Peanut Butter Heaven

Your chocolate fell into my peanut butter!  Your peanut butter got on my chocolate!  I think I have started at least three other blogs posts with a similar refrain, but you know the drill: peanut butter and chocolate are a classic, delicious combination.  Consider its many iterations: Reese's, Buckeyes, Peanut Butter Oreos (and their Paul Newman knock offs) and the classic DQ Peanut Buster Parfait.  To name just a few.

But have you made peanut butter frosting?  If not, you're in for a wonderful surprise: it is even better than you could possibly imagine.  On top of your favorite chocolate cake?  Heaven.  Sandwiched between chocolate cookies?  Amazing.  Topping your favorite double chocolate chunk brownie recipe?  Against. The. Law.

I got it from Martha and only made a slight adjustment: vanilla, which complements everything.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Frosting


2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a big yellow bowl, cream peanut butter and butter on high speed with hand blender until smooth and creamy. Switch to low speed and add sugar until combined, then add vanilla and mix on high until it is smooth.

Recipe: Pecan Lace Cookies

Recipe: Pecan Lace Cookies
A friend brought some delicious Pecan Lace Cookies to an event at the Museum a few weeks ago and I decided I had to try my hand at them. They have the amazing caramel flavor of my favorite Pecan Crispies, but the with a slightly fancier feel to them--a little bit of orange zest cuts the sweetness and makes them unique. My friend attributed them to Lee Bailey, one of my favorite Southern cookbook authors, but I found the recipe at Martha Stewart.com.

It really couldn't be easier: melt together butter, sugar and corn syrup in a sauce pan; add flour, pecans and the orange zest; then chill until firm and bake. The fact that there is no creaming of butter and sugar makes it snap. No eggs either, so a true breeze to whip out.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
2/3 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat cook sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt, stirring until sugar has dissolved and butter has melted, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in zest, pecans, and flour. Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Stir once or twice why the dough is chilling, to make sure the pecans are fully incorporated throughout the batter.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Using a teaspoon measure, roll dough into small balls (each 1/4 ounce). Place on a large baking sheet, about 2 inches apart (you can fit 6). Bake one sheet at a time, until cookies are golden brown, about 9 to 10 minutes. Let rest on the sheet for one to two minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 55 cookies.