Peanut Butter Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies & The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Peanut Butter Chocolate Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies More than the perfect chocolate chip cookie filled to the brim with chocolate-y goodness, a crispy rim and a chewy center is a chewy center. This has always been and always will be my favorite part of any cookie. So you crispy cookie people may want to move on. As a child, I endured the crunchy rim and saved every last moist bite of the center until the very end. The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap was the perfect opportunity for me to flex my cookie making abilities and create this idea cookie that had the perfect chew.Peanut Butter Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

But enough about my love for chewy cookies, let’s talk about the cause! The Food Blogger Cookie Swap was created by Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen to benefit Cookies for Kid’s Cancer. I’m beyond flattered to be apart of such an awesome cause seeing as how my father-in-law and wife both fought cancer and live to tell the story. It’s a beautiful thing when my love for dessert can be used to fuel research for such a life-threatning illness. And not to mention, the thought of receiving three dozen of cookies is a no-brainer, yes please!Peanut Butter Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies & The Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap

I was thrilled like many other bloggers to receive my holiday inspired cookies and I’m already looking forward to next year. I mean, who doesn’t want cookies in their mailbox?Below, I have shared a photo of the cookies I received with a link to the blogger from whom it came from as well as a recipe for cookies! So I hope you enjoy and think about participating next year, you won’t be sorry.

 

Peanut Butter Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks butter softened
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Tucker’s Nut Butters (Cashew Butter)
2 eggs (room temp)
1 teaspoon Nielsen Massey vanilla
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces %67 Olive & Sinclair Chocolate (chopped)
3 Tablespoons Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a non-stick cookie sheet or silicone mat.

In a standing or electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until fluffy. Add in the cashew butter and peanut butter to the mixture, beating until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time and vanilla.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. Add it slowly to the wet ingredients along with the chopped chocolate. Mix until just combined. Scoop onto a silpat or lined Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a stand or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Break up the almond paste and add to the mixture, beating until well combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with the chopped chocolate. Mix until just combined. Scoop onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet with a medium cookie scoop. You can make your cookies larger or smaller if you like but remember to change cooking temp accordingly. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are just a light golden on the top and outside and slightly undercooked in the center. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. And try to contain yourself, they are ridiculously delicious straight out of the oven, not that I’d know or anything…

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms via The Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap
Peppermint Blossoms via @stracciatellabella. You can visit her at http://www.stracciatellabella.blogspot.com
Butter Cookies via The Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap
Butter Cookies via @kelly_ldbaking. You can visit her at http://www.longdistancebaking.com

 

Gingerbread Cookies via The Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap
Ninja-bread cookies via @norhang. You can visit her at http://www.frommetovuu.com

 

Giveaway: thinkTHIN Crunch Bars

Hey friends! If you’ve been following me on twitter. Then you might know that some of our eating habits have changed in the past few months. My wife, Jenna, as a post bone-marrow transplant recipient typically has crazy things happening with her body. And well, the Dr.s think she may be developing a gluten and dairy allergy (bummer). This revelation has led us to find new and creative ways for her to enjoy the things she loves while keeping me sane as I try not to eat the things she can’t have in front of her…The things we do for love. So when thinkTHIN approached me with a giveaway for their bars. It was a no-brainer.  There’s something for everyone and the you can find them in a dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and kosher format! Score! thinkTHIN Coconut Crunch Bars

     They’re giving a complete Wellness Box which includes: a box of thinkThin® Creamy Peanut Butter high protein bars (with 0g sugar), one box of thinkThin® Blueberry Mixed Nuts Crunch Bars (with 8g protein and 70% less sugar than leading fruit and nut bars), and one box of thinkThin® Coconut Chocolate Mixed Nuts Crunch Bars.thinkTHIN Peanut Crunch Bars      Did I mention that thinkThin Crunch is non-GMO?  (genetically modified organisms) thinkThin is working closely with Whole Foods to find and develop readily available sources of non-GMO proteins, connect them with their current suppliers and get them on the path.  Thanks to Whole Foods, a new economy will be created around non-GMO that even mainstream brands can sustain on.

     We discovered the bars doing the ‘I don’t know what I’m looking for stroll’ down the aisles of Whole Foods. And we stumbled upon the coconut chocolate bars. Now, you might look at the bars and think decadence in a health conscious format. But, that’s not the case. The thinkTHIN bars are mildly sweetened and make a great pick me up before lunch or dinner. And what better way to start that summer workout regiment or begin a new chapter in your eating habits? Also visit thinkproducts.com for some recipe ideas using their bars.

    Congratulations! Our Winner of the thinkTHIN Wellness Box is Dee from the fitty.tumblr.com. Send us your address and we will contact you for your prize instructions!

A winner will be chosen at random and posted here on Wednesday 29. Be sure to come back and Check! You will have until Friday 31, 9am to claim your prize before a new winner is chosen. thinkTHIN Blueberry and Mixed Nuts

S’mores Bars…Hello Nostalgia!

S'mores Bars     I mean, seriously? Who doesn’t love a good s’more on a rainy and wet or cold day? This is the perfect snack to satisfy your sweet tooth! While I was in the process of making these bad boys I felt myself fall in to the vortex of nostalgia. In the days where mom and dad were assisting you in putting your marshmallows on to the tip of your skewer, or coat hanger. (Hey!, whatever works!)
My sister and I would sit on the back porch and make S’mores while watching the deer run around our backyard. Dad would start a fire inside a couple of empty cans. We both had our own set-ups on a plate and off we were to a place where the fingers were sticky and your cheeks were smeared in chocolate.(Heaven)
The graham cracker crumbs trickling into your lap and for a moment all your worries dissipated into every crunchy, creamy, gooey bite of divine perfection. Now, onto the recipe.

S’mores Bars
2 c. crushed graham crackers
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/4 c. heavy cream
5 T. unsalted butter
2 c. marshmallows

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You can use crushed graham crackers if you prefer. But I bought the whole ones and crushed them in the food processor until fine ground. Set aside in bowl. Melt butter in microwave for 15-20 sec. You do not want the butter to start boiling. So take a peak and remove, just as it starts to break down. This will make it easier to handle when mixing in graham cracker crumbs.

2.Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter together until the mixture holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand.Spray the 8×8 in pan lightly with cooking spray. Spread crumbs evenly and press down until you have a solid base with no holes. Bake for 15-25 min. (oven times may vary) Bake until crust is firm and set. Allow to cool for 20 min. Turn on your broiler and allow to heat while you melt your chocolate.

3. While you are waiting on your crust to cool. Prepare a double boiler.(a small pot of water and stainless steel bowl)On medium heat allow water to come to a soft boil and turn down the heat to a simmer. You just want steam to come off the surface of the water. pour heavy cream into bowl and stir until heated through, about two minutes. Add chocolate chips and stir, incorporating the heavy cream into the chocolate. In 30 second intervals, remove the bowl from pot and stir for 15 secs.(you don’t want the chocolate to seize)Repeat this process until you have a homogenized mixture. Pour chocolate into the center of your crust and spread evenly to the sides.

4. Quickly before the chocolate begins to harden. evenly distribute your marshmallows over the top of your chocolate. Then, lightly with your palm, press down so that one-third of the marshmallow is in the chocolate. This is a good time make sure there are no holes, you want a majority of the chocolate to be covered by marshmallows to keep the chocolate from burning under the broiler.

Toasted Marshmallows

5. Place pan under broiler for 3-4 min. max. I left the oven cracked and watched the marshmallows reach the desired level of char. I advise you do the same. DO NOT. I repeat. DO NOT. walk away. Once the top is charred, allow to cool in the fridge for 20 min.I prefer to remove the whole bar and cut into strips on a cutting board. do whatever feels comfortable for you. If you would like to cut them inside pan first and then remove them, so be it. Using a icing spatula, prod around the sides to release your bars and Enjoy! Don’t forget your glass of milk.

S'mores Bars

Recipe Suggestions:
-Feel free to customize this recipe to your own child hood memories:
*Two Tablespoons of peanut butter spread across the crust before adding chocolate would be a nice twist.
*The addition of a 1/4 c. of crushed nuts into your chocolate mixture for a crunchier texture.
*Or you can even substitute the plain milk chocolate for an artisan bar of some sort…upgrade!