Peanut Butter Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

I saw these cupcakes and knew I just had to try them.  Lucky for my daughter (ok me) it was right around her birthday.  I decided to make them for her class.  They were a hit!  I told the kids there was a surprise in the cupcake.  One of the boys shouted out "do you know there's an oreo in here?"  So cute!  And they truly were easy to make.

Peanut Butter Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

1 package Oreos
1 package mini peanut butter cups
1 chocolate cake mix or recipe*
Your favorite frosting

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line muffin tins with paper liners (my recipe made about 28 cupcakes - there is space being taken by the cookie.  If you use white liners, you can see the oreo logo through the paper - the kids seemed to think that was cool!). Place an oreo in the bottom of each cup.  Prepare the chocolate cake recipe (see below for my trick to making a super moist cupcake).  Pour batter into each cup until it is 2/3 full.  Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes.  Then take them out of the oven and push a mini peanut butter cup into the batter, you want the narrow part to go in first and try to get the peanut butter cup flush with the top of the batter, but this is not necessary.  Cook for 10 more minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To make any cupcake recipe extra moist - add 1 package of instant pudding, an extra egg and 1/4 cup extra of oil.  I use vanilla or butterscotch pudding for vanilla cake recipes and chocolate pudding for chocolate cakes.

Here is how my cupcakes turned out:

Here is the pin:

Source: melssweetlife.wordpress.com via Kristen on Pinterest

A failed pin - homemade fruit snacks

I saw a pin for homemade fruit snacks.  I thought it was a great idea!  I bought all the ingredients, followed the directions and they did not turn out at all.  I used cran-grape juice.  They turned out rubbery (I could barely chew through them) and flavorless.  My first failed pin.

The original pin:

Source: mommysavers.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Sugar Scrubs

This was the best $3.99 I spent this holiday season.  I made 6 of the 24 recipes and gave them to my kids teachers for Christmas gifts and to my female relatives on Christmas.  The recipes were super easy to follow and everyone LOVED them!  I can't wait to make more of the summery flavors when the weather gets warmer.
At Michael's, I found glass jars for $1.00.  I used Avery labels 8163 to print the titles for the jars.  I think I was able to make most of these for under $3.00 each.  On Amazon, I found these adorable wooden spoons that I tied to each jar to help scoop out the sugar scrub.  It made the jars look so cute!  http://www.amazon.com/BambooImportsMN-Small-Bamboo-Spice-Spoons/dp/B004FW32BI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334466407&sr=8-3
I also bought some small jars and a basket that held 6 of the small jars and made some gifts with all 6 flavors of scrub in them.  These are going to make great birthday gifts this year!!!




Here is the original pin:

Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Reese peanutbutter cup cookies

These are going to be a new staple in my Christmas cookie platters!  So easy to make and super yummy.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the flour mixture; mix well. Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball, smaller side down. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

Here is the original pin:

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Halloween Party

This is the first time I really used pins.  Last year I started hosting a small Halloween gathering before we walked around our neighborhood trick-or-treating.  This year the party grew in size.  When I saw these pins I knew exactly what I needed to make!

Here are the pins:

Source: tasteofhome.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Source: divinedinnerparty.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Source: hostessblog.com via Kristen on Pinterest

S'more Bars

These are outstanding!  I will definitely making them again.  And the author gave a tip to make these in a disposable pan.  I highly recommend this tip.  It made it so easy to cut and serve.

S'More Bars:
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 5 full graham crackers)
1 tsp baking powder
2 or 3 super-sized (5 oz.) chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (or mini marshmallows if you must!)


Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of  pan.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt.

Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. 

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. Two 5 oz. Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly [for 8 by 8] side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer. [use 3 Hershey's for 12 by 8 pan]

Spread marshmallow fluff evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the creme. This is most easily done by putting the second half of the dough in a gallon size freezer bag. Use your palms or rolling pin to flatten it out, and then use scissors to cut down both long sides of the bag, so it will open up book-style. Open it up carefully, and the dough will stick on one side of the bag. Then place the bag, dough side down, on the other three layers. From there peel the bag up and carefully spread the dough where it is uneven.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely or almost completely for the melty factor before cutting into bars. 

Here is the original pin:

Source: theaprongal.com via Kristen on Pinterest