Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Any peanut butter fans out there? 'Cause Ima talk to you today.

Okay, you guys...don't get mad. But. I'm...okay...with peanut butter. I like it...fine. Despite peanut butter's popularity, I'm not too crazy about slathering it on a crisp apple slice, a stick of celery, even on sandwich bread with jelly.

I know some people who eat their PB straight out of the jar. I don't get it. It sticks everywhere. It gets plastered to the roof of your mouth. It makes that smacking sound.

So...I wasn't sure about these cookies. I mean, if I don't like peanut butter, then why should other people like it, right? Perfectly vain logic here, folks.

Thanks to the kids at the church who are having their VBS this week, these cookies came into existence. And they are amazing... The kids, I mean. Silly you. ^^

Okay...these cookies are amazing, too. (Duh! Isn't that why you're reading this post??) In fact, these are some of the best cookies I've ever tasted in my life.

Something definitely magical happened when peanut butter and sugar came together. Chopped Reese's cups and chocolate chips...together...required no explanations. This recipe is a total keeper.

Now, I'm going to shush and let you make these for yourself.

P.S. To the diehard fans of the legume who might have been offended by my earlier statements and were considering a tiny lil' kidnap-and-kill...we're okay now, right? I said, the "best cookies!"

Baklava

Are you looking at what I'm looking at? Right now? On the screen??

Woah.

Like, WOAH.

I made it. I baked it. I took a picture of it. I still can't believe it.

I bought phyllo dough. My fingertips got sore from de-shelling three cups' worth of pistachios. There was a whole lot of butter and honey and citrus zest. I ripped the phyllo dough twice. Things got messy.

There was damage control. There was a moment of uncertainty.

And then there was awesomeness.

I...made...baklava! And I more than happily lived to tell the tale....just for you.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There are times in life when we just need some good comfort food. Stat.

Because life is crazy, erratic, and just. plain. messed-up sometimes.

I mean, seriously. (Can't a girl get a break once in a while??)

My idea of comfort food involves me going into a little baking frenzy. I get lost in the pictures of black forest cakes, sea salt caramels, raspberry marshmallows, mocha truffles, braided lemon bread, and strawberry mascarpone tarts. I battle hot ovens and knead sticky doughs into submission. My friends get secret phone calls, after which I meet them in secret places and secretly carry out my secret chocolate missions.

This works for me. I like.

So I give you people the epitome of comfort food: chocolate chip cookies. I baked them, ate exactly two cookies, then gave the rest away.  

ONLY TWO??? Yeahhh. These are so good that two will be more than enough for whatever you're going through. Eh, three, if things are extreme. But really, what gets you through anything will be happy people who are good to you. I say you bake yummy cookies for them.

Happiness galore. Let's get to baking.