No bake caramel peanut cookies

 Caramel Peanut cookies

First layer

• 3/4 c light corn syrup
• 2 Tbl. granulated sugar
• 1 c creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbl. butter
• 5 c Rice Krispies Cereal

For the Second Layer:

• 2 Tbl. whole milk (I used 1 Tbl half and half and 1 TBl 1% milk)
• 1 c powdered sugar
• 2 Tbl. cocoa powder
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 c chopped salted peanuts

Instructions

• Add the corn syrup and sugar to a sauce pan and over medium heat, warm the two together until the sugar has dissolved. Once the mixture is bubbling, remove it from the heat and add in the peanut butter and the butter. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until you have a smooth, thick, caramel-like sauce.
• Add the Rice Krispies Cereal and fold into the sauce mixture until mixed thoroughly.
• Dump the mixture out onto a parchment lined 13 x 18 inch baking sheet. Use the spatula to spread the mixture out and to flatten it. If the mixture is cool enough to touch, you can use your hands to push and flatten the cereal mixture to fit the pan. Set aside.
• Next, in a clean saucepan, add the milk and butter and over medium heat, scald the milk until the butter has melted.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and confectioner’s sugar. Once completely mixed together, pour this over the bottom half of the flatten cereal mixture. Use a spatula or pastry brush to spread it around so that the bottom half is completely covered.
• Sprinkle over the chopped peanuts.
• Using the parchment paper as an aid, lift the lower, chocolate-coated side and roll the layers into a tight log.
• Once a log is formed, roll the log into the parchment paper and then roll into a sheet of plastic wrap. Twist the ends to seal and refrigerate for 40-60 minutes to firm up.
• When firm, use a serrated knife to cut into third of an inch slices.

**Lord Byron’s Kitchen

Dirty Hot chocolate

 

Cookie icing

 Icing ~ with Corn Syrup

NO meringue powder! NO egg whites! This recipe is a perfect ratio of corn syrup to confectioner's sugar that works beautifully like Royal Icing without being so hard that it cracks when you bite into it. You can stack your cookies without ruining the decorations at all!

Calories: 42

Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 4 teaspoons corn syrup light
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or extract of your choice.

Instructions

• With an electric mixer, beat all ingredients together until it is smooth and creamy. No lumps!
  
  Add a few more drops of milk for a thinner consistency if desired.
  

 EXTRA TIP:

WANT A GLAZE?  Add more milk to thin this icing to become a semi-transparent glaze.

YIELDS:  This recipe yields about ¾ cup of frosting, which is enough to frost about 26-30 cookies or little pastries that average 2½ -3 inches in size.

EXTRACT:  Choose any extract you want instead of vanilla. 

Buckeye cookies

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• 1 jar creamy peanut butter, 16 ounces
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I use Mexican vanilla)
• 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 bag chocolate chips, 12 ounces (I use a good quality such as Ghirardelli)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
• Add the peanut butter and butter to a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until it’s well incorporated.  The dough should be thick and just slightly moist but not sticky.

• Scoop dough up by tablespoons and roll into balls.  You can roll them bigger if you prefer, but I think the smaller ones are a perfect size.
• Refrigerate balls for about 1 hour until they are cold and firm enough to hold together when dipped in chocolate.
• Add the chocolate chips to a deep narrow bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stopping to mix after each one.  In my microwave, it only takes two times before the chocolate chips are melted enough.
• Place a toothpick in the top of each ball.  Dip each ball in the chocolate, turning to coat as necessary.  You can also use a spoon to dip the chocolate up onto the ball.  Allow excess chocolate to run off and drag the bottom of the ball across the edge of the bowl.  Place on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Allow chocolate to set up and place balls between layers of wax paper in an airtight container.
• **I like to use bittersweet or semisweet chocolate.

Cranberry apple cider

 

• 4 apples cored and quartered
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 lemon sliced
• 2 cups unsweetened apple cider
• 7 cups water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tbsp mulling spices
• Honey or maple syrup to taste for sweetness

 Put all of the fruit, along with the apple cider, water, cinnamon sticks and mulling spices (tie these into some cheese cloth so that they are easily removed), into the slow cooker. 

Set on high for 4 hours or low for 8

• Once cooked, remove the cinnamon sticks, the mulling spices and as much of the fruit as possible
  
  Pour the remaining liquid into a blender (I do this in 2 batches), blend, and then pour through a fine mesh sieve  
• Pour the cider back into the slow cooker, and set to keep warm
• Serve warm, and use some honey or maple syrup to sweeten if required Garnish with some cranberries and apple slices to make it pretty (optional)

Remember to tie the mulling spices into a little square of cheese-cloth to make it easily removable. If you don't have any, that's fine - just be sure to use a super fine mesh sieve to get all the 'bits' out of the cider.

Not my recipe but sure sounds good. Found on Whole Food bellies site.

Darn Good Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg , yolk and white separated
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
• 15 caramels (such as Kraft)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
• Flaky or coarse sea salt
• 3 oz chopped milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips , or chopped chocolate
• 2 tsp shorteningIn a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt, set aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high spread until slightly pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in egg yolk (set egg white aside in a bowl in refrigerator) and vanilla extract.

• Blend in buttermilk. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
• Shape dough into a ball and drop onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten dough into a 6-inch disk then wrap with plastic wrap and chill 45 minutes, until slightly firm (or up to 1 day. If chilling longer than a few hours, I'd recommend letting the dough rest a room temperature a bit so the dough isn't too firm and cracking when making indentations).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove egg white from refrigerator and whisk vigorously until frothy. Place finely chopped pecans in a bowl.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls (18 grams each) then working with one at a time, drop into egg white and roll to evenly coat the lift and allow excess egg white to run off and immediately place in bowl with chopped pecans and roll to evenly coat (if necessary, you can gently press into the nuts to help them stick).
• Transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheets and make a deep indentation with thumb in the center of each dough ball.
• Bake in preheated oven until set, about 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven then using the bottom of a rounded teaspoon, gently press down on existing indentation (to create more space for caramel). Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the topping:
• Place caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture in microwave on HIGH power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spoon caramel into indentation in cookies and sprinkle tops with a small pinch of sea salt.
• Place chocolate and shortening into a separate microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat mixture on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Pour into a piping bag or Ziploc bag and cut tip of the corner. Drizzle over cookies. Allow to set, then store in an airtight container.
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**Found this recipe on Pinterest.