Christmas Cookies

Hello!!!

I just popped in to say MERRY CHRISTMAS!

not any of this Happy Holiday stuff...just good ole Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Have you thought about making a New Year's resolution yet?

This past year I made a resolution (along with my brother) to not drink any soda OR carbonated water for a whole year. Yes, that meant no sparkling cider on Thanksgiving either.  I'm proud to say that I've stuck with it and I only have a few more days to go! 

But while I'm waiting, I made a very festive batch of peanut butter blossoms that I wanted to share with you.

Scotcheroos

Would you like one?

I absolutely LOVE to try out new recipes but unfortunately my siblings aren't always happy about this. You see, they LOVE the tried and true desserts such as chocolate chip cookies, coffee toffee bars, and all the "proven to be good" stuff.  I usually save those recipes to take to events and then I do all of my experimenting on the family!  My blog would get pretty boring if all I wrote about is how I made chocolate chip cookies, but here is a recipe that turns some basic ingredients into a yummy dessert.  Who knows, maybe it will even fall into the "tried and true" category.  You decide...

The Ingredients

*Spoiler Alert!* They turned out a bit crunchy!
I'm giving my Dad's teeth a good work-out! =)

This is probably the step where I messed up.
It's hard to concentrate, when you're taking a picture,
 reading the next step, and trying to make sure nothing sticks to the pan...

Chocolate and the "secret" ingredient - butterscotch.

Super happy that I got a picture with her even though she didn't get to try one.  

Here is the recipe.

Sometimes when I run out of time for a writing assignment, or can't think of an ending, I'll end the paper with, "After everything we've just discussed I'll let you, the reader, draw your own conclusions."  So, I'm running out of time to finish this post, guess how it well end? "After everything we've just discussed, I'll let you, the reader, decide if you want to make this or not..." =)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert

A couple of weeks ago my mother told me that my Philippine Lolo and Lola, where coming to visit us! But when you tell a girl someone is coming for lunch, then she'll usually ask why they're coming. And then when you tell her why they're coming, she'll usually ask when they're coming. And when you tell her when they're coming, she'll loudly declare that she must make a dessert. And when you tell her it must be a yummy dessert, she grabs her recipe, ingredients, and camera, and gets right to work. This is what happens when you tell a girl that her favorite (and only) Lolo and Lola our coming.

The Ingredients

Peanut Butter...the guest I gave this to HATES peanut butter,
but he was a good sport and finished everything on his plate.

This was by far the best part, for most of us that is. ;)

After a little convincing, we (finally) got him to eat it. Besides the occasional gagging when he got a big bunch of peanut butter, he loved it.

And when you tell people that they're going to be in a picture and they can
 make any pose they want to...they smile. At least most of the time.

In case you didn't get the little hints along the way, Lolo HATES peanut butter.

And of course when a girl is finished baking, she blogs about it...and shares little details about it too, like this is a perfect Father's Day dessert. It has lots of manly food like chocolate and peanut butter. Although it may be desirable for pregnant women too with all the chocolate involved!.

And here is the guide to making this, the recipe.

GB2- God Bless, Go BAKE!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

This picture looks familiar, now where have I seen that before?

This is my third "chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bar recipe," but I'm still searching for the perfect chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars. Wait, hit the pause button please. Yes the one right next to play. I'm getting very tired of typing out chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars...it needs an acronym - CPBOB. Yes, I like that very much. Get ready to find out how to make CPBOB!

 I love it already. =)

The Ingredients (minus the watermelon in the background)

CPBOB is getting a makeover, actually I'm getting one too...

I'm getting glasses tomorrow!  8 )
That counts, right?

Tell me, what’s more fun that a humongous ball of dough?
They should sell these at the store, not sports balls, but CPBOBalls)

   A messy oven is a sign of productivity
 and I've been producing a lot in this oven the last few months! =)

Well, it's time to say goodbye to my 3rd version of chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars. I know some people out there must be sick of it, but me.... you can never get tired with these delicious ingredients. And who knows, third time's a charm right? But three is also a crowd. You know I might just have to make another CPBOB.

(Oh, and the picture above is just for fun.)

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!!

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Do you remember those 5 Ingredient Reese's Bars I posted about, oh, around a week ago?  Well they were so good, I was craving chocolate and peanut butter all week...no joke. But then I found this recipe and really wanted to try it. 

   So you're probably wondering about the picture because it looks like I poisoned them or something. So did I really poison them? Was it a disaster? Did I mess up the recipe again? Well you'll just have to keep reading to find out. =)

The Ingredients

What's better than butter in a recipe?
3 chunks of butter!

Do not let your granola "stick" together.

Real chocolate is melted in the microwave.

Pour out the chocolate then lick that pan clean... that's one way to get dishes done.

They turned out great!
We were just having too much fun in the first picture. =)

Here is the link to the recipe. Although no one was poisoned in this recipe, I have poisioned and accidentally killed something. =(  This post is long enough already, so my story of how I killed an innocent creature and almost hurt one of my best friends will have to wait.  For now, keep reading and I will keep blogging!

GB2- God Bless, Go Bake!!!

                                      (No one was hurt/poisoned in the making of this recipe.)

5 Ingredient Reese's Bars

    Everyone likes Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, right? Well what if you could make your own...and they'd still taste the same, maybe even better? There are LOTS of Reese's bar recipes and I was very determined to make the best and easiest one. I was searching frantically over the Internet for the perfect Reese's bars. After looking at many recipes, this one is definitely my favorite.

The Ingredients

I made my bars crunchy and didn't smash the graham crackers all the way.

It's time to melt some chocolate!

My first successful attempt at melting chocolate.  The secret?
Melt it in the microwave and don't worry about the double broiler!

All things are possible with God...including not stuffing yourself with these bars.

If only I had white chocolate in the house, then they could be white chocolate Reese's bars. =0

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or white chocolate)

2 3/4 cups confectioner's sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, and butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust.

3. Chill for about 5 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is completely set, then chill until ready to serve.

My friend trying them for the very first time!
I think she liked them. =)

This recipe is so convenient you can make it almost anywhere, even in a dorm room or a hotel. All you have to do is buy the ingredients, chill it, and eat it. And remember, it ONLY takes 5 ingredients!!! Wow.

GB2 - God Bless, Go BAKE!!!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!!! So I realize it's not St. Patrick's Day yet but I wanted to post a recipe on the blog, so that you have plenty of time to make it. This recipe has nothing to do with Ireland or St. Patrick's Day, it's just a really yummy cookie that I wanted to make, so I had to come up with an excuse to make it. =)

You can make these cookies on really any holiday, all you have to do is be creative, and turn your thinking cap ON!! 

The Ingredients

Try not to get side tracked and start making sand castles. =)

I feel sorry for the people who are allergic to peanut butter...they're missing out. =(

Make sure to take the wrapper off the kisses. This may sound obvious to real bakers but this is the Baking Apprentice blog. =) 

 Cover the whole cookie dough ball with sprinkles. This is the messy part, but it's fun!

Hungry? If you are, the recipe is posted below so you can make your own. So stop staring at the picture and
BAKE!!!

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups of flour
1 tsp. of baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
1 egg
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
48-60 Hershey Kisses
Colored Sugar Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions:
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and mix till combined (flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, brown sugar).
2. Pour all other ingredients in the large mixing bowl except for kisses, and sprinkles. Mix until dough forms.  Roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
3. Roll the 1 inch balls in the sprinkles and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Immediately top the cookies with 1 Hershey Kiss. (Press down firmly so cookie cracks around the edge.)

You can cover the cookie with any color sprinkle to match the holiday that you're baking for.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
GB2- God Bless, Go BAKE!
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to take a look at the blog!