The BEST Puppy Chow (AKA Muddy Buddies)

It's a new year! And that's all about us trying to have a clean slate and do better this year than we did in years past, yes? Well-in the spirit of that-I am sharing a very old post from this blog BECAUSE I reinvigorated it with new photos! The old ones were terrible and it's a shame because my puppy chow recipe (also known as muddy buddies) is THE BEST. So the pictures should reflect that. And now they do! Gaze at the pretty pretty pictures, then click on the link to find the perfect chocolate-peanut buttery treat <3

My Perfect Puppy Chow Recipe

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies {Levain Copycat}

I've spent a lot of time singing the praises of Levain Bakery back in NYC. They pretty much the most fantabulous, GIANT, cookies ever. They're sturdy on the outside and somewhat underbaked and gooey in the centers. They're pretty much a phenomenon and I miss them like crazy. They have 4 different kinds of cookies- chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. I've tried all of them except the oatmeal raisin (because...I mean...it seems like the real wrong choice of the 4 if you ask me). My favorite is the chocolate chip walnut--which I've already posted a copycat for. And today I'm posting a copycat recipe for my 2nd fave: dark chocolate peanut butter chip....MMMMmmmmmm!

The cookies are big. Like...beyond big. Like full-on GIANT. Because that's part of what makes Levain style cookies so amazing-they're huge and almost biscuit like on the outside, but gooey and slightly underbaked inside. And these ones are SO SO SO RICH. Super chocolatey, with lots and lots of gooey peanut butter chips. If you're the kind of person who drinks milk...you're gonna want a big glass. I, personally, just bask in the decadence. These are a show stopper my friends, not for the faint of heart!

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Crack Pie

I CAN'T EVEN WITH THIS PIE.

IT IS LIT. IT IS ON FLEEK. IT IS FIRE. IT IS COOL BEANS AND GROOVY AND FAR OUT, DUDE! All the things kids have said in recent and not so recent times to describe something that is just next level fantastic.

Ok, now that I've fully expressed the extent of my excitement, let me just give you a little info about crack pies. Crack Pie is a dessert that originated at Momofuku Milk Bar and it's essentially a gooey sugar custard filling in an oatmeal cookie crust. And it's addicting sooo I'm guessing that's where the name came from. And it's tasty, forreals, no doubt about it. BUT...well...it pales in comparison to this version.

I'm so happy that I decided a salted caramel crack pie should exist. And that it would probably be too sweet and one note so I should add some dark chocolate to balance it, and add whole new levels of decadence. Sometimes...sometimes I have pretty good ideas. Gotta say.

So there's a crunchy ridiculously amazing brown sugar oatmeal cookie crust (which I baked with a little caramel sauce on it because why not), and then a layer of dark chocolate, and then gooey salted caramel crack pie filling. And salt on top. It's rich and sweet and salty and I love it so much and am so stoked that there's a whole other pie of this sitting in the freezer, waiting to be adored.

And look....I'm not saying you have to make it for Thanksgiving. But...I'm not not saying it, either.

Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread Stuffed Blondies #Chocmeister

Ok sooo....I've documented that fall is not my favorite time of year. I know I know, everyone else in the world loves it. Sorry, all-it's not for me. HOWEVER-one small perk about the cooler weather and fall is that it's time to LET THE RICH FOOD COMMENCE! Bikini season is over? Eat all the yum yums! Plus we have Halloween and Thanksgiving--holidays largely known for eating an excess of food. And this is a thing I'm totally down with. SO, in the spirit of EAT ALL THE FOOD I made us some brown butter blondies stuffed with rich and gooey dark chocolate hazelnut spread (My new fave=PB & Co's Chocmeister). You're welcome :) 

Admittedly, I made these blondies in my old house. BUT I still have to gush about how much I'm loving baking in my new kitchen-the counter space is downright intoxicating. There's the big old island that is the perfect workstation for all of my masterpieces-making even more complicated treats fun to make. Of course...these blondies are so far from complicated. I would have been able to easily whip them up even in my super tiny New York apartment kitchen, So gather 'round bakers with kitchens large or small....you're going to want to give these blondies a try.

So these are essentially deliciously chewy, yet somewhat crisp, brown sugar cookie bars made with browned butter (aka the thing that makes all other things better), studded with chocolate chips, with a layer of gooey chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella, Nocciolata Rigoni, or-my choice-Chocmeister!) And then I topped the whole thing with some sea salt. 'Cuz that's what we do here.

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Blondies

...hi again. Erm...didja know moving sort of is a big time commitment and thusly I am terribly sorry for how scarcely I've been seen 'round these parts? Cuz yeah...it's all true.

I'm kinda sorta super into paleo desserts. Like...I like 'em. I love coconut sugar and coconut oil and nutty flours and...yeah. I'm a fan. I feel like I'm eating something delicious and decadent, but I know it's not like....terrible for me. And that makes me a happy Kayle :)

I will admit that Michael wasn't huge on these blondies. But I think he's dumb and smells funny, so there!

...ok he actually smells good, but still, I think he's crazy for not liking these. But I guess that means more for me!

I mean...what's not to like? They're soft and chewy, with just a little but of crunch, and so much depth of flavor and gooey dark chocolate and...yeah. I'm a fan. ESPECIALLY when warm. Full support of eating these warm. Which...I mean...that's nothing new.

Michael and I are in the midst of attempting to be healthier, but I still need dessert sometimes. And honestly these blondies are the perfect thing. All I need is one and I'm happy. 

...I mean...I really want more than one. But, one will do :P

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream

My hubby likes porters and stouts. But he also doesn't really drink much, especially if there's no one drinking with him (and I don't drink sooo...)--so long story short, we've had a couple bottles of Michael's favorite milk stout sitting in our refrigerator since like November. And he had an ice cream craving. So I made him a treat!

Here's a hilarious fact--this ice cream is technically somewhat alcoholic. Michael kept telling people that the alcohol cooked out and then I had to inform him that no...the ice cream isn't cooked at all after the addition of the beer. So technically yeah there's some alcohol in there. Then he asked if I'd been getting him drunk on ice cream and I gave him the eye roll to end all eye rolls.

Anyway, probs don't give this ice cream to your children. This is purely for adults.

For the record--I didn't think the ice cream tasted like beer at all. I thought it was just super chocolatey, which I, of course, am always totally here for. Michael said he could tell, but who ever knows with that guy. Anyway-the ice cream is super dense and chocolatey and pretty awesome. And you can use up any stouts or porters you may have hanging out in your refrigerator. So it's pretty much good stuff all around.

Oh! And make sure you read these instructions before getting your hopes up for ice cream ASAP--the mixture needs to chill for awhile before being able to be put into the ice cream maker. Just warning ya.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pudding

Ok let me just tell you right off the bat: there is no cookie dough in this pudding. 

BUT don't be disappointed! I was skeptical that pudding could just...taste like chocolate chip cookie dough. But it really really does!! 

Brown sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of butter help flavor this silky smooth pudding in a way that is seriously like you're eating cookie dough in pudding form. And chocolate chips help (although I'm a weirdo who prefers to not have chocolate chips in my cookie dough, so I mostly just ate the pudding chip-less. Michael thinks I'm crazy.)

Speaking of Michael, he was also pretty skeptical when I told him about the pudding. He wasn't too sure about it. But then he took a bite...and another....and another. And he said, "Ah...I get it." 

So he gets delicious cookie dough pudding. So do I. So will you!

Graham Cracker S'mores Cookies

As we know...I've made S'mores Cookies before. I made those Chocolate Insomnia Copycat Cookies not that long ago, and awhile back I even stuffed some s'mores inside of cookies. But Michael asked me to make some cookies for him to bring to work, and for some reason he suggested I make s'mores cookies. So I decided to make a new version.

I decided to keep it OG with these cookies. A chocolate chip cookie dough with a BUNCH of ground graham crackers in it is the base (and ohmygawwwd that dough is insanely delicious) and then there are chocolate chips and mini marshmallows to bring the trinity of summer desserts together!

All the yumminess of a s'more...without quite so much of a mess. Or need for fire.

I'm the messiest eater ever. And s'mores are messy to eat for anyone-so for me it's double the messiness. I usually have stuff smeared all over my face and need a wet napkin with me to aid in the clean up. These cookies don't require such up-keep.

Also, Michael's coworkers love love loved them. Of course. And gobbled them up and told their significant other's that they needed to step up to my level.

Mission accomplished. 

{No Bake} Chocolate Hazelnut Tart--Chocmeister Review

I love Peanut Butter & Co. It is well documented. So when I heard they were coming out with chocolate hazelnut spreads...I nearly jumped up and down, I was so thrilled! And, lucky lucky me, they sent me a jar of their new Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread to play with!

Before I tell you about all the deliciousness you are presently gazing upon, let me give you the 411 on Chocmeister Chocolatey Hazelnut Spreads. First of all they come in 2 varieties, milk and dark chocolate. And they're made with 25% LESS sugar and 50% MORE protein than the leading chocolate hazelnut spread brand. Which is pretty amazeballs. And, as someone who immediately tried some: it tastes even better! The hazelnut flavor really comes through and it's perfectly delicious. Just the thing to eat on toast, with fruit, or ya know...in a perfect no-bake tart.

It's summer. My favorite season. I love it. And it's hot-which I'm totally cool with but maybe we don't reeeeally want to use the oven if we don't have to, you know? That's why I wanted to make you guys a super decadent no-bake dessert. And the Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread was so rich and had such a great hazelnut flavor that I knew I wanted to play that up. And I DID. This tart seriously just embodies chocolate and hazelnut-in every way.

First, we have a chocolate cookie + hazelnut no bake crust: tastiness. Then I made a ganache with the Chocmeister and heavy cream. And topped it with chopped hazelnuts. You chill the entire thing and it...is...just...perfect. The texture of the filling is so silky and perfect and the crust and hazelnuts give you a bit of crunch. So good. SO SO GOOD. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Rice Krispie Treat

Sometimes you bake a giant chocolate chip cookie (like...even by my big-cookie-lovin' standards). And sometimes you form a rice krispie treat around it. And then you have an inception treat--a delicious ccc within marshmallowy rice krispie goodness.

Now I'm gonna tell you right now--even I don't advise that you just have a mega-giant ccc stuffed treat. I'm gonna firmly advise that you cut that thing into wedges. It's the smart thing to do. Your tummy will thank you. Plus...it makes eating it much easier. As much fun as it is to have a "I'm gonna need a bigger mouth" moment....seriously. You'd need a bigger mouth.

And then you get to comfortably bite into a crunchy-yet-gooey krispie treat exterior and be met by a chewy chocolate chip cookie. And I'm a big fan of having it slightly warmed up, so you get an extra gooey factor. But that's just me.

Chocolate & Salted Caramel Swirled Meringues

Remember how we made that creme brulee last week that used 4 egg yolks? Remember how I said I had the perfect way for you to use those leftover egg whites? HERE IT IS!

Gaze upon the most glorious meringues of all time:

Crisp and light and airy and chewy--these are facts about meringues. And they're even better when you swirl dark chocolate and salted caramel in them and top them with a bit of sea salt. It's like magic. 

They were so magical (and the recipe made so many) that I felt I needed to share them. I gave some to a bride I met with (whose wedding was on Saturday, actually) as well as my boss, Val (and her husband, Darrin-who was pretty stoked to be getting gifted with treats). Val & Darrin loved them, as did Michael, as did I.

Really-there's no reason to make any other kind of meringue cookie, in my opinion. Because once you go caramel and chocolate...you don't go back, ya know? Sometimes we spoil ourselves.

Brown Butter Toffee Blondies

It's graduation season! People are getting their caps and gowns and getting ready to bit high school adieu. I have 4 family members graduating this year-3 of my cousins and my precious little sister-in-law. Tomorrow is Shannan's graduation and I couldn't be more excited for her! It also makes me realize how ridiculously far removed from that I am. Like...I think that I'm not that much older than an 18 year old buuut I AM. I can barely even remember my graduation-I remember being mad because my hair wouldn't curl the way I wanted it to (typical) and I remember feeling sort of...underwhelmed during the whole thing. Everyone around me was crying and I was just sitting there willing myself to feel...something. But, that's fairly typical for me when it comes to big events-I sort of have a hard time wrapping my head around the situation. Also high school wasn't exactly the most fun time for me, so I wasn't too sad to be ending it. It's funny to look back and think how I had absolutely no idea where my life was headed. Especially considering I have an adorable photo at graduation with my mother-in-law, long before I had any inkling that is what she would eventually be for me :D

Anyway. With graduations, come graduation parties. Which are such a fun celebration of the graduate-I'm so excited for Shannan's and my cousins' and I know that, if asked, I would 1000% make these blondies to bring to a grad party. Because they're totally impressive and delicious and if you've graduated high school you deserve something epic to mark the occasion. And...I mean...on the practical side--bars/blondies are awesome for parties because you just grab one and go. Not messy and super addictive. Everyone will rave about them!

Technically I already gave some of these to Shannan after her last choir concery buuut I mean...I'd make them again for her party! Or just for me to horde and eat by myself while I watch Orphan Black. Because they're gooey and chewy and brown-sugary brown-buttery delish. And the toffee adds a bit of delightful crunch. And chocolate gives us life. And salted caramel on top is probably just a necessity, yeah? Yeah I think so too.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I'm so mad because these pictures DO NOT DO THIS PIE JUSTICE. This is legitimately one of the most delicious things I've made for this blog and I blame stupid crappy rainy-day lighting for the fact that you so have no idea how good these are. Just...trust me. Listen to me. Let me convince you.

Ok...I mean...that photo above gives you some idea--right? LOOK AT THE EPIC LEVELS OF GOOEY RICHNESS! 

So...technically...I've shared this recipe before. In fact, it was the first recipe I ever posted on this blog: my beloved chocolate chip cookie pie. It has been way way too long since I've made that pie because....well because I have a blog and I have a ton of desserts I want to try so it's hard to re-make things. But I somehow improved upon that originally favorite recipe. Let me tell you how.

The original pie recipe calls for melted butter. Which now...if a dessert recipe calls for melted butter....I mean...there's a 99% chance I'm gonna brown that butter. So that's what I did (totally the right call). I also put in a bunch of oh so delicious salted caramel sauce--I poured some on top of the graham cracker crust, drizzled some on top prior to baking AND drizzled some on top after baking. And also sprinkled some sea salt on there. Because when THAT IS HOW WE ROLL.

The result is an ultra rich, super gooey, cookie pie (with melty chocolate chips that make you want to do a happy dance) in a buttery graham cracker crust with lots of rich and gooey caramel and the most gorgeous crackled brown-sugary top. And more caramel. And that salt. And...oh my goodness it is seriously the most wonderful sort of heaven. I prefer to enjoy the deliciousness of this pie warm, but Michael loves it cold. You can also just serve it room temperature. This pie is versatile like that.

I just...I cannot emphasize enough that THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER AND YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE.

Salted Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies sorta kinda blew me away. Like...I didn't expect cookie made with whole wheat flour  and coconut sugar to be JUST AS GOOD as really really good chocolate chip cookies. Michael made fun of me because I ate 3 of the cookies the day I made them, and a fourth the next morning. --The recipe only makes 10 cookies so I ate nearly half within 24 hours. BUT THEY ARE SO GOOD! And they're definitely infinitely better when fresh-make sure to keep that in mind. They get less good every day that they're leftover. They do stay soft, though! Which is pretty nifty.

Now....these are definitely not really healthy cookies. I mean...they still have butter. But a little extra betterness in the form of white whole wheat flour (DO NOT substitute regular whole wheat flour, it will not taste the same. White whole wheat flour has a lighter texture and more mild flavor) and coconut sugar never hurt anyone, did it? Nah-it's a nice little perk. A perk that seriously--when you have one of these cookies fresh and warm...you'd never know. You'd just think, "These are some darned good chocolate chip cookies!"

And they are.

Darned.

GOOD.

So. Do we like soft and chewy cookies with complex flavor? Do we like melty dark chocolate contrasting with little bites of sea salt? Do we like deliciousness?

You're here. Of course you do!

{Vegan & Gluten-free} Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are pretty miraculous. They're really delicious, and chewy, and awesome. They also happen to be gluten-free and (if you use vegan chocolate chips) vegan. 

WHAAAAA??! 

I know. Like I said-miraculous.

BTW--HOW adorable is that little glass bottle thing in the background?? Michael's mom has a few of those on display in her dining room and I've been eyeing them for awhile. Since she's moving, she's trying to get rid of a lot of stuff, so she happily gave me one! (She offered to give me a bunch more stuff but...I don't have the space lol) I knew they'd be perfect to include in a cookie shoot and i was right!

Honestly, these cookies just taste like a delicious almond butter (or peanut butter) oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. I would never have guessed that they're vegan and gluten-free. They're really really delicious. And, I felt like they were healthy enough to eat for breakfast....

But you know. You do you.

Oatmeal Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Sometimes I make cookies. And sometimes I gift 95% of those cookies away. This is the fate that befell these cookies--they were like beautiful little ambassadors, endearing me to my mother-in-law and aunt-in-law and Michael's best friends and his coworkers. 

Also, I'm super sorry because I meant to share these cookies with all of you last week buuut then I got sick and didn't do anything so I'm sharing them with you today. They're totally worth the wait though! Swearsies realsies.

Now I will confess-even though oatmeal almond butter cookies SOUND kinda healthyish...I mean..there's still a lot of butter and sugar. So they're not really. BUT they are super chewy and delicious and kind of comforting and, as I've said, the perfect gift-giving cookies. They're tasty even when room temp (and you know I love warm cookies), they're sturdy enough to travel or ship (these will be included in my brother's birthday care package), this recipe makes A BUNCH, and...yeah. Tasty tastiness you guys. Give 'em a go!