PB Sandwich Cookies & A Puppy Cake

When I saw the recipe for these Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies in a magazine a week ago, I actually gasped, and said, "I have to make these for John for his birthday!" They are amazing, and for a fellow PB lover like John, they are heaven. Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies (recipe adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine Nov. '08)
1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Beat PB and shortening until combined, add brown sugar, egg and vanilla and mix. Beat in the soda, salt and flour, then shape into balls using a level teaspoon of dough for each. Flatten with a fork in criss-cross pattern dipped in sugar. Bake 7-8 mins. and cool on cookie sheet slightly before moving to wire rack to cool.

Fill cookies with 1 tsp. of Peanut Butter Cream filling, and sandwich together. Store in airtight container up to 3 days, freeze unfilled cookies up to 1 month.

Makes 4 dozen if you stick to measurements, about 3 dozen if you use a standard small-sized dough scoop (which is slightly more than 2 tsp.) and halve each to make two cookies for each sandwich.

Peanut Butter Cream Filling
3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter
3/4 c. marshmallow creme
3 Tbs. milk
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground coriander, which I used (or 1/4 tsp. ground cumin - original recipe)
3 Tbs. powdered sugar

Whip all ingredients, except powdered sugar, in Kitchenaid with whisk attachment—gradually add the sugar and combine, then fill cookies!

And, I found an excellent (really, Anne and Jamie licked their plates... in the restaurant) Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting recipe, which I've posted below (this one's a keeper).
Amazing Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (adapted from 52cupcakes.blogspot.com)

2 sticks of butter at room temperature
1 c. Dutch processed cocoa powder
6 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. milk (plus 2 or more additional Tablespoons depending on desired frosting thickness)
3 tsp. vanilla

Blend butter and cocoa in mixer until combined, then add the milk, vanilla and sugar and mix until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl, and beat until light and fluffy. Add additional milk to achieve desired frosting consistency.