Cookies

Good Old Fashion Peanut Butter Cookies

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Must give Credit where credit is due. This recipe comes from Cookies, Copyright 1988 by Company’s Coming Publishing Limited 6th Ed. Jean Pare

peanut butter cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 generous teaspoon Vanilla

3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375F (190C) 
Yes, do it, preheat the oven! I turn the oven on and by the time the first batch is ready to go in the oven, the first tray of cookies is ready to hit the oven.
Prepare baking trays…get them out of the cupboard now, while your hands are still clean.
And while you are at it, pour some sugar, about 1/3 of a cup into a bowl and stir with a fork to get any lumps out. Really that is just a ploy to get you to have a fork ready to go too!
Without any further ado…

In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Give it a whisk or use that fork you have sitting in the sugar bowl.

In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until well combined. Add brown sugar and continue creaming for a minute. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add Vanilla and cream the whole lot for a few minutes scraping sides and bottom of bowl a couple of times.

Using a wooden spoon or mixing paddle on a mixer, stir in the dry ingredients until cookie dough forms a ball and pulls away from the side of the bowl. 

Using a #2 (or #3) Pampered Chef scoop portion dough rolling each portion into a ball. Place on ungreased baking trays allowing room for expansion!
Slightly flatten each cookie with fork dipped in sugar. You can make a checkerboard pattern or just press the cookies once…your call.

Bake in preheated 375F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. If baking two trays at a time, rotate mid way through baking time to ensure even browning: top to bottom, bottom to top, front to back.

Remove from oven and let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

A few Notes 

Cooking Times :it really depends on the size of the cookie. If they are smaller, they will only take 8 minutes! Be watchful the first time you make them, is my  advice.
Add Ins  
1 1/2 cups mini choc chips.
or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

          

Squares and Bars

Passionfruit Bars

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While living in Australia there was a Passionfruit vine just outside the door which provided and abundant crop! Apparently the pulp freezes really well but I thought I would try using it in different recipes!


Ingredients

  • 1 cup (150g) flour
  • 1 ½ (7 ml) teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ (2 ml) teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut
  • ½ cup (100g) caster sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) butter, cold, cut into cubes
  • 1 x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup (125ml) fresh lemon juice (approx 2 lemons)
  • 2 Tbsp passionfruit pulp

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C)
  2. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with Vegetable oil spray
  3. In medium size mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and sugar.
  4. Using pastry blender, cut cold butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  5. Add coconut and mix well.
  6. Press the crumb mixture into prepared pan and bake in preheated 350F degree oven for 12 minutes or until lightly golden.
  7. Remove from oven and cool.
  8. Reduce oven temp to 300F (150C)
  9. In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and passionfruit pulp until smooth.
  10. Pour over base and spread evenly.
  11. Bake in 300F oven for 15 minutes or until set.
  12. Remove from oven, cool completely before slicing.
About, Quick Breads

Bannock – Fried Bread

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2 cups Flour (sometimes I use half whole wheat flour, half white flour)
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Enough warm water to make a soft dough
1 cup Vegetable Oil, for frying

In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Using a fork, stir in enough warm water to make a soft dough; start with about a 1/2 cup of water, stir, add a bit of water, stir.
Continue adding water a little at a time until you achieve the right consistency.
Heat about 1 cup of vegetable oil over high heat; drop a bit of dough in the hot oil, if it sizzles and floats to the top of the oil, it is ready to go.
While the oil is heating you can start forming your bannock; you can cook up to four bannock in the pan at one time.
Using a fork, scoop out about 1/4 cup of dough and drop it into a mound of flour.
With lightly floured hands, pick it up and gently toss it between your hands to lightly coat with flour and start shaping.
Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and gently flatten to about 1/4inch thick.
Carefully place in hot oil, cook until golden.
 Flip and cook for another minute.
Remove from oil to paper towel lined platter.
Continue this procedure with the remaining dough.
When you are first starting to make Bannock, I recommend you have a partner in crime to give you a hand; one person can form the bannock and the other person can cook it. Heaps less stressful!
Enjoy your bannock!
Oh, and there are a gazillion and nine Bannock recipes and methods of cooking bannock…this is just how I was taught to make it.
PS…making Bannock is messy work! But well worth it!
About, Pasta

Macaroni and Cheese

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There is nothing quite so comforting as Home Made Macaroni and Cheese. Everyone has there own twist on the recipe.  Sometimes I will add things, use different cheeses, sometimes add a breadcrumb topping, sometimes not…create your own heartwarming, soul soothing Mac and Cheese.

Mac and Cheese - Creamy Delicious Cheesy Delight

Just a note, I often double the amounts so that I can have leftovers for lunches.

6 ounces Pasta (Cavatappi is my new fave! Sea Shells are great, Bow Ties and sometimes                                 you just have to go with good ol’ fashioned Elbow)
1/4 cup Butter (Margarine)
1 small Onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 cup Flour
1 3/4 cups Milk (Soy Milk)
8 ounces Shredded Old Cheddar or a combination of cheeses: a bit of parmesan, cheddar,                  mozza.
1 – 3 teaspoons Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

Bread Crumb Topping:
2 slices Multigrain Bread
1 Tablespoon Butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon “The Mix” <- my blend of spices that I use for a lot of things

Put bread slices in processor and pulse until no chunks of bread remain.
Add melted butter, pulse for a few seconds to coat bread with butter; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375F.
Lightly butter or spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish; set aside.

In a large pot cook pasta according to directions on package.
Pour into colander to drain; leave sitting in colander.
In the same pot, melt butter; add onion, garlic,  salt and pepper and cook until onion is soft.
Blend in flour.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
Stir in milk.
Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring constantly; maintain boil for about a minute, and keep on stirring.
Remove from heat; stir in mustard, paprika and cheese. Stir until all the cheese is melted.

Pour macaroni into the cheese mixture and stir to coat all the pasta.
Pour macaroni and cheese into prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
Bake uncovered in 375F oven for 30 minutes.

Breakfast

French Toast stuffed with Peaches

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Peaches are in season! One of my favourite Summer fruits!

Delicious French Toast stuffed with Peaches

4 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Sugar
Pinch of Salt

2 Fresh Peaches
1 Loaf of French Bread

Powdered Sugar to garnish

In medium mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla.
Add sugar and salt; set aside.

Preheat griddle to 350F.

Use a serrated knife to cut thick slices of French bread after removing end pieces.
Using a small serrated knife, cut a slice into the bottom of each slice of bread.
Wash and peel two ripe peaches; cut into thin wedges.
Stuff three slices of peach into each slice of bread.
Dip each slice of peach stuffed bread into egg mixture and place on griddle lightly sprayed with vegetable oil.
Cook for about 4 minutes, turn over and continue cooking for another four minutes.
Stand each piece of French toast on its bottom and cook for about a minute before turning it onto the top of the slice and cooking for another minute.
Remove to serving platter.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Serve with warmed Maple Syrup or Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream.
Makes 8 slices of French Toast

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.