Category Archives: holidays

Peanut Butter-Peanut Butter Blondies

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There is only one thing better than peanut butter blondies, and that is peanut butter blondies stuffed with peanut butter cups.

(Do I love stuffing peanut butter cups in baked goods, or what?)

I wanted to share this quick and easy blondie recipe in case you are looking for something scrumptious to make for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day.  It’s basically just a Valentinesified (word? no?) version of these peanut butter M&M blondies, amped up a bit with the addition of mini mini Reese’s peanut butter cups.  The blondies are sliiiightly underbaked to provide maximum peanut butter gooeyness.

Seriously, who could resist?

Peanut Butter-Peanut Butter Blondies (adapted from Handle the Heat)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup M&Ms (or chocolate chips)
  • 3/4 cup mini mini peanut butter cups (or regular PB cups, roughly chopped)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 pan with tin foil; coat lightly with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium pot, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. After the peanut butter mixture has cooled slightly (it should still be warm but not hot – you don’t want it to cook the eggs!) add the vanilla; stir until combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until fully incorporated.
  5. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir until ingredients are fully incorporated; fold in 1/2 cup M&Ms and 1/2 cup peanut butter cups.
  6. Spread batter into prepared pan; smooth it out with a spatula (or your hands) until evenly distributed.  Top with remaining M&Ms and peanut butter cups and lightly press them into the batter.  Bake for 22 minutes or until edges are just barely golden brown.  The center will be slightly gooey but should set as it cools.
  7. Allow blondies to cool completely, then cut and serve.

Peppermint Brownie Batter Truffles

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Falalalala…lalala…brownie batter.

Peppermint.  Brooooownie batter.  Truffles.

These babies were born because I was making batch number 2 (obsessed) of these chocolate peppermint brownies and I accidentally-on-purpose “forgot” 1/4 cup of batter in the bottom of the bowl.  Since the brownies were already in the oven, I just had to eat the leftover batter.  It would be inconsiderate to let it go to waste.

As I was scraping every last drop of brownie batter out of the bowl, I had an epiphany.

Delete the egg, replace with milk, and voila!  Brownie batter sans salmonella, ready to be rolled into truffle form!

And no, I did not feed Mike one of these truffles and pretend they had raw egg in them to test his fake egg allergy.  Why would you ask?*

Peppermint Brownie Batter Truffles

yield: about 24 truffles, depending on their size

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 cup crushed candy cane pieces
  • candy melts or chocolate chips for dipping
  • sprinkles
Directions
  1. In a large bowl, beat melted butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  Stir until ingredients are completely incorporated; batter will be quite thick.
  2. Add 3 tablespoons milk; beat until incorporated.  If the batter is still hard to stir, add one tablespoon more of milk.  It should be soft but dense enough to roll into balls.
  3. Stir in candy cane pieces.  Roll batter into 1-inch balls; place on a cookie sheet.
  4. Prepare your candy melts (or melted chocolate chips).  Dip each ball into the melts; sprinkle with candy cane bits or sprinkles, and allow to harden for 30 minutes.
  5. Store in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature.

*In case you’re wondering, Mike had a fake allergic flare-up complete with invisible hives.  Point proven.  For Christmas I’m getting him a nicer girlfriend.

Thankful.

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I’m thankful…

…that I have a job that makes me laugh every day.

…for my family and friends, near and far!

…for my KitchenAid mixer.

…for Mike…

…and that he puts up with my ridiculous daily antics.

…to wake up every morning and see the sun rise.

…for my warm, cozy bed.

…for roasted garlic.

…for my naturally blonde hair (if I can’t feel thankful for my hair this time of year, when can I?)

…that I am able to go to graduate school.

…for my apartment…

…and it’s built-in washer/dryer.

…for Adele’s music.

…for any music.

…for Friday dance parties.

…for my camera. Happy one-year birthday, beautiful baby!

I’m thankful for a life full of happiness, laughter, love, and cupcakes.

What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Because of my mom….

I have an awesome sense of style.

I understand the importance of room-temperature butter.

I know when to stop and smell the flowers.

I sometimes speak French. Je t’aime, maman!

I am inspired to teach.

I have naturally blonde hair.

I love to read.

I know that homegrown/made things always taste better.

I know how to sew on a button.

I know how to make pierogis, love the sound of Polka music, and have a special place in my heart for kielbasa.

Because of my mom, I am who I am today, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love you mom. You’re the best!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Spring Break: Part 2

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We kicked off part two of spring break with a looooong traffic-filled drive back to Boston with my whole fam, as well as a looooong trip to the Verizon store to [finally, happily, joyously] get me an iPhone!!!!!! I am now officially a real adult in the 21st century. I am also that annoying iPhone user who has her phone glued to her hand 24/7 like a crackBerry. Though iPhones are WAY more fun than crackBerries. Truth.

We also made a pitstop in Charlestown for Easter attempt #2 to climb the Bunker Hill monument (original summit attempt circa Easter weekend 2010), only to find that it is STILL CLOSED. We’re hoping the third time’s the charm. Easter 2012, bring it on.

We ended the day with a trip to the MFA to check out the Chihuly exhibit. The photos from the exhibit deserve their own post, but here’s a preview:

Totally and completely mind (and glass, har har) blowing.

On Saturday we got up bright and early to drive up to Gloucester and Rockport. Though the weather was terrible, my umbrella flipped 18 times and hit me in the head twice, I potentially water-damaged my camera in an attempt to get the perfect “Perfect Storm” photo (George Clooney, I did it for you!)- we made the best of it! I kept singing a song I learned in 4th grade chorus:

Hey hey, come what may 

I’m not gonna let that ruin my day

No sir, no way

I’m not gonna let that ruin my day!

It’s a catchy little diddy and you should feel free to sing it to yourself whenever your umbrella hits you in the head or you lose your dad in a town without cellphone service.

Perfect tiny lobster sliders!

Perfect “Perfect Storm” photo. Ehhh.

Please note my dad and brother also trying to get the photo. Sorry to any and all Martin family cameras harmed in this process.

And finally, Domenica and I hosted Easter brunch for our families at our apartment on Sunday. We are soo adult.

We also ventured over to the Arnold Arboretum and almost had a throw-down with a certain family who was hogging a certain beautiful pink tree. But that deserves its own post as well…

Whew! What a week. Is it summer yet???