Time for Cookies!!! Super Yummy Maple Chocolate Chunk

The kids have been asking me for a couple of weeks, "Can we bake cookies??" Last week I was in a super anxious and frusterated mood and I decided to whip through our Lazy Susan to see what ingredients we had. Why I choose to bake with two very small children when I am not in the greatest of moods is beyond me, however, I will admit that about half way through I started to cheer up and feel calm again. (Thanks, kiddos, for putting up with your mama!) 

I went to my Pinterest 'Sweets' board and found a recipe I had never made before: Ooey-Gooey Chewy Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies. I've never used maple syrup in cookies (have you??) but it is a genius idea! Most of the sweetness came from the syrup, as only 1/4 cup is required of granulated and brown sugar. 

If you're in the mood for a very SOFT cookie filled with chocolate chunk goodness, this is the cookie you should make. Here's what you need, my only adaption is that I didn't use the maple extract because we didn't have any:

• 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons maple extract or maple flavor
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dark chocolate, cut into large chunks

I followed Broma Bakery's instructions exactly, and I don't recommend swaying from them! She was spot ON about the ten minutes of bake time. Yes, they DO look way underdone, but after sitting on the baking sheets for ten more minutes after they're out, they are literally perfect. 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.
2. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg, maple extract, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat for an additional minute. Pour in flour and turn the mixer to its lowest speed, working in the flour only until it incorporates.
4. Remove from mixer and fold in chocolate chunks. Use a 2 ounce cookie scoop to scoop cookies onto prepared cookie sheets.
5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to sit on the baking sheet, untouched, for 10 minutes. They will continue to cook and crisp up around the edges during this time.
6. Once the cookies have sat for 10 minutes, you can remove them from the cookie sheet and serve!

Halloween Treats with See's Candies

When we opened our package of See's Candies, my husband and I felt like we were children all over again. Sure we remember getting the fun sized bags of candy during the Halloween festivities, but there is something nostalgic about vintage and authentically made treats. Do you remember going into the corner store with your grandmother? The giant lollipops and colorful suckers that immediately made your mouth water? Holidays are really special in our family and making sweet memories has been at the top of our list since the moment we became parents. Enter literal sweet memories, such as this, and our kids having their own taste of Halloween. 

Halloween is of course about costumes and trick and treating and hanging out with all of our friends; but we ALL know at the end of the night, it's allllllllll about that c-a-n-d-y!! Check out some of the sweetness that can be found at See's Candies-- they've been making quality chocolate for over NINETY years, y'all. And they have over 200 shops AND an online store.

If WE as parents were oohing and aahing over the beauty that was set out in front of us, you KNOW our children were in candy and chocolate HEAVEN. It was so fun watching them pick up the many assortments and talk about what to try first and then what to eat next. We only let them have two pieces, and ever since this shoot, I've basically been ghosting the leftovers [which there was a LOT] because #momtax, y'all. 

If the images themselves haven't convinced you yet, then just see for yourself. Visit See's Candies website and I double dog dare you to choose just ONE Halloween treat. I mean really, do you think you'll be able to order JUST the Trick or Treat Lollypops and miss out on ALSO ordering those milk chocolate jack o' lanterns? Hhhmmmmmmm, I doubt it ;) 

Happy Halloweening, friends! Is that a word? No...but it works. 

Valentines Goodies Brought to You by Shari's Berries©

I can't believe Valentine's Day is in just a couple weeks! I was so excited to partner with Shari's Berries this month because now I can show you the perfect gift to send your boo- (or kids, or bestie, or mom, or whoever!) I don't know about YOU, but gourmet dipped strawberries are right up my love language alley. There is such a huge selection to choose from; from hand-dipped football berries, hand-dipped caramel apples and classic dipped cherries! I got these delectable berries in the mail and photographed (and ate!) them a day later- they were still as fresh as can be! 

Paired with some sparkling cider, (champagne would of course work too), talk about YUMMY. The kids requested 'pink milk' so that's what they got. As they were finishing their berries, they looked at one another and said, "Cheers!" (Reese's favorite thing to say thanks to our many tea parties). These two and three year olds definitely approved!

Run, don't walk, to your computer or phone or whatever device you want to use and place your order for Valentine's Day! I promise you won't regret it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

There is one delicious exception to my "I'm-not-a-sweets-girl" theory...

Every year on my Dad's birthday he wanted a chocolate peanut butter pie. A quaint little bakery in my hometown of Allegan made the perfect one and whenever Mom brought it home, I was ready; fork in hand with a glimmer in my eye because THIS, this was my favorite pie e-v-e-r. 

It's not surprising then that I craved peanut butter pie with both of my pregnancies and while I am obsessed with our local Sweet Surrender's version, going for a slice was never enough and I couldn't justify spending twenty bucks for one as often as I craved it. So praise the Lord I found THIS pie; even if it was two years ago since I had my last babe ;)

If you've followed along, you know that my 2015 Resolution was to bake a new pie each month. Well, December finally came and this would obviously be my very last pie... I had to make it count! I was at my parents home in Michigan, our 'fake Christmas' was in a few days and I knew I wanted to bake something to contribute. My genius husband was actually the one who thought of a chocolate peanut butter pie and my sister-in-law volunteered to make a grocery run with the men while I took kid duty. I asked her to look for a simple peanut butter pie recipe, and that I wanted a chocolate crust. So it's thanks to her for finding The Pioneer Woman's recipe on Food Network so that I could simply re-create and therefore EAT it. I promise you don't want to miss out on this peanut butter, chocolate goodness. Every ounce of a whipped bite is going to have you in absolute pie heaven.

Crust Ingredients:
1 package of chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling Ingredients:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 eight-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 eight-ounce pakage whipped topping, such as Cool Whip (thawed)

Directions for the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crush the cookies until they're fine crumbs (I used a food processor). Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into a pie pan and bake until set, 5-7 minutes (it took my crust 10). Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Directions for the filling:
Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed whipped topping and also beat until smooth, scraping the sides as necessary. Pour the filling into the crust and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

And that's IT! THE easiest chocolate peanut butter pie recipe. Did we like it?! Heck to the yeah we did and my dad especially was wowed. I am fairly certain now I need to make this pie again asap because now I'm drooling.