Cookie Ice Cream Pie

Dear Sally,

Your last blog looked AMAZING! I can't wait till BBQ season when I can cook up some delicious salmon. Unfortunately I know it will not be as good as your dad's famous salmon.

As usual this post is delicious but REALLY bad for you. I feel like I corrupting our followers with these enticing recipes. It is ironic really that I keep making things I can't eat nor would eat if I had the chance. Oh well :)

I'm excited for the party on Friday. I had to change my costume because I haven't had time to shop for anything but I think it will still work out :)

How is your yoga challenge coming? I wish I could be there with you! I'm glad that Rachel is doing it too, not that you would need the extra motivation or anything.


 Lots of love,
Jess

This recipe is a creation of my own and is a mish mash of things I had in the house and ideas that came to me. Don't worry, it has been tested on two very healthy men and they both enjoyed the dessert and survived its consumption. Enjoy!

Cookies Ice Cream Pie
Double chocolate ice cream (approx 2 cups)
Peanut butter (1/2 cup)
Cool whip (2 cups)
White chocolate (shavings)
1 cup (approx) white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough (or any kind you like)

1. Cover the bottom of a round cake pan with the cookie dough. Cook in a 350 oven for about 8 minutes or until golden. Cool.

2. While the cookie is baking whip the ice cream, peanut butter and 1 cup cool whip. Spoon this mixture over the cooled cookie base. Top with remaining cool whip and white chocolate shavings. Return to the freezer for min 4 hours.


3. Bring out of the freezer just before serving to warm up. Cut and serve!

Travel Food

Dear Sally,

 

I can't remember if I told you that Jesse and I are going to Ohio this weekend but I'm telling you now :)

In preparation for the trip I thought I would do some baking. The boys requested White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies and I threw in some Reese's Pieces Cookies. I was also inspired by a recipe from Handle the Heat for soft pretzels and so I made little pretzel pieces and coated them in chocolate (and then some were rolled in Reese's Pieces).

Hopefully there will still be some treats left for our hosts after our 7 hour drive tonight but with two boys in the front of the truck and me sleeping in the back I highly doubt it!

I miss you so much but we will see each other soon! Hope you are staying warm and dry in this weather.

Love,
Jess

Reese's and White Chocolate Cookies

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup Reece's Pieces

1. Combine butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugars in a mixing bowl. Slowly add flour,baking powder and salt mixture to the rest of the ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Let cool and enjoy! Add crushed Reece's Pieces for an interesting change.


Soft Pretzels
1 1/2 cups warm water  
2 tablespoons light brown sugar  
1 package active dry yeast  
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted  
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt  
4 cups all-purpose flour vegetable oil  
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda  
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
coarse sea salt

1. Combine water, sugar, yeast, and butter in a bowl and mix until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and flour and mix with a dough hook on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Oil a large bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, . Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches, boiling no more than 15 bites at a time, for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place boiled pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching.

5. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating.

6. Melt 10 ounces of milk chocolate in a microwavable bowl and dip pretzel pieces. Roll in crushed Reese's Pieces for extra goodness.

Snickerdoodles Galore!

Dear Jess,

Firstly: you are amazing. Secondly: it's raining again.

I woke up on this dreary Saturday morning to a note from Jason stating that the coffee maker was all set up, and just had to be turned on. The day only got better from there! After yoga with Rhiannon we came back to make cookies. There have been a few that I wanted to try, so there's nothing like a rainy weekend and a zen state of mind to bring on the gumption to make 4 dozen cookies!

On today's list: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Almond-Butter Snickerdoodles. (I absolutely love the word snickerdoodle!)

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
(makes 2 dozen)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together until smooth. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.

3. Slowly add the flour mixture until combined. Mix in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until incorporated.

4. Working with 2 tbsp of dough at a time, roll the dough into even balls and lay them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 12-16 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Almond-Butter Snickerdoodles
(makes 2 dozen)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (about 3 ounces)
1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp smooth almond butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs yolks, lightly beaten
1 1/3 cup whole-wheat flower
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

2. Place the first 4 ingredients (brown sugar, cream cheese, butter and almond butter) in a medium bowl, and beat until well combined. Add lemon rind, vanilla extract, and egg yolks; beat until well blended.

3. Combine flours, baking soda, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt using a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat until well combined. Combine the remaining 1 tsp cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll rounds of dough in cinnamon sugar then drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes; flatten cookies with the back of a spatula. Bake an additional 6 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.

I hope your weekend is relaxing, and a true breath of fresh air.


So much of my Love,
Sally