Welcome Home Monster Cookies

Joe started a new job about a month ago. It seems like a great company and it's a great experience for him. So overall, we are very excited. Unfortunately, the job involves a lot of traveling. He was gone for almost 3 weeks in a row, but came home on the weekends. Because I work every other weekend, we didn't get to see each other very much :'(

There are some benefits I guess. Being apart has given me a good reminder of how much he means to me. I REALLY miss him when he's gone. I like to think I appreciate him all the time, but I'm not perfect. When we're apart, we have to be very intentional and even do some planning to let the other person know we love them and are thinking about them. Joe hides little reminders around the apartment before he leaves that I find throughout the week. I write him notes and bake things for him. It takes me back to when we were dating long distance. Here's my bit on long distance relationships: They suck. But... it made us be good communicators. When we couldn't see each other, we had to make an effort to communicate. We had some great phone conversations and even emails. Writing is great communication for me because I often need extra time to think about what I want to say. I struggle to put my thoughts into words in a face to face conversation. Anyone else like that?

Also, when we got married, we became one. Ephesians 5:31 says, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." When we're apart, I feel like a part of me is gone. I'm incomplete without him. Sorry, this is getting a little sappy for a baking blog. I can't help myself sometimes!

Anyways, to celebrate his homecoming, I made some monster cookies. I'm not sure why they're called monster cookies, but I love 'em! Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate... If it weren't for the sugar, it would be almost healthy! I made a second batch a couple days later and tried them with shortening instead of butter. They looked nice because they kept their shape better (didn't flatten as much) but I much preferred the butter version taste to the shortening version. Just fyi.

My handsome man

The goods:

1 1/2 C peanut butter
1 C packed light brown sugar
1 C white sugar
1/2 C unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla
4 1/2 C quick cooking oats
2 tsp baking soda
1 C chocolate chips (I used semi sweet, but milk or dark would be good too)
1 C M&Ms (I used milk, but trying different flavors would be fun)

Directions:

Beat the peanut butter, butter and sugars together in your stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the oats and baking soda in another bowl and then add to the wet ingredients. Beat until combined. Add the chocolate and M&Ms and hand mix until combined. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheets and bake at 350 for 10-12 min. Makes about 4 dozen small/medium cookies. I usually half the recipe for just Joe and me.

Pie for Pi Day

Happy Pi Day everyone! So, I am not a mathematical person. I never liked math actually. But I love a reason to celebrate and I REALLY love an excuse to bake. Not sure who started the pies for Pi day thing, but they deserve a hug and a big piece of their favorite pie.

One year in college, my friends and I all made a pie on Pi day. Some were savory, some were sweet. I made a sweet one of course ;) We all got together and ate pie for dinner. Super fun.
What's your favorite kind of pie?

I don't make a lot of pies. I'm more of a cake/cupcake person to be honest. I like pie, I just like baking and eating cake better. So when I came across this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction for a pie that is part cake and part cookie.. I was intrigued.

It's baked in a pie pan, but it is a chocolate chip cookie with a cakey texture and frosting to top it off. It's very rich and sweet. It's a glass of milk required kind of dessert. It's very easy to whip together. No fancy equipment or techniques involved. 

If you aren't an over the top, sugary sweet kind of dessert lover like I am, you could just skip the frosting. But really, that would be silly. This milk chocolate frosting is so good. 

Happy pie eating!

The goods:

3/4 C unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1 C light or dark brown sugar. I've used both, both are good

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla

2 C AP flour

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1- 1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips. I used about 1 C

Frosting:

2 C confectioners sugar (or more)

1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 C unsalted butter, at room temp

2 T heavy cream (you can use milk, but frosting will not be as thick)

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt if frosting is too sweet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it's smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until creamy.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients. Mix the chocolate chips in by hand. Press into the pie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool entirely before frosting.

For the frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Sift together the confectioners sugar and cocoa and then add to butter. Add vanilla and cream and beat until smooth. Add more cream if it's too thick, or more sugar if it's too thin. Add a pinch of salt if it's too sweet. Top the pie with your frosting.