Baking Fiend Strikes Again!

I've spent the past four hours in the kitchen baking up a storm.  I started with my Grandma's Peanut Butter Bar Recipe, then tweaked a recipe for Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies, and finished up with Strawberry Peach Cookies.  I forgot to nab after baking pics of the Strawberry Peach cookies and I'm too lazy to go do it now.  You'll have to use your imagination!

I've had requests for recipes, so here you are:

Grandma's Peanut Butter Bars

• heat the oven to 350 degrees


• melt 1/2 C. up Peanut Butter and 1 stick of butter in a 2 quart pan


• take off heat


• add 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 2 beaten eggs


• stir in 1 C. all purpose, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt


• stir in 2 tsp. vanilla


• Pour into greased pan


• bake 25 - 30 minutes

Dark Chocolate Mocha Brownies

(modified from The Way the Cookie Crumbles)

5 ounces semisweet chocoloate chips

10 Dove dark chocolate candies (the type in the bag)

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into quarters

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 tablespoons freshly ground coffee

3 large eggs

1¼ cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon table salt

1 cup and 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Fold two 12-inch pieces of foil lengthwise so that they measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into corners and up the sides of the pan; overhang will help in the removal of the baked brownies. Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium pan on low heat, melt the chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Add in heavy whipping cream and stir.  Whisk in the cocoa and coffee until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture; then stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spread into corners, and level the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove the brownies from the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into squares and serve.

Strawberry Peach Cookies

(modified from Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook )

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda


• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 large egg


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 2 large, ripe peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)


• 1/3 cup strawberry preserves


• cinnamon sugar mixture (1 tsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


2. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda


3. Mix butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low, and add in egg and vanilla.  Mix until well-blended.  Add flour mixture and mix until combined.  Add diced peaches and preserves, mix until just combined.


4. using a tablespoon, drop dough onto buttered cookie sheet spacing 2 inches apart.  (Chill remaining dough between batches)


5. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture and bake 13 - 15 minutes .  Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack for at least 10 minutes.