Reeses Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Do you think you gained 5 pounds just reading that title and looking at the picture?  Yeah, you probably did.  Let's not even talk about how much I've gained since making it this morning.  Hello, pants not fitting.  Diets and Pinterest just do not mix.

I made this from a recipe I've seen floating around Pinterest lately. (Ha!  I laughed out loud at the visual that gave me.  Go ahead, picture bread literally floating through Pinterest.  Funny.)  A friend also made it and put a picture on Facebook, sealing the deal.

Reeses Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Um, yeah.  Why has no one thought of this before?

I bought the mini Reeses Cups a few days ago and left them on the counter.  I knew this was a poor idea, but I got distracted by spit up or a naked toddler or something and forgot to hide them.  Yesterday hubs was making dinner (Shepard's Pie!  High five, hubby!) and I caught him sticking his hand in the bag.  "Hey, hands off!  Those are for a recipe!"  He removed his hand, but stole a few more on the way out.  

This lovely morning, Lucca decided we should get up at 5 AM.  She was wide awake, bushy tailed, full of pep, and ready to go to the beach.  Seemed like a good time to make this bread.  Lucca is already a great sous chef... she really enjoys getting her hands right into the cooking... especially the bag of brown sugar.  If you've never mixed up a recipe with a baby on your hip, it's a real adventure!  (i did, in case you were worried, put her down for all oven-related steps!)

Jason got up a little after 7, and through is groggy just woke up stupor, recognized his precious reeses.  He perked up, cut a slice, and deemed it yumma-licious.  Or maybe he just said it was really good.  Either way.  

Raina got up at 9:30 (awesome, and she SO needed it!), didn't want any part of it all day, but changed her mind at dinner time.  Good try, kiddo.  She had some for dessert and told me, "I really really like this one Mumma!"  Ah, those are the compliments I live for!

Just one more question... Can I frost it with Nutella?

One wish, two wish, three big wishes! (cupcake party!)

We made yummy chocolate caramel cupcakes to celebrate Raina's 3rd birthday.

Doesn't Snow White do an amazing job of showing off the cuppycake?

Truth be told, the cupcakes themselves were from a box.  Yup, they were.

But the frosting... it was made from scratch, and oh.my.goodness.  it was delish.  Once you make frosting from scratch, you'll never go back to the can!  It's pretty easy to make:

You need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tbsp light cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted

Here's what you do:
Mix the butter until it's creamy.  I used a hand mixer, but sometimes I use a fork.  You can also use a full size mixer.  Whatevs.  Slowly add in the confectioners sugar and milk/cream.  Mix until it is smooth.  Add in vanilla and melted chocolate... mixmixmix until everything looks blanded and fluffy.

When I'm making this, Raina waits right next to me so she can call dibs on the mixers or fork :)  Smart girl!

For the birthday celebration, I added some sugar Doras to the tops of the cupcakes.  Miss Raina is easy to please sometimes :).

Thumbprint Cookies: Today's Cooking Adventure!

I love that Raina's apron gets so much use!  Cooking and baking are some of the best times we spend together during the day.  I love that it's something fun we can do together, something she can really participate in and get her hands dirty, something that might teach her a little about math and science without being pushy, and mostly... something that results in a yummy treat!  Well, usually yummy.

Today we made thumbprint cookies.

I remember making thumbprint cookies fairly often when I was younger... in the kitchen with my mom, jam and jelly jars in assorted flavors lined up on the counter, thumbs cleaned and ready for some action.  Today we kept it simple with two flavors... but we mixed things up a little.  Yes, there was jam.  Strawberry Jam, fresh from Nana's kitchen - delish!  But then.  THEN.  We made some with Nutella.  Yes, it is as amazing as it sounds!

Here's what you need:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for rolling)
• Jam, any flavor and/or Nutella

Here's What You Do:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
2.  In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. 
3.  Add in the flour. 
4.  Roll the dough into 1″ balls and then roll them in granulated sugar.   Raina's favorite step!  Rolling the balls around in the sugar and then licking her fingers got this step an A++ in her book!
5.  Place on the baking sheets.  Bake 10 minutes, and then remove from the oven.
6.  Make an indentation in the middle of each cookie with your thumb.  Remember, the cookies just came out of the oven!  They are hot!  So stick your thumb in them, but be careful.  And probably don't let your kids do this part, mmkay?
7.  Return the cookies to the oven and bake about 8 minutes longer before removing to a wire rack to cool.
8.  Once cooled, fill the cookies with your favorite jam.  For the jam, it was ready to go.  The Nutella I microwaved for 15 seconds to make it easier to spoon into the cookies.
9.  Return cookies to oven and bake for 3-4 minutes - just long enough to let the fillings melt a little and get nice and gooey!

10.  Let cool, then devour. 
Best served with chocolate milk in fancy teacups!