While at the store the other day I realized it had been a while since I’d bought any peanut butter chips. I grabbed a bag thinking I could add them to some homemade ice cream. That is, until I saw the recipe on the bag for cookies!

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Reese’s peanut butter chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

YUM!

I’ve spent a lot of time over at MonkeySee, which was recommended to us by Sandy. It’s so much more professional than Youtube, and a lot of the videos are split up into segments so you can see just the parts you want or need to!

Anyway, I came across these quick videos on how to make and assemble “dirt cups.” With summer break starting next week I want to start spending some more time in the kitchen with my daughters to get them started on some of the basics, and I think something fun like this will really appeal to them!

I think these would also be yummy after ten or so minutes in the freezer on an especially hot day!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Drops

4 ounces (squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten with a fork
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Chocolate Glaze:
8 ounces whipped topping (such as Cool Whip®)
6 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate (Hershey’s® recommended)
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Place unsweetened chocolate chunks, butter, and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook on High for 1 minute, until butter is melted. Whisk until smooth, then blend in sugar and salt. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until incorporated. Blend in flour, half at a time, until well-mixed. Fold in chopped peanuts and miniature chocolate chips. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with baking liners or parchment paper.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 1-1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookies will become crispy rather than chewy. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Chocolate Glaze: Break chocolate into large chunks and place in a 4-cup glass measuring cup or deep micro-safe bowl. Add half of whipped topping and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir for 1 minute. Add remaining whipped topping and microwave another 30 seconds. Whisk until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Whisk in confectioners’ sugar, beating until there are no lumps. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to thicken up.

Swirl the tops of the cookies in the chocolate glaze and place on waxed paper. Let stand, uncovered, 3 to 4 hours to dry and set glaze.

Yield: about 72 cookies

Don’t forget, today is the last day to enter the T-shirt giveaway! You have until midnight tonight and the drawing will take place tomorrow.

Now, in case you missed them the first time around, check out a few previous posts that are still bringing in the hits and comments:

• The Hershey’s Move to Mexico post is still getting hit quite often, several months after I wrote about it. If you missed it the first time, go check it out and let us know what you think.
• 50 Easy Chocolate Snacks to Make
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe
• Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Living in Vegas, we really don’t get a whole lot of autumn here. Seriously, it lasts about a week and then it’s just brown and a bit chilly. So for this month’s Home & Dining channel theme, we decided to focus on things to keep you warm during the autumn months — or weeks, in my case. So here are
50 Ways Chocolate Can Keep You Warm This Autumn:

1. The history of hot chocolate
2. Hot chocolate
3. Warm chocolate cookies
4. Hot Fudge Spoon Cake
5. Molten Chocolate Cake
6. Warm Chocolate-Nut Brownie
7. Spicy chocolate cookies
8. Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake
9. Old-fashioned hot fudge
10. S’mores without camping
11. Warm chocolate rice pudding
12. Hot Fudge Cheesecake
13. Parisian Warm Chocolate
14. Melting and tempering chocolate
15. Warm Chocolate Tarts
16. White Chocolate Sorbet with Warm Clementine Sauce
17. Hot Fudge Brownies
18. Dark Chocolate Roasted Almond Toffee Chunk Scone
19. Aztec Chili Hot Chocolate
20. Warm Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
21. Chocolate therapy
22. Warm chocolate pudding
23. Chocolate fondue
24. Try a dozen different hot chocolates
25. And then try the single servings
26. White peppermint hot chocolate
27. Get a chocolate pot
28. Warm chocolate souffles
29. Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
30. Hot chocolate massage
31. Warm chocolate sauce
32. Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa
33. Warm Dark Chocolate Cake
34. White Chocolate Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Sauce
35. Chocolate Whirl Bread
36. Decadent hot chocolate
37. Warm Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake
38. Take a chocolate bubble bath
39. Warm Chocolate Cake with Brandy Soaked Apricots and Caramel
40. Hot Fudge Waffle Sundaes
41. Chocolate Pound Cake with Warm Rosemary Syrup
42. More chocolate fondue
43. Molten Chocolate Babycakes
44. Apricot and White Chocolate Scones
45. Double Chocolate Muffins
46. Warm Chocolate and Whisky Tart
47. White Hot Chocolate
48. Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake
49. Erotic hot fudge
50. Warm Chocolate Strawberry Cake Tarts

More ‘50 Things’ around the Home & Dining Channel:
~ 50 ways to Keep Your Pet(s) Warm This Autumn
~ 50 Organizing Products to Add a Touch of Fall Color to Your Home
~ Hot Desserts, 50 Ways to Heat Up Your Autumn Evenings
~ 50 Awesome Crockpot Recipes to Keep You Warm (and Full!)
~ 50 Soul Warming Ways to Inspire the Next Generation of Offbeat Architects
~ 50 Things You Can Do to Stay Warm this Autumn
~ 50 reasons why a Japanese winter is hot
~ 50 Warm-Up Cooking Gadgets
~ 50 Vegetable Recipes to Keep Warm This Season
~ 50 Drinks That Warm The Soul

There seem to be dozens and dozens of variations of this recipe and every one that I’ve tried has been delicious!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 48 cookies.