peanut butter sandwich cookies filled w/ bacon-cream cheese

Peanut butter + bacon, always a winning combo no matter what form it's in. It could be in a cake, pie, sandwich, pancake, muffin, cookie, candy, cereal, parfait, etc...possibilities are endless. But the outcome is always positive. I don't think I've ever seen a bad creation made with pb & bacon. Think about it.....
I've made the peanut butter and bacon cookies, this time wanted to up the ante a bit by adding a creamy filling between two peanut butter cookies.
Don't have to tell you how decadent these are?
They are super easy to create too--just a matter of baking the cookies and whipping up the filling, then assemble.










Ready to make them? Easy peasy I promise.

peanut butter cookie sandwiches filled w/ bacon-cream cheese
print recipe

pb cookies:
1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 ts of baking soda
½ ts baking powder
1 ts salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 ts pure vanilla extract
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (I used chunky)

cookie filling:
½ stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¾ - 1 cup confectioners sugar
giant pinch of salt
¼ cup + cooked bacon, chopped

Cook notes: you should have “just” enough filling or not enough for two sandwiches; If you use the filling moderately.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, set aside
In the bowl of an electric mixer or by hand, (I don’t have a mixer so I do this by hand or with my hands) beat the butter and sugars together until creamy/well blended.
Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
Add in the vanilla and peanut butter, combine.
Next add in half of the flour mixture, and mix till just combined, then add in the remaining flour mixture and mix till just combined. (Remember: Once you start to add in the flour you don’t want to overmix).
(If you wanted to add in chips, this would be the time—I did not.)
Cover the bowl well and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. (I left mine overnight, it was fine).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the dough by rounded oversized-tablespoons (or medium ice cream scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
Do not press down, leave them as balls.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies just begin to brown. Let these cool completely before filling.

For the cookie filling:
Using a handheld mixer or regular mixer, beat the softened butter, cream cheese until just mixed; add in the ¾ cup of confectioners sugar., along with a giant pinch of salt. Do a taste test and see if it’s sweet enough for you, if not add in another ¼ cup until you are happy.
By hand, add in the chopped bacon bits. Place in bowl, cover and let set up in fridge for a bit.
When ready to assemble sandwich cookies, simply place a tablespoon +/- of filling on one side of a cookie (flat side/bottom), spread a bit, then place another cookie on top (flat side/bottom).
I would store these in the fridge, not at room temp.
Should make about 15-18 sandwich cookies.

banana-walnut pancakes

Quick post.
Wanted to get these posted for Sunday morning pancake time! In case you needed ideas for breakfast/brunch.
Saw my friend Nick over at Macheesmo.com had just made and posted these. I knew instantly I had to make them.
Who doesn't have brown bananas laying around? Use them in these pancakes.
Took his recipe (which is very good btw) and added extra cinnamon and walnuts. Perfect.
You must try these.
(lighting on photos is bad, we have nothing but rain here--can't remember what the sun looks like)









banana-walnut pancakes
adapted from Macheesmo.com
print recipe

1 cup browned banana, about two bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 TB brown sugar
1/2 ts salt
1/2 ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda
1 ts cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 ts vanilla extract
3 TB unsalted butter, melted plus some for frying up pancakes
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Peel bananas and measure out exactly one cup. Then mash them in a small bowl. Add liquid ingredients (milk, egg, melted butter, vanilla) to bananas.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine well.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter.
Once butter is melted, scoop in 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake. Depending on the size of your griddle or skillet you should be able to make more than one at a time.
Cook until pancakes are firm around the edges and have large bubbles forming on top, about 3 minutes. Then flip.
Cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side.
Serve pancakes immediately with warmed maple syrup and top with the chopped walnuts.
Should make about 6-8 pancakes.

friday links

With the warmer weather coming up, here are a few quick meals I've come up with using foods from Trader Joe's.
Some you might like, some not so much, but it should give you other ideas for quick and simple meals.


I'm seriously addicted to these little rice balls. I've used them in many a stir fry dish. They are so good with this sweet chili sauce--I use that sauce on almost everything.


Have you tried the creamy polenta?


One of my favorite snacks.


An excellent sandwich--trust me on this one.


Another winning sandwich combo.


You simply must try this salad dressing--it's that good. Very gentle pear flavor, with the just the right amount of gorgonzola. So good!


This is what I use for ALL my pizzas. Thanks to Esi for turning me on to it. I buy this in bulk.

From around the web:

The perfect lunge

50 awesome pre and post workout snacks. Great list.

Outside Magazine breaks down some of the best diet plans. Well I shouldn't say diet but more of a lifestyle eating. They were tested for a year.

Chicken & cashew lettuce cups (bookmarked!)

Bratwurst foodporn. Bratwurst in pretzel bun (from serious eats)

Mini taco salad bowls!! (thanks Pam)

Houses on their own tiny islands.

Anyone tried the Tracy Anderson method?

New York's state prisons (now closed) for sale as a home? Hmmm.

30 minute chickpea, coconut, cashew curry.


Chocolate cupcakes with biscoff buttercream! (from the little kitchen)


Hot Dog cookies! I just love these. (from CakeSpy)

Double dark chocolate granita.

How to make a succulent sea terrarium. So cute.

How to make Chaat. A lot easier than I thought.


One of my friends turned me on to this ginger beer. It's so good. If you love ginger, then you're going to love this.


Anthropologie, one of my favorite places to not shop at because of the high prices. But I do love admiring their new arrivals from afar. I just adore this dress for summer.


Everyone needs a long black skirt. This is perfect for almost any top; casual or dressy.


This bathing suit is so retro it's adorable. I'm tempted to get it.


They are lounge pants, but I would totally wear them as regular pants since the colors are so summer.

Have a great weekend kids!

strawberry-white chocolate cream scones

I rarely see strawberries used in scones. Why is that? Do people not like this combo? Do they think strawberries do not go in scones? They go well with shortcakes? And shortcakes are just a couple uncles away from a scone in the biscuit family--right?
Granted I can see where strawberries might taste horrid in a scone, if the strawberry isn't chopped to the right size (huge chunks are a turn off in a scone UNLESS it's a chocolate chunk!). Or if the strawberry isn't ripe enough.
Strawberry season is in full effect and I'm having a great time celebrating. Those giant strawberries are my favorite, they are always the sweetest.


The white chocolate chunks brown up a bit and give off this almost creamy-like taste. Really good!


Keep the dough as cold as you can and never overwork/overmix the dough. Overworking leads to a tough scone. We don't want that.


Leftovers (should you have any, make a great crumble for shortcake parfaits!).



Congrats to the winners of the Pie It Forward cookbook giveaway. #12 (all that's left are the crumbs) and #40 Amanda!

strawberry-white chocolate cream scones
print recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 ts baking powder
1 ts salt
4 oz butter, grated or cut into small pieces (kept cold)
½ cup fresh strawberries, cut into ½ inch chunks
¼ – ½ cup white chocolate chunks (add as much or a little as you like)
¾ cup heavy cream
1 egg
Course sugar, for coating tops of scones, optional

Grate or cut up your butter in to small chunks; keep in fridge until ready to use (keep the butter cold).
Cut up your strawberries into ½-inch chunks. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl (or your food processor), combine and mix all of the dry ingredients. Add in the butter chunks and mix until your dough resembles pea-sized chunks. Add in the heavy cream and mix until dough just comes together; do not overmix. It’s normal to have chunks of butter. If you overmix you will have a tough scone.

By hand, add in the strawberries and white chocolate chunks; mix till just combined.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Pat into a circle, about ¾-1 inch thick. Cut into triangles, I made 7, but you can make them a bit smaller or larger.

Place onto prepared baking sheet, with space between each one. Chill in fridge for at least half hour (this is optional of course, but the colder they are the better bake up).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make egg wash and wash the tops of the scones with the egg wash, then sprinkle tops with the course sugar.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the tops.

strawberry shortcake w/ blue cheese biscuits

Why didn't I think of this sooner? Strawberries marinated in sugar and lemon juice, then served on top on a warm blue cheese biscuit.
Seriously a match made in foodie heaven.
The biscuit is not too sweet but rather more savory--perfect with sweet marinated strawberries.
I highly recommend this.
In fact, the next time I make this I want to add a drizzle of dark balsamic to the marinade. We all know how well balsamic vinegar goes with strawberries?
This doesn't go so well with whipped cream--tried it and din't really like (you can see some of the leftover whipped cream in photo).


Marinate strawberries with sugar and lemon.


The dough comes together fairly fast. Keep it cold.


Cut out any shape you want. Love the heart shape ones personally.



strawberry shortcake with blue cheese biscuits
print recipe

For the strawberries:
About 2 pints (10-15 strawberries) cut into 1 or ½ inch pieces
About ¼ cup or less of sugar
The juice of 1 – 2 lemons
(the amount of sugar you add is up to you; I usually use just under ¼ cup)

Marinate these for at least 3 hours (or more) before serving.

Blue cheese biscuits

8 TB unsalted butter, grated or cubed
1/2 to ¾ cup of crumbled blue cheese (use as much or as little as you like)
(just under) ¾ cup whole milk, cold
½ cup heavy whipping cream, cold
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ TB baking powder
giant pinch of salt

one egg (for glazing tops of biscuits)

Grate or cube your cold butter (I prefer to grate it then keep it cold in freezer until ready to use).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in the butter, using a pastry cutter or fork, work it until you have sand-like crumbles.
Next mix in the milk, cream and blue cheese crumbles. Using a spatula mix till just combined. Please don’t overmix! Lumps are good!
I took a sheet of parchment paper, place some flour on it, then placed the dough on top. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out to about 2-3 inches thickness. Sprinkle flour on top, take plastic wrap and cover the top. Place in the fridge to set up/rest; c. hill at least ½ hour to 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, place on parchment lined baking sheet or non stick spray covered sheet.
Brush biscuit tops with egg wash, and bake about 9 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. They bake up fast so check them at the 9 minute mark.

Allow to cool before topping with marinated strawberries.
I do not recommend serving whipped cream with this as it does not go with the blue cheese biscuits.