Fun with Peanut Butter

I’m sixteen. When you are sixteen and no restaurants or businesses will hire you, where do you go? Your next door neighbors. I babysit often for a few families in my neighborhood, and I’m constantly looking for new ways to entertain the little ones. Now, granted, I don’t just go giving peanut butter to every child I see, that is just plain irresponsible (because of peanut allergies). But when you know for certain that the child doesn’t have a peanut allergy, making Peanut Butter “Playdough” can be a fun, and yummy activity! It’s super easy and quick to make, so it’s perfect for any babysitter just plain out of ideas, or a mom in a bind! Here’s the recipe!

 

Ingredients:
1 cup of peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 cup of honey
2 cups of powdered sugar

Prep:

Mix up all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl, and you are done! Put any leftovers in the freezer to store, or bake them into cookies! (Bake at 350 for 15-20 min.)

Easy Cookie Dough

Tonight, I am going to a bible study with my best friend’s new friends. And nothing says “I’m a try hard” like a fresh batch of cookies. So, being the kiss up I am, I made a fresh batch of cookies. The dilemma? I only have 45 min. So what do you do when you are short on time, and need to whip some cookies real quick? You make them out of cake batter. That’s right, cake batter. Here is the simple recipe, that will have all of your friend’s friends gawking.

Cake Batter Cookies
1 box of cake mix (any flavor)
1/3 a cup of vegetable oil.
2 large eggs

Prep: Preheat oven to 375. Put the cake mix, oil, and eggs into a large mixing bowl and mix together until the mixture forms a doughy ball.  Take the dough, roll it into balls and place onto cookie sheet.  Flatten the balls ever so slightly. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Take out to cool.

And bada-bing-bada-boom. Cookies. Nothing says “I want your friendship” like cookies! Hope you enjoy!

Classic Cookies

Another all time American favorite. The infamous Chocolate Chip Cookies. Unique to our country and how we love them so. Here is a great recipe for those nice, flat, chewy, gooey, original chocolate chip cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookie Dough:
2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup of butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
lots and LOTS of chocolate chips!

Preparation:
Pull out a  rectangular cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 375.

Make your cookie dough. Add in as many chocolate chips as you like. I love chocolate so I’m going to add a LOT. Put your dough into the fridge to chill.

Take your cookie dough out of the fridge (I know it’s hard, but try not to eat it all beforehand!).

Roll the dough into ping pong sized balls. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and press them down just a little bit. Throw those puppies in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Place them on a cooling rack and enjoy!

Stay fresh!

Cookie Cake?A New Twist.

My little brother is always coming up with the craziest ideas. Sometimes they are a bit illogical, but other times, they give me great ideas, especially in the kitchen. Now, I haven’t tried this out yet, so I will be sure to put up photos as soon as I do. I also encourage you to try it and let me know how it turns out! So now it’s time for the grand unveiling of an original Josh Haaser idea, drum roll please?Cookies, filled with cake. Frosted to look like mini cakes.

It sounds a bit crazy, but I honestly think it’s a cute, and amazing idea. Especially for parties! I devised a recipe. I’m going to try it out this week and get back to you. But in the meantime, feel free to try it out!

Josh’s Amazing Cookie Filled Cakes

Cookie Dough:
2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup of butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
lots and LOTS of chocolate chips!

Preparation:
Pull out a cupcake pan and a regular cookie sheet. Grease up the pans with butter or no stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 375.

Make your cookie dough. Add in as many chocolate chips as you like. I love chocolate so I’m going to add a LOT. Put your dough into the fridge to chill.

Next, because I’m not very good at making cakes from scratch (a weak point of mine), I’m going to prepare my Betty Crocker cake mix. It can be any type of cake that your little heart desires. Like I said before, I’m a chocolate nut so I’m going to use Devil’s food cake.

Take your cookie dough out of the fridge (I know it’s hard, but try not to eat it all beforehand!). Line the cup part of the cupcake tin with cookie dough, like you would a pie tin. Fill each “cookie cup” about halfway full with cake batter. Go ahead and pop those babies in the oven.

Now take your cookie sheet and the remaining cookie dough and make some regular sized cookies about the size of the top of the “cookie cups”. Put those in the oven too.

Now, I don’t have a set amount of time for these cookie cakes, but I would say about 15-20 min. You will know they are done because the cookies will be a golden brown and the cake will be, well, cake.

Take your cookie cakes and cookies out of the oven to cool. Once fully cooled, remove cookie cakes from tin, and line the opening with frosting. Stick a regular cookie on top of the frosting and turn over. Decorate.

Let me know how your “Cookie Cakes” turn out!