Puppy Chow

“I never get powdered sugar on my clothes when I eat puppy chow,” said no-one ever.

I say, just own the mess and make a batch of puppy chow coated in so much chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar that you’ll look like one of my children after eating a meal: powdered sugar in your hair, on your eye brows, on your ankles, and somehow on the toys you played with hours before (how does that work, exactly?).

If you’re anything like me, this puppy chow will be gone in less than one hour. Do yourself a favor: put on your favorite pair of sweatpants, turn on Netflix, and dig in.

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Puppy Chow
from Show me the Yummy

1 (12 oz) box rice chex
1 (12 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (2 lb) bag powdered sugar

Make the puppy chow: Pour the box of chex into a very large bowl.

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds and then stir until smooth. If the chocolate chips haven't fully melted , microwave for 30 second intervals, until the mixture is completely melted. Then mix in vanilla.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and, using a spatula, stir gently until the cereal is coated.

Slowly add the powdered sugar. Mix. And pour again until mixture is completely white. There will be extra sugar at the bottom of the bowl but this is the best part.

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Crown Bundt

What's gold, Scandinavian, crown-shaped, and a fun place for a toddler to store cereal and cashews? If you answered Nordic Ware's new bundt pan, you were spot on. If you follow my blog, you know that I love Nordic Ware's products for a number of reasons: they are designed and produced a stone's throw away from me, their quality is great, and they are colorful and fun and decorative enough to look like they are meant to sit on your counter (as opposed to being placed there because you don't have any more room in your condo for a bundt pan).

And what's more fun than this pan made to honor the company's 70th anniversary? Seventy years. That is something to be proud of so why not celebrate with a sugar and butter and banana filled cake covered in a salted honey peanut butter glaze? 

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Banana Bundt Cake with Honey Peanut Butter Glaze

Cake
1 1/4 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 large bananas)
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream

Glaze
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp honey
Salt, to taste
Cream (or milk)

Make the cake: It is important to note that this recipe makes enough for one 10 cup bundt + one 9" cake round or two 6" cake rounds. I would recommend just going for it and freezing the extra layers so that you have something to pull out in a few weeks.

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a spray meant for baking (like this one), spray the bundt ensuring that every crevice is covered (I also use a brush to ensure that it is evenly spread).

Mash bananas and place them in a small bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream. Fold in bananas. Pour batter into prepared pan and tap against the counter top to ensure that batter is evenly spread and so that all bubbles come to the surface.

Bake in preheated oven for one hour or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. 

Make the glaze: in a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, honey and salt until combined. Add cream or milk until it reaches desired consistency.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookies are usually described as chewy or crunchy but what about creamy? This recipe makes a creamy, slightly crumbly, peanut buttery, requires-a-glass-of-milk, cookie.

If that wasn't enough to sell you on this cookie, hopefully its simplicity will: peanut butter, butter, sugar, flour, and an egg. And best of all? You can fill it with a peanut butter buttercream or drizzle them with a honey glaze and a sprinkle of salt. 

And, yes, this recipe is written in grams...and I am not sorry about keeping it that way.

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Peanut Butter Cookies
from Edd Kimber

300g smooth peanut butter
125g unsalted butter
225g light brown sugar
1 legg
175g all purpose flour

Make the cookies: Preheat the to 340°F. Place the peanut butter, butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for about 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. 

Add the egg and mix together until fully combined. Add the flour to the mixture and on low speed mix briefly until the flour has been combined and a dough has just been formed being careful to not over-mix the dough.

Using a size 50 scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

Use a fork dipped in flour, to press and cross into each cookie before baking the cookies. Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. 

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