Finger Foods For March Madness

Black Bean Dip, Grilled Chicken Legs, And Spinach Parmesan Balls

(CBS) 

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup quick oats
Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream the butter and peanut butter together in a large mixer on high. Add the sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture is fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and oats together in a separate bowl and add to the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.

Place the batter onto a sheet pan by the tablespoonful, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the top half of the oven until the cookies are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

When the cookies are completely cool, put a teaspoonful of the butter cream, or some peanut butter and strawberry jelly, or chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies, pressing down until the filling squeezes out a bit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yield: 20 to 24 sandwich cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy

Peanut Butter Molasses Buttercream

1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Pinch salt

Cream the butter and peanut butter together using an electric mixer. Add the sugar and molasses and beat until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and salt and beat one additional minute. Spread on the cookies immediately.

Yield: about 2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Filling

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup strawberry jam