Peanut Blossom Cookies (aka Kiss Cookies)

The original idea behind this blog was that I'd share a recipe I'd used that day. Yeah... Well, here IS what we're making tonight. Peanut Blossom Cookies, aka Kiss Cookies, or in my husband's case, chocolate star cookies. The name really gets it right, the peanut butter blossoms in your mouth alongside the satisfying chocolate crunch.

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

 Extra white sugar


Hershey kisses, chocolate stars or peanut butter cups


Combine everything except the kisses, blending at low speed.
Shape into balls, using a rounded teaspoon for each. Roll balls in white sugar.
Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately top with kisses (or whatever chocolate) Press the chocolate until the cookies cracks.
Cool. Then eat. We like to keep ours in the freezer.

Butterfinger Angelfood Torte

For me, this recipe is like biting into my childhood. As I began to make it myself, I modified it -eliminating nuts, and increasing the sweetness factor.It's a creamy, sweet sin. The fluffy cake soaks up the light creaminess, while the candy adds a bold crunch.

Note: This recipe includes raw eggs. While I've never known anyone to get sick from it, I avoided it when I was pregnant.

1 angel food cake or two angel food cake bricks, sliced into 1-inch cubes
6-8 Butterfinger candy bars, chopped or crushed (put leftovers on top of ice cream)
1/2 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsps vanilla
8 egg yolks
1 pint heavy whipping cream. 

To make the filling, whip cream until doubled in volume.
In a separate bowl, whip together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and egg yolks.
Slowly add sugar mixture to cream (put your mixer on its slowest speed and add a dollop at a time.)

Place half of the angelfood cake into a 9 x 13 cake pan. Spread half of filling on top of cake. Sprinkle half of candy bars on top. Top with the remainder of the cake, the filling and the rest of the candy bars.

Refrigerate overnight.

Cleaning pots with ketchup?

Does anyone else get freakishly detailed in cleaning their house at this time of year? A few years ago, I read in a magazine (Real Simple, I think) that you can use ketchup to clean copper bottom kettles.
Seriously? Does that sound crazy to you too?

It did to me too. So, when I grabbed some crazy cheap ketchup at the grocery store and my husband refused to put it on the table, I thought I'd give it a try.


Crazy? Yep. Effective? Yep.
Squirt some ketchup on our pot, and smooth it around with your fingers - don't forget the lip up the edge. Let the ketchup sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse away. Wash a you normally would with soap and water.

Depending on how dirty your pots are, they may not be perfectly clean, but they will be shinier. 

Check out the photos: 

I know, my pots all need to be cleaned.