comeback: peanut-butter surprises

I know, you're surprised. But I'm back! It was a long hiatus (actually the longest in Baking Therapy history), but it was much needed. I had an engagement to celebrate, a fiance to play with and a new home to warm. Plus a new commute to figure out. But the fiance is happy, the house is sizzling (photos to come soon!) and I'm a master of Grand Central. So it was time to pull the standing mixer and return to the baking state of mind.

I knew it would be a shock to see Baking Therapy pop up on your newsfeed, so I chose Martha's Peanut-Butter Surprises for my comeback. What's better than a current Baking Therapy post and a burst of peanut butter inside double chocolate cookies?? Maybe a supercute 1890's farmhouse and sunny skies all weekend... but we already got that :)

These. are. chocolatopia in your face. With a splash of pb. And a side of happiness wrapped in deliciousness.

Peanut-Butter Surprises

via MarthaStewart.com

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between additions. Add vanilla, beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients; mix on low speed until fully combined. Add chocolate chips, mix on low speed just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour.

In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Drop 1 tbsp. of dough at a time onto baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2-inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 2 tsp. peanut butter mixture. Top with a second tablespoon of flattened dough. Carefully mold dough to cover the surprise.

Bake until firm, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and let cool completely on wire racks.

bling

Oh! Oh hi!! Friends it's been too long! I know it has. But I have an excuse. (well, two)

First, you know I'm moving. So I've been busy packing and purging... and packing more.

But the better excuse is...

I'm engaged!!!!!

Bf did it last weekend, completely shocking me and pulling off a surprise engagement party with all of our closest friends and family. Can you believe it?! Isn't he the cutest??

We're just over the moon and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

So, needless to say there's no recipe today (my kitchen is in boxes!), but hang with me and give me a week to move in and unpack. I promise great things in the Connecticut kitchen!

In the meantime, I can't stop smiling :)

chili, bands and beer: NYChiliFest 2011

Tonight was a true test of stomach capacity. It was NYC's biggest chili festival - with dozens of NYC's best restaurants serving up their finest and competing for the ultimate prize: the golden chili cup. All proceeds went to Food Systems NYC, but we didn't need the charity excuse to stuff our faces full.

We checked in to get a bowl and spoon and then set off to find our fill of chili and Brooklyn Brewery beer inside Chelsea Market. With 2 dozen chili stations and a couple thousand hungry patrons it was chaos for a while as mugs and spoons clinked together searching for the next ladleful. But we pushed our way through to make the most of the "unlimited" experience and OMG.

Chili. Coma.

I think in the end I had about 14 helpings. 14. Helpings of chili. But I had to try them all (well, most of them)! And they were only about an ice cream scoop-ful, we're not talking full bowls here. So, that's fine, right..?

My favorites:

Northern Spy Food Co.

Txikito

La Palapa

Jimmy's No. 43

Brooklyn Brewery

And the very best of the night (in bf and my eyes): a dark, bbq-rich short rib chili from Fette Sau

Some surprising dislikes:

Dressler

The Green Table

and the Food Network Test Kitchen

The biggest issue were the crowds (and the chili shoveling that ensued). We ate like it was our last meal and we were in the wild fighting lions for a fresh kill. But it was worth it! After all, there was live music and all the chili you could eat.

If you didn't make it this year, mark your calendars for 2012. We'll be back, and we might be throwing elbows next to you :)

blue: flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

Ok, my fingers are blue. Some shade between blue jean blue and royal. Why? 'Cause there's no heat in my apartment. And it's in the teens outside. So.

I'm baking.

Naturally.

Oh and thanks for all the well wishes on my big move! Ya'll are so sweet - really. I know, I'm excited too. And yes, you can come over for dessert sometime around our new expands-to-be-90" dining room table. We'd love to have you for an evening in the country!

In the meantime I suppose it's fitting that my last few weeks in Manhattan are spent living like a true hardcore New Yorker (freezing in my pre-war brownstone, under 4 blankets, wearing sweatpants to bed).

Inspiration from tonight's recipe came after perusing Tastespotting and finding an unusual amount of flourless peanut butter cookie recipes. I heart flour and I was pretty skeptical of the results, but photos in the posts showed gorgeous puffy cookies. So I gave them a try.

How do cookies puff with no flour? Good question. But they did and OH MY they're sinfully good. If you have a peanut butter cup craving, trade in the Reese's for a homemade treat. These are deeeeeelightful!

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Southern Living

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup Hershey kisses, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, sugars, egg, baking soda and salt and combine with a hand blender until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, measure cookies to a baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time at 350 F for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed and edges are just brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool until firm.

OH! AND GO STEELERS! Super Bowl #7 here we COME!