No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on cookies

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add milk, sugar, and cocoa and stir to combine while bringing to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Add in peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Stir in oats, chopped pretzels, and sea salt.
2. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and let cool completely. Cookies will set up and harden when they cool. Store in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 4 days.

Source: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-pretzel-cookies/

Try #1 - September 10, 2014
Yummy!

Single- or Double-serving Molten Lava Cakes

You're welcome.

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg (room temperature), beaten
1 Tbsp flour
Optional garnishes: 1/2 tsp confectioners' sugar for dusting, fresh fruit, and a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Fill a small pot with 1-inch of water. Fit a larger stainless steel or glass bowl on top of the pot to make a double boiler. Heat the pot of water on medium-high heat.
3. Add the chocolate chips and butter to the stainless steel bowl. The chocolate will quickly begin to soften and melt. Quickly whisk the chips until nearly completely smooth. Turn off the heat and add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whisk the chocolate until completely smooth.
4. Carefully remove the bowl from the hot pot to the counter. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Whisking continuously, slowly add the egg into the chocolate mixture a teaspoon at a time, incorporating the egg addition each time completely before adding more. You don't want to add the egg too quickly because the warm chocolate will cook the egg. Continue to do this until the chocolate batter looks smooth.
6. Stir in the flour until mixed in.
7. Gently spray the bottom and sides of one 4-oz ramekin or coffee mug. (I used a muffin tin and filled two muffin holes. The picture above is the result of double the recipe.) This will help the cake to release from the ramekin after baking. Add the batter to the ramekin. It will be about 3/4 cup full.
8. Bake for 10 minutes. (I baked for 7 minutes using a standard sized muffin tin.) After 10 minutes, the cake will appear to be baked but when touched in the center will feel very soft.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to rest on the counter for a minute.
10. You can serve the cake in the ramekin or turn it over onto a plate. If you gently touch the sides of the cake with your finger, it should pull away from the sides.
11. After one minute, cover the ramekin with a serving plate and flip the plate to right side up. Slowly and carefully begin to life the ramekin off the plate. If it appears the cake is not releasing, lower the ramekin back down to the plate and gently shake the ramekin back and forth and try again. If it still does not release, invert the cake back to the ramekin and use a thin paring knife to release the cake from its side and flip again.
12. Dust the lava cake with powdered sugar and dollop with a small spoonful of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A small berry and fresh mint leaf also make nice garnishes.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2014/05/01/single-serving-molten-lava-cake-recipe/

Try #1 - May 30, 2014
This is so delicious.  Perfect for two single-serving lava cakes.  Relatively easy despite the long instruction list.  Great date night dessert. :)  Seven minutes was perfect for baking in the muffin tin, since you need to split the batter into two holes.  I don't think they're called muffin holes, but I don't know what else to call them...

Broccoli Bacon Salad

2 fresh broccoli heads, cut into bite-sized florets

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the broccoli, red onion, cranberries, almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.

2. To make the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and pepper together in a small bowl.

3. Pour the dressing over the broccoli salad and mix thoroughly.  Transfer the salad to a large plate or serving bowl.  Garnish with the crumbled bacon.

Source: "Savory Sweet Life" cookbook