National Pretzel Day :)

Happy National Pretzel Day! 
   I know I have been slacking on the update I said I would do but will go back to those posts (sorry I was on vacation and actually RELAXED and did nothing all week!). If you do not know me that you are not familiar with my obsession with pretzels and peanut butter and almond butter and whatever type of nut butter you can dip a pretzel into! If you do know me than you know it is right up there with my sprinkle and ice cream obsession. I may or may not have even received a Kate Spade bag for Christmas with pretzels on it :) It would have been the best present if there was a jar of peanut butter in it but it is still a pretty awesome bag. Anyways back to the post....my sister in law Tara (who really told me to start this blog) informed me (along with Buzz Feed) that today is national pretzel day. I didn't really need an excuse to bake today because I haven't all week and it is Sunday so I usually do but come on.....national pretzel day? So of course I needed to make something with pretzels in them. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to bake and decided on cookies or a bar instead of cupcakes...I am not sure how I would like cupcakes with pretzels in them. I am not a huge fan of peanut butter cookies....shocker I know and a lot of pretzel cookies I found were peanut butter ones. Because of this I decided to create my own cookie! I used the measurements for the flour, powders and oil from this recipe:  http://welltraveledwife.com/2013/03/coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies.html (this is one I have made a lot) but changed around what I added in.  I have been wanting to bake with my nuts 'n more peanut butter but haven't been sure what to make with it so also decided to add some in but not enough that I consider this a peanut butter cookie. It makes it even better that it is the toffee crunch flavor next time I am going to try and use the chocolate one. I was a tad nervous that the peanut butter would dry the cookies out a little but I think because it is a small amount it did not. Thanks to Tara and Buzz Feed here are the ingredients and steps to my new creation. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil melted

1 cup  dark brown sugar

 2 eggs 

1 TBS. pure vanilla extract (again I don't measure this but a nice pour will do)

1 3/4 cup white wheat flour

a pinch of salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 bar of dark chocolate chopped ( I used the Trader Joe's kind)

1 cup (or a little less) of crushed up pretzel pieces 

1 and 1/2 TBS of nuts 'n more toffee crunch peanut butter (any will work this is just what I have) 

(not all ingredients are in the picture)

Directions:

Before you start with the mixer chop the chocolate and crush the pretzels ( I just put them in a zip-lock and hit them! Be careful the bag does break sometimes! You want some smaller pieces and then crumbly pieces as well.)! 

1.  Use a mixer to beat the the melted coconut oil and dark brown sugar.  

2. Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy. 

3. Add in the vanilla extract and mix.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder with whisk. Don't be like me and drop the first one on the floor......

5. Pour and mix about 3/4 of the flour mixture into the mixing bowl with oil and sugars.  
6. Add in the chopped chocolate, pretzels, and peanut butter. Mix until just combined. 

7. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix again until just combined. When combined use your hands to ensure that everything is mixed and distributed evenly among the dough. 

8. Roll into the size cookies you would like and place in a bowl or a dish to chill. Cover with press and seal (nice and tight!) and place in fridge for at least 1 hour.

 

 9. When ready preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the cookie dough out of fridge and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. These do not spread as they cook as long as you chill them but I did place them far enough apart in case!

10. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes. You need to check the bottom of these cookies because they are darker in color already. When the bottoms are golden brown or to your liking take out of the oven. Place on cooking rack lined with wax paper.....or eat a few first (melted chocolate is always better!)

11. ENJOY!

A preview of what is to come next.....

Hello All! I am sorry for the delay in the posting but the blogger website would not save/publish my post! I tried every day during the week! I am now caught up on that one and here is a little preview of what is to come! Betty had a busy weekend..... even did some cooking :) 

           

I have a sprinkle addiction.

Yes. You are just so smart. A work luncheon is again just another excuse to bake. As one can figure out from the background of this blog I do enjoy some or a lot of funfetti. This is mainly due to the fact that I love rainbow sprinkles. I may be known to completely cover my ice cream with them ....and then continue to do so every time there are no sprinkles left on the outside/ ice cream  left :). Considering this luncheon was also a surprise bridal shower I thought that funfetti and sprinkles were perfect for the occasion. I did not want to make cupcakes or a cake because there is always so much so the result was funfetti shortbread poppers! I have adapted the recipe from http://www.theskinnyfork.com/blog/skinny-fairy-bites but did change a bit around. This is a good recipe if you want a small batch of something! This recipe is good if you want a small batch of something!

Ingredients:

(All ingredients are NOT shown in picture)



-1 stick of unsalted butter softened

-2 tbsp of white sugar

-2 tbsp of maple syrup ( I didn't measure just poured a hearty pour)

- 1/2 tsp of vanilla (again didn't measure just poured :))

-3/4 cup of CAKE flour ( the secret to softness)

-1/2 cup of white wheat flour

- a pinch of salt

- the amount of sprinkles/ nonpareils you like ( extra to coat the outside as well)

- optional : colored sugar to coat the outside

Directions:

1. Make sure butter is softened but not to the point of melted. Needs to be able to mix with other ingredients.

2. Place butter in mixer and add sugar, salt and vanilla.  Beat until mixed and fluffy.

3. Add in both flours and mixed until combined. ( mix will be crumbly that is why I saved maple syrup until the end.) add in the sprinkles after the flour has mixed in.

4. Add in the maple syrup and mix on low until combined (add more sprinkles if you are like me :)). This should allow mix to not be so dry. Be careful not to add too much. Mix should be a little drier than a normal cookie mix.

5. Cover and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step should NOT be skipped (I am guilty of this but trust me) as it allows the dough to be a lot easier to roll into bite sized cookie balls.


6. When ready preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7. Remove dough from fridge and shape/ roll into what your heart desires! I decided to do little bite sized cookie balls because there is always so many great dessert options at the lunches.







8.  I am sure these would be fine without added sprinkles or sugar on the outside but why be boring?! Place extra sprinkles or sugar in a bowl and roll the dough until covered to your liking! ( I rolled half in nonpareils and half in green and pink sugar)

 




9. Place dough on parchment paper (these do not really spread while baking so no need to space too far apart. Some of mine did attach but easily came apart after baking)

10. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes. You do want to check on them past 6 (depending on the size you make them). The oven is set to a lower than normal temp but you do not want cake flour to turn brown. Brown cake flour means burning and hard cookies :( You want the middle to be cooked (or not :)) but not too hard. If you have a question take the cookie sheet out for a minute or two and then check one. You may need to cook some longer than others.

11. Place on cooling rack when done and try not to eat all of them at once!

                     

That is about (minus a few I just had to taste test right from the oven :)) how many it made and they were VERY bite sized.

Some more holiday baking....simple almond biscotti

Obviously one treat does not cut it for my family celebrations (and the brownies were also maybe made for elsewhere). If you know my family we have a LARGE sweet tooth as made evident by this picture (my grandma brought cookies to church for the priest...yes that actually happened) 

Anyways back to the point. A large sweet tooth means always so so many cales, cookies, and anything you can think of. With that being said and knowing Easter is a brunch meal I decided to make biscotti to take rather than a dessert dessert. I have been making this recipe for quite some time and it is super simple. I have adapted it from http://provennutritionforkids.com/homemade-almond-biscotti/. I don't like my biscotti super crunchy so tend to cook it for a little less time. I usually chill the dough for at least an hour but this time I did chill it overnight. There was not muh of a difference might have just browned quicker ( you would think the opposite would happen?) 

Ingredients: 

1 stick of unsalted butter softened 

1 cup dark brown sugar 

2 eggs

A heafty pour of vanilla 

3 cups of white wheat flour 

A pinch of sea salt 

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 cup (or to your liking) sliced almonds 

Directions: 

1. Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. 

2. Add in eggs and vanilla 

3. Add in 2 cups of the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined 

      ( at this point I usually add in the remaining cup of flour but decided to add in almonds first this time) 

4. Add in almonds and mix until just combined. Add in final cup of flour and mix in using hands. Dough might seem a tad crumbly so make sure all is incorporated. 

5. Split dough into two equal sized balls. 

6. Place on a work surface and mold into 2 log shapes. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in fridge for an hour or so. 

7. When ready preheat oven to 350

  Place logs on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in oven for 20-30 mins ( until golden brown) 

8. When timer goes off take cookie sheet out and turn oven down to 320 (I do this because I don't like them super crispy). Cut dough into diagonal slices and arrange on cookie sheet side up. 

9. Bake on sides of 4-5 mins flip and repeat on other side for 4-5mins (if you want them crispier cook for the longer time. 

10. Place on cooling rack or be like me and burn your mouth eating them :). They go great in a cup of coffee! 

11. If you have any left store in a container! 

A holiday is just another excuse to bake.

Like the title states: a holiday is just another excuse to bake. Well at least for me 😋. Around Easter time I tend to bake with mini cadbury eggs because they are just fantastic. I already did that this holiday season (will post that recipe) with banana oat breakfast cookies adding in the mini eggs for the chocolate.  I figured I would just make more of a dessert bar using the eggs because I bought so many bags but inspiration came from elsewhere. There is a lady I swim with at the Y who gives a  treat bag/creation every holiday. My day was made when I got to the bottom of it and rediscovered robin egg whoppers. SO GOOD. How could I forget these existed? So instead of making something similar to what I always do for Easter I decided to change it up. And that is how this creation came into existence. I took measurements from another brownie recipe but really just mixed the stuff together and tasted the batter until it tasted good ( if I die of salmonella that is why). 

1 bag of mini robins egg whoppers
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of white wheat flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 stick of unsalted butter
2 eggs
a pinch or two of sea salt
1/4 tsp of baking powder
a pour of vanilla (I never measure my vanilla sorry!)

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place the bag of candy into a big ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin or another hard object and bang the candy to crush it.
Line baking dish with parchment paper ( I used a 7 x 11)

Add softened stick of butter to mixer and cream together with the sugar.
Add eggs, vanilla and beat until mixed
Add in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.
Mix until combined and then fold in crushed up robin’s eggs :) (save a few to top off mixture)
Spread into the prepared pan. Top with remaining crushed candy.
Bake for 20-25 mins. or until your liking.
Don’t be like me and take them out of the dish right away or they will break apart……let cook in pan on a cooling rack and then…….
ENJOY WITH SOME MILK AND ICE CREAM :)

Here goes nothing....

Here goes nothing.....I have had multiple requests as well as ideas to start a baking blog so why not give it a shot? I love to bake and it is a nice relaxing activity for me. I also love to share the baked goods but lets be real it is partly to help out my own sweet tooth as well. I have been trying to expand my adventures so please feel free to share any recipes with me as well! I will try and post as much as I can and link to the original recipes! If you have any questions about the recipes comment or send an email.