal and coconut in a large bowl
cereal and coconut


Bring corn syrup, b. sugar, peanut butter and vanilla to a boil.



Remove from heat and mix into cereal.



When cool enough to touch, make balls of the mixture and form into nests.



When completely cool add jelly beans



It made 20 nests...1 fell apart, 1 my brother ate, 7 were bagged for the kids, and 11 are for the teachers at The Bee.

I have to say that the second the heat started working on the mixture, I was tossed back into my kitchen in Georgia, sitting on the counter, helping mom. I even know where exactly I sat. Amazing how smells do that. Sigh, to be little and carefree again........anyway....

I think doubling it in one batch was a bad idea, it was too much to work with and I had a hard time getting the later ones to form and not fall apart because they were cooling off too much, but a quick trip in the microwave fixed that. Mom helped me, her nests were more balls with a little dent, I was going for more of an actual nest. There was debate, no winner decided. I like mine cuz they would hold more jelly beans Mom said something along the lines of birds only poop out about 3 eggs so her smaller ones were fine. Haha.

I wrote the recipe on pretty little cards, and tied it to the bag and wrote them a little note about how I hope they can use this recipe to make memories with their families. :-D I love my kidders. I love my momma <3 (and daddy too)



Side note: The Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans were AMAZING... I will be stocking up on a few bags, the SweetTart ones were so-so, I will stick to the SweetTart ducks bunnies and chicks, and the Reese's Pieces eggs are of course wonderful. :-D