Peanut Butter Blonde on Blondie

Cook: 40 min/ Prep: 10 min/ Total: 50 min

Servings: 20 Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups white chocolate chips

½ cup peanut butter crunchy or creamy

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven 355 degrees F.

2. Line a 12 x 12 pan with parchment paper, lightly buttered (spray works too).

3. Melt unsalted butter.

4. Combine sugar & butter until smooth.

5. Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda & salt). Mix well.

6. Add vanilla to sugary mixture.

7. Beat in the eggs to the sugary mixture.

8. Add dry mixture little by little forming a batter-like dough.

9. Fold in white chocolate chips.

10. Scoop batter into the cooking dish.

11. Bake for 25 minutes.

12. Melt peanut butter in microwave and drizzle on top; 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, for 60 seconds.

13. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown around edges.

14. Test using a toothpick in the center of the pan… those babies are done when the toothpick comes out clean!

This one goes out to all you out there who cannot indulge in the cocoa.

Mouths open. Pinkies up. Cheers to all us Fancy Bitches!

Ginger-Shortbread Cookies

Prep: 10 minutes/ Cook: 25 minutes/ Cooling: 15 minutes/ Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 30-40 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 Sticks-- 1 c-- Butter (Salted)*

1 Stick--½ c-- Butter (Unsalted)-- to make Browned Butter**

¾ c Brown Sugar

½ c Molasses

3 ½ c All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 Egg

1 ½ tsp Cinnamon, ground

2 tsp Ginger, ground

½ tsp Nutmeg, ground

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

½ c Powdered Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Brown 1 stick of unsalted butter in a pan over medium heat (approx. 2 min.).

   1. Butter will melt, foam and then brown. 

   2. See ** note below.

2. Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. 

1. Begin by creaming 2 sticks of salted butter at medium speed for 30 sec.

2. If browned butter is in solid form (made prior to now), add in/cream here. (But, if the butter has just been browned at the top of the recipe & still in liquid form, add in at step d after the egg and molasses.)

3. Blend together butter and sugar.

   1. First, powdered. Continually mixing down the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined.

   2. Then, brown. Again, mixing until thoroughly combined.

4. Add in a cracked egg and molasses.

5. At low speed, gradually pour in the flour.

6. Sprinkle in the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ginger (Hey, did we mention putting the ginger in?!?).

7. Drizzle in the vanilla extract.

8. This will all come together as a well-blended crumbly mixture.

3. Cover and stick in the freezer for 10 minutes until easy to handle.

4. At this point, you can choose your shape:

1. Circles: 

   1. If you want perfect circles, form the dough into a log-roll and wrap with parchment paper prior to chilling.

   2. Then, place in freezer for 15 minutes.

   3. Remove from freezer & take off paper.

   4. Cut into uniform circles approx. ⅛-¼” thick.

2. Cookie-Cutters:

   1. Place powdered sugar on a flat surface.

   2. Roll out the dough to approx. ⅛- ¼” thick.

   3. Use desired shape to make cookies.

3. Baker’s Choice: Shape these babies to your heart’s desire! ***

   1. Sprinkle powdered sugar over a flat surface.

   2. Roll out the dough to approx. ⅛-¼” thick.

   3. Form your shape with a pizza slicer into triangles, hand-patty into anything you like, cut out with a juice glass… the choice is yours!

5. Preheat oven to 335 F degrees.

6. Place cookies on 2 baking sheets or 1 extra-large one lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.

7. Bake 13-15 minutes at 335 F until just lightly browned & desired firmness is achieved.

8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until all dough is used. (At least 2 cook sessions of 13-15 minutes.)

9. Cool on a plate or wire rack.

10. Optional: Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.

** Browned Butter-- Place 1 stick of butter (cubed) into a small saucepan over Medium Heat. As soon as bubbles begin to form, start whisking. Continually stir for 2 minutes until you begin to see brown pieces at the bottom of the pan forming. Immediately remove from heat and continue to whisk for 30 seconds. This can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 months or allow to cool before using. 

Mexi-Corn and Bacon Dish

Serves 6 side dishes or 1 party dip

Prep: 5 min / Cook: 20 min/ Total: 25 min

INGREDIENTS:

6 slices Bacon, diced

2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted

4 c Corn Kernels (frozen-- thawed, canned or fresh), off the cobb

2 Tbsp Green Chiles (fresh-- deseeded or canned-- drained), diced

¼ c Red Bell Pepper (fresh or canned), diced

2 oz Cream Cheese, softened & chunked

2 Tbsp Milk (to taste)

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

½ tsp Chili Powder

1 clove Garlic, minced

Black Pepper & Salt (freshly ground-- to taste) 

Lime, juiced

2 Tbsp Cilantro (fresh leaves), chopped

2 Tbsp Cotija Cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon. Cook until crispy (approx. 8 min). 

   1. Place aside on a paper plate or a napkin-lined plate to allow grease to leach a bit. 

   2. Blot excess grease from strips prior to cutting. 

   3. Drain grease from skillet, leaving the residual drippings (approx. 1 Tbsp) in the skillet.*

   4. Return skillet to medium-high heated stovetop.

2. Bring butter to a sizzle (approx. 30 sec).

3. Add corn, green chiles, red bell pepper.

4. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is slightly charred (approx. 7 min).

5. Stir in cream cheese and milk until melted and well combined (approx. 3 min).

6. Stir in mayonnaise, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic and lime juice.

7. Sprinkle cilantro, bacon and cotija on top.

8. Serve immediately.**

*Note: Bacon drippings will yield just under a cup. It is best to dispose of this in a glass jar as it is hot and will melt plastic. Additionally, it is not good to just pour this down your drain. 

** This dip can be served with corn chips or eaten as a side dish.

Wild N' Watermelon Punch

Serving Size: Makes 1 Refreshing Summer Beverage (Don’t worry! The punch bowl recipe is below too..)

INGREDIENTS:

¼-½ c Watermelon, diced

¼ c Whipped Vodka

½ c Lemonade

⅛ c Sprite, splash

1 Lemon Wheel Slice (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare Watermelon-- deseed and cut into ½”-1” cubes. (This is the major prep time unless you purchase a seedless and already cubed watermelon from the store.)

2. Measure out ¼ cup of Whipped Vodka. (You don’t have to be fancy here… Burnett’s works well :-) ).

3. Pull out a Summer Sipping Glass* to toss the Watermelon Cubes into and pour the Vodka over.

4. Pour the Lemonade to the Mix.

5. Stir in the Sprite.

6. Garnish with a Lemon Wheel.

7. Drink up!

* May we recommend serving this in our Rainbow Row Wine Glass? -- with the Lemon Wheel garnish it looks like the sun shining brightly over all the colors of Charleston!)

Make a party bowl full:

Prep: 5-30 min / Put Together: 5 min / Total: 10-35 min

Serves Approximately 16 glasses, because you’re gonna want seconds… or thirds. 

We’re not your mom, we don’t judge!

INGREDIENTS:

4 c Watermelon, cubed or diced

4 c Whipped Vodka

8 c Lemonade

2 c Sprite

2 Lemons, cut into wheels (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare Watermelon-- deseed and cut into ½”-1” cubes.

2. Measure out 2 cups of Whipped Vodka.

3. Pull out a Large Summer Party Pitcher or Bowl to toss the Watermelon Cubes into and pour the Vodka over the Watermelon.**

4. Pour in the Lemonade to the Party Mix.

5. Stir in the Sprite.

6. Float Lemons in the bowl and/or Garnish as above for a sunny effect!

7. Cheers!

(If you have time, allow this to soak and chill in the fridge for about an hour-- If you’re at party time, then serve away! Both versions are wildly popin’!)

** You can even hull out that watermelon and use the rind as a bowl!