three is the magic number.

I was inducted into our school's chapter of the National Torch Honor Society recently, and this week I had one of my first opportunities to do something to serve the club.  Today was the last meeting for this year's seniors, and it was to be a little celebration to send them on their way :) My chemistry teacher is one of the advisors, and last week in class she mentioned that they needed people to bring "cookies or brownies".  I saw my chance to 1) have another reason to bake 2) try one (or two!) new recipes and 3) do something for the club, and I seized that chance.

I looked over my list of to-make recipes, and decided on two: Double White Chocolate and Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies and Better-Than-Crack Brownies.  I wanted them to be as fresh as possible for the meeting, and so I knocked out both at the same time.

Double White Chocolate and Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies


from Picky Palate

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups peanut butter (original calls for creamy, I used chunky)
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Melt 1 cup white chocolate chips and two Tbsp peanut butter using a double boiler.  Add to beaten butter/sugar mixture along with remaining peanut butter.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

2.  Mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to wet ingredients until just combined.  Pour in pretzels and remaining white chocolate chips and stir to mix.

3.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Gently press down each cookie to a thickness of about 1/2 inch using the palm of your hand.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden.  Let cool for about seven minutes on baking sheet  before removing.

Better-Than-Crack Brownies


from How Sweet It Is

1 batch boxed brownie mix
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1 cup chopped Reese's peanut butter cups (I used a little more)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup peanut butter (again, the original called for creamy but I used chunky)
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies

Mix brownies according to box directions and bake 20-25 minutes in a 9x13 dish.  Remove and top with peanuts and Reese's, and bake for another 4-6 minutes.

While they are baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter.  Stir in cereal.  Remove brownies from oven and pour chocolate mixture evenly over top.

Refrigerate two hours before serving.

Three beautiful layers! And so out of this world :)

Each of these recipes illustrated that three is indeed the magic number!  Three-layer brownies and three-flavor cookies make for a good evening in the kitchen...and on the couch watching Food Network :)