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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

       I love peanut butter. I have this really unhealthy obsession with it.
       I just love it. I put it on everything. Bread, pretzels, fruit, celery....and I have a bad habit of sticking my finger in the jar.
       But that's normal, right? Everyone loves peanut butter. Everyone.

       I also love honey. And things that are honey roasted. Like these peanuts.
       Soooo peanut butter made from delicious honey roasted peanuts? Sign me up.
       The recipe's super easy. But I'll give it to you anyway, just in case you need some help. :)



Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Ingredients
1-2 cups honey roasted peanuts (depending on how much you want, and how much your food processor will hold)
Small pinch of salt
Directions
1. Place peanuts and salt in a food processor with a blade.
2. Process. The peanuts will grind up, and then begin to form a paste.
3. Process the nuts until they are a smooth paste- or leave it more chunky depending on your preference

Easy, right?? It should only take you 3-5 minutes, and hardly any clean-up!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

       Hi there! How are you? It's been a while, hasn't it?
       I'm sorry about that. Really, truly, I am. I had exams last week, and then on the very last day, was struck with a family emergency. A very big emergency.
       But, now that everything has gone back to almost normal (the emergency is over, but the worry is not), I've returned, armed with new recipes!

       Let me tell you something about these cookies.
       Hot. Damn.
       Seriously. I can't...I just....
       These are the best cookies that I have ever eaten. Period.
       I never thought that I would say that about a cookie without chocolate in it...but honestly. These. Are. Fricken. Awesome.
       Woohoo! Can you tell I really love these? I really do. The plain cookie itself is just so nice and buttery and soft, but then you throw in some lovely toffee bits, sweet butterscotch chips, and a dash of oats for a nice flaky finish.
       Please. Do yourself a favor. Go make these. Right now. Please. But let me warn you. The dough is highly addictive. I think I ate five cookies worth of dough before I even put them in the oven...


       Mmmmm.
       They remind me a lot of the Panera Toffee Nut cookie. Except without nuts, and with butterscotch. Yumyumyumyumyumyumyumyum.
       These are perfect for gifts, parties, neighbors, or just for your own pleasure. Get to baking!



Butterscotch Toffee Cookies

Recipe from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped toffee bits (heath bits!)
Directions
1. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Whisk in the salt
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
3. Add the sugars and beat again, until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
4. Beat in the eggs and almond extract until well blended.
5. Slowly add in the flour mixture, beating on low until just combined.
6. Stir in the oats, butterscotch chips, and toffe.
7. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (I baked one batch, but then refirgerated the dough for 2 hours. It's definitely worth it to refrigerate the dough- it makes them softer and more flavorful!)
8. Preheat the over to 375 degrees.
9. Roll 2 tablepoons worth of dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until just set around the edges and slightly underdone in the middle (they won't look done yet).
10. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet 5 minutes (they will continue cooking), and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.