Cookie Dough and Cookies

Was a busy busy weekend!  We had a lazy Sat. morning and then had a lovely woman and her daughters over for dinner.  As usual, I forgot to take pictures, but we had spaghetti and meatballs!  She brought the most amazing salad (with avocado, tomato, mozzarella ball, cucumber, and croutons).  I also made really great cookies that I dreamed up in my head.  First of all, I have seen many cookie recipes where you put a candy bar in the middle.  I didn't feel like going to buy candy bars when I have a variety of chocolate chips at my house.  So, I made a mixture of blended chocolate chips, peanut butter, and nutella!

 My chocolate chips were still chunky and a little powdery.  Then add 1/4 cup nutella, and 1/2 cup peanut butter.

Brownie batter cookies, dollop of peanut butter mixture, top with more cookie dough!  This is right before the oven.

They tasted like a brownie with warm, gooey peanut butter in the center!  Everyone loved them:)

Lauren's Stuffed Cookies

Cookie ingredients:

1 box brownie mix

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1/4 cup flour

PB Center:

1 cup mini chocolate chips (or you could blend regular)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup nutella

Mix cookie ingredients together in a mixing bowl and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours (if you don't the dough will be very hard to work with).  When you are ready to bake, mix your PB mixture together.  Preheat oven to 350.  I recommend using parchment so the cookies don't stick.  The cookie dough mixture is kind of hard to work with (but worth it).  Roll dough into small balls and slightly flatten on cookie sheet.  Add a big tsp. of PB center on top, then gently top that with more cookie dough.  It will look like the picture above then bake for 8-11 minutes.  These are really good warm out of the oven or cold...haha...I guess they are just good.  Let sit for about 2 minutes before placing on cooling rack.

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Also, I made amazing Cookie Dough Dip because we went to my Aunt Kathy's house on Sunday.  They had a shrimp boil and we watch the Texans lose:(  It was still fun and we ate a ton of food.  There were crackers, meats, cheeses, and lots of shrimp boil.  Check out my Uncle, he was in charge of the Shrimp Boil and he really took care of business.  

 That is true focus my friends!!

 Awesome results!  I especially liked the sausage and potatoes.

 Peanut butter and fudge cookie dough dip:)

And all the dippers!  Graham cracker and cinnamon whole wheat pretzels were the best.

Cookie Dough Dip Recipe

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

7oz of cream cheese, room temperature (I had already used a little of my block)

3 Tbsp. vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

In small sauce pan wisk butter and brown sugar over medium heat until it bubbles (stir constantly).  Take off heat and let cool.  Beat cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chips and beat until well mixed.  After brown sugar mixture has cooled a little (mine was still warm), stir it into cream cheese mixture.  Now you are ready to make your variations!!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

Take half of the above recipe and stir in 1/3 cup peanut butter rounded.  Add 1/4 cup mini m&m's or more chocolate chips.  I topped my dip with crushed toffee pieces (which I highly recommend).

Fudge Cookie Dough Dip

Take half of the above recipe and add 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder and 1/3 cup chocolate chips.  Top with toffee pieces!  

Dipper Ideas:  graham crackers, pretzels, animal crackers, apples, teddy grahams, wheat pretzels, etc.

**Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Have a great Tuesday and let me know if you try one of these recipes:)