Recipe of the week: Candy Bar Cookies

What are you going to do with all that leftover Halloween candy?  Make cookies of course!  This recipe calls for mini Snickers bars but I'm sure the snack size cut into 3 pieces would work.  You can also use Milky Way, Reeses, Baby Ruth, Twix....whatever you like.  I don't make these very often because they're not very healthy, but once in a while won't hurt.  Enjoy!


Candy Bar Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 tsp.baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
60 snickers miniature candy bars
chocolate glaze (recipe below)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.  In large bowl beat together margarine or butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda then add to peanut butter mixture, beat until combined.  For each cookie shape a rounded Tbsp of dough around a candy piece, forming a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 for 15 mins, cool on rack.  After they're cool drizzle with glaze.


Chocolate glaze:
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp milk
add additional milk 1 tsp. at a time
mix all ingredients together

Recipe of the week: Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I don't eat a lot of sugar these days, but once in a while I want something sweet.  I like cupcakes but I think that boxed cake and canned frosting is gross.  Once you've had cake and frosting from scratch you won't ever want the boxed/canned stuff again.  My philosophy is that if you're eating healthy 80% of the time, then a little chocolate and sugar won't hurt from time to time.  I hope you enjoy this.  A Votre Sante!

For the cupcakes:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the flour and the baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  In a double boiler melt the chocolate over low heat.  In a large bowl, or stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth.  Add both sugars and beat until fluffy, add one egg at a time, mixing well.  Add melted chocolate and vanilla.  Add half the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk, repeat, until the batter is smooth but not overmixed.  Spoon batter into 12 cupcake liners.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for at least 20 minutes before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

6 Tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla
2-3 Tbsp milk

Cream butter, add sugar, cocoa and vanilla to the butter.  Add milk to the butter mixture. Slowly add milk one tablespoon at a time until you have the desired consistency.  Enjoy!