Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Between my husband and the dog, peanut butter has become a staple in the house. So much so that I buy the huge 5 pound jar. A few weeks ago we ran out and it wasn't in the grocery budget to stock up on it. Eric and Arya had to go two whole weeks without their peanut butter, and I got plenty of complaints from Eric and sad eyes from Arya as she tried to give me her Kong toy (which usually gets filled with peanut butter). So when I finally bought a jar, Arya got her Kong full of peanut butter and Eric got these amazing peanut butter pancakes.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup water (or milk, if you prefer. I actually like water better)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Grease with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine water, peanut butter, egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well-combined.Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour 1/4 cup portions onto the griddle or pan. Cook until little bubbles appear, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve with butter or syrup, if so desired.

Peanut butter chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and eggs with cheese, kale, and bacon

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
Blueberry Muffins
French Toast in a Mug
Homemade Hash Browns
Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sweet Buns Three Ways: Cherry, Blueberry, and Cream Cheese 

Chocolate Covered Blueberries

Last winter I discovered chocolate covered cranberries and they quickly became one of my favorite snacks. In fact, months later I'm still craving them, but sadly cranberries are out of season. Then I saw the carton of blueberries in the fridge and thought why not? I've made yogurt covered blueberries before and they were fabulous. Why not chocolate covered blueberries? The only drawback to these is that Eric likes them too, where as I had the chocolate covered cranberries all to myself.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or any kind of chips you'd like)

Directions:
Line cookie pan with waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat as needed until chocolate is melted.

Pour the blueberries into the melted chocolate and gentle stir with a spatula until all the blueberries are covered in chocolate. With a fork, transfer the cranberries one by one to the cookie sheet. Place in the refrigerator until chocolate hardens.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Berry Recipes:
White Chocolate Filled Raspberries
Blueberry Muffins
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins 
Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce   
Blueberry Chocolate Chip Brunetties
Sugared Cranberries
Michigan Cranberry Brownies

Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Out of all the chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, I think Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies are my favorite. The recipe calls for nuts--usually walnuts--which I have always left out. Well, this time I decided to add in the nuts--hazelnuts. Let me tell you, they take the cookies to a whole other level. I handed Eric one fresh out of the oven; he took a bite and just starting nodding his head and said "Uh-huh," which in Eric-speak means: yep, you nailed.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups hazelnuts, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

You can shell your own hazelnuts (as I did), buy whole shelled hazelnuts, or purchase prechopped hazelnuts. Spread the hazelnuts out on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until the nuts slightly brown. If you're using whole hazelnuts that still have the skins on them, wrap the hazelnuts in a dish towel and allow them to sit for about 1 minute. Then rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins. Chop. (I like larger nut chunks, Eric like them small).

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until mixture is creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Gradually, beat in the dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and hazelnuts.

Drop of rounded tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the cookies are a golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Cookie Recipes:
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Creamsicle Chocolate Chip Cookies
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Brown Sugar Cookies
Baileys White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

I had originally planned on making strawberry rhubarb muffins but the rhubarb at the grocery store was looking a little rough, so I decided on strawberry chocolate chip muffins. I sent these to work with Eric, and they were quite the hit. He said he caught one person practically licking the plate.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Muffin
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Crumble Topping
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a small bowl, combine all the crumble topping ingredients until you have a texture of coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

In a second bowl, combine egg, oil, and milk. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir (be careful not to over mix). Fold in blueberries.

Divide equally between the 12 cups. Generously sprinkle crumble on top of the muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center of the muffins set.

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Strawberry chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
French Toast in a Mug  
Homemade Hash Browns  
Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins  
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 
Pancakes with Raspberry Sauce 
  Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug

Blueberry Chocolate Chip Brunetties

So what is a brunettie? Short story: something my husband made up.

I told Eric I was making blueberries blondies and he asked why they were called blondies. I told him because they were like brownies but without the cocoa--so blonde instead of brown. But didn't that make them cookie bars? he asked. Same difference, I told him. Well, the discussion went in circles until Eric decided he would call them brunetties (I don't think I ever quite caught on to his rationale) but the name stuck. I even found myself referring to them as brunetties.

P.S. I can't wait to make these again with black cherries and raspberries.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips,
1 cup blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch pan with tin foil then grease with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and stir. Pour the flour and salt and combine, but be sure not to over mix (this will make your blondies more tough than chewy). Fold in the chocolate chips and blueberries.

Pour batter into prepared dish. Smooth surface with a spatula so it's even.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the blondies brown and the center is set.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Bar/Blondie/Brownie Recipes:
Caramelitas
Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (Twix Bars) 
Congo Bars, Blondies, or Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies with a Strawberry Sauce
Michigan Cranberry Brownies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Skinny Peanut Butter Brownies 

Grandma Betty's Banana Bread and The Creaking Tree

This recipe comes from Eric's grandmother and made an appearance in my novel, The Creaking Tree. A grownup fairy tale, the book tells the story of Louisa, a food-writer, and her trip to the Other Side of the Creaking Tree (read synposis below the recipe). The book is peppered with recipes, including this one. I couldn't think of a more perfect banana bread recipe for the book than the one that belonged to Eric's grandma. Eric's mom added the chocolate chips and I've enjoyed it more than once. In fact, I may have eaten the majority of the last loaf . . . it's just so good!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
dash of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together; set aside.

In a small bowl, mash bananas and combine with the eggs; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream shortening with brown sugar. Mix the banana mixture into the shortening mixture. Gradually add the flour mixture into the third bowl while mixing. Combine well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center of the loaf sets.

Enjoy!

The Creaking Tree

Nestled in a little riverside cabin in northern Michigan, food-writer and newlywed Louisa is working on her first cookbook, a collection of delectable recipes inspired by the foods found in fairy tales. The only nuisance to disrupt her work is a creaking tree across the river. All summer long it grows louder and more persistent. When Louisa can no longer take it, she splashes across the river to silence the tree once and for all. But little does she know that the creaking tree is more than just a tree; it’s a portal to an ensorcelled forest of kings and queens, witches and huntsmen.

Hopelessly lost in this strange and wonderful sylvan land, Louisa crosses paths with licentious dwarfs, follows a breadcrumb trail, and encounters a rogue huntsman, Roan. Roan explains that the Other Side is ruled by the nefarious King Lyall, who is more concerned with the state of his cock than his kingdom. He has imprisoned the mysterious Queen Anora in the enchanted Apple Grove. In order to return home, Louisa must travel deep into the forest and save the Queen . . . as well as herself.

Click the My Books tab at the top of the page to check out more of my works.

~Krissy

More Bread Recipes
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug 
Homemade Bread Sticks 
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Homemade Pita Bread
Parmesan Onion Rolls 
Pull Apart Pizza Bread  
Pull-Apart Spinach and Cheese Bread
Pumpkin Bread!
Sour Cream Dinner Rolls 

Cannoli Dip

Eric's parents often have grocery store cannoli (while delicious, far from the real deal) at their house and Eric never fails to snag one when we visit. Every time he wonders out loud, "I wonder how hard it would be to make these," which is code for "Krissy, will you make these for me?" 

Of course, I did--well, partially. I made the filling to serve as a dip and cinnamon-sugar pastries (Eric's all time favorite baked good) to go with it. I didn't expect the cannoli filling to be so easy to make or so addictive. Next time I will have to attempted to make the cannoli shells too.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
16 ounces of ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk, optional
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
First, you need to strain the liquid out of the ricotta. Usually you do this by wrapping the ricotta in cheese cloth and gently squeezing out the excess liquid. I don't have cheese cloth so I set a couple sheets of paper towel in the bottom of a mesh colander, spread the cheese on top and with my hand pressed down on it. Then I let it sit and drain for 15 or 20 minutes.

Once the ricotta is strained, place it, the sugar, and the extract into a food processor and process for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. I added a tablespoon of milk to thin the filling just a little. You don't have to do this--or you could add more if you so desired.

Pour the filling into your desired container, sprinkle with the chocolate chips, and serve with pastries, graham crackers, or anything you so desire.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Ideas:
Smores Pie
Caramelitas
Creamsicle Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Swirl Cake (Made with Swiss Cake Rolls)
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Whoppers a.k.a. malted milk balls. I plan on attempting to make some myself in the near future, but for now it's malted chocolate chip cookies. I must admit, it was difficult not to just eat the batter. And Eric kept sneaking into the kitchen and stealing them from my wire rack, almost as fast as I was making them. We are both definitely fans of the malted chocolate chip cookie.

Recipe slightly adapted from here. 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup malted milk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks just because that's what I had on hand)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together malted milk powder, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and combine. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough, drop on cookie sheet, and slightly flatten with a fork, spatula, or your fingers. If you want prettier cookies, roll the dough into a ball before slightly flattening. Space cookie about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges turn a light golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Arya keeping me company while I cook

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Cookie Recipes:
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Brown Sugar Cookies
Baileys White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Creamsicle Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cream Cheese Cake Mix Recipe)
Smores Cookies!
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies

Edible Chocolate Clay

This was the result of an opps in the kitchen. So I was making chocolate caramel shortbread and I screwed up the chocolate. I meant to make chocolate ganche but instead of heating the whipping cream and pouring it over the chocolate, I melted the chocolate chips and stirred in the room temperature cream. The result: the chocolate seized up and turned into this thick clay-like substance. I decided to just pour melted chocolate over the top of my shortbread bars, but still had to figure out what to do with the chocolate I messed up--there was no way I was going to throw out chocolate. Since Easter is not far off, I molded the chocolate into bunnies, chicks, and nests with eggs. My sculpting skills certainly leave something to be desired, but what I fun thing to do, especially if you have kids!

Ingredients:
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Place the chocolate chips in the a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until chocolate is melted (1 minutes, 30 seconds worked for me). Pour in cream and combine. Chocolate will seize (which is usually a bad thing but not in this case). Work seized chocolate into a clay with your hands.

Shape clay into desired shapes. My hands only got a little bit of chocolate on them (which totally surprised me). Store in the refrigerator. Chocolate will harden in the fridge.

I haven't tried this, but I've also seen recipes for edible chocolate clay made with chocolate chips and corn syrup.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Easter Recipes:
Cupcakes Baked Inside An Easter Egg
How to Dye Easter Eggs with Kool Aid
Homemade Cadbury Egg Bark

Caramelitas

Eric keeps taking a spoon to my jar of homemade caramel sauce and I knew if I didn't make these caramelitas soon, I wasn't going to have any caramel left to make them. Obviously, we are both big caramel fans, which makes it incredibly strange that neither of us have had a caramelita before. Needless to say, we both loved them. Eric's not even sulking that I used up the rest of the caramel sauce making them. In fact, he wants me to make more so I can make more of these bars!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup homemade or store bought caramel sauce
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with tin foil then grease generously with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vanilla, and brown sugar. Pour in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. Pour half the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth with a rubber spatula (Don't worry if it looks like you won't have enough dough--this concerned me at first, too, but it all worked out).

Bake for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the first layer of cookie. Pour the caramel over the chocolate chips, spreading it slowly and equally. Drop little bits of the remaining cookie dough evenly over the top of the bars. The caramel will still show through in some places--that's okay!

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the top turns a golden brown.

Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. If you try removing them from the pan or slicing them before the caramel has had time to firm up, you'll end up with a gooey mess. I refrigerated mine for 2 hours after the pan reached room temperature. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Recipes:
Congo Bars, Blondies, or Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
Michigan Cranberry Brownies
White Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Pie
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies
 

Congo Bars, Chocolate Chip Blondies, or Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?

I totally learned something new making this dessert. Originally I found a recipe on Pinterest for Congo Bars. Like most recipes I find there, I was attracted to the picture; I had no idea what a Congo Bar actually was. If you know me, I google everything. So I look up Congo Bars: basically blondies with chocolate chips and toasted coconut, at least traditionally. The recipe didn't call for coconut so I guessed it was really a blondie? Not a big deal. However, I've always stayed away from blondies simply for the fact that I thought they were just brownies without the cocoa powder, and being a chocoholic I prefer brownies. But as I'm making this recipe, it occured to me that I'm really making chocolate chip cookie bars. My mom used to make them every Christmas when I was a kid so I'm fairly familiar with them. I go back to Google and ask the search engine what's the difference between blondies and chocolate chip cookie bars. Answer: other than chocolate chips being optional in blondies and a prerequiste for the cookies, nothing really.

So whatever you want to call these bars--congo, blondies, or chocolate chip cookies--they are delicious.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter, room temp

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Gradually pour in flour while mixing until well combined. Fold in chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the bars are a golden brown. Allow bars to cool before cutting.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Recipes:
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Brown Sugar Cookies
Baileys White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Apple Cider Cookies with Spiced Rum Glaze
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frostin

Orange Slices Dipped in Chocolate

I had oranges in the fridge, I had chocolate chips in the pantry, and I thought why not. I usually pack Eric a lunch for work and they've been pretty boring lately. I thought at least the chocolate covered orange slices would be a nice change. Now, he doesn't like salted chocolate or caramel. I, however, do. So I salted half the orange and left the other half plain chocolate.

Ingredients:
1 small orange
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used sem-sweet because that's what I had.)
Sea salt, if desired

Directions:
Peel the orange and carefully separate the slices. 

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat as needed.

Dip half of each slice in the chocolate and place on a waxed paper lined plate or cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt if desire. Refrigerator until the chocolate has hardened.

Eric said his little lunch surprise made him laugh--then he devoured them.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Fruit Recipes:
Yogurt-Covered Blueberries
Chocolate Covered Cranberries
White Chocolate Filled Raspberries
Chocolate Covered Cherries 
Candied Citrus Peels
Baked Apple Chips
Banana Chips