Valentine Peanut Blossoms

What an easy way to make a special Valentine's day treat. I used the traditional peanut blossom recipe and added Hershey valentine hearts to the top when they came out of the oven.  There is dark chocolate, milk chocolate and milk chocolate with peanut butter inside. You can't really tell the difference between the 2 milk chocolates so you may end up with a double peanut butter surprise.

Be very careful when removing the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling racks. The chocolate melts so fast that it could slide off the cookie. (see above) lol

Valentine Peanut Blossoms

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

   Sugar

48 Hershey hearts (or how many cookies you make)

Directions

Heat oven to 375F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, mild, vanilla and egg; blend at low speed until stiff dough forms. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with a candy kiss, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheet.

Cool completely and let chocolate harden before storing.

makes about 4 dozen.

~Michelle

recipe from Pillsbury The Complete Book of Baking

Bite-Sized Carmelitas

How about this recipe to warm your insides on a cold winter day. Enjoy some super delicious carmelitas with a hot cup of coffee or tea. It is a wonderful combination of caramel, chocolate, oatmeal and brown sugar.

I really enjoy cutting bars into small bite-sized pieces then 1. I have enough samples for work and 2. the co-workers don't feel so guilty eating a sweet treat because it's bite=sized. However, I can't help it if you want to eat more than one.  :) 

I made this recipe for work and the sounds that my coworkers were making while eating these tasty treats were hilarious. It certainly confirms how absolutely scrumptious and decedent the carmelitas were. :)

Carmelitas

Ingredients

35 caramel squares, unwrapped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup butter, melted (I may consider using a bit less butter next time)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Combine caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until completely smooth; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats and baking soda. Pat half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8" pan. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour caramel mixture over chocolate chips. Drop remaining oatmeal mixture over the caramel. I tossed a handful of chips on the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until edges are browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting. I left it overnight before cutting them into bite-sized squares.

Store and serve at room temperature so the ooey gooey caramel is soft and delicious.

~Enjoy
Michelle 


recipe from Luluthebaker