Nutella, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Filling

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, optional
• 2 cups marshmallow fluff

Instructions

1. Add butter and peanut butter together in a small bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the butter in melted. Mix well.

2. Add butter mixture to graham cracker crumbs and mix until combined.

3. Press graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan to complete crust and set aside.

4. Whisk the cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk together in a small bowl. Set aside.

5. Add Nutella, remaining milk (1 3/4 cup), and vanilla extract to a pan and whisk over medium heat until the Nutella is melted.

6. Add the cornstarch mixture to the Nutella mixture.

7. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. It will begin to thicken.

8. Once boiling, stir continuously for about 2 minutes, until fully thickened.

9. Pour mixture into crust and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

10. When Nutella mixture is set, put 2 cups of marshmallow fluff into a small bowl and microwave for about 30-45 seconds, or until easily pourable.

11. Pour marshmallow fluff over the top of the Nutella mixture. It will naturally spread to cover the pie. (If you'd prefer, you can toast mini marshmallows on top)

12. Drizzle Nutella onto the top of the pie and sprinkle with a few graham crackers crumbs if desired.

13. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Giant Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Cups

Ingredients

Cookie Cups:

• 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 creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten in a separate bowl before adding
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Frosting:
• 1 and 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 and 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Strawberry or Raspberry jam/jelly, for filling and topping (optional)
• Mini Nutter Butter cookies, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Cookie Cups:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix 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 balls (as shown above) and place each into a greased jumbo muffin tin.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 16-17 minutes - make sure they aren't getting too brown on top.
As soon as you take them out of the oven, use something with a circular bottom (I use the bottom of an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon) to press into the middle of the cups and make craters. Whatever you use should be slightly less than the width of the cookie.
Let cool completely in the pan and carefully remove from pan. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cooled cookies to loosen and gently lift out. I didn't need to do this, I just pulled them out with my fingers.
Fill each crater with your choice of jelly or jam (about 1 tablespoon fit in each for me).

Frosting:

Place the peanut butter, butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed, just until thoroughly combined.
Add the remaining ingredients and combine all together by beating on medium speed.
Turn the speed up to high and beat for 3/4 more minutes, until frosting is light, airy, and fluffy. Be patient! You don't want a heavy dense frosting for these cookie cups.
Transfer frosting to a piping bag, or make your own piping bag using a ziplock bag (put filling in bag, work it to the bottom of one corner, twist off the top and snip off a small bit of the corner).
Frost the cookie cups (I used Wilton 1M piping tip) once they are completely cooled and the indentations have already been filled with the jelly/jam. Pipe the frosting in high, swirling mounds on top, like frosting a cupcake.
Top with a small dollop of jam/jelly and mini nutter butter cookies (optional).
You will probably have leftover frosting - freeze it for the future or use it in another recipe!

Peanut Butter Cup Overload Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

• 2½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1½ cups strong black coffee, hot
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 4½ teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅔ cup heavy cream

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ¾ cup heavy cream

30 miniature peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped, divided

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).
4. Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
5. Make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the heavy cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth (do not overbeat).
6. Assemble the Cake: If your cakes baked up uneven or have domed on top, level off the tops. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Cover with 1 cup of the peanut butter frosting and sprinkle 10 of the chopped peanut butter cups over the frosting. Top with a second cake layer and cover with another 1 cup of the peanut butter frosting, and top with another 10 chopped peanut butter cups. Place the final cake layer on top face-down. Frost the cake with the remaining peanut butter frosting, finishing it as smoothly as possible. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour, until the frosting is set.
7. Make the Chocolate Ganache: While the cake chills, make the chocolate ganache. Place the chocolate in a 4-cup measuring cup; set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Begin whisking the mixture in the center, gradually working your way outward until the ganache is completely smooth. Set aside to cool, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened slightly, yet still a pourable consistency.
8. Garnish the Cake: If the ganache was mixed in a bowl, transfer it to a 2-cup measuring cup. Slowly pour the chocolate ganache into the center of the cake, letting it push itself outward and flow over the sides of the cake. Top with the remaining 10 chopped peanut butter cups. Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes, giving the ganache a chance to set up. Keep the cake refrigerated, removing it from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving.

Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing {vegan & gluten-free}

Ingredients

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1-2 cups shredded red cabbage, depending on how much crunch you like
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup diced green onions
• ½ cup cashew halves or peanuts (honey-roasted is good)
• Optional: 1 cup edamame or chickpeas
• Fresh lime, for a bit of tang
• For the dressing:
• ¼ cup all natural peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if desired
• 1 tablespoon honey (use agave if vegan)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Water to thin, if necessary

Instructions

To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave to a medium microwave safe bowl; heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.
Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.