Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!

My sister's friend had a Where the Wild Things Are birthday party for her 2 year old.  She asked me if I could make a Max hood and crown for him to wear at the party.  She had found a tutorial for the hood and it was super cute. I had to do a little searching to find a crown that I liked.  There was not a tutorial that really matched what I was thinking.  I ended up looking at some Google Images and just creating my own.  It's the first time I've really made something without a pattern or tutorial, so I was proud of myself.  He looked really cute wearing it.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Sprinkles peanut butter cupcakes are my favorite.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and she claimed that they would taste just like Sprinkles.  She was right.  These were fabulous.  My only advice is to have a glass of milk ready.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cupcakes
From: Food Snots

Cupcakes

1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Frosting
6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

For Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine milk and vanilla in small bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Beat Butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend until smooth. Slowly mix in peanut butter. Add half the flour mixture and blend slowly. When fully incorporated, add milk mixture. Continue to blend slowly. Add remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips and fold in by hand. Scoop into 12 lined baking cups and bake for about 22 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched and the edges are golden brown.

For Frosting: Combine sugar and salt in a bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl. Beat butter and peanut utter in mixer until smooth and creamy. Alternately add sugar and milk mixture until fully incorporated. Add additional milk ONLY if needed for a softer consistency. You can also add additional powdered sugar if you need to make your frosting thicker. Frost on top of cooled cupcakes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layered Brownie

 

These are one the best things that I have made so far.  They were also pretty simple.  The most difficult (time consuming) part was taking off all of the Reese's wrappers. They combine three of my favorite treats: chocolate chip cookies, Reese's Cups, and brownies.

I found the recipe on Pinterest, but it had the directions in the comment section, so I'm not sure of the original source.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layered Brownie

From: unknown

Ingredients:

1 package chocolate chip break 'n bake cookie dough

2 packages Reese's Cups

1 box brownie mix (and ingredients to make brownies)

Directions:

Smoosh 1 square of cookie dough into the bottom of each cupcake liner. 

Place one peanut butter cup upside down on top of dough.

 Pour prepared brownie batter over top of peanut butter cup, filling 3/4 full.  

Bake for 18 minutes.

I didn't have enough peanut butter cups to make 2 dozen, so I filled a few with Reese's Pieces.  They were just as good.  

I had mine with some ice cream...so yummy!!

Easter Cookie Pops

For Easter we went over to my sister's house.  Her husband did the cooking, so I volunteered to bring dessert.  I saw some adorable cookie pops on Glorious Treats.  Mine don't come anywhere close to looking as good as hers, but they tasted great.

I was really excited to make some cookies because my sister surprised me and bought me some rolling pin rings.  These help make sure the dough is rolled out evenly.  I had seen these, but was too cheap to buy them.  I had been using a technique that I saw on Glorious Treats using paint sticks to make the dough even.

This worked, but I was excited for the bands.

These come in different sizes, so I can use them for different cookies and pies.

Cake Batter Cookies

We went to Tahoe for the weekend with my husband's family.  I wanted to bake something, but knew that I wanted something quick and easy.  I didn't have all of my kitchen gadgets and I wanted to relax for the weekend.

These Cake Batter Cookies were exactly what I was looking for.  You only need three ingredients.  I found them through Pinterest at A Simple Affair.  

Cake Batter Cookies:

1 package of Pillsbury Funfetti Premium Cake Mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

Mix the ingredients together. 

Place balls on ungreased cookie sheet.   Cook at 375 for 6-8 minutes.  She recommends taking them out before they start to brown on the bottom and let them cook through on the stove top. 

Mine weren't as fluffy looking as hers.  I don't know if it had to do with altitude or if I over cooked them.  They tasted great, so I guess it didn't matter.