Recipe: Grilled Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwich

I made this sandwich one day when I was looking for something quick, easy and light. It was so good, and I make it all the time now. I'm sure other people have already thought of this sandwich idea before, but I'm going to share my recipe with you anyway...in a more conversational style than my previous recipe posts if you don't mind. :-) 

Here we go!

What you need:

Bread

Butter

Apple

Peanut butter 

Step 1: Preheat a griddle or skillet over low to medium heat and melt about a tablespoon of butter on it.

Step 2: Grab two slices of bread (whichever kind you like) and spread a generous amount of peanut butter on one of the slices.

Step 3: Cut up about half of an apple into thin slices and layer the slices on top of the peanut butter like so...

Step 4: Put the two slices of bread together and place your sandwich on the heated and buttered griddle or skillet. Cook for about a minute or two on each side until golden brown. 

Step 5: Omnomnomnom

Enjoy!

<3 Madison  

Recipe: Kit-Kat Cookie Bars

I love Kit-Kat bars, and I love cookies. So clearly, this delicious baked dessert makes me really happy. It's a pretty big hit with all my brave taste testers, and it's super easy to make.

Check out the recipe! 

Ingredients

2 rolls Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

2 Kit-Kat bars

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease large baking pan.

3. Chop Kit-Kat bars into bite-sized squares and set aside.

4. Combine sugar cookie dough, vanilla, and Kit-Kat bar squares into a large bowl and mold until dough forms. (You may want to use your (clean) hands to mold the dough. That's what I do.) 

5. Spread dough evenly into baking pan. (Again, you will probably have to use your hands to press it all down in there.)

6. Poke holes in dough with a fork. (This will prevent the dough from rising too much. You want your bars to be flat.)

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

8. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

9. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

10. Cut into bars.

Enjoy! 

<3 Madison   

20 Different Ice Cream Topping Ideas (In Honor of National Ice Cream Month)

Image source: flickr.com  

I admittedly just found out the other day that July is National Ice Cream Month. Ice cream is my favorite dessert. I go kind of crazy over it.

Since I have a little bit of a culinary streak in me, I can rarely eat certain foods just as they are. I've added peanut butter to pancake batter, I've put vegetables on my toast, I've put crackers in my chicken and rice, I've put Nutella in my coffee. (That was actually someone else's idea. Cheers to Holli.) 

Case in point, I love to experiment with different mixtures and toppings. I guess you could say I like playing with my food. 

I especially love experimenting with ice cream toppings. There are so many different toppings that would be delicious on top of your favorite ice cream. So with that said, here are 20 different ice cream topping ideas: 

1. Sugar cookie chunks

2. Granola 

3. Gummy worms 

4. Corn flakes

5. Fresh fruit

6. Raw quinoa 

7. Oreo crumbs 

8. M&Ms 

9. Cocoa puffs

10. Chocolate syrup

11. Potato chips

12. Reese's mini peanut butter cups 

13. Roasted almonds 

14. Kit-Kat bar crumbs 

15. Mini pretzels  

16. Mini marshmallows 

17. Graham cracker crumbs 

18. Brownie bites 

19. Toffee 

20. Chocolate chips 

Happy National Ice Cream Month!

<3 Madison 

Recipe: Mini Pancake Sandwiches (with Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and Fresh Raspberries)

One of my favorite shows on Food Network is Giada at Home. This recipe was featured on her show a few weeks ago, and since Target didn't have any raspberry sorbet, I got the next best thing---black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream. It's the only part of the recipe I tweaked.

Want to try it? Of course you do.

Ingredients

1 cup pancake mix

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream 

Fresh raspberries

Directions

For chocolate sauce:

1. Melt chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream together, and stir until a smooth mixture forms. (I melted mine in a small saucepan over low heat.) 

2. Once melted, set aside. 

For mini pancake sandwiches:

1. Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

2. Mix pancake mix and water together until blended.

3. Melt butter on griddle or skillet.

4. For each pancake, add 1 tablespoon of batter to the griddle or skillet.

5. Cook each pancake for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side (until golden brown). 

6. Put pancakes on a plate and let them cool completely. 

7. Put 1 teaspoon of black raspberry chocolate chip ice cream between two pancakes; press together lightly. 

8. Top pancake sandwiches with chocolate sauce and fresh raspberries. (Don't forget to wash the raspberries first.)  

Enjoy!

<3 Madison