Desserts – Page 24 – The Pajama Chef

Oreo Truffles

April 19, 2011June 11, 2011 Sarah

These Oreo Truffles are so easy, they’re hardly a recipe. Yet I’ve had so many requests for the recipe that I had to oblige. [What a tough obligation….haha]

I was first introduced to these delicious bites of chocolately goodness at a bridal shower thrown for me by my in-laws a few months before we got married. Then, my mom and sister made a batch for the bridal shower they threw for me the next month. This was back in 2009, and I’ve lost count of the occasions where these babies have made an appearance. Let’s see… multiple bridal showers, a tea party, New Year’s Eve, a church team meeting, and more, I’m sure!

The most recent appearance made by my good friend Mr. Oreo Truffle was at my friend Allison’s wedding shower this past weekend. It was a great shower filled with fabulous friends, fun, and food…

I can’t wait for the wedding in May! But now… I’m sure you all can’t wait for the recipe. 🙂 Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

1- 18 oz. package of Oreos
1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1- 12 oz. package of white chocolate chips

Directions:

Crush Oreos completely using a food processor. Mix in cream cheese until thoroughly combined. [Alternatively, you can crush Oreos in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin and then mix in cream cheese in a bowl.] Roll mixture into 48 one-inch balls and set aside on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or the microwave. Dip balls in chocolate, remove to sheet, and refrigerate or freeze for about one hour or until firm.

Click here for the printable version: Oreo Truffles

Cupcakes, Desserts, Recipes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

February 21, 2011June 11, 2011 Sarah

One day about a month ago, I just felt like cake. Ever get that vibe?? I’m not normally one who needs cake to live and breathe but when the weather started cooling down and the semester started heating up, I had no choice but to whip these little bites of joy up on a Saturday afternoon.

And I am so glad I did… because you have to try these babies.

They’re like Reese’s, only 10 times better. Each bite fills your palate with moist chocolate cake, melt in your mouth peanut butter filling, and rich chocolate frosting. They are so satisfying that one really will be enough. And men complaining that cupcakes are too girly because you can eat them in one bite? Ummm, no; these definitely require a fork. I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe and made some peanut butter balls to serve as rich, gooey filling, then topped everything off with fluffy frosting. In the interest of full disclosure, I did try a new frosting recipe that I do not recommend. It was melty and hard to work with, and frankly did not taste all that wonderful. So I’ve just provided a previous frosting recipe that is amazing, so feel free to use that or your own personal favorite.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes [by Martha Stewart & The Pajama Chef]

makes 20

Ingredients:

Cake:

3/4 cup
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons oil [Martha suggests safflower, I used canola]
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter [regular, not all natural]
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Frosting:

1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/8 cups powdered sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
3 ounces fat free sour cream
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 20 paper liners.

In an electric mixer, combine 3/4 cup cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs one by one, mixing in between to fully combine. Then gradually add in buttermilk and mix to fully incorporate. Repeat with water, oil, and vanilla. Once all ingredients are added, mix on medium speed until smooth and batter is free from any lumps.

Pour batter into paper liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Place on cooling rack to cool for 5 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooking, make peanut butter filling. In an electric mixer, combine peanut butter, butter, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy, then gradually incorporate powdered sugar. Shape into 20 1-inch balls, place on a baking sheet, and freeze until ready to use. There will likely be excess peanut butter mixture… save it to dip in chocolate like Buckeyes candies or just to eat. Yum!

Then, use a serrated knife to cut a small hole in the top of the cupcake.

Scoop out a little filling and stuff peanut butter ball in the hole.

Repeat for each cupcake and then allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile… make that frosting.

In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add cocoa mixture to cream cheese concoction in 1/3 cup increments, mixing until fully incorporated. Pour in the chocolate [it helps to melt it in a glass measuring cup with a spout] while mixer is turned on low, then add sour cream and beat until combined, scraping the sides as neccessary.

Frost the cupcakes once cooled and enjoy!

Click here for the printable version: Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite kind of cupcake? I have to admit, I’m really partial to funfetti. 🙂

Bars, Desserts, One Tablespoon Testosterone, Recipes

OTT: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

February 8, 2011October 9, 2015 Sarah

This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

———-

Hello again readers of my wife’s blog, it’s been awhile since I have guest posted so I’m back. Today, I’ll weave a tale of deliciousness that my wife first spun before I even met her. Naturally, this meant that there was quite a bit of pressure on me to live up to those standards. But I persevered and I believe they turned out pretty well. So here’s the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (adapted from 1001 Cookie Recipes by Gregg Gillespie)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars - a no fail, can't go wrong treat that EVERYONE loves | thepajamachef.com — So…delicious…

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 cup canola oil (vegetable oil does NOT work)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (although I did use dark brown sugar)
1 large egg
2 1/2 t vanilla
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips for topping

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 pan. Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat the canola oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, then beat in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips (12 oz). Spread the dough in the pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pan and immediately place the chocolate chips for the topping (6 oz) on the warm dough. Place the pan back in the oven for five minutes. Remove the pan and use a spatula to spread the chocolate chips around. Let cool (or don’t bother waiting) and enjoy.

Click here for the printable version: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I promise these will not disappoint.

Question of the Day: So what’s your favorite homemade cookie recipe?

Bars, Desserts, Recipes

Monkey Bars

January 31, 2011October 9, 2015 Sarah

So, I often wind up receiving a lot of free magazine subscriptions via deals I find on Money Saving Mom. Some of the magazines aren’t exactly my type of reading material–not that anything is wrong with mags like Woman’s Day, but its target audience is a tad bit older than me… BUT it is always fun to get “real mail” and not just bills, and there are always recipes in these women’s mags! I found this recipe in a recent copy of Women’s Day and had the perfect occasion to make them for a Flying Monkey theme party at my husband’s office, honoring his boss on her last day before she left for a new position elsewhere.

These Monkey Bars, unlike the grade school playground staple, are basically a glorified banana bread… but that does not diminish their delightfulness! Everyone loved how flavorful they were–sweet bananas spiced with cinnamon and enriched by mini chocolate chips. They are best enjoyed warm with a glass of milk, but are equally tasty as a healthy lunch treat!

Monkey Bars [from Woman’s Day]

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cup mashed ripe bananas [directions say this was about 5, for me it was about 4]
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup skim milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 x 10 x 1/2 inch pan OR a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Stir together mashed bananas, sugar, oil, milk, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl until fully combined. Fold in flour until just combined, stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread mixture into pan and sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top. Bake about 15-20 minutes for the 15 x 10 x 1/2 inch pan or about 40-45 minutes for the 9 x 13 inch pan or until cooked through. Cool in the pan on a wire rack and cut in squares to serve.

Click here for the printable version: Monkey Bars

Question of the Day: What magazines do you love? I personally am [newly] obsessed with the Food Network magazine! It is great! But I’d love other suggestions. 🙂

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Triple Chocolate Oat Cookies

January 12, 2011January 28, 2016 Sarah

So, the other night, I desperately wanted cookies–and I wanted them now. It was the first day of school for the semester and I just needed a little chocolately something-something to relax. You know how it is.

So I pulled together a little of this and a little and used some Mark Bittman as inspiration, and these deliciously soft, rich, and sweet chocolate cookies entered my mouth less than 25 minutes later. It was glorious. I was happy. Oh, so happy.

But then… the following conversation actually occurred on Monday night. And all of those happy feelings vanished.

Sarah: So, what do you think of the cookies?

Ben: Oh, they were really good… I was kind of surprised, because when you were making them they kind of reminded me of no-bakes, and I’m kind of iffy on no-bakes.

Sarah: You are? But you’ve eaten my no-bake cookies before!

Ben: *pfffs* I know. I’ll eat ’em when they’re there, but… they’re kind of like that girl you just like as a friend. You like it when she’s there, but you don’t miss her when she’s gone because they are no sparks.

Sarah: Oh really? So how many times do you try them anyways to see if there are sparks? And what kind of cookie am I?

Ben: Ehhhhhhhh…. noooo, I mean, I was just trying to think of a good cookie!! Ummmmm…. (pause pause pause) You’re like the chewy Chips Ahoy coo-…

Sarah: (interrupts) WHAT?! Out of everything I’ve cooked for you over the past three years, you choose to compare me to chewy Chips Ahoy??? And what about those sparks?!?

Ben: I just meant… I was thinking of a cookie that’s really good… wait, you’re like peanut butter cookies, especially ones with the chocolate kiss in the center. Peanut butter cookies aren’t too chewy or too hard…

Sarah: That’s it! Vegetarian meals for you all week! Sparks, eh?!?

That was all fact–no embellishments here! My husband finally admits his true feelings… I am just a chewy Chips Ahoy cookie to him. I guess I am gonna go now and eat some more of these cookies and wallow…

Triple Chocolate Oat Cookies

Servings: 18 cookies
Time: 30 minutes
Print

modified from the recipe for Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies in Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon dark chocolate almond milk [regular chocolate milk would also work]
4 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Gradually incorporate flours, oats, and baking powder, alternating with the milk, until the mixture is just moistened. Stir in vanilla extract and cocoa powder, and gently fold in chocolate chips. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until just crisp around the edges. Cool and enjoy! Makes about 18 cookies.

UPDATE: Though the aforementioned conversation REALLY did happen and was not embellished, Ben felt really sorry for even insinuating that I was “just” a mass-produced chewy Chips Ahoy cookie, because in his words, chewy Chips Ahoy cookies are pretty awesome and he was just trying to compare me to something else he liked. I just thought the whole exchange was hilariously funny and documented it for posterity. And because I am such a sweet wife, Ben even got meatloaf for dinner on Tuesday–the week of vegetarian meals did not happen… yet. 🙂 For the record, Ben has read and endorses this post.

Question of the Day: What kind of cookie are YOU? 🙂