PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chunky peanut butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tbsp whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks
1 tbsp sprinkling sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together; set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips and the chocolate chunks.

Place the sprinkling sugar in a small bowl. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar then place on baking sheet, leaving space between cookies for expansion.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden in color. To maintain a chewy middle, do not overbake. (The cookies may appear to not be done, but they are.)

Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: About 2 dozen cookies

 Note: I got this recipe from my Texas Co-op Magazine. It had a footnote saying it was adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

 

STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN PIE

1 pkg (3-oz) strawberry gelatin
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 pkg (10-oz) Birds Eye quick thaw strawberries
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 baked 9-inch pie shell, cooled
Whipped cream, optional
Fresh whole strawberries, optional

 Dissolve gelatin, sugar, and salt in the boiling water; stir until dissolved. Add the cold water and frozen strawberries. Stir gently until fruit thaws and separates. Chill until slightly thickened.

Add whipped topping; blend  until smooth (may appear slightly curdled but will smooth out on blending). Pour into pie shell. Chill until firm, about 4 hours.

Garnish with whipped cream and whole strawberries, if desired.

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MOCK APPLE PIE

I have never tried this recipe so I cannot comment on it. I cut it from a Ritz Crackers box several years ago.

Pastry for a 2-crust 9-inch pie

36 Ritz Crackers

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon, ground

Butter

Cinnamon

Fit half the pastry into a 9-inch pie pan. Preheat oven to 425f-degrees.

Break crackers coarsely into the pastry-lined pie pan.

Combine water, sugar and cream of tartar in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil gently for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and zest. Cool. Pour the syrup over the crackers. Dot generously with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place remaining crust over pie; flute edges and cut air holes in crust. Bake at 425 for 30 to 35 minutes or until the crust is crisp and golden brown.

Delicious served warm.

Yield: 6 to 8 slices

file photo for reference only

EASY MARSHMALLOW FOUR LAYER BARS

Just came across this old recipe clipping. I don't remember where it came from or how long I have had it, but I know it has been years. Based on the product names, I would guess it was a Kraft advertisement in an older holiday magazine.

 

APPLE, BLUEBERRY, CRANBERRY SLUMP

The 'slump' in the name refers to the way the dumplings "slump" during cooking.

1 cup chopped peeled tart apple
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the apple and berries, water and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make dumplings.

Dumplings:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp cold butter
1/3 cup milk
Cream for serving, optional

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and stir just until moistened. Drop mixture into 6 mounds atop the simmering fruit.

Cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of dumplings comes out clean. It is important not to lift the lid during the cooking time.

Serve warm with the cream, if desired.

Source: I got this recipe around 2000 from a Country Cooking Cookbook. The picture is a TOH picture from Bing.

ORANGE PINEAPPLE DELIGHT CAKE

1 box orange cake mix*
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 can (11-oz) Mandarin oranges including the juice
1 can (20-oz) crushed pineapple (reserve juice)
1 (4-serving size) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
1 carton (9-oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan; set aside.

Mix together the cake mix, eggs, oil, and oranges; pour into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until cake tests done. While the cake is still warm, pour 3/4 cup of the pineapple juice over the cake.
Allow cake to cool completely.

After cake is cooled, mix the pineapple with the pudding mix and whipped topping. Spread mixture over the cooled cake. Refrigerate.

*May substitute yellow cake mix.

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CHOCOLATE CREAM STRAWBERRY TART

Pastry for 1 crust pie

1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1 pkg (6-oz) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 pints fresh strawberries, washed & hulled
2 tbsp strawberry jelly

Shell:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Fit pastry dough into a 9-inch removable bottom tart pan. Press firmly into bottom and sides of pan: trim edges. Line with foil and weight with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Remove foil; bake another 2 to 3 minutes. Cool completely. Remove from pan.

Pastry Cream:
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt; gradually add milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly; remove from heat.

Beat in egg yolks and return to the heat; cook for another minute. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate morsels, butter and vanilla. Stir until morsels are melted and mixture is smooth. Place plastic wrap over the surface and chill 30 minutes.

Stir cream and spread evenly into the prepared tart shell. Arrange the strawberries on top.

Melt the jelly in a small saucepan over low heat. Brush over the strawberries. Chill tart thoroughly. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

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LEMONADE-LIKE COOKIES

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup white (granulated) sugar

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup powdered sugar

2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Place cold butter, white sugar, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla extract in a bowl; slowly stir together until butter has started to soften and ingredients come together. Add flour to the butter mixture. Flour your hands and, using your fingertips, rub mixture together until buttery crumbs form. This will take 2 to3 minutes. Press the mixture into a ball.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and press into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Cover with plastic wrap and roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with a 2-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps if needed.

Arrange the cookie cutouts1-inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Using a sharp knife, score1/2-inch decorative lines around the cookie, cutting toward the center. Use a toothpick to wooden skewer to pike small decorative holes between the lines.

Bake at 300-degrees until light brown around the edges, 22 -25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Cool completely.

To glaze, stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice; brush a thin layer over each cookie. Let stand about 30 minutes until glaze is set.

recipe and photo from allrecipes

STRAWBERRY YOGURT WHIP

1 pkg (3-oz) strawberry gelatin (ie Jell-O)

1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
1 carton (8-oz) strawberry yogurt

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add cold water. Chill until slightly thickened. Add yogurt and beat with rotary beater until mixture is light and fluffy. Pour into punch cups or individual little serving dishes. Chill about 2 hours until set.

Yield: 4 cups (8 half cup servings)

Jell-O File Photo

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then vanilla; continue to beat, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed and slowly add the flour mixture. Beat until well combined.

Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Roll balls into the confectioners' sugar to coat heavily. Place 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees until crackly and puffed but still soft in center, about 10 minutes.

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