a mouth-watering week

Since returning from my Denver trip, I've tried to kick myself back into point-counting mode. (Weight Watchers points, that is. For more about my experience with Weight Watchers, read this post.) Some weeks have been better than others, and for me, Weight Watchers is more about being conscious of what I put into my body and how I treat it.

It's not an easy road, though. This week I have been craving dessert. Like, seriously. The moodiness of this month may have something to do with this (which probably also says something about how I handle mood swings). When I'm counting points, I have to consciously decide against foods that I love. Like cake. And brownies. And big, chewy chocolate chip cookies. So, on this Friday, I present you with some of the confections that have been haunting my food-mind all week. Please make them and enjoy them on my behalf.

the chocolate peanut-butter cake
You can find this delight here. It's honestly one of the most wonderful things I've ever had. I made it last year for Fathers' Day. It combines all the most wonderful flavors into one seriously amazing dessert. Please make it. 

Reese's no-bake peanut-butter bars
This is one of the easiest desserts ever. It's perfect for picnics, potlucks, or hoarding at home. These beauties are very pointy, like 15-WW-points a pop pointy. It's one of the first recipes I made from Our Best Bites, and I've been hooked on the site ever since. Once I'm in maintenance mode--or at least when I'm burned out on point-tracking--I will make this immediately.

{photo from Our Best Bites}

thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies
I stumbled on these when I was three months postpartum and dying for sleep. The recipe is from Baking Illustrated (the Test Kitchen, so, you know, my baking/cooking bible). These cookies are best when you use bittersweet chocolate chips. But really, everything is best with bittersweet chocolate chips.

frosted sugar cookie bars
I found these a couple of months ago and find them to be the perfect solution for sugar cookie cravings. (I love sugar cookies, but you have to make the dough and chill it and bake the cookies and frost them and clean up. There are just so many steps.) This bar cookie takes a total of a pound and a half of butter once you make the frosting, and they're amazing. Obviously. With a pound and a half of butter, how could they be bad? Seriously, if you make them for a crowd, you will have zero leftovers. (An aside, I half the almond extract in both the cookie and the frosting. Personal preference.)

{photo from Our Best Bites}

mint brownies
I haven't made these yet, but I've wanted to. Again, once I'm burned out on point-counting you can be sure that these will happen. And the recipe is once again from Our Best Bites, so you know it's delicious.

{again, from Our Best Bites}

I've also had a hankering for snacky desserts like Rice Krispie treats and McFlurrys. Goodness. I know I'll thank myself later for this discipline, so how about you make at least one of these this weekend and tell me how much you love it. I'll enjoy it all vicariously. Obviously.