Perfect Mini M&M Cookies

Do you ever have those days when you look at your kids and realize that they aren't so little anymore?  That somehow overnight they magically aged?  When I tell others this, they tell me I'm crazy, since "my kids are still babies".  The thing is, they aren't babies anymore.  My Rugrat turns 2 next month and my Munchkin is 3.5 going on 16.

Now I know they aren't big kids but they sure aren't babies anymore.  They talk back, roll their eyes and tell me "No Momma!" way too much.  Babies don't do that.  They are turning into amazing little girls full of personality and in the past week or so it hit me.  They are growing up.

Okay, time to stop whining about my babies getting big.  One thing I love about them being "big girls" is how much they LOVE to be good helpers in the kitchen.  Baking cookies has now become a team effort which makes the whole process much more fun!

These cookies were from one of the Pintastic recipes I posted last week and they were delicious!

Do you know the reason these are "perfect" mini M&M cookies?  Their "perfect" shape.  I make cookies all the time and they rarely come out so uniform and well, perfect.  Until I came across this recipe by Picky Palate. 

There is a secret!  In order to get perfectly fluffy and chewy cookies every time, you add 3TBsp of instant vanilla pudding powder to the dough.  That's it!  Can you believe how simple {but effective} that is?!

Onto the recipe:

1. Mix the butter & sugars 
2. Add egg & vanilla, Mix
3. Add Flour, Salt, Baking Soda & Vanilla Powder
4. Mix until combined

Time to add the best part!  Mini chips & Mini M&M's

I might have snacked on a few....

Another tip I picked up was to use a small ice cream scoop {or in my case, a large melon baller} to scoop the dough.  That way they are all consistent in size and will cook evenly.

After scooping, I left them exactly like this for baking {I did not push or flatten}.  

This is how they looked after coming out of the oven.

Perfect!

They were delicous!

Cookies + M&M's = happy family

Head over to Picky Palate to get the full recipe!  

HAPPY BAKING!
(to see where I've linked up - click here!!)

Pintastic Friday #5 {Cookies}

Welcome to Pintastic Friday!! 

For those of you here for the 1st time, here is a little recap...   I share a few of my favorite pins each week and then pick one to make.  Last week I selected a few favorites and the "goal" is to share my completed pin with you the next this week. So here is the big question... did I actually complete anything?    {drum-roll please....... } 

Sadly, I didn't get my pin done this week.... and I blame my sister! {hehe}  She came to visit for a few days and since we were busy running errands, playing with the kiddos, watching a movie {finally saw The Great Gatsby, so good!} and drinking some wine, I didn't really get anything for the blog done.  Oh well, there is always next week :)

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Some people love every kid of desserts, but me, I'm a cookie gal!  I've got a huge sweet tooth, but I will take a delicious looking cookie over any other dessert - EVERY TIME!  Here are a few that I've had my eye on for awhile... 

Time to try one out! :)

 

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowl Sundae

By Ruhlman

The Perfect M&M Cookies

By Picky Palate

Copy Cat Girl Scout Tagalong Cookies

By A Dash of Sanity

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies

By Picky Palate

Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie S'mores

By Crazy for Crust

HAPPY BAKING!
(to see where I've linked up - click here!!)

Rainbow Pudding Cups

I'm not sure where my brain was this week... I felt foggy and groggy and sleepy and zzzzzzzzzzz

On Monday, my friend Shelley and I were invited to a play date on either Thursday or tomorrow, my response was, "Thursday doesn't work, Madison has school on T/TH, but tomorrow should work :)"

The next text was from my friend Shelley, "Doesn't Madison have school tomorrow?"

Really?!?!?  Where was my brain?  Tomorrow is Tuesday, not Wednesday! duh!  {Thankfully my friend knows my schedule better than I do.}

Later that afternoon, I was working on my Pintastic craft of the week and since I was still completely confused on which day it was, I was worried I wouldn't have my {wednesday} post completed in time.

Then I realized I was doing it again!  It was still Monday... clearly my brain was broken.

Until today... the sun is shinning, it's 80° and the fog is starting to lift :)  So let's get started with today's Pintastic craft.

Start with Jello & food coloring

Separate into bowls, add dye and mix to the color of your liking :)

I have to admit that I was super excited to have bowls {and spoons} the same colors as the rainbow.  Thank you Ikea!  {Yes, I'm a huge nerd}

Now after trying {with little success} to place the pudding in the glass without smearing it everywhere... I figured pipping it through bags would be easier.

It worked perfectly!

If you've never used zip lock bags to pipe, it's really easy.  Snip the corner and just twist the top and squeeze out.  

I put them in shot glasses, since I couldn't find my small glass jars

So cute!

Since the shot glasses turned out so cute, I thought I'd try some other glasses

 

My kids LOVED these, they were sooo excited to finish dinner, so they could have their rainbow pudding for dessert.

HAPPY CRAFTING!
(to see where I've linked up - click here!!)

Peanut Butter Coffee Cake

Have I told you all about my addiction to Chocolate?  I know, what woman doesn't love chocolate??  But seriously, I LOVE it.  It was about 11 years ago when my hubby asked me to be his date for a very fancy work dinner at George's at the Cove {it's in La Jolla and it's amazing!} and since it was one of our very 1st dates, I remember it well...

What was I talking about?  Oh yea... chocolate!

So we're at this dinner and it's time for dessert... they bring out this amazingly delicious chocolate box.  Yes a chocolate box... filled with Grand Marnier White Chocolate Mousse with fresh berries over the top. O.M.G!

So my sweet guy {trying to be funny} asked me, "If you had to choose between chocolate & me, which would you choose?"

My response? "As long as you never make me choose, you'll never have a problem!" hahaha

He had soooo much to learn. 

That was still in the beginning... before he found out about my TRUE LOVE.  Peanut Butter & Chocolate.  Now, I couldn't imagine my life without my hubby, BUT, I could never imagine my life without peanut butter & chocolate. 

I love them individually. I love them together.  They are the best.  {As my good friend Joey would say, "put your hands together!"}  FRIENDS fans?  Anyone?  Just me? okay... moving on...

So when I came across this pin I knew I had to make it.  Dorothy @ Crazy Crust really knows her stuff and let me tell you... it's delicious! 

I didn't make any changes to her version, but I did include a little step by step {with the help of my trusty assistant}. 

First, gather all your ingredients.

Normally I don't put them all in separate bowls, but when my "assistant" is helping, this step makes it easier... for her, {not me... I end up with double the dishes}.

Time to mix the dry ingredients 

Put that bowl aside... get all your wet ingredients together 

Combine Wet & Dry ingredients together until just combined.

Now time to make the Streusel :)

Layer 1) half cake batter 2) half streusel 3) remaining batter 4) remaining streusel

Time to bake!

Gosh, the house smells sooooo good... I'm getting antsy... must.taste.now!

yummmmmmm

I'm doing everything in my power not to just dive right in with my fork...

Peanut Butter Coffee Cake with Chocolate Chip Streusel
Original Source: Crazy Crust

Cake Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups Flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt 
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup {1/2 stick of butter}, softened
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup milk

Streusel Ingredients
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 2 TBsp flour
* 2 TBsp butter, melted
* 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 9in square dish with cooking spray
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl .  Set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl {I used my mixer, with paddle attachment}, mix both sugars, butter, peanut butter and egg.  Remove bowl from mixer.  Stir in milk.  
4. Stir dry ingredients with wet and stir {by hand} until just combined. 
5. Make the crumb topping:  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour & melted butter in a small bowl.  Once combined, fold in chocolate chips.
6. Place half the cake batter in the pan and spread to fit.  Top with half the streusel. Repeat with remaining cake batter and streusel.  
7. Bake for 21-25min, until a toothpick comes out clean.  {Mine took 25min}

This would be a great little dish to bring to a brunch... I might even have to add it to our Easter brunch menu  :)

HAPPY CRAFTING!
(to see where I've linked up - click here!!)