Hearty Breakfast Cookie

1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups Cheerios 1 cups rolled oats 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cinnamon (if using), baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flours as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in rolled oats, chocolate chips, and Cheerios.

2. Drop dough by 1/4 cup mounds 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten mounds to about 1/2-inch thick. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are set. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool.

Mini Muffin Brownies... with peanut butter filling!

You will soon learn that I have a weakness for chocolate and chocolate and peanut butter... and chocolate and caramel... and well you get the point. I was trying to think of more ways to use my Pampered Chef mini muffin tin ($16) because bite size snacks and desserts are always a hit. Well I was watching some cooking show and they made brownies in real cupcake tins... Oh I can do that in a mini! Of course I have to use my small scoop (12.50) to curtail the mess of getting them into the tin.

Moving on... I was craving more than just a brownie. I remembered that all my girlfriends had me make peanut butter frosting for brownies the last time we were together. Light Bulb: make a peanut butter filling to put inside. So this is what I did:

Brownies:

• Make the brownie mix just as it says on the box
• Spray the mini muffin tin
• Use a the small scoop for the brownie batter

Peanut Butter Filling (I just eyeball):

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• pinch of vanilla
• 3 Tbsp of milk (more or less depending on the consistency)

So you just take the filling, put it in a ziplock bag and cut the tip. Just pipe it into the middle of the brownie.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes. Let them sit on the counter to cool a few minutes before trying to get them out. They are just perfect because they are a little chewy around the edges, but perfect in the middle with the peanut butter.

I hope you like these as much as I do!

Wednesday Cookies - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

You will quickly learn that I love using cake mix to bake. Tonight after Kolin hinted that he would like some sweets (mind you he just had a piece of strawberry pie... I should share that recipe too - it's his mom's recipe) I decided to make the quick and easy option - turn to my cake mix cookbook!

Tonight I made the Peanut Butter-Kiss Cookies. I didn't have any kisses so I just mixed in Chocolate Chips. Yumm! We had some friends stop by and see the house - their daughter kept sneaking away to get more.

I would highly recommend getting this cookbook. It's a great gift for newlyweds or college kids. My mom got it for me in college and I'm still using it.

My boss even asked me about some cookie bars I brought into the office last week. That weekend she ordered the cookbook. I feel like I should be getting some sort of commission for pushing this book.

Even if you don't buy it I'm sure I'll post more recipes.