Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Remember these classic cookies? Five ingredients, 20 minutes, and you're on your way to warm peanut-buttery and chocolatey goodness. These totally hit the spot when I found myself having an unexpected peanut butter craving a couple weeks ago (I'm normally not a big peanut butter lover, but I had to have peanut butter cookies immediately). I'm thinking about trying these again but with Nutella instead of peanut butter...I'll keep you posted with how they turn out!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
adapted from allrecipes

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
18 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. With electric mixer, combine all ingredients except kisses. Beat on medium until completely combined. Roll into 1" balls and place on prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press 1 chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. A big glass of milk is a MUST with these!

Mini White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecakes

My brother is getting married to a fabulous girl, Cami, next month. My sisters, my mom and I threw a bridal shower for her last weekend. Cami isn't much of a dessert fan, but she does love cheesecake. I knew I needed to make some kind of cheesecake for the shower. I wanted it to be cute and bite-sized, and I wanted to incorporate raspberries (my favorite). I adapted my favorite cheesecake recipe from Kraft Foods and came up with this delicious and beautiful dessert. It was the hit of the party, and everyone loved it. I hope you will too.

Mini White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecakes
Makes 24 mini cheesecakes

3/4 cup vanilla wafers, finely crushed
2 Tb. butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
2 Tb. white chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 Tb. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners. Mix vanilla wafers and melted butter, and divide evenly between liners (about 1/2 Tb. or 1-1/2 tsp. each). Press crust down lightly with fingertips.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and sour cream and beat until blended. Add egg and mix on low speed until just blended, scraping sides of bowl to mix completely. Divide cream cheese filling evenly between muffin cups (about 1 - 1 1/2 Tb. per cup).
3. Blend raspberries with mini chopper or immersion blender until completely blended. Press through fine mesh strainer to remove seeds, and mix with sugar. Dot each cheesecake with a couple of drops of the raspberry puree, then swirl carefully with a toothpick.
4. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until just barely set. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 30 minutes, then move to refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours. Serve with fresh raspberries.