White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

ok, something is going on with my blogger template today that i can only write in lower case! i cannot figure it out. but that's not going to stop me from sharing this great recipe with you...

i have been on a bit of a blondie kick lately, and it all started with these bars. and it's also why my pants are so tight, let's be real. after these, i went back to a tried and true recipe - cookie butter blondies (so good!!!!) - and then i also made salted caramel blondies (to be posted soon). 

i've probably said it before, but i prefer making bars over cookies, and blondies are just perfect for being able to have all kinds of fun stir ins and combinations. i really loved this version with both white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. and i especially loved that it all comes together in a large saucepan. so few dishes to wash! 

Let's celebrate that it's over 32 degrees here today with a pan of blondies! they're perfect with a tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee. (and let's hope that my capitalization issue solves itself soon - ha!)

White chocolate peanut butter blondies

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt 
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and brown sugar; whisk well to combine.

Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the salt, flour, and baking powder, mixing just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

Spread the mixture evenly in a greased 9x13 pan, then sprinkle the top with additional white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, if desired. 

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until they're light brown on the edges and top. 
Cool completely before cutting.

Sugar 'n' Spice Pork Chops {Instant Pot}

I have found so many reasons to love my Instant Pot and pork chops is one. I became a "pork chop in the Instant Pot devotee" (you didn't know that was a thing?) after making the Pork Chops in Mushroom Gravy, which turn out absolutely fabulous in this magic appliance.

So I knew there had to be additional ways to cook chops, and I loved the list of spices when I saw this recipe. These chops turn out super flavorful, and again, don't dry out like they tend to do on the stove or in the oven. (At least that is my experience. If you can make wonderfully tender pork chops in the oven, hooray for you!)

(Do you love the charger cord in the background? Keepin' it real.)

These pork chops get coated with the brown sugar and spice mixture, and then get browned in the IP before settling in for a long winter's nap in a delicious brothy mixture. I served these with the fabulous Muffin Tin Potatoes Gratin Dauphinois and roasted asparagus. 

Enjoy!

Sugar 'n' Spice Pork Chops

2 boneless pork chops, about 1" thick
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Liquid Smoke

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. Rub this spice mixture over both sides of both pork chops.

Set your Instant Pot to saute, and melt the butter. Brown the pork chops on each side, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops to a plate and cancel the saute.

Add the chicken broth to the pot and stir well to deglaze. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the Liquid Smoke and stir well, then place pork chops in the liquid.

Place the lid on the pot, set to seal, and set the manual pressure cook to 7 minutes. After the 6 minutes, allow a 10 minute natural release. Let the pork chops rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Source: Recipe Teacher

Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

Sunday is the "big game" and whether or not your team is playing, fun and delicious and interesting snacks are definitely required. Although this dip is really festive at Christmas time (hello, vibrant color!), it is never too late to make it. And you may have a bag or two of cranberries languishing in your freezer, which would give you the perfect excuse. (Or am I the only one that ever has anything languishing in the freezer?)

I adore that pepper jelly and cream cheese appetizer that you eat on Ritz crackers, so when I saw this recipe over at Mel's, I knew I would want to try it. IT IS SPECTACULAR. I made this for New Year's Eve, and it disappeared so quickly!  The leftovers also hold for a few days, which is not the case with all dips.

We ate this on wheat thins, but the cracker choice is really secondary. What will shine here is the fantastic combination of the sweet cranberries and the slightly spicy, or kicky, jalapeno/lime/cumin/onion combo. 

Fair warning: this is very addicting. So if you eat the whole thing during the very long football game/commercial extravaganza coming up on Sunday, I will not judge you one bit. Not one.

Find more great ideas at Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Tasty Tuesdays.

Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

12 ounces fresh cranberries
4-5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened (low fat is ok)

Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped. Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to meld and develop.

When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture.

Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers.

Favorite Recipes of 2020

Happy New Year! Before we start in with new recipes this year, I wanted to share my very favorite recipes from 2020.  

To some extent, every recipe I post is a favorite. I would never advocate for a recipe if I didn't love it myself. (And usually, if the majority of my family didn't love it, it wouldn't make the cut...) 

So these nine recipes are the VERY BEST. The ones that have, or will, make it into a regular rotation at my house. (Candy cane kiss bars probably will only be a once-a-year treat, though, ha!) 

Here are my ultimate favorites from 2020. I hope you will try a few and get them into your rotation, too! 

Clockwise from Upper Left:

Candy Cane Kiss Sugar Cookie Bars

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Butternut and Brussels Hash with Chicken and Keilbasa

Roasted Cherry and Goat Cheese Ice Cream

Pavlova

Muffin Tin Potatoes Gratin Dauphinois

Creamy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

Chicken Pot Pie Baked Potatoes

Ricotta Berry Tart

Candy Cane Kiss Sugar Cookie Bars

Candy Cane kisses are my favorite version of the classic Hershey's candy. Admittedly, chocolate isn't my go-to, but these white pepperminty pieces of wonder are right up my Christmas alley. 

I have baked with these before, mostly in different versions of "blossom" cookies, like Candy Cane Kiss Cheesecake Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies, and Triple Peppermint Cookies. 

I wanted to try something different this year, and this recipe was just the ticket. First, they are BARS. I prefer bars to cookies any day, but especially when they are studded with candy cane kisses, frosted with an irresistible sweet frosting, and then topped with more candy cane kisses!  Bars are quicker to make, and just as fun to eat. Plus, you can cut them into small pieces or bigger ones, depending on your whim. 

   Second, did I mention they have kisses IN the bar and ON top? Double the kisses, double the fun. 

   

   Third, they are very fun and festive. They'll make a great addition to any Christmas plate. Or they'll stand alone on that plate just fine, thank you very much.

   So if you're still baking, add these amazing bars to your list. Everyone who tries one will rejoice!

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1. Candy Cane Kiss Sugar Cookie Bars
2. Bars:
3. 1 cup butter, softened
4. 1 1/2 cups sugar
5. 2 eggs
6. 1 tsp. vanilla
7. 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
8. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
9. 1/2 tsp. salt
10. 1 bag Hershey's Candy Cane mint KISSES, finely chopped, divided
11. Frosting:
12. 1/2 cup butter, softened
13. 4 cups powdered sugar
14. 1/4 cup milk
15. 1 tsp. vanilla
16. 1/4 tsp. salt
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Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed.

In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined. Stir in one cup of the chopped kisses.

Line a 9x13 pan with foil, then spray the foil with nonstick spray. Press dough evenly into the pan. 

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, or until edges are light golden-brown. Cool completely before frosting.

For frosting, in a medium bowl, beat together butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar and milk until combined. Slowly add in the remaining two cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt. Beat until creamy and no lumps remain.

Frost cookie bars. Sprinkle the remaining kisses evenly over frosting. 

Recipe Source: Life in the Lofthouse

Almond Horns

Whenever I'm in New York City, I make it a priority to stop at a bakery and get an Almond Horn. They are the MOST amazing cookie: chewy texture with crunch from almonds, delicious and intense almond flavor, and a little bit of chocolate to sweeten the ends. The ones at the NYC bakeries are HUGE, and perfect for sharing. 

So, when I saw that Smitten Kitchen (the ultimate New York City food blogger!) had a recipe for almond horns, I was ECSTATIC. Now I could make these (and eat these, let's be honest about what is the most important part!) myself, without going to New York. I'm always up for an excuse to go to New York, but it's not convenient to just fly across the country for a cookie. I wish it were, alas. 

Almond Horns use almond paste to get their intense flavor: I found this in the baking aisle at a large grocery store. It is not inexpensive. But it's worth it to make a batch of these cookies, especially at Christmastime. And since I wanted to get as many cookies as possible out of that precious log of almond paste, I did not make them NYC sized. These are cookies that are just fine to eat by yourself.

This cookie dough is not super easy to work with: you'll think you've forgotten a lot of flour, or something, cause it's soft and slippery. But just go with it. Have water and a towel nearby cause you'll need to wet and dry your hands in between each cookie. Don't get discouraged: the end result will be worth it! And after they're baked, the fun part is dipping in chocolate and decorating with sprinkles. And the REALLY fun part is eating them... 

Almond Horns

7 ounces almond paste

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg white

Two pinches sea salt

1 1/4 cup sliced almonds, blanched 

6 ounces semi- or bittersweet chocolate, chopped or in chips (about 1 cup)

Colored sprinkles

Cut almond paste into small pieces and put it in the bowl of your electric mixer. Add sugar and beat, until almond paste cannot be broken up any further, approximately 3 to 5 minutes at a medium-high speed. Add egg white and salt and beat until uniform and creamy. Place sliced almonds in a wide-shallow bowl or plate. Have another bowl with water to get your hands wet.

Wet hands and scoop 1 tablespoon of dough (can use a measuring spoon, a little overfilled is fine) into your palms. It’s going to be very soft and you’re going to think something has gone very wrong; it it has not. Just keep your hands wet and roll it into a 4-ish inch log and drop it into the bowl of almonds. Wipe your hands dry on a towel (or the almonds stick to your hands, pulling them off the cookie) and roll log through it. Again, it’s quite soft and will seem weird at first but do you best and transfer the soft almond-covered log to cookie sheet lined with parchment, and arc it into a horn shape. Press any loose almonds back on. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake cookies at 350 for 15 minutes, or until almonds on cookies are gently toasted and horns are puffed. Let cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a small bowl and dip ends of cookies into it, then return to parchment-lined tray to set. Add sprinkles.

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Cappuccino Swirl Cookies

Each year, I try to make a new thumbprint or "kisses" cookie.  Some of my favorites have been Candy Cane Kiss Cheesecake Cookies, Triple Peppermint Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies, Macaroon Kisses, Cherry Kisses, Chocolate-Kissed Gingerbread, and Jelly Thumbprints. 

These Cappuccino Swirl Cookies use hugs instead of kisses, and are called "swirls" instead of blossoms or whatever, since you melt the candy down into the center of the cookie.

But what makes these cookies really unique is the coffee flavor of the cookie itself. That, combined with the hug in the middle, makes for an irresistible Christmas cookie, and a beautiful one, too. 

So, if you need a new thumbprint/blossom/swirl cookie this December, look no further! 

Cappuccino Swirl Cookies

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 Tbsp. coffee-flavored liqueur (like Bailey's), or coffee flavored creamer
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 Tbsp. instant coffee crystals
48 Hershey's Hugs (striped kisses)

Beat shortening in a large bowl on medium speed for 30 seconds. Mix in one cup of sugar, the baking powder, and salt, until light and fluffy. 

Beat in the egg, liqueur, and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Beat in the flour a cup at a time, stirring in the final 1/4 cup by hand. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.  

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and instant coffee granules in a small bowl. Once the dough is firm, shape into 1-inch balls.  Roll each ball in the sugar mixture. 

Place dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until the tops start to crack and the sides are almost set. 

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a hug into the center of each cookie. Let them sit for about 5 minutes to allow the candy to melt. Using the tip of  a knife, or a toothpick, slowly swirl the candy. 

Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 4 dozen.

Recipe Source: Happy Life