Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

Muffin, muffin who's got the muffin!!  Oh wait that's button, button but I like muffin's so much better.  My life is going through a bit of a transition (more about that another time) and my blogging has been suffering but I am attempting to get back on track. 

So here is a new muffin recipe.  I love mini muffins, they are bite size so when you have a few you feel satisfied but not like you are over eating.  If you prefer you can make them as 12 large muffins (adjust the baking time to about 18-20 minutes).

The muffins are chocolate with a hint of peanut butter and lots of chocolate chips.  The peanut butter just adds a subtle flavor to the chocolate and boosts the yum.  They are delicious for an afternoon snack or as the start of a sweet morning.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

Printer Friendly Recipe

1 ¼ cup flour
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup cocoa
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
⅓ cup butter, melted
⅔ cup peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or line mini muffin tins.
Mix flour, brown sugar, cocoa, and baking powder.
Stir in chocolate chips.
In a separate bowl mix butter, peanut butter, egg, milk and vanilla.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture.
Stir until combined.
Spoon batter into mini muffin tins.
Bake 10-12 minutes.

Makes 36 mini muffins

Late to my Own Party....It's a Keeper Thursday

I'm late to my own party... I was supposed to be cohost of It's a Keeper Thursday but life got in the way and I'm late... Christina I am SO SORRY for being late but I am here now so Lets Party!!!!  It's a Keeper Thursday is special to me because it was one of the very first Linky parties I joined.  So link up all your wonderful stuff and make it a party!!

But before you do, here are a few little guidelines….
•Follow It’s a Keeper and today’s co-host via email, Facebook and/or Twitter.
•Your link should be a food or craft/project related item. Link up as many as you’d like!
•Add It's a Keeper Thursdays button to your sidebar or blog post – help spread the word!
•Be sure to check out some of the awesome posts that others have linked up! Let them know that It’s a Keeper sent you!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones

Scones, for some reason I have an irrational fear of making scones.  I really am not sure why because its not like I even have much to judge scones by.  The only scone I remember eating is a really dy one in an airport years and years ago.  I think it is because when I look at the recipe and see the phrase "cut butter into" I panic.  I am not good with a pastry blender.  I make a mess....and panic.....and..... but I decided to put on my big girl panties and give scones a try.  I searched and searched and finally found a recipe that was sort of kind of what I was looking for... but not exactly....so I changed the ingredients to suit my tastes and they were REALLY YUMMY!!!!!!

I added oatmeal and chocolate chips and they were surprisingly good.  A bit of texture and chocolate.  My daughter asked what we were having for breakfast and when I said scones she made a face, you know the teenage "What were you thinking face" (I think she wanted donuts), and then she tried one, and finished it and asked for another. Success:))  I baked half the recipe for breakfast and put the rest in the fridge for dessert.  After dinner we had the second half with strawberries and ice cream, a nice alternative to shortcake.  I'm still intimidated by  "cut butter.." but scones, at least these scones are going to be added to my "go to" recipes.  They are perfect for a sweet morning.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones

adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours

Printer Friendly Recipe

1 egg
½ cup yogurt
¼ cup milk
1 ⅔ cups flour
1 ⅓ cups oatmeal
⅓ cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup mini chocolate chips
10 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir together egg, yogurt, and buttermilk.

Combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
Using a pastry blender cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is pebbly.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry along with the mini chocolate chips. Stir until combined.
Knead about 10 times.
Divide in half. Pat each half into a circle and cut each circle into 6 pieces.
Place the pieces on the baking pan.

Bake 20 minutes.

NOTE: Scones may be frozen before baking, wrap individually. When baking frozen scones increase baking time for about 2 minutes.

Balsamic Vinaigrette - Pinterest Saturday

I LOVE Pinterest and have so many recipes I want to try!!  So I decided that Saturday is going to be Pinterest Saturday where I post about something I pinned. 

It feels almost like Summer in North Carolina.  The sky is blue, the birds are singing and we opened our pool.  We don't have a heat in our pool so the water is COLD (about 72)!!!!  But during the heat of the day my youngest, her boyfriend and my husband went in.  My daughter stayed in about 2 minutes but the boys stayed in much longer.  Me, I won't be going in until its at least 85 in the water :)

This little guy came out of the pool before K jumped in

This weather is making our thoughts turn to salads and I made a lovely balsamic viniagrette from Chinese Grandma.  this viniagrette is the right combination of sweet and spicy and even my husband who likes nothing but purchased Italian dressing enjoys it.  It is quick to mix up and tastes delicious.  Definitely a most excellent pin!!!

Find the recipe here.

Have you found something amazing on Pinterest?

If you are not on Pinterest yet and want to be send me an email and I will send you an invite.  If you are on Pinterest I would love if you would follow me (and I will follow you in return).

Hope you have a Sweet Morning!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Donuts

Donut Day!!!!!  I was not going to make donuts, I was tired of donuts (well not really but they were making my pants too tight so I was telling myself I was tired of donuts) and we were NOT going to eat sweets for breakfast.  We were going to eat cereal and toast and other things.  But then My youngest started begging for donuts, and so did her boyfriend, and another friend, and then she (my youngest) PROMISED donuts to the guidance office SOOOOOOOOOO I had to make donuts :)  Thank goodness because I was REALLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYY tired of cereal.

These are my favorite- peanut butter donuts with chocolate chips and a chocolate frosting.  They are so moist and peanut buttery and chocolatey!!!!!  A perfect donut for a sweet morning!!


Linked to: Trick or Treat Tuesday, Link It Up Wednesday,  Show & Share, It's a Keeper, Creative Juice Thursday, Latest & Greatest Friday, Friday Blog Party, Dwell on Friday, Friday Favorites, Weekend Potluck, Anything Goes, Friday Flair, Kitchen Fun & Crafty Friday, Fabulous Friday, Link & Greet Party, Strut Your Stuff, Sweets for Saturday, Nifty Thrifty Sunday

Baked Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Donuts

inspired by Wilton

Printer Friendly Recipe

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¾ cup mini chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 eggs
¾ cup low fat plain yogurt (I used Stoneyfield Farm Organic)
⅓ cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup milk
Chocolate glaze frosting


Preheat oven to 375.
Spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar., and mini chocolate chips.
Combine wet ingredients: melted butter, eggs, yogurt, peanut butter, vanilla, and milk..
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix.

Spoon or pipe batter into pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool a few minutes on wire rack.
Top with chocolate glaze frosting.

Makes 12 doughnuts

Chocolate Glaze Frosting

¾ cup chocolate chips
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp water
¼ cup confectioner sugar

Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for about 1 minute.
Stir until smooth adding a small amount of water.
Add confectioner sugar and water until it is desired consistency.

Chocolate Chip Pie

Happy Pi Day!!!!  To celebrate this day I made my favorite pie, chocolate chip pie.  I know, I know you were expecting something more typical, maybe apple or peach, but I really do not like those.  If I am going to have pie I want it to have chocolate in it.

So chocolate chip pie is a favorite in our house.  I am not good at pie crust so I use purchased crust and since there are usually 2 in the package I double the recipe and make 2.  The pies freeze beautifully and we like them almost better after they have been frozen.  The pies are moist and just the right combination of chocolate chips and moist, sweet goodness.  Happy Pie Day!!!!

Chocolate Chip Pie

adapted from Nestle Kitchen

Printer Friendly Recipe

12 Tbsp butter, melted & cooled
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips
9 inch unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 325. Place pie shell in a 9 inch pie plate.

Beat eggs until foamy. Add flour, sugar and brown sugar; beat until well blended.
Blend in melted butter.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into pie shell.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Makes 1 9-inch pie

NOTE: Recipe may be doubled. Bake 2 pies, freeze 1 for later.

Snickerdoodle Donuts

Donut Day!!!!  I know yesterday was all about being 'healthier' but today is donut day.  I enlisted more testers and really these were made for my husband who always complains he doesn't get any donuts he likes (he's not the biggest fan of chocolate, which works out because that means more chocolate for me).  They are cinnamon and there is no chocolate in sight so I only tasted them and didn't inhale them. 

The donuts are really cinnamonny with cinnamon in the donuts and cinnamon in the glaze.  Reminiscent of my husband's favorite Snickerdoodle cookies these donuts have been added to the favorite list in the family.  May they help start your sweet mornings!

Linked to Cast Party Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Creative Juices, Taste This Thursday, It's a Keeper, Crafty Scrappy Happy  Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, Latest and Greatest Friday, Dwell on Friday

Baked Snickerdoodle Donuts

inspired by Wilton

Printer Friendly Recipe

2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg
¾ cup low fat plain yogurt (I used Stoneyfield Farm Organic)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup milk
Cinnamon Glaze

Preheat oven to 375.
Spray a doughnut pan with cooking spray.

Mix together all dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, granulated sugar. Combine wet ingredients: melted butter, egg, yogurt, vanilla, and milk.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix.

Spoon or pipe batter into pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool a few minutes on wire rack.

Top with cinnamon glaze.

Cinnamon Glaze
Combine ½ cup confectioners sugar with 2 Tbsp of water and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Top donuts with glaze.

Makes 12 doughnuts