Mia Took On the Monster

...The Monster Cookie Recipe that is!

Let me back track a moment... last weekend my Mom and I grabbed lunch at my favorite salad spot, Dean and Deluca {sidenote: every time I eat there I pretend I'm at the Soho location in NYC and just stopping for a quick bite while I'm out shopping! Ohhh that would be so glam!}. Anywho, back to the story, after we had our healthy servings of greens, we shared a monster cookie. And.it.was.fabulous! So fabulous that I decided I needed to recreate the goodness.

Fast forward to a free evening spending some quality time with Mia.

If only you could smell the yumminess through your computer screen.

I found a basic oatmeal cookie recipe and adapted it to include peanut butter, chocolate chips and M&M's... and I think it turned out pretty darn spectacular, if I do say so myself!

Mia's Monster Cookies

1 stick of butter {softened}

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups old fashioned oats {not quick oats :)}

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup m&m's candy

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Then, beat in baking soda followed by oats. Lastly, mix in your chocolate chips and candies!

Using an ice cream scoop, drop cookies onto baking sheet. {Tip: flatten cookies with the back of the ice cream scoop so there a bit concave in the middle... it will help them bake evenly so the sides don't get crispy!}

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown!

ENJOY!

Mix It Like You Mean It

Meet Mia the Mixer:

I have recently become the proud owner of this beauty! Thanks MOM! She has been on my wishlist for quite a while {Mia, not my Mom... haha}, but just hadn't taken the plunge to purchase... boy was I missing out! 

Here are just a few recipes that I've tried {once. twice. THREE times or MORE}:

1. Cookies 'n Cream cake and frosting
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Brownies
• Sidenote: the recipe linked here calls to use the pre-made/store-bought puppy chow... I'd actually recommend making the real stuff! It's soooo much better than the bagged version!
3. Cookie Dough Brownie Bars
• I really don't know what to call this heavenly creation... it's an Oreo cookie crust with a cookie dough and brownie filling, topped with a chocolate ganache. Lots of steps, but so worth it! 

Anyone else out there holding out on purchasing one of these babies because the price tag is a bit scary? If you enjoy baking, it's so very worth it! Makes my recipes a breeze and saves my arm from feeling like it is going to fall off! I'd say one of the hardest parts of purchasing is committing to a color... that sounds crazy, but it's true! I was tempted to go with a neutral color like a slate or pewter since I don't have my real kitchen yet and don't know what color it will be, but I later realized no matter when it is that I commit to a kitchen, it will definitely be colorful, so why not start with a great color for Mia the Mixer. And yes, I named my mixer. Don't judge... I feel like she's family since we've already spent so much time together. I name my cars, too. I'm cool like that.