Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by: Maggie

Mmmm...is there anything more delicious than the chocolate and peanut butter combination? Peanut butter is quickly catching up with A Bitchin' Kitchen's other favorite ingredient - pumpkin.  (See here, here, here, and here.)

I've made these cookies many times before, but when I baked them last week for coworkers it was my first chance to photograph and blog about them.  I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen, and it's originally found in the Magnolia Bakery cookbook.  I first heard about Magnolia Bakery from the Sex and the City episode where Miranda and Carrie go there for cupcakes (probably the same time the rest of the show's non-Manhattanite fans heard about it.)



Honestly, I haven't heard the most positive reviews of their cupcakes, but their peanut butter cookie recipe is awesome.  I know whenever my most health conscious co-workers come back for thirds and fourths that I dun-good.

There won't be a new post tomorrow since Annie and I will both be traveling to New Jersey for Thanksgiving.  We're going to be making some Thanksgiving side dishes together, and will be blogging about it when we're back!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Here's what you'll need:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips

Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and peanut butter until fluffy.  Beat in the sugar until smooth.  Add in the egg and beat well.  Beat in the milk and vanilla extract.  Add the flour mixture in batches, and beat until fully incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Chill dough for 30-60 minutes.  After dough has chilled, roll into walnut sized balls, and roll around in the extra sugar.  Place on baking sheet, and using your finger or an offset spatula slightly flatten the top of each cookie.  Bake for about 8 minutes - the originally recipe said 10-12, but mine were done far before that.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for a minute, and transfer to wire racks to finish cooling.

How to Cook Roasted Asparagus

Posted by: Maggie

I feel a little silly posting this recipe, but back when I first started to cook I seriously had no idea how to do very basic things in the kitchen.  When I tried to cook stuff for myself, I literally googled things like "how to bake a potato" and "how to hard boil an egg." If you haven't spent a lot of time in the kitchen, really how are you supposed to know how long and at what temperature to cook some simple items? 

Hopefully this will be useful to someone just beginning to cook, who is looking for a delicious and healthy way to prepare asparagus.  This would also make a great Thanksgiving side dish, to balance out some of the heavier sides like candied sweet potatoes and stuffing.

What you'll need:

1 bunch of asparagus (washed and dried thoroughly, with ends snapped off - bend the spear in the middle until it snaps easily, about 2-3 inches above bottom)
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread asparagus in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toss with your hands to coat.  Generously season with kosher salt and pepper, and stick in the oven for 10 minutes.

The spears are delicious served hot, or cold from the fridge.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by: Annie

If you want to make new friends at work- MAKE THESE COOKIES! Or if you want someone to do something for you - MAKE THESE COOKIES. Or if you want a present- MAKE THESE COOKIES (they really really are THAT good), and totally worthy of the of caps lock usage. To quote my roommate Dana on her experience (eating the batter!), "It was so good I swear it like warmed up in my mouth."


And also, do I need to point out... they use one of A Bitchin' Kitchen's favorite ingredients- pumpkin! (original recipe found here- I played with the spices a bit because I did not have ginger, and I also used half chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips)

What you will need:

 

2 sticks butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl beat the butter until smooth. Add in the sugars, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then add in the vanilla, and pumpkin. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Add in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by tablespoons and bake for 15- 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks and then devour.