Cookies and Milk

I wanted to make some cookies with ingredients I already had and these little gems are what I came up with. I was very impressed with how good these improvised peanut butter cookies. I threw in some chai tea mix and white chocolate chips for some gourmet style!

Peanut Butter Chai Cookies
Printable version

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c peanut butter
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c chai tea mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c white chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Combine first three ingredients in a bowl with an electric mixer.
3) Mix in the egg.
4) Stir in white-chocolate chips.

5) Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets.

6) Using a fork, flatten, making a crisscross pattern  on top of the cookies.

7) Bake 8-10 minutes.

8) Let cool before removing from cookie sheet.
9) Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk!

Say, "Fromage"

After four straight weeks of dessert recipes I decided to give you something not sugary this week. This is my go-to for parties and you'll just love it. You just even leave out the chicken if you want to make it a vegetarian dish. If you're not putting it out for a party, you can skip the slow cooker parts.

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Printable Recipe


Ingredients:

• 1 10-12.5 oz cans chunk chicken
• 1 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 cup Texas Pete Buffalo (or other) hot sauce
• 1/2 + 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
1) Set slow cooker to Low.
2) Drain chicken.

This is easiest to do if you only go 90% around with the can opener!

3) Heat chicken and hot sauce until heated through over medium-high heat.

I agree, this looks kinda gross. It will get better.

4) Add cream cheese and ranch dressing mix to the chicken mixture.

5) Continue to cook, stirring, until well blended and warm.

6) Mix in 1/2 c of the cheddar cheese then transfer mixture to a slow cooker. (Mix in all cheese and stir until melted if not using slow cooker.)

7) Sprinkle of the remaining cheese over top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly.

8) Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

A Bailey's Macaroon

Finally the last of August's Bailey's themed recipes, the the item that inspired them: Bailey's Macaroons! I was a little worried about making this recipe but they're better than I could have possibly imagined. If you want to make this recipe I advise you invest in a mixer with wisk attachments if you don't already have them.

Bailey's Meringue Macaroons
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 7-8oz bags sweetened shredded coconut
• 4 Tbsp Bailey's Liqueur
• 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch kosher salt
• 4 large egg whites
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions:
Preheat  oven to 325 degrees.
1) Put coconut into a large bowl.
2) Combine Bailey's, vanilla, salt, and coffee in a small bowl.
3) Pour liquid mixture over coconut.

4) Mix through with a fork and set aside.

5) With the wisk attachments of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy in another large bowl.

6) Gradually add the sugar and then continue beating for about 7 minutes until medium peaks form.
7) Fold coconut mixture into egg whites until combined.
8) Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. *do not forgo the parchment or substitute silicone. I learned this the hard way.

9) Bake for 23-25 minutes until golden brown. 
10) Immediately slide macaroons with parchment onto a cooling rack.


I linked to this video in this recipe but here it is for you to enjoy; my inspiration.

Irish Biscotti

This recipe is part of my Bailey's theme but once they were baked there really wasn't any trace of their flavor. Not that they weren't tasty still. So the key to these bad boys is to dunk them in some Bailey's-spiked coffee. I made these with cinnamon chips. If you're weary of them, go ahead and use chocolate, but I recommend cinnamon!

Irish Biscotti
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 3/4 c flour, sifted
• 3 eggs
• 1 c sugar
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1/2 c Bailey's liqueur
• 2 c cinnamon chips (or one 12oz bag)

Directions:

1) Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
2) Lightly beat three eggs in a large bowl.
3) Mix sugar, coffee and Bailey's into the eggs.
4) Add flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time.

5) Stir in cinnamon chips.

6) Divide dough in half, wrap in wax paper/plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or over night.
7) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8) Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, or coat with butter.
9) Shape each half of the dough into logs.

10) Bake for 40-45 mins, until logs are firm when pressed in the center.
11) Remove from oven, leaving the oven on.
12) Move logs to a cutting board and cut into 1/2" slices.
13) Move slices back onto the baking sheet on their sides.

14) Bake for an additional 18-20 minutes, turning them over with a pair of tongs after 9-10 minutes.
15) Enjoy with a cup of coffee-with-Bailey's!

Touche DailyGrace

Bake It Irish!

Welcome back to Bailey's Month! This week we're making Bailey's cupcakes, frosted with Bailey's buttercream frosting. Sooooo yummy! Note: I made these from a box mix, if you choose to make the cupcakes from scratch, substitute 1/3c of the called for milk amount with Bailey's.

Bailey's Mini Cupcakes
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• One white cake box mix 
• 1tsp instant coffee
• 1/3 c Bailey's liqueur 

Frosting:

• 1lb confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
• 1/4c + 1Tbsp Bailey's liqueur 
• 1/4tsp instant coffee

Instructions:

1) Mix cake batter according to instructions on box, substituting 1/3c of the called for amount of water with the 1/3c Bailey's. 

2) Line mini muffin pan cups with liners.

3) Spoon 1Tbsp of batter into each cup.

4) Bake according the box instructions. If making mini cupcakes like I did, subtract 4 minutes from the cupcake bake time.

5) Cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream frosting:

1) Mix together all ingredients first with a spoon until all the sugar is incorporated and then use a hand mixer for smoother, fluffier frosting. 

2) Add more sugar 2 Tbsps at a time if frosting is too thin.

3) Add milk 1Tbsp at a time if frosting is too thick. 

Buttercream-y Baileys-y goodness mmmM!

Let's Make These Cookies "Irish"

Recently I have been inspired by DailyGrace to create Bailey's liqueur flavored baked goods. So I decided to make August Bailey's Month. So get ready for a month of Bailey's-goodness recipes!

These guys would go great with a hot, fresh cup of coffee!

Bailey's White Chocolate Chip Cookies 
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp baking power
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1/4 tsp instant coffee
• 1 c white chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar at medium speed.

3) Mix in eggs, one at a time.

4) Add Bailey's and instant coffee and mix until coffee has mostly dissolved.

5) In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.

6) Add flour mixture to the dough about 1/2 cup at a time.

7) Once all the flour has been added, stir in the white chocolate chips.
8) Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto cookie sheets.

9) Bake for 9-11 minutes, until they are lightly browned.

I forgot to take an additional picture of the finished product.

10) Enjoy!



I would make them Belgian, but those waffles are hard to get into that flask.

Despite how her face looks, Grace is actually amazed at the awesomeness of this painting.

Because People Like to Say SALSA

This salsa is named for how easy, quick and awesome it is! Serve with your favorite tortilla chips, I suggest white "restaurant" style.

Lightning Salsa
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 cup white onion, diced

1) Combine all ingredients in a blender.

2) Cover tightly and pulse a few times on "mix" to combine ingredients. Then blend until you reach your desired level of smooth/chunkiness.
3) Refrigerate for at least an hour.
3) Serve and enjoy!

I wanted saltza not salsa!