chocolate

Halloween Candy Corn Buckeyes

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Do you like scary movies? I don’t really. I don’t like being scared. Sometimes after watching the TV series Sherlock I have to go on Instagram or watch Gossip Girl just so I can sleep without nightmares. Yup. I’m a baby. Which is why when we invited our friends Dave and Anson over for a scary movie night to celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday, I was less than excited. Excited for the pizza from Crust we’d be eating? Yes. Excited for a scary movie? Not really. But I knew I’d suck it up and enjoy it – same as last year when I barely made it through Paranormal Activity. And if I didn’t? Well, at least I’d enjoy the baked goods!

I love peanut butter and chocolate. Especially during Halloween – who doesn’t like a good Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? (Ok, I know a few people who don’t) Which is why when I saw this recipe for White Chocolate Candy Corn Buckeyes, I knew I had to make some Halloween themed Buckeyes. Aren’t they cute? And if you haven’t guessed from my previous recipe (Candy Corn White Chocolate Peanutty Bars), candy corn and peanut butter actually go well together. Who would’ve thought?

Halloween Candy Corn Buckeyes - i crashed the web

Halloween Candy Corn Buckeyes (an update to my traditional Buckeye recipe)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 3-4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup candy corn, about 3/4 of it chopped up
  • 1-12 oz. bag chocolate candy coating wafers (I use the Wilton Candy Melts)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough. Add in chopped candy corn.
  3. Shape dough into balls, about one inch or 2 tsp wide.
  4. Place on baking sheet and place peanut butter dough balls in refrigerator for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes.
  5. Melt chocolate coating wafers according to package directions. I usually nuke in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir occasionally until smooth.
  6. Time to coat the Buckeyes! Remove peanut butter balls from freezer. Insert a toothpick into a ball, and dip into the melted chocolate. Return to wax paper or aluminum foil chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. For eyeball-themed buckeye, add a Candy Corn M&M on the exposed peanut butter area. For the plain candy corn buckeyes, coat entire peanut butter ball and immediately after removing from chocolate add a whole candy corn to top of ball while chocolate dries. Repeat with remaining balls.
  7. Refrigerate Buckeyes for 30 min to 1 hour to set.
Spooky Eyeball Halloween Candy Corn Buckeyes - i crashed the web

Top with M&Ms to make spooky eyeballs

Or just top with candy corn and enjoy!

Or just top with candy corn and enjoy!

A few questions for you:

  • Do you like scary movies? Not really. But I really do enjoy reading the Wikipedia pages to get a snapshot of the plot for them!
  • What’s your favorite scary movie? Saw. It scares the heck out of me but is SO interesting! The rest of the Saws don’t seem as good. I haven’t actually seen them – but reading their Wikipedia plot brings me to that conclusion. I also like Scream. That counts right? I went through a phase in high school where I was obsessed with the names Sydney and Tatum for girls.
  • What’s your favorite Halloween treat?

How can you not like this?!

After watching that I need to go flip through Instagram again. Spooky!

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

I’m Italian. You wouldn’t know it by my name, or really how I look — but I swear, I grew up in an Italian household with an 100% Italian mother. For better or for worse, I still find meals without pasta or bread, incomplete. And I can’t stand a canned or jarred tomato sauce that isn’t homemade (I think it tastes like catsup. And I hate catsup!). BUT I do love nearly all things Italian – including biscotti (or as my mom says, “biscott”) – which is why when B and I got invited to a friend’s house during the Feast of the Assumption Celebrations, I decided to bring some homemade biscotti (and Peroni).

I can’t take full credit for this recipe idea. B’s mom has been making biscotti for years and sent them to her kids as part of finals-studying care packages. She made a few different kinds, but one of B’s favorites was always the chocolate pistachio. I didn’t get to ask her for the recipe, but I saw a few recipes online (including one that used cinnamon) and20 thought I’d try a recipe of my own. The verdict? A hit. B loved them! And I may be snacking on some as I write this post.

chocolate pistachio biscotti ~ i crashed the web

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

(Modified from this and this)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 c plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate baking chips
  • 1/2 cup pistachios

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and cinnamon and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy and creamy.
  4. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in vanilla.
  5. Add flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, and mix well. The dough will be very sticky and you may need to mix for a few minutes until it’s all thoroughly combined.
  6. Mix in the mini chips and pistachios.
  7. Divide dough into quarters. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, shape portions logs, about 8-10 inches by 2-3 inches. Sprinkle logs with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
  8. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or mostly hard.
  9. Remove logs to a cooling rack and cool for 3-5 minutes. Keep the oven on! After the logs are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and cut each log into 1/2 inch slices on a diagonal.
  10. Bake the dough again! Take the slices and place with the cut side face down on baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes on each side until hardened. I took mine out after 5 minutes on each side because I like my biscotti a little softer.
  11. Cool and enjoy!
Maybe these should be called "double chocolate pistachio biscotti" because of the mini chips AND cocoa?

Maybe these should be called “double chocolate pistachio biscotti” because of the mini chips AND cocoa?

chocolate pistachio biscotti ~ i crashed the web

Shape the dough into four balls, which you’ll shape into logs

chocolate pistachio biscotti ~ i crashed the web

Enjoy!

chocolate pistachio biscotti ~ i crashed the web

Or share with friends 🙂 I promise they’ll enjoy!

Everything In My Pantry Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

I’ve been wanting to make cookies all week. It’s been too long. But last weekend we traveled, and I was super busy slash sick last weekend, so baking has been on the backburner (is that a pun?). Anyway, this weekend we celebrated Memorial Day with B’s family and I was keeping my fingers crossed that we’d be assigned desserts, so I could make some of my favorite Red, White and Blue Desserts, or even some new truffles that I’ve been dying to make. Long story short, we were assigned appetizers (which made for some cooking adventures – we brought Buffalo Chicken Dip and Garlicky White Bean Dip, recipes coming soon!), so I thought I’d go another weekend without baking. That didn’t happen. Sunday night, after dinner, B took a nap, so I decided to see what I had in the pantry to bake something. Who doesn’t love waking up to the smell of freshly baked cookies?

I found a whole lotta stuff – oats, pretzels, white chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, Butterfinger bars, M&Ms, Rice Krispies (leftover from the Nutella Rice Krispie Treats) and more – so I decided to bake with all of that. Some people call these Garbage Cookies, others call them Compost Cookies … I’m just calling them Everything In My Pantry Cookies. Because if you find something that sounds like it would be good in a cookie – why not?

everything in my pantry cookies -cookies with white chocolate, chocolate, pretzels, rice krispies and more

Everything In My Pantry Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ c brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (I used ¼ c Egg Beaters plus 1 organic egg)
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ c flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 ¾ c oats (I had Instant on hand)
  • ½ c butter pretzels, crumbled
  • 1 handful M&Ms
  • ½ c mini semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ c white chocolate chips
  • ½ c peanut butter chips
  • 5 Fun Size Butterfingers, crushed
  • 2 ½ c Rice Krispies

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Mix butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and continue mixing. Then add eggs and beat well.
  3. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture and combine well.
  4. Add in oats and pretzels, and then add in whatever you happen to have on hand. I added the m&ms, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, crushed Butterfinger, and then the Rice Krispies last (so they stayed crispy, not mushy).
  5. Keep the batter in the fridge for 1 hour, or 30 min in the freezer to help them from spreading when you bake them. I’m not 100% sure that they’d spread because I didn’t try baking these without this step, but they didn’t spread and I froze them so I’m going with it.
  6. Use a fun cookie scooper to scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown, then allow to cool on a rack.
  7. Enjoy!
everything in my pantry cookies -cookies with white chocolate, chocolate, pretzels, oats, rice krispies and more

here’s what I used!

monster cookies, garbage cookies, everything in my pantry cookies -cookies with white chocolate, chocolate, pretzels, oats, rice krispies and more

Enjoy! I promise they taste better than they look.

Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel oat bars

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 7 Comments

B was out of town for a few days, and of course, I got a craving for some baking. I had plans to visit my parents and bake when I was seeing them, but I knew that trying a new recipe, including one that involved something potentially messy like caramel and melted peanut butter, in my parents’ kitchen, may not be the best idea. But one in my kitchen – when B wasn’t home? Perfect!

OH em gee. These cookies are SO good. They’re super sweet, super sinful and super rich — you HAVE to make these. Good luck not eating the whole pan!

chocolate peanut butter oatmeal caramel cookie bars

Chocolate, peanut butter, caramel oat bars

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.25 cup oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 12 oz caramel candy (I bought them from Target) 
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
  • 2 c (about a 12 oz bag) chocolate chips
  • 1/4 c smooth peanut butter

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (or use cooking spray) a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and butter. Mix it well until the texture is crumbly.
  3. Divide batter in half. Press half into the bottom of the pan and bake this crust layer at 350 degrees for oven for 10 minutes.
  4. While batter is baking, prepare the caramel layer. In a medium saucepan, combine the caramel candy and milk over low heat. Stir well as the caramels melt and caramel is thick and smooth.
  5. When cooked, remove crust from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Don’t turn off the oven yet!
  6. Pour the melted caramel evenly over the chocolate and top with the remaining flour-oat crumbly batter.
  7. Warm up peanut butter in microwave. Drizzle peanut butter over flour-oat crumble.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
  9. Cool before cutting into bars. Enjoy!!!
crumbly batter

crumbly batter

heating the caramel with almond milk

heating the caramel with almond milk

cooking the caramel

cooking the caramel

Top the cooked crust with chocolate chips (then caramel and crumbly topping)

Top the cooked crust with chocolate chips (then caramel and crumbly topping)

drizzle melted peanut butter on top of the crumble

drizzle melted peanut butter on top of the crumble

cut into bars when cool

cut into bars when cool .. and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Caramel Bars

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

I looooove caramel and chocolate. Yum yum yum. Chocolate and caramel, in my opinion, is one of the most heavenly flavor combinations, in addition to peanut butter and chocolate of course!

B and I had a few people over for the Super Bowl this year. Last year I got all festive and made adorable football brownie sandwiches – but this year I decided  I just wanted something sweet and found some recipes for chocolate chip caramel cookies.

I opted for a simple chocolate chip caramel bar recipe and they definitely were a hit; almost the whole pan was gobbled up immediately! I can’t wait to make them again or try another variation of this recipe.

caramel chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookie Bars

(modified from Two Peas and their Pod‘s salted caramel cookies)

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, or 1/2 c of Egg Beaters ( I used Egg Beaters)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 10 ounces caramel candy squares, unwrapped
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Sea salt, for sprinkling over caramel and bars

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 13×7 pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, combine melted (and cooled) butter,brown sugar and white sugar.
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  5. Divide the cookie dough in half. Press half of the cookie dough into the prepared pan.
  6. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream. Microwave caramels on until melted and stop to stir about every 20-30 seconds. The whole process took about 2.5 minutes in the microwave for me.  
  7. Pour hot caramel over the cookie dough in the pan.
  8. Spread remaining cookie dough over caramel layer.  The caramel will be sticky, so I found it easy to divide remaining dough into four chunks, flatten chunk somewhat and place in each corner.
  9. Bake cookie bars for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the bars are light golden brown.  Cool bars on a wire rack. Serve – and enjoy!

caramel chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Peanut butter and chocolate. What other flavor combination makes your mouth water? What other flavor combination produces some of the best desserts ever? (like homemade Buckeyes, Surprise Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes or Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oreo Bars)

That’s why, when I was asked to bring cookies to an event, B suggested that I bring Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies – a recipe my mom had made when I was growing up, and one that I often forget about. Now you can make them too!

REESE'S Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

(from the back of the Reese’s peanut butter chip bag … and my mom)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups peanut butter chips (one package of Reese’s peanut butter chips)

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat  your oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. I used Pam.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
  3. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.
  4. Combine dry ingredients — the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt — and slowly stir into the creamed mixture.
  5. Fold in the peanut butter chips. Try not to eat too many before adding to the batter! They’re SO good.
  6. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheets.
  7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until set. Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy! Hopefully more peanut butter and chocolate recipes are coming 🙂

chocolate peanut butter chip cookies ingredients

What you need …

chocolate peanut butter chip cookies

What you’ll make!

Cherry Almond Chocolate Kiss Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

A few weeks ago I got asked to bring some cookies to an event. I wasn’t sure what I should make. My schedule has been super crazy lately, so I knew I’d have to bake the cookies in advance. What’s something “new” (aka I haven’t baked it before) I could bring but still look cute? What’s something I could bake ahead of time, and freeze, and then bring?

My coworker Cari had an idea. She shared with me a recipe that she says her family always makes during the holidays – Cherry Chocolate Kisses! I did some googling and found quite a few similar recipes, online – and reviewed those to come up with these masterpieces. They were soft, delicious and so adorable! I’m definitely making them again.

cherry chocolate kiss cookies on plate

Cherry Almond Chocolate Kiss Cookies

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons juice from jar of maraschino cherries
  • 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • Few drops of red food color (optional)
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
  • Red sugar crystals for sprinkling on the cookies
  • About 36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together powdered sugar, butter, cherry juice almond extract and food color. Cream together until blended well.
  3. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour and salt; mix well.
  4. Add the chopped maraschino cherries.
  5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in red sugar crystals. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cooking sheets.
  6. Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 10 – 12 minutes.
  7. Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate kiss. Remove from cookie sheets and cool.

Enjoy! They freeze well. And taste delicious!

chocolate cherry almond chocolate kiss cookies cooling

Peanut Butter + Chocolate = Homemade Buckeyes

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

Each year for B’s  birthday I make him a favorite treat, Buckeyes.

What are Buckeyes?

If you had asked me a few years ago, I would’ve just looked at you crazily. Buckeyes? I have no idea? I would’ve said.

Now, being an Ohioan for five years (can you believe that?) – of course I know what Buckeyes are! Not only do I know what they are – but I LOVE eating them and making them! Peanut butter? PLUS chocolate? How could they go wrong? So to all my East Coast and West Coast friends  and family – Buckeyes are basically a glorified and homemade peanut butter cup that are made to look like the state tree of Ohio’s “fruit/nut” and are super delicious. You know Reese’s peanut butter cups and how you always wish there was more peanut butter? Well, these are what you need. Check out that peanut butter to chocolate ratio:

actual homemade buckeyes

So each year, sometime around September 13 (B’s birthday) … or a month later if I’ve been busy … I cook (without the oven, of course) up some Buckeyes and B is a happy camper. And now, you too, can make some perfect Buckeyes – oven free – with this recipe:

Perfect Homemade Buckeyes

Here’s what you need:

For the amazing peanut butter filling:

  • 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tbs vanilla extract
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

For the chocolate outer coating:

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2ish tablespoons of Crisco or shortening

Here’s what you do:

    1. Line a baking sheet with foil or waxed paper
    2. In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar. Mix well (I use my KitchenAid) until it forms a stiff dough.
    3. Shape dough into balls, about one inch or 2 tsp wide.
    4. Place on prepared pan, and place peanut butter dough balls in refrigerator for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes.
    5. Now it’s time to make the chocolate coating! Melt shortening and chocolate together in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir occasionally until smooth.
    6. Time to coat the Buckeyes! Remove  peanut butter balls from freezer. Insert a toothpick into a ball, and dip into the melted chocolate chip/Crisco mixture. Return to wax paper or aluminum foil chocolate side down, and remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining balls.
    7. Refrigerate chocolate coated peanut butter balls (or Buckeyes!) for 30 min to 1 hour to set.

peanut butter chocolate buckeyes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Today, in addition to watching the Browns game, doing laundry, going for a run and doing some work, I was a baking and cooking machine. I roasted tomatoes, made fresh pesto, baked banana bread and even made some cookie dough balls. That’s right – cookie dough balls. Who needs cake balls when you have these tasty treats? And of course, they’re egg free – so not only delicious but a safe way (and perfect excuse) to indulge in the best part of baking – cookie dough!

chocolate covered cookie dough bites

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

(borrowed from this recipe)

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup milk (I used 1% but may try almond milk next time)
  • 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 14 oz bag of milk chocolate candy coating

Here’s what you do:

  1. Cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Add milk and vanilla and mix on high speed with an electric mixer (or your beloved KitchenAid).
  2. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
  3. Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
  4. When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ round balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Place dough ball-filled sheet in freezer and let chill for  at least 30 minutes (I went for a run and let mine chill for about an hour).
  6. After cookie dough balls have hardened in the freezer, it’s time to dip them in the melted chocolate! Melt chocolate candy coating in the microwave or according to package directions. Using a toothpick, dip cookie balls into melted milk chocolate and coat completely.
  7. Return chocolate-covered balls to parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Chill until set.
  8. Enjoy! They’re pretty awesome.

chocolate chip cookie dough balls