Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Yesterday was the perfect day for baking, I had nothing else to do but stay inside and make tasty creations; which is exactly what I did!  I'm a little obsessed with Nutella, and have a hard time not eating it directly out of the jar.  So, in my effort to actually eat them in or on something other than a spoon, I made these peanut butter Nutella cookies.  The peanut butter cookies are the normal holiday favorite that you put a chocolate chip in, but I changed it up and added Nutella instead. 

Start by beating together butter and peanut butter until it becomes fluffy.

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and brown sugar and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, an salt.  Pour gradually into the peanut butter mixture.  I added half, beat until combined, then added the final half.

This would be a good time to take a taste of the dough.  You'll like it, I promise!

Roll into 1 inch balls, and coat with the remaining sugar.

I love Nutella's chocolate hazelnut goodness!

Place on a non-stick cookie pan, (or spray with Pam like I did.)  Press a hole in the middle with your thumb, and fill with Nutella.  My advice here would be to add more Nutella than fits in the thumb print.  The print will expand when they bake, so if you have a little extra Nutella it will fill in better.  Cook for around 11 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Peanut butter is great with anything, but the chocolate hazelnut flavor mixes up this classic cookie perfectly.  It made around 30 cookies for me, and that was around 10 cookies not enough!

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter *I added a little more, because you can never have enough peanut butter!

1/4 cup sugar - plus three tablespoons to roll dough in

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Nutella - you won't even use 1/8 of the jar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat together butter and peanut butter until fluffy.

Add 1/4 cup of sugar and all of brown sugar, beat until smooth.

Beat in egg and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda, and dash of salt together in a separate bowl. 

Add to peanut butter mixture gradually, and mix until smooth.

Pull pieces and roll into one inch balls.  Roll in remaining sugar.

Place on a non-stick cookie sheet. 

With your thumb make a hole in the middle. 

Fill with Nutella.

Bake for 11-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.



King Arthur Flour

Apparently I brought the winter weather from New Hampshire back to Dallas, as we're in the middle of an ice storm.  I know that none of the Northerners will have pity on me, but believe me when I say getting around right now is not easy.  Along with being able to ice skate on all/any roads, driveways, and parking lots; we're having rolling black outs.  No fun, but it also meant no work for me today, so that kind of makes up for it!  I had some time to make a dessert and dinner, so the rest of the week I'll be posting actual food.  For now though, I'll show you my final pictures from my trip last weekend.

My mom informed me of a bakery, store, and cooking school right near our B&B called King Arthur Flour.  As you can tell, I'm into food and baking, so I was pretty pumped for it!  Due to the limitations on luggage I can take on a plane, I couldn't go as food crazy as I would have liked.  Still very fun to look around though. 

They had this antique oven I thought was really interesting, especially because it's called the "Detroit Jewel: They Bake Better"  I'm not sure where exactly it was made, but I'm just assuming it was made in Michigan, because we're awesome like that.

We didn't know going in, but I they were having a "best chocolate recipe" contest.  There was a long table set up with all kinds of chocolate desserts people had brought in to be judged.  Some of them looked like they tasted heavenly, so it was hard to not dive in.  Would have been a good story though; "I got kicked out for eating everything on the chocolate contest table, before it was able to be judged."  Save that for next time I guess!  :)

Must have been real tough to be one of the judges!  There was a group of around 10 people watching as the cooking school teachers tasted everything.  

The store was mainly selling pre-made mixes for baked goods, pancakes, muffins etc.  They also had some baking equipment.  Took a picture of this huge stand mixer, because it's what I would like for my birthday or Christmas present.  It would probably have to be both combined, because it was around $400, ouch.  I'm old school and still use hand beaters, so this would be a big step up for me.  A girl can dream!  

I'll be back tomorrow with some yummy Peanut Butter Nutella cookies.  Stay warm everyone :) 

I Don't Want to Grow Up (still)

I've been out to Dartmouth twice now, and I fall in love with the area more every time I go.  I'm not sure if it's because it reminds me of where I grew up with the snow, trees, quietness; or if it's because it brings me back to being in college.  Could be a combination of both! I talked about the Norwich Inn and their great breakfasts in my post yesterday, we actually stayed in one of their rooms this time.  As you can see the B&B is beautiful.  I can't imagine it actually being some one's house.

Like I said.. quiet. :)

Longest covered wooden bridge in The United States, pretty cool!

It was built in 1856.  If you can't read the top it says "Walk your horses or pay two dollar fine."  There's so much history in the area, and so much to explore!

Although closed for the winter; which is kind of shame, this place would be an awesome B&B or restaurant, we hiked up to Saint Gauden's Historic house and gardens.  The house was beautiful, as were the grounds. 

The view from the yard was amazing.  I can only imagine what sunsets in the summer, and trees in the fall look like!

Gauden created and displayed art all over the grounds of his summer house.  This was my favorite, it's called "The Shaw Memorial," and it's of the 54th Regimen of African American volunteers during the Civil War.  It was breath-taking, the detail that was put into it.  You could almost see the eyelashes.  It's sort of in 3D; you can't tell when you look at it straight on, but as you get closer you can see the details better.

It was so peaceful.  I miss the quiet affect that snow has over everything, you forget how relaxing it is until you're back engulfed in it.

I also talked about Simon Pearce in my last post.  This is a picture taken from their deck looking out over the dam they've built, which actually powers their whole building.  Very energy efficient, and beautiful to look at!  

I took a lot of pictures of Dartmouth's campus, but don't remember the names of each building.  My favorite part is the library anyway, so you'll have to settle for that :) It's so old, you can't help but imagine all of the great minds that studied there. 

I can't wait to go back again!!  I'm looking forward to seeing the campus in the summer, since I've only experienced it in the cold winter.  Always a little hard to come back to the real world, I miss my college days so much.  It's makes me ever more nostalgic when I see my brother going through the same things I did back in the day.  The only advice I can give is, enjoy it while you can.  Real world isn't all it's cracked up to be.  I feel like I'm old enough to say that now, thank you very much ;)