My laptop charger broke the other day. If you wiggle the cord around just right, it might charge (probably not). You may need to weight it down or hold your mouth just right. Broken charger just when you’re ready to sell a laptop = the bad kind of evil. Peanut butter Snickers cookies = the good kind of evil.

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies
Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped Snickers Peanut Butter Squared candy bars
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the milk and the vanilla extract and mix again.

Add the flour mixture and beat until flour disappears.Stir in the chopped Snickers and chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each cookie ball with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until cookies are slightly brown on the edges.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

I would try to figure how many cupcakes I’ve made this week, but math makes my brain hurt. Let’s just say it’s a lot. My house still needs to be cleaned and a couple of gifts still need wrapping, but guess what? I’m done baking! I kept these last few treats super simple on purpose. It’s the eleventh hour, people! Santa is breathing down all of our necks! Or maybe just mine – I’ve had a lot of caffeine these last few days.

This bark is really excellent. It’s a great use for good-quality chocolate, but of course you can use whatever’s at hand. I’m already thinking that my sister and I will be snacking on it once I’m home this weekend (hi Mary!). Make some to share with the mint lovers in your life!

Peppermint Oreo Bark
Trying to Heal

24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
24 ounces white chocolate chips
One box mint Oreos or Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s (if you’re lucky!!)

Line a large cookie sheet with waxed paper and set aside. Coarsely chop cookies and set aside 1 1/2 cups for topping the bark – choose the largest pieces for this.

Carefully melt white chocolate in the microwave, on medium power, stirring every 40 seconds or so. Stir in cookie pieces (except reserved), and immediately spread onto cookie sheet with a spatula.

Melt the semi-sweet chocolate in the same way, and spread on top of white chocolate layer. Sprinkle reserved cookie pieces over chocolate and gently press down with the back of a spoon.

Let bark set at room temperature until it’s almost hardened, and then slice into squares. Store in an airtight container.

If you have a stand mixer, this could not be simpler. Let it do the work for you. If you have a handheld electric mixer, well, you’re going to need strong arms. But I think you can still do it! And really, aren’t these just adorable? Does it help that there are only three ingredients involved?

Here I went making candy again, which is very unlike me. But let’s leave it at this – if it’s candy, and I’m making it, it must be easy. Logic, people.

Meringue Kisses

Eat, Live, Run

3 egg whites (room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together until you can’t see the bottom of the bowl (it will get all frothy). Gradually add the sugar while the mixer is going on high and continue to beat for another seven minutes or so, until stiff glossy peaks appear. Test this by removing the whisk attachment from your bowl and standing it upright (see above photo). If the meringue doesn’t slump, it’s ready.

Pipe out kisses onto parchment paper or a silpat. Bake at 200 degrees for one hour and ten minutes, until light and dry.

In my (extended) family, these truffles are also bound to happen this time of year. As I made them last night I tried to remember who in the family first introduced me to them, and it’s a toss-up. I feel fairly certain that many families (maybe yours?) have a similar concoction, but it’s just too good not to share! I am definitely not a candymaker, but this is my kind of “truffle.” It’s so easy that I sort of feel like it disgraces the name of truffle. Oh well.

Do you remember my crack sandwiches? Because these are the same idea, minus the pretzels and dipped in white chocolate. Crack sandwiches go holiday, if you will. My family usually uses regular chocolate or almond bark, and both work beautifully. I happen to have about four pounds of white chocolate in my possession (yeah…I don’t want to talk about it), so I melted some down and used it instead. I think the white is more festive!

Oreo Truffles

My rule of thumb for these is to use (basically) equal parts Oreos and cream cheese. This being said, this “recipe” can go as big or as small as you want – just adjust both parts equally!

2/3 package Oreo (or generic equivalent) cookies
2/3 package (6 ounces) cream cheese (reduced-fat is fine)
melted chocolate of your choice for dipping
sprinkles of your choice

If you have a food processor, this goes super fast! Throw your Oreos into the food processor and process until finely ground. Otherwise, put them in a plastic bag and get to work with a rolling pin or mallet.

Add cream cheese to Oreos and process (or stir) until a dough forms. Place the dough (inside the bowl is fine) in the freezer for about five minutes. Melt your chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler.

Spread out a piece of waxed paper close to your melted chocolate, and have the sprinkles handy. Form your “dough” into balls, about a teaspoon at a time, and place on a small plate or bowl. I like to do about fifteen at a time and then pop the dough back into the freezer while I dip those fifteen.

One at a time, place dough balls into melted chocolate, stir around a bit, and fish out with a spoon. Place on waxed paper. Repeat as many times as necessary! I usually stop after every five or six truffles to add sprinkles so that they definitely stick.

Let cool until chocolate has hardened completely, and store in the fridge. Give these away to your loved ones or anyone you need to impress! They’re the best.

Because there’s something wrong with the vacuum and it’s spitting out everything it inhales. Because I’m not eating meat any more and my favorite take-out place made me a beef burrito instead of a bean one (so okay, I ate meat tonight). Because it’s been a busy week at work and all I really want to do is sleep in my sweats for three days.

Because I painted my nails one of those trendy grey-beige (“greige,” apparently) colors and I really don’t think I can pull it off. Because it’s been ninety degrees outside all week long and tomorrow’s the first of October. And because I’m about to go to sleep with my mascara on, I’ll share my new favorite recipe. Which is also my new favorite food.

Oreo Cheesecake Pretzel Sandwiches
Picky Palate

Makes 12 pretzel bites

Ryan and I now call these crack sandwiches. Try them and I guarantee, you’ll understand.

7 Oreo cookies
1 ounce cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
24 small square pretzels
1 cup melted chocolate chips
White sprinkles or shredded coconut for garnish (optional)

Place Oreos into a food processor and process until finely ground. Mix Oreo crumbs and cream cheese until dough forms. Pinch about a tablespoon of dough and form into a little square. Place onto pretzel then gently press top pretzel to close. Top with melted chocolate and white sprinkles or coconut, if desired. Chill until chocolate has hardened and serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer.

It’s something I’m still working on, and I’d recommend it. Practically this means spending more time in my running shoes and in the sunshine, among other things. Exercise and Vitamin D are a beautiful thing.

Anyhow. I’m a big fan of homemade candy but don’t often make it myself. My in-laws do a bang up job of it around the holidays, and I’ve learned that my strengths lie in other areas. Just saying.

This will definitely be my contribution to the Christmas candy from now on, but I wasn’t about to wait another five months to make it. I wish I could say that melting a Hershey’s kiss on top of a pretzel and sticking an M&M on top was my brilliant idea, but sadly, it was not. That doesn’t mean it isn’t crazy delicious. I may have described it as crack. This refers to its addictive nature rather than the actual ingredients, of course.

Please consider these your new go-to for a hostess, teacher, or grouchy babysitter gift. I took some to a coworker yesterday and was greeted with instant delight. The best part is that you can use things that you probably have sitting around the house anyhow. But they don’t know that, right?

Chocolate Candy Pretzels
Chrysanthemum

Pretzels
Chocolate kisses
Candy of your choice (any kind of M&Ms, Whoppers, etc)

Preheat oven to 275°F. Spread pretzels on your favorite nonstick baking sheet and place a chocolate kiss atop each. Bake for about 3-4 minutes, until kisses are thoroughly warmed. As soon as you pull the sheet out of the oven, press a candy atop each kiss. Cool completely (good luck with that).