Where's the Dog?

This is Pebbles.  

My five year old English bulldog Pebbles has finally learned to climb the stairs to the second floor of our house.  That may not sound like a big deal but it is.

For years,  Pebi's world has ended at the bottom of the staircase.  She would stand at the base of the stairs and whine but never ventured up the stairs to see what was going on in no man's land.  It's not like we didn't invite her up because we did.  We'd coax and cajole her but she never budged.  It was just too scary a thought, I guess.

But all that changed a couple of weeks ago.  I was working in my office on the second floor.  Actually I  wasn't working at all.  I was probably cruising the internet.   I felt like there was something moving in the room.  I looked around and out from behind the coffee table appeared none other than Pebbles.  Who knows how long she had been hiding there.

She was most excited at her new location.  She scurried all around, with her little tushy wiggling.  She was pretty excited.

Getting her down the stairs was a little dicey.  She was afraid and the first couple of times I had to carry her with her little legs shooting straight out in front of her, like Super Dog.  But soon she was handling the stairs like a pro.

Pebbles is now a regular on the second floor.  She's even ventured up to the third floor, lest she miss out on any of the action.  All those years of inviting her upstairs and she finally took the bull by the horns and did it all by herself.

Of course, now we have a new problem.  We can never find Pebi.  Since the world is now her oyster, she tours the house was abandon and the familiar refrain around here is "where's the dog?"

Clearly there is not a recipe that really works with the Pebbles story so instead I'm going to share a recipe for a truly delicious peanut butter chocolate chip cookie.   These cookies are deliciously cakey.  Eat one and then send the rest with your kids to share with their friends.  That way you get to enjoy a truly delicious cookie without the "I can't believe I ate the whole thing" guilt.  I'm pragmatic if nothing else.

Recipe:  Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
(Adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery, 2009)

Ingredients:



2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.   Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add the egg, cream, and vanilla, and beat well.  Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the pecans, peanut butter chips, and chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.