Thursday, July 25, 2013

Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Bread

I can tell you what one of the best feelings in the world for me is. It is moving a pin off of my 2,000+ different recipe boards to "Recipes I've Completed".

I, unfortunately, do not have one of those fancy cameras or the skill set in the kitchen, quite frankly, to make my pictures look as mouth watering as all other bloggers. I remember I saw a picture of this bread with the title "Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Bread" and just thought "YES". But, as always, it became lost in my black hole of 2000 pins and just kept getting pushed further and further on the back burner UNTIL I neglected 3 bananas and felt completely guilty throwing them out. This forgotten recipe came into my head like a light bulb and had my boyfriend run out to get all of missing ingredients.

Now, I love peanut butter. Like spoon out of the jar love peanut butter. This bread to me just tastes like banana bread with Oreos. Next time, I will probably double the peanut butter, but this could totally just be a "Jules Problem".


Peanut Butter Oreo Banana Bread (adapted from something swanky)


Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup peanut butter (double for a lot of pb taste!)
2 overripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
15 Oreos, crushed (i used a food processor) 
4 Oreos, crushed (by hand)


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 standard loaf pans.
2. Mix oil, peanut butter, and sugar with a stand mixer whisk.
3. Add in the bananas, eggs, buttermilk, and baking soda to the peanut butter mixture.
4. Slowly mix in flour until just combined.
5. Mix in the crushed Oreos
6. Divide batter evenly between the two loaf pans.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean. (Mine had to bake closer to an hour FYI!)
8. Let cool & enjoy :)

Monday, July 15, 2013

Cookies And Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

I have to admit...I am totally eating one of these as I type this. I had made these before (a year or so ago) at my old job and that was the icing on the cake of being the favorite office baker. I had men asking me for the recipe so they could tell their wives. I had never had such good reviews from anything I made before!

Now, this is probably one of the easiest recipes because...wait for it...it comes from A BOX! There are a few changes to make it not just a boxed brownie but these are so good and everyone will love them!

My boyfriend, for one, is probably never breaking up with me after he knows I can make these. He has had 5 since last night. Including one for breakfast this morning which was totally like catching a kid with his hand in the cookie jar when I walked into the kitchen this morning.

The first time I made these I used birthday cake oreos. Those were incredible. This time I used double stuffed oreos. Also incredible. Therefore, use any oreo your little heart desires!


That broken oreo is so annoying in this picture! but check out those new counter tops!

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix (plus ingredients on box)
1/4 cup hot fudge sauce
1 package Oreos

Combine brownie mix and ingredients on box in one big bowl. Stir in hot fudge mix until well combined with batter. Pour about half of the batter and and layer Oreos over top. Pour the rest of the batter and cover oreo layer completely. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

ENJOY :) 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Celebrating National Ice Cream Month at SMUSH!

I have been so busy recently with unpacking and moving that I haven't had time to do ANYTHING besides work and sleep. Cooking has definitely been sacrificed, but I did make my first home cooked meal in my new apartment recently...which leads me to a funny story.

My boyfriend was in charge of cleaning the grill and I was in charge of cleaning the kitchen. I finished my job and he brought the grill rack in to soak in the kitchen. I didn't think anything of it so I went to take a shower and when I came out I found that he was asleep in the bedroom. I got changed, did my hair, and then decided to wake him up. I walk out into the dark kitchen and living room area with him to hear, "Did you spill water?" I turn on the light and let out a scream from a horror movie. HE FORGOT TO TURN THE SINK OFF! For hours that sink had been running, overflowing, and SOAKING my brand new apartment with water. I literally wanted to cry...oh wait, I did. Hard.

But do not worry, a rug was the only sacrifice, and we dried everything off in time for the 4th of July party I am having tomorrow!

Anyway, did you know it was National Ice Cream month? and did you know that its been about 900% humidity in New York City? So many reasons for ice cream.


My boyfriend and I went to another FREE HowAboutWe date to "NYC gourmet dessert deli" called SMUSH. They make ice cream sandwiches that were absolutely incredible. 

I decided to go with a pre-made combination (pictured above). My "bread" was one chocolate chip cooked and one french toast cookie. The cookies were so soft and still gooey from the oven. They had free cookie samples while you waited too! My ice cream filling choice was vanilla and it was topped with a layer of fudge, marshmallow spread, peanut butter spread, and potato chips. I walked 3 miles to get to the store so thats ok, right?

My boyfriend went with a make your own option of 2 chocolate chip cookies, chocolate ice cream, banana slices, peanut butter spread, and a milk/white chocolate swirl. 

These looked so easy to make and they were so good. There are so many combinations that you can make so I think that ice cream sandwiches may be my new summer specialty!