t o m a t o e s & t e q u i l a

So these are actually called "Better-Than-Crack Brownies" per the blog I found them on (my favorite!:How Sweet It Is), but that got to be too much to say so I just shortened the title to Crack Brownies.

These make me feel uber-American. They make me want to say "America" with a George W. Bush accent and then go do something American like, eat McDonald's or be really loud and obnoxious in public, or wear socks with my sandals (preferably Tevas, while sporting a neon fanny pack).

Why do these make me feel uber-American, you must be asking. Because they are over the top, ooey-gooey, gluttonous, peanut-buttery chocolatey richness. They are big and bold and all together just a little too much. So obviously I made these for the Super Bowl a few weeks ago. Sorry it took me so long to share them.

Well, the title of this recipe is a mouth full - Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Covered Toffee and Pretzels - but the recipe itself is a synch. Very few ingredients and they all just get tossed in a bowl. No creaming eggs and sugar, slowly adding dry ingredients - nope, this recipe is "everybody in the pool." And, I didn't even have to make adjustments for high altitude. These baked up just fine without any tweaks.

Despite the benefit of how easy these are, what initially attracted me to them was the unique ingredients. Once I thought about it I realized (duh!) that pretzels with their salty bite and chocolate covered toffee with its sweet crunch would go perfectly with peanut butter. Why have I never seen this before in a recipe?! I knew I must make these immediately and it turned out that I had the perfect occasion as a friend was coming over for dinner. They were casual, easy, and super yummy.

FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE COVERED TOFFEE AND PRETZELS RECIPE
(Real Simple Magazine)

2 c.creamy peanut butter
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. each roughly chopped chocolate toffee candy bar and salted pretzels

Heat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugars, eggs, baking soda, and salt until smooth. Fold in toffee and pretzels.

Shape the dough into balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon each) and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, flatten each ball, creating a crisscross pattern.

Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes (the cookies will deflate as they cool). Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I have officially mastered baking at 7,200 ft. and I'm feelin' pretty good about it. For Christmas I got "Pie in the Sky," by Susan G. Purdy. There is an "adjustment table" in the back of the book that lists adjustments for different altitudes and when followed, yields lovely baked goods void of the frustrating hallmarks of high altitude baking. The funny thing is, when I tried an actual recipe from the book I got the flattest cookies I have ever made - no seriously, flattest EVER. Which resulted in a lot of swearing and stopping around the kitchen.

Anyway - I used to make these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies in California and initially did not have success with them in Colorado. But, I tried again last week and voila - lovely, poofy, moist cookies. I win, high altitude! Take that!

These are seriously awesome too, soft on the inside with a chewy outside. Do try them immediately.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES RECIPE
(from smittenkitchen, originally adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour (+ 8tbl. for high altitude)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (- 1/4 tsp. for high altitude)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (- 1/8 tsp. for high altitude)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
1/2 c. firmly packed light brown sugar (- 3 tbl. for high altitude)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk (+ 1 tbl. for high altitude)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (I did not have these on hand so I used peanuts and thought the result was wonderful - the peanuts add a nice crunch)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
For sprinkling: 1 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern (I used the back of a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top), but do not overly flatten cookies.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not. (I baked for 9 minutes - I like mine cookies slightly undercooked and let them finish on the hot baking tray - this keeps them from drying out or getting hard)

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.