The last few days have been completely taken over by math.  Matrices haunt my dreams, I’m constantly running through proofs and derivations, and I’m sort of accepting the fact that number theory is way over my head.  This stupid test is in two weeks and I can’t wait to have my life back.

When I wasn’t studying this week, I was out with the fam.  We went to a LOT of restaurants, and kept Ellie out past her bedtime more than once.  Oops.

Good thing she inherited my ability to sleep just about anywhere.

Having family around means that desserts don’t last long (and that’s a good thing), so I jumped at the chance to try a cake Mike had been eyeing in Joy the Baker’s cookbook.

I was a tiny bit hesitant about this cake.  The last time I tried to bake with peanut butter (making something other than cookies), it was a big fat fail.  I tried to make a peanut butter banana bread but it was dense and gritty and unpleasant.   That was three years ago.  Ever since then I figured baking with peanut butter should be left to cookies.  I should have known Joy wouldn’t mess it up, though.  This cake has a nice, light crumb with the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor.

I frosted it with a basic peanut butter buttercream, and it was divine.  I think the only thing that might have made it better would be some sliced bananas in between the cake layers.  I’m definitely going to do that next time.  Maybe to celebrate being done with my ridiculous math test!

The cheese section makes me swoon, I am slowly working my way through the entire wine section, and their butter is a great deal. I don’t think it’s necessary to discuss the pound plus chocolate bars and how I feel about them.

But I have some issues with their produce and the disgusting amount of packaging it tends to include. Plus, I have a serious problem with the way that products will disappear from the shelves without any warning. Peanut flour, where did you go?

The other day I noticed there was no more organic peanut butter. I figured it had gone the way of peanut flour until my next visit, when it was back, and in GLASS! And then I meandered over to the chocolate section and saw white chocolate chips for the first time in months! I fell in love with Trader Joe’s all over again.

And can you tell I really need to get back to work? I seriously should not consider finding white chocolate chips and deciding which recipe to use them in the most challenging part of my day. I am so excited to use my brain again.

These are particularly good peanut butter cookies. If you bake them for just the right amount of time (before they start to brown on top), they stay nice and soft and just a little bit chewy. I happen to think that white chocolate goes really well with the saltiness of the cookie, but the original recipe called for milk chocolate chunks, so there’s another option.

Recipe:
(adapted from Orangette)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp salt
2 sticks plus 3.5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups natural salted creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two cookie sheets with parchment.

Stir the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugars together in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one.

Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Add the flour mixture and mix on low until dough forms and all traces of flour disappear. Stir in the white chocolate chips.

Scoop up 1/4 cup of dough and shape into a ball. Place on the cookie sheet and do not flatten. Leave a few inches between each cookie. Bake for about 13 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

This weekend started the way it should, with Pizza Friday! It had been a few weeks since we’d had pizza, and Mike and I both missed it. I forgot to make my usual dough the day before so I went for the trusty Quick Pizza Dough and let it rise for about an hour.

I kept it really simple with some sauteed spinach, ricotta, and slices of red onion. It was fabulous!

Straight from the oven…

Saturday morning was absolutely beautiful. I’m sorry to rub it in for those of you that are still under snow, but this is exactly why I pay ridiculously high rent and taxes to live in California.

My parents are in town, and since my dad and I are both training for the Boston marathon, we headed down to the Ferry Building to run up the Embarcadero to the Golden Gate Bridge and back (14 miles). It was a little warm, but I had absolutely no complaints!

I love running over the Golden Gate bridge because the view from the other side is so amazing.

I was having a great run until about mile 11, when my right IT band started giving me problems. We ended up walking the rest of the way back to Fisherman’s Wharf, then caught the streetcar back to the Ferry Building. I’ve been stretching and foam rolling my leg like crazy because I’m determined to get better in time to run Boston!

Saturday night for dinner, we went to one of my favorites, Burma Superstar (which I’ve raved about here. I’m completely in love with that place!

If you’re looking for other whoopie pie ideas, try these!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
Banana Caramel Whoopie Pies
Apple Cinnamon Whoopie Pies
Boston Cream Whoopie Pies

Recipe:
(adapted from: Whoopie Pies)

makes about 30

cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

frosting
1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp), softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
milk (start with 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together with a wire whisk.

Beat the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.

Add half the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Add half the buttermilk. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining flour mixture, mixing on low until it is combined. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix until smooth.

Using a piping bag with a large plain tip, pipe the batter onto the parchment-lined sheets in 2 1/2″ circles. You can drop batter by the spoonful if you prefer.

Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Let cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Pair up cookies by size and fill with chocolate frosting.

For the frosting:
Mix the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, and milk with a stand mixer. Add additional milk as needed, about 1 tsp at a time, until it has a spreadable consistency.

As you can see, this cake is covered with chopped up peanut butter cups and the most amazing velvety smooth peanut butter frosting I’ve ever had. It’s a little unusual because it starts with an egg yolk beaten with powdered sugar over simmering water, which I’ve never done before, but with the whipped cream beaten in at the end it takes on a light mousse-like texture without the overly sweet you get from the usual butter-powdered sugar-peanut butter-milk frosting.

The secret to the cake itself is right here:

A cup of coffee with 3/4 cup cocoa powder. You don’t taste the coffee, but it definitely makes the chocolate flavor richer and keeps the cake incredibly moist!

So festive with candles…

If I weren’t completely loyal to carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, I would want this for my next birthday. It’s definitely a keeper! And of course there’s no rule that says you need any occasion to make it…

In running-related news, I had a GREAT 10 mile run yesterday morning and I’m getting more excited for Boston every day. I’m keeping my mileage kind of low because I’m still a little nervous about my right knee, but so far everything’s going well! The weather has been completely perfect too. It was in the low 60s for the run and there were TONS of people out running in shorts and T-shirts. I love you, California winters.

Recipe:
(from Sugarlaws)

cake

2 cups sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

frosting

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used natural creamy and it worked beautifully)
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, softened
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
mini peanut butter cups, quartered or roughly chopped

To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

Stir the cocoa powder in the coffee and mix until smooth, then add to the sugar mixture.

In a medium bowl, stir the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cake flour together with a whisk. Add half the flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and mix on low until smooth, then scrape down the bowl. Add the other half of the dry ingredients, mix well, then add the other 1/2 cup of milk and mix on low until combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the two cake pans, tapping them against the counter to eliminate air bubbles.

Bake the cakes for about 35-45 minutes (depending on which size pans you used), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the layers to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting:
Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium heat.

Mix together the egg yolk and 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and set over the simmering water. Keep stirring until the mixture is hot to the touch.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then beat in the peanut butter, and then the butter. It may look a little lumpy at this point, but it will smooth out! Beat in 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form Add the whipped cream to the rest of the frosting and beat until smooth. Frost the cake and press the peanut butter cup pieces onto the sides. Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

Such a pretty salad.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t quite the presentation we got for dinner. Yes, I’m that ridiculous about my blog – I plated it, took pictures, then dumped the whole thing in tupperware for dinner on the road. And yes, we ate it straight from the container. We’re pretty high class.

I’ve made infinite variations of this salad, but I think this is the first time I’ve ever tried it with rice noodles, and I know for a fact that it’s the first time that I mixed chili garlic sauce in with the dressing.

Mike and I became obsessed with a similar sauce while we were traveling in Southeast Asia, and now we probably go through a jar this size almost every week. That may be a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I love mixing it with tahini as a sandwich spread or dip for crackers or vegetables.

I planned this salad to be our dinner on the road, because we’re going back “home” this weekend. I’m not sure if I can call it home because I only lived there for 8 years, but Mike spent the first 28 years of his life there, so I think he definitely can.

Because our usual stop for food on the drive home is the bulk bagel section at Safeway, I decided it might be smarter to pack a healthy dinner to go so we don’t have to rely on crappy bagels. This looked perfect. And it was!

Our friends back home are having a big Thanksgiving dinner and I offered to make a pecan pie. Because I only had a half day at work I was thinking I’d have plenty of time to stop by the store, go for a run, pack, bake the pie, and make dinner. Ummmm, fail.

I ended up spending way too much time trying to figure out which pie recipe to use, and by the time I finished everything in the kitchen it was clear I’d have to skip the run. Sorry legs, I promise we’ll run tomorrow! And while we’re on the topic of pie, I have two very strong opinions about crust. 1) All butter is the only way to go (shortening is gross) and 2) The pastry blender is magical. Why would you dirty all the pieces of a food processor when you can just use this little baby and get amazing results?

You can fight me on these if you want to, but I’m not easily persuaded.

I think the pie looks moderately burnt but hopefully people will have had enough wine by then that they won’t know the difference. And dim lighting should help, too.

And that, my friends, is the pile of crap we took with us. I carried it all to the car in one trip, in the rain, while balancing a pie in each hand. Why we need that much stuff for a 2-night trip 3 hours away I’m not sure. We’ve clearly completely lost the art of packing that was such a part of our lives when we lived out of backpacks for months on end. But on the upside I get a hot shower every day now, so I think it’s an OK trade.

So back to the salad: it’s filling without being overly heavy, it’s infinitely modifiable, and the recipe makes plenty! I think I’ll whip some up on a Sunday and use it for lunches throughout the week. It’s even better after it sits in the fridge for a few hours.

Recipe:
(adapted from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies via Eats Well With Others)

1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tbsp cup soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup warm water
1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)

8 ounces rice noodles (linguine shape)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound tofu, drained and pressed
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 medium carrot, cut into thin slices
3 tbsp green onions (green parts only, sliced
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce in a blender and pulse until smooth. Add the water a few tsp at a time and blend to desired consistency.

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Cook the rice noodles for about 3 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water. Keep submerged in a bowl of cold water until you’re ready to mix the salad.

Cut the tofu into bite-size slices (1″ x 1″, 1/2″ thick).

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium high. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. Add all the vegetables and stir fry a few minutes, until they’re just tender.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles and toss with the tofu and vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the noodle mixture and mix well. Sprinkle with basil, cilantro, and green onions to serve.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were always my favorite. I happily ate PB & J day in and day out from first grade through high school, and I’d still choose it over most other sandwiches even today. The concept of putting peanut butter and jelly together in dessert form? Absolutely brilliant!

This is an Ina Garten recipe, which means it’s got plenty of butter and sugar. But it’s great because that classic combination always brings back great (ok, and not so great) memories of my elementary school days. I used raspberry jam this time because she called for it, but I think I’ll try strawberry next because that was my childhood favorite.

Recipe:
(Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten)

2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups raspberry jam
2/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease and flour a 13 x 9″ pan.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the peanut butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together and a medium bowl and add them gradually to the butter mixture. Mix on low until combined.

Press 2/3 of the peanut butter dough into the prepared pan and top with the jam. Divide the remaining dough into small pieces and drop them evenly over the jam. Sprinkle the whole thing with chopped peanuts, then bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into small squares to serve.

I feel like muffins come in 3 categories. Healthy, Seems Like it Should be Healthy, and Let’s Be Honest This is Actually a Cupcake. These fall into the last category, but sometimes life just calls for ridiculously indulgent treats for breakfast.

I made these for my usual Friday take-to-work treat last week and I kind of wished I’d saved more for myself. I started with Dorie’s Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffin recipe (from Baking From My Home to Yours and swirled in something that could probably pass for peanut butter frosting. They’re probably slightly better for you than doughnut holes, but not by much!

This made 14 muffins for me – 12 of which I baked in muffin tins and 2 of which I baked in ramekins.

Recipe:
(adapted from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

muffins
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup chocolate chips
2 cups all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

peanut butter swirl
1/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 14 muffin cups (or a 12-cup muffin tin and 2 ramekins) with paper liners.

Melt the butter and 1/3 cup chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together. Gradually stir the liquid ingredients and melted butter and chocolate into the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Beat in the milk and powdered sugar until smooth. Drop a spoonful of peanut butter mixture on top of each muffin and swirl it in with a paring knife.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing each muffin to a wire rack to cool completely.

I will never get sick of the chocolate and peanut butter combination. I was reminded of this fact the other day at Trader Joe’s, when they were sampling peanut butter cups that were about fifty thousand times better than Reese’s. We almost bought some, but baking whoopie pies just seemed like a better idea. Plus I had a friend’s bachelorette party to go to, and nothing says “you’re getting married!” like whoopie pies. Or that’s what I told myself.

These are pretty straightforward: you just mix up the batter, pipe it with a large, plain round tip into whatever size cookie you want, and put a nice thick layer of frosting in between each pair. I like making smaller ones, because smaller = cuter, but it’s totally up to you. You can even just skip the piping and go for a more rustic look if that’s your style.

Recipe:
(adapted from Martha Stewart

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 tbsp nsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling: (might need to make 1 1/2 batches)
1/2 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 and line some cookie sheets with parchment.
Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt together onto a piece of wax paper.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer. Beat in the egg. Stir the milk and vanilla together and add to the butter mixture alternating with the flour mixture in 3 additions (mix on low, just until combined).

Transfer to a piping bag and pipe 2-4″ circles about 2″ apart. Bake for about 12 minutes, then cool on the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, until it has the desired consistency. Pipe or spread the frosting between two cookies.

Yep, two desserts in a row. I baked a couple things for Mothers Day, but other than that I’ve been eating mostly just salads and random combinations of beans, grains, and vegetables that don’t seem creative enough to warrant a blog post. So you get dessert instead!

My sister gave me Baked: New Frontiers in Baking for my birthday, and it was REALLY hard to narrow down which recipe I wanted to make first. I’ve always loved Rice Crispy Treats, but since marshmallows have gelatin in them and I’m trying to be a good vegetarian, I haven’t made any lately. These, on the other hand, use boiled sugar and melted butter to hold the rice crispy layer together, so although it’s a little more technical than just melting some marshmallows, they’re vegetarian-friendly!

Obviously, peanut butter and chocolate are an amazing combination and they are fabulous together here, especially in contrast to the crunchy cereal base. The hardest part is letting them chill long enough that the chocolate-peanut butter layer sets, which as you can see from the first picture, I didn’t quite do.

Recipe:
(from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

crust
1 3/4 cups rice crispy cereal
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp butter, melted

peanut butter layer
5 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter

chocolate topping
3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
4 tbsp unsalted butter

To make the crust:
Spray an 8″ square pan with nonstick spray.
Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
Carefully mix the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high. Insert a candy thermometer and boil until the mixture is 235 F. Remove from heat, stir in the melted butter, then pour over the cereal and mix quickly and thoroughly. Press into the prepared pan and let cool while you make the peanut butter layer.

To make the peanut butter layer:
Melt the milk chocolate and peanut butter together in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth, then pour over the crust and chill for an hour or until set.

To make the chocolate topping:
Clean out the double boiler, then put the dark chocolate, corn syrup, and butter in it and put it over medium-low heat. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat, cool for about 30 seconds (stirring constantly), then pour all over the peanut butter layer. Chill for another hour so the topping can harden, then cut the bars into small squares to serve.

I want to preface this post with an acknowledgement. Yes, I realize I WAY over-edited that photo. My new camera and my recently downloaded copy of GIMP 2.0 have been so much fun to play with, I haven’t really figured out when to cut myself off. The good news is, I now know how to set my white balance, and I’ve figured out how to restrain myself a little better when playing around with color saturation and such. Now on to the food.

Since this decade started, my New Years Eves have varied from going to sleep at 9 PM on a relative’s couch (I was sick), to drinking far too many Coors Lights in a cabin on Mt. Hood, to dancing to DJ sets at a bar until 2 AM. It seems like far too often, New Years Eve is an over-planned, underwhelming night, but this year, we kept it simple. Black tie New Years Eves are not my style at all, and although I love making fancy desserts, I wanted something laid-back and low-maintenance to set the tone for 2010, which we rang in on a rooftop with our good friends.

These bars (which I found on the adorable site Buns In My Oven) come together quickly and just need to hang out in the fridge for a few hours before you eat them. You can almost consider them healthy, if you use old fashioned oats and natural peanut butter like I did (I guess maybe the butter and sugar and chocolate counter-act any health benefits, but lets overlook that). Mike thinks they taste like Snickers, and I can see where he’s coming from. They’re unfussy and highly addictive, and you probably have the ingredients for them in your pantry right now.

Recipe:
(addapted from Buns in My Oven, originally from allrecipes)

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Icing:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Line and 8″ square pan with wax paper.
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, and oats. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring well. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and peanut butter.
Spread evenly in the pan.
In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk, stirring until smooth (it may take on the consistency of frosting, and that’s OK). Spread evenly over the oat mixture.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then cut into squares to serve.