Chocolate filled peanut-butter cookies

These are for people that love peanut-butter and chocolate.  A rich, crunchy cookie good with a cup of coffee or an ice cold glass of milk.

Oven:350°
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Yield:Approx. 2 dozen

1 cup butter, softened                                                                           
1 cup granulated sugar                                                                                  
1 cup brown sugar                                                                                         
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

Thoroughly cream shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in peanut butter.  Sift dry ingredients; stir into creamed mixture.

When the cookie dough is ready...

Place the chocolate chips in a zip-lock bag and zap them in the microwave over a few seconds to melt.  Do not over heat.  Cut off a bottom corner.

In a cupcake pan place paper liners.  Drop a heaping teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture into a paper lined mold and press so a bit goes up the sides creating a small cup, then add a daub of melted chocolate.  Top with a heaping teaspoon of peanut butter mixture that you've flatten into a disk, press the edges to seal in the chocolate.  Place in the heated oven for about 15 minutes.

When the cookies are golden brown remove from the oven and cool.  When cool they easily release from the paper liners.  Add a daub of chocolate.

This will make about 24 cookies.

Cauliflower Soup

I had seen a recipe for Cauliflower soup nearly 6 months ago and wanted to try it.  I finally had the chance.  I love the richness of it.

Cauliflower Soup

1 head fresh cauliflower, broken into pieces
1 small white onion, chopped
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup milk, to thin
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

Place the olive oil and butter in a heavy bottom pan, add the chopped onions, saute until translucent.  Add the cauliflower pieces and the 1/2 cup water, turn the flame as low as possible.  Cook until the cauliflower is soft and easily mashed with a fork.  When the cauliflower is cooked add the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. 

Place the cauliflower and cheese mixture in a blender, cover it well and blend until smooth, adding milk as needed to thin.  Taste for salt.  This should take just a few seconds and not cool the soup off too much.

Serve.   

Individual Apple and Pumpkin pies

                                     Loved making these small pies as gifts for my neighbors. 
Pie Crust:

Enough for a 2 crust pie.  I made 2 balls of the pastry and rolled them out one at a time, cutting them to fit the small pie plates.

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
5-7 tablespoons ice water

Sift together flour and salt.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or blending fork until pieces are the size of small peas. 
 To make the pastry extra tender and flaky, divide the shortening in half.  Cut in the first half until the mixture looks like corn meal.  Then cut in the remaining half till it looks like small peas.
  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of ice water over part of the flour-shortening mixture.  Gently toss with a fork; push to one side of the bowl.  Repeat till all is moistened.  Gather up with fingers; form into a ball.  Divide the dough into two balls for the upper and lower crusts.
  On a lightly floured surface, flatten one ball slightly and roll 1/8 inch thick.  If edges split, pinch together.  Always roll spoke-fashion, going from the center to the edge of the dough.  Use light strokes.
   Cut into circles to fit your pastry pans.  Fill.  Repeat the process of rolling and cutting to cut out the top crust.
  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 degrees to continue baking until golden brown and bubbly.  Time will vary with the filling used.

  

Won Ton nibbles

Won Ton Nibbles

Quick, easy, delish!

I made 6 nibbles, you can create as many as needed. 

Oven: 350 degrees        10 minutes, watch them carefully.

Using a cupcake pan, spray the cavities with Pam.  Place a won ton in the cup, leaving a bit exposed over the top, add another won ton, at a different angle.  Continue until you've filled the needed number of cavities.  Spray the won tons lightly.

Mix together chopped ham, green onion, dill pickle (I used pickle chips, 1 per nibble) and top with grated cheese.   Carefully fill the won tons and top with extra grated cheese.

Place in pre-heated oven.  Watch them carefully.  They cook very quickly.  Remove when they are brown and the cheese is melted.  Serve warm.

Cupcake Cherry Pie

I saw this in a blog I follow and thought it was a wonderful idea.  The flavor is nice and the overall cupcake was received with applause.  I'll certainly do these again.

Cupcake Cherry Pie                  Yield 24 cupcake                               Oven 350 degrees

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 can Comstock cherry pie filling

Make the cake according to the directions on the box, adding the flour at the beginning to be sure it is well incorporated.

Portion into cupcake liners and then add 3-4 cherries and 2 tablespoons of the filling to each cupcake.  Try to space the cherries around the top so there is a cherry in each bite.  Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.   Cool completely and ice with your favorite frosting in a cherry pie pattern.