Cookies n' Cream Cheesecake Cookies

Okay, so I am so proud of this cookie! Not only is it delicious, but I made it up myself. I have adapted other recipes to my taste before, but this is the first cookie I have invented. I'm sure there is another cookie like this out there somewhere, but I haven't seen it.

My inspiration for this cookie came from a couple of different places. First, my grandma makes this amazing Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (which I will post at a later date), and I was originally going to duplicate that into a cookie, but then I was blog hopping and saw these mini oreo cheesecakes. If you don't know, my favorite thing to make, and eat, are cookies. So, the Cookies N' Cream Cheesecake Cookie was born! To make it a little more "cheesecakey" I drizzled it with some cream cheese icing. They were a hit!

Cookies N' Cream Cheesecake Cookies

1 c. butter, softened
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 1/4 c. flour
2 c. crushed oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl beat cream cheese and butter together. Add sugar and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula fold in crushed oreos. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lined cookie sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the edges barely turn brown. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes and tranfer to wire rack or waxed paper to cool completely. Drizzle with CREAM CHEESE ICING (below) and enjoy! Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

CREAM CHEESE ICING (amounts are approximate)
1/2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 T. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Add water to drizzling consistency.

Magic in the Middle Cookies

Okay, so this morning I was doing a little blog hopping and came across these cookies on My Kitchen Cafe . I decided I HAD to make them right away. I was craving some type of cookie and these SCREAMED at me. Peanut Butter and Chocolate are pretty much the best combination EVER, and these cookies are divine!!!

These look like nice unassuming chocolate cookies, but then you bit into it and there is a little "magic" inside!

They have a yummy gooey peanut butter center. It's pretty much like a thick peanut butter frosting inside! Doesn't that look good?!

I gave some to my parents and grandparents and my "little" (6'5") brother said they were the best cookies he had ever eaten! My mom has already asked for the recipe too, so here it is!

Magic in the Middle Cookies

Chocolate Dough:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar + extra for rolling

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 lg. egg + 1 egg yolk

Peanut Butter Filling:

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

3/4 c. powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (My cookies always come out better on parchment paper).

2. To make dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In another medium bowl, beat together the sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beating to combine. Then add dry ingredients and mix well.

4. To make filling: mix peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth and dough like.

5. With floured hands or teaspoon scoop, roll filling into 1 inch balls (approx. 26).

6. To form cookies: Take 1 Tablespoon chocolate dough and roll into a ball. Then make and indentation with your finger and put a peanut butter ball in the middle. Bring up edges of dough to cover filling and roll again with your hands to create a ball. Repeat with the rest of your cookies.

7. Roll the chocolate balls in sugar and place on lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

8. With a drinking glass, press down on each cookie until approximately 1/2 inch thick.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 7-9 minutes or until set.

10. Cool on wire rack.

11. Enjoy!

Flirty Skirt Bag

I was over at my grandma's house, she's a sewing enthusiast, looking through some of her stuff and found a pattern, well, instructions for this adorable bag. I wanted a new cute bag to take all my Young Women's stuff to church in, so I decided to make it. It is called the "FLIRTY SKIRT" bag. There is also a pattern for a smaller purse, whereas this is the larger tote, but that one turns out pretty small I'm told. This is about the size my regular purse is. I need a little bigger one for all the junk I tote around. My next project is to make one for my mom. I'm using brown and teal for hers.

I think it is adorable with that ruffle around the bottom. The instructions were a little confusing, but I figured it out, and I experimented on a few things, but they turned out pretty good!

(That's my daughter's pajama pants you see in the background on the picture below! She wanted to be in the picture and was saying "Cheese"!) Anyway, I added the little outline of the lining fabric on the top of the bag. I thought it added a cute touch.

The inside has nice big pockets...perfect for those pens I'm always losing and extra little booklets and handouts and stuff!

This was a fun project! It didn't take too long and it turned out really cute, and now that I know what I'm doing it will be even easier next time!