Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you ever had one of those weeks?  Not the really awesome, great weeks, but the other kind?  I am having one of those.  Sigh.  And when I feel stressed I find therapy in my kitchen.

So today when I was nearing the end of my rope I grabbed a wooden spoon and a bowl and held on for dear life.

These peanut butter cookies made my daughter smile.  And her smile made me smile.  It's getting better already!  :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cream the peanut butter with the butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes, then beat in the egg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so that everything is combined evenly.

Scoop dough by the rounded tablespoonful and roll into balls.  Place the balls about 2 in. apart on a baking sheet (can line with parchment paper or aluminum foil if desired), and press down slightly.  Using a fork dipped in flour, press down on the cookie to form an "X" pattern.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.  Overbaking will cause these chewy cookies to become crunchy, so try to avoid it.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.  For longer storage wrap in plastic and aluminum and freeze for up to a month.

Custard Baked French Toast w/ Raspberry Sauce

Custard Baked French Toast with Raspberry Sauce From Tasty Sensations

6 TBS butter
French bread loaf
1 1/2 C sugar
6 eggs plus 3 yolks
2 C whipping cream
4 C milk
1 TBS vanilla 

Melt butter in a 9X13 inch pan. Slice bread and layer 2-3 deep. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Let sit overnight in refrigerator. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve topped with raspberry sauce and slivered almonds (optional). Dust with powdered sugar and place a few fresh raspberries on top.

Raspberry Sauce:
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen raspberries (organic, if you can get them)
1/4 C sugar
1 TBS cornstarch 

Combine on stove and cook until thickened, pour over French toast.  This sauce is the best part of this breakfast.  So yummy.  

Chicken Alla Voldostana

CHICKEN ALLA VOLDOSTANA

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
4 slices Parma ham (proscuitto)
1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp dried italian herbs
2 Tbs. olive oil (any)
3 Tbs. butter
4 oz hard cheese (gruyere)
1/2 can chicken stock

Method
1. Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper and beat with a rolling pin until flat.
2. Coat the chicken with flour that has been mixed with herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Melt the butter with the oil and fry the chicken for 5 minutes each side.
4. Place a slice of proscuitto on top of each piece of chicken, cover with sliced or grated cheese. Pour the broth into the pan, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. I served with spinach salad and dauphinois potatoes.

Potatoes Dauphinoise

ingredients:

2 extra large russet potatoes

1 pint half and half

salt

white pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese, about 5 ounces

1 clove garlic, minced

nutmeg

italian seasoned bread crumbs

directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

peel potatoes, then slice very thin with a sharp knife (i used my mandolin).  put them in a medium pot with half-and-half, 2 tsp. salt, and freshly ground white pepper.  stir well and simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are just beginning to soften.

rub bottom of medium casserole dish with garlic, then transfer one layer of potatoes to the dish.  sprinkle with half of grated cheese and nutmeg, then transfer remaining potatoes to dish, along with the half and half  mixture.  the liquid should come just to the tops of the potatoes.  top with remaining cheese, another sprinkle of nutmeg, and a thin layer of bread crumbs.  bake for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown.

Mique's Chicken Enchiladas

3 chicken breast, cooked, shredded
¾ c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
¾ c. salsa
12 corn tortillas
2 c. shredded cheese

Mix soup, milk & salsa. Heat in microwave on medium heat, 3 minutes. Add sour cream, heat 1 minute. Heat tortillas by wrapping 4 at a time in wet paper towel and heating in microwave for 1 ½ mins. Take 1 tortilla & place in greased 9x13 pan. Put 1 ½ Tbsp. chicken, 1 ½ Tbsp. cheese, 2 Tbsp. soup mix in the middle and roll up placing edge on bottom of pan. Reserve about 1 c. soup mix and 1 c. cheese to cover entire casserole. Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins or until bubbly (may be covered for more moist enchiladas).

I served with black beans and Rainbow Jello (I always love to have something sweet with Mexican food).  


From Mique's Tried and Trues.  Thanks for sharing Mique.  I thought they were delicious!

Rainbow Jello

Hee hee, this is fun but start early because it takes all day!

Ingredients:

5 boxes (8 oz.) jello in red, orange, yellow, green purple
2 cans evaporated milk

Directions:

Purchase the 8 oz. boxes, but only prepare half of the box at a time.

Layer One:  1/2 box red jello, mix with 3/4 c. boiling water, then when dissolved add 1/2 c. COLD water

Let this set up in the fridge for at least half an hour.

Layer Two:  remaining half of red jello, mix with 3/4 c. boiling water, then when dissolved add 1/2 c. evaporated milk

Repeat with the rest of the colors.

Pear and Walnut sandwiches

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2  cup  (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
• 8  (1.1-ounce) slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 2  Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
• 1  cup  alfalfa sprouts

PREPARATION

1. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese evenly over each of 8 bread slices. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon walnuts evenly over each of 4 bread slices. Top each evenly with pear slices, sprouts, and 1 bread slice. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.  From Cooking Light.

Annual St. Patricks Day dinner at our house

2009--green pasta with green alfredo sauce, green jello, green french bread, green salad, green fruit, green Sprite

2008--basically the same