No-Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup of Adam's Crunchy Peanut Butter
2 large eggs
1 cup of chocolate chips
1 cup of sugar

Servings: Approximately 22 Cookies

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350*.

Mix ingredients completely. Using a cookie scoop (I think mine is approx. 1 1/2 in. round), scoop out cookie "dough" and place approximately 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake @ 350* for 14 minutes, watching closely. If it looks like they need another 2 minutes, then that is the time to take them out of the oven. If they look like they need about 3-4 minutes, cook 1 more minute then remove from oven. Cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then remove (be gentle)using a spatula and let cool on cookie racks. Let them cool completely. Although, they are great for dunking in milk especially if slightly warm and the chocolate chips are somewhat gooey. Store in a container. Enjoy!
(I use a silpat so the cookies bake very nicely)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I saw this idea in the Martha Stewart magazine and had to try them. You may already know this but I love chocolate and peanut butter :) These cups can be filled with other toppings too!
Could be good with sliced strawberries for Valentines Day!

Semi-sweet or bitter sweet chocolate
the filling of your choice, peanut butter, fruit, etc

Melt chocolate and using a food safe brush, paint the inside of a muffin holder while in the muffin pan. Place in refrigerator to set for ten minutes. Brush another layer of chocolate in the same muffin holder and place in fridge again for 10 more minutes. Once set, carefully peel muffin holder off of the chocolate and fill with filling. Enjoy some goodness!

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

I love to bake treats for my family. When they involve peanut butter and chocolate, they don't get very many of them! This recipe comes to us from "Old Fashioned Bake Sale" cookbook.

2 cups peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups mini chocolate chips

Grease 13x9-inch baking pan.
Beat 1 1/4 cups peanut butter and butte in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. With hands or wooden spoon, work in remaining powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and 1/2 cup morsels. Press evenly into prepared pan. Smooth top with spatula.
Melt remaining peanut butter and remaining morsels in medium, heavy-duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Spread over graham cracker crust in pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chocolate is firm; cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Akutaq (Eskimo Ice Cream)

Alright, here's a fun one for you ladies and I dare you to try it!
We have eaten it a few times since we've moved up here and each time it's been a little different depending on who made it.

First rule of Akutaq (pronounced Ah-goo-duck by the white person) is to always use tundra berries and I have to tell you that tundra berries are a little hard to find right now, unless you have some in your freezer. so, if you must, go ahead and use any frozen berries that you have.

Modern Akutaq (Eskimo Ice Cream)

1 cup solid vegetable shortening*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water, berry juice, or 2 cups loose snow (optional)
4 cups fresh berries, (blueberries, cloudberries, cranberries, salmon berries, or blackberries)

* Crisco solid vegetable shortening is preferred

In a large bowl, cream vegetable shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add water, berry juice, or snow and beat until well combined.

Fold in berries, 1 cup at a time, until blended.

Place in freezer to firm up before serving.

Original akutaq was made with the fat from a moose or caribou as well as seal oil and usually flaked white fish or sheefish mixed in.

We have had it with the fish, but never with the seal oil or moose/caribou fat.

Mock Grilled Cheese

I mentioned before that I love April Fools. I also made this as part of my "meal" on April Fools. I made mock shepherd's pie and my daughter was scared to try this grilled cheese. After she tried it, she ate it all. The poor things I do to my kids for a laugh. This is also from Family Fun.

Pound cake
1 C buttercream or white frosting
Yellow and red food coloring

Slice the pound cake to the same thickness as a piece of sandwich bread. Toast the "bread" until golden brown. Let cool slightly and slice diagonally as you would a grilled cheese sandwich.
Tint the frosting orange to resemble the "melted cheese" in the grilled cheese sandwich.
Frost one side of the "bread" and top with another slice of "bread." (the bigger the dolop of frosting the more it looks like melted cheese when topped with the other slice.)
Now, go trick your family members :)

Chcolate chip zucchini cake

2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 T. Cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup choc. chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts-optional

Squeeze zucchini dry. mix wet ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together.
Smooth cake into 9x13 ungreased pan.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts if desired.
Bake at 350* for 45-50 minutes.

Peanut butter pie

3 (8oz. each) tubs cool whip
1/2 c. PB (crunchy or creamy)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Put cream cheese & PB in lg. bowl and mix with mixer until consistent.
Add 1 tub cool whip and again mix until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and mix well.
Add 2nd tub of cool whip and mix well.
When consistent,add last tub of cool whip.
Spread into 2 pie crusts.
Chill before serving.

Kids Make Ice Cream

I do a home preschool with my 3-year-old son. This week we are studying science. We just made this ice cream and he was excited about it. I got excited when I remembered I could post it on the blog! I got the reciped out of our Science Play book.

1 C milk
2 TBSP sugar
1/4 C salt
Ice cubes
2 resealable sandwich bags
Larger resealable bag
Towel
Plastic shopping Bag
Twist tie

Add sugar and milk to the small resealable bag. Taste the solution. Let out some of the air as you zip to seal. Seal this bag inside another sandwich bag.
Place ice cubes in the bottom of the big bag. Add the small bag of milk and surround with more ice cubes. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of salt over the ice. Let out some of the air as you zip to seal.
Wrap a towl around the bag of ice. Place the bundle into a plastic shopping bag and seal with a twist tie.
Shake the bag. Have kids help continue to shake for 15 minutes. Remove the small bag and quickly rinse off the salt with cold water. Ask your kids if they think the milk changed. Enjoy their creation. Try adding sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts, or your favorite toppings :)

Mock Sushi

I always make a funny meal for my family on April Fools. They are alway leery of eating that day not knowing what they may be putting in their mouth :) With April Fools Day around the corner I thought I would post this. I love Family Fun magazine and this is where I got this recipe. www.familyfun.com is their website where you can also find lots of fun ideas.

1/4 C butter
4 C mini marshmellows
6 C crisped rice cereal
20-25 gummy worms
1 to 2 boxes of fruit leather
12x 17-inch baking sheet
2-quart sauce pan

Grease a 12x17-inch baking pan.
Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
Add the marshmellows and stir until smooth
Remove mixture from heat and stir in the rice cereal until it's evenly coated.
Turn the baking sheet so that the shorter ends are at the top and bottom. Then press the marshmellow mixture on the sheet, distributing it evenly.
Starting at one side and 1 inch up from the lower edge, place gummy worms atop the mixture end to end in a horizontal line.
Gently roll the lower edge of the marshmellow mixture over the gummy worms.
Then stop and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Use the same method for 4 more logs.
Slice each log in 1-inch-thick "sushi" rolls and wrap them individually with a strip of fruit leather.
Happy eating! :)

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

I went to a birthday party at the Kids Cooking Corner and these were the cupcakes they made. Very good. The owner got the recipe off the Betty Crocker website.

2 C all-purpose flour
2 C granulated sugar
3/4 C sour cream
1/4 C shortening
1 C water
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 36 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low-speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; place on cooling rack. Cool completely and frost.

Blackberry cobbler

1/2 c. butter-melted into a 2 qt. casserole dish
Combine:
1 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
2/3 c. milk
Mix well. Pour over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon blackberries (16 oz. frozen or 2 c. fresh) over the batter. Do not stir.
Bake at 350* for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with fresh cream or ice cream.

Banana Cake

Sift together
2 1/2 c. flour
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
Then add
1/3 c. shortening
1/3 c. butter
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 1/4 c. mashed ripe bananas(about 2 med)
Mix until moistened, then beat on low for 2 minutes
Add
2 eggs
Beat 1 minute
Grease 2 9 inch square or round pans, then line bottom of pan with waxed paper. grease or spray waxed paper.
Divide batter into 2 pans; then bake at 350* oven for 25-30 minutes, until cake tests done. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes in pans then remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Frost with butternut banana frosting, top with toasted pecans or walnuts if desired

Butternut banana frosting

1/4 c. butter
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. mashed banana
1/4 t. white vinegar
3 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar
chopped pecans, toasted-optional- for topping

Cream butter w/ salt.
Combine banana and vinegar in another bowl. Add banana mixture to butter mixture alternately with sugar. Beat until frosting is fluffy. Garnish top and/or sides of cake with chopped toasted pecans, if desired.

To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on baking sheet. Toast in a 350* oven, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Or toast in ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown & aromatic

Blackberry crumble

Preheat oven to 350*
2 c. blackberries
2/3 c. sugar
2 T. lemon juice (or the juice of 1 lemon)
3 T. butter
2/3 c. flour
1/8 t. salt

Put blackberries in 1 qt. baking dish with 1/2 the sugar. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cream butter, sugar, flour and salt together, sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350* for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with fresh cream, ice cream or dessert sauce

Banana Bars

Perfect recipe for those overripe bananas.
Beware your family may want to eat these for dinner instead of some other fabulous meal.

Grandma Mary’s Tip: Bananas are the sweetest when the peels begin to brown.

Preheat oven to 350*
Grease a 15x10x1 inch baking pan; set aside.
Toast nuts: Spread favorite nut on ungreased shallow pan; bake uncovered 6-10 minues, stirring occasionally, until light brown.


1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 egg
1 cup of mashed banana (about 3 medium)
½ cup of dairy sour cream
1 t. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup of toasted nuts (I prefer walnuts, my kids prefer none)
Favorite Frosting (optional)
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high spped for 30 seconds.

Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt.

Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally.

Beat in egg, mashed bananas, sour cream & vanilla until combined

Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour & favorite nuts.

Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Top with optional ingredients.

BEST Granola recipe

I looooove homemade granola. I love greek yogurt topped with a little homemade granola and honey. Maybe a few berries tossed on top. It's like dessert :)

This recipe is so good! I got it by email, I think from Michelle P or Angie F. I pretty much make a batch weekly! Lisa D brought this to us when we brought our girl home from Ethiopia, and we've been hooked ever since. My whole family loves it.

Maple Nut Granola
3 1/2 C old fashioned oats
1/2 C sesame seeds
1/2 C sunflower seeds
1/2 C pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas)
1/2 C butter (1 stick- I have also used part butter, part coconut oil)
1/2 C Maple Syrup ( Use 1/4 C honey, 1/4 C Maple syrup)
1Tbsp Nut Butter ( I use Peanut Butter)
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 C Flax Meal (optional-adds great omega 3's and fiber, and you'll never know it's there!)
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Melt butter and maple syrup/honey on stovetop until all melted together. Add nut butter, stir until melted. Remove from heat and add almond extract and vanilla extract. Stir well, pour mixture over oat mixture. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 300 for 45-60 min. I usually check it and stir every 20 minutes while cooking. If you like it chewy, take it out sooner, I like mine nice and crunchy so I usually end up closer to an hour.  SO GOOD.

Cheesecake

I bake.
A lot.
But, I had never tackled a cheesecake.
Until a very special someone deserved her favortie dessert.
So, I jumped in and gave it a shot.
And it worked!

Topped with some fresh raspberries.
It's a good thing I didn't bring home the left overs :)
So, here it is - straight off the good 'ol internet - with my changes noted.
(Because I rarely do anything exactly like I'm supposed to.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Gluten Free Nut Crust Supreme
2 cups Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking (or regular flour)
½ cup dark brown sugar (I used light)
2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (I used salted)
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Spray cheesecake pan lightly with vegetable oil spray. In a medium bowl stir together the flour mix and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until fine crumbs form. Stir in the nuts and pat into your pan. (I mixed all of this in the food processor) The crust will be “crumbly” but will hold together once pressed into the pan. This will be more than enough for one large cheesecake and perhaps for a second smaller pie. Though it tastes so good on it’s own you may just end up eating it!

Barbara’s Classic Gluten Free Cheesecake

4 – 8 oz bars of gluten free cream cheese, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla

Mix all of the ingredients with a beater until smooth and pour into the unbaked crust. Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

While that is baking, prepare the topping.( I totally skipped this step!!!!! I didn't use the topping)

2 cups gluten free sour cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon of gluten free almond extract
Juice from ½ a lemon

Mix the topping ingredients in a bowl. After the first 30 minutes of baking, remove the cheesecake and spoon the topping onto the cheesecake. Be careful not to overfill the pan. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes. You may want to place a piece of foil under the cheesecake just to catch any drippings. Cooking times can vary dramatically depending upon the amount of topping you choose to use. Watch to see when it starts to solidify but don’t let it stay in so long that the crust begins to burn. (I baked it for 40 minutes without the topping. The middle should still look a little jiggly.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Creme Brulee

Oh, how I LOVE me some Creme Brulee....this is a recipe I can't wait to try! Maybe for the 4th of July I can convince my hubby to make this. (he is the Brulee expert in our house...hello, give your man a blow torch in the kitchen, and he's your cook forever!)

Organic Strawberry-rhubarb Creme Brulee

Ingredients

1 pound Strawberries washed and quartered

1 pound Rhubarb washed trimmed & cut into 1/4 inch

6 tablespoons Granulated Sugar

5 large Egg Yolks fresh

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1 3/4 cups Heavy Cream

1 Vanilla Beans



Superfine Granulated Sugar or Sugar in the Raw as needed

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Arrange the rhubarb in a buttered baking dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the strawberries and bake for 15 minutes longer. When done, transfer the fruit to a bowl and stir in the 6 Tbsp. of granulated sugar. Set aside to cool.

When the fruit is cool, pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar to a ribbon stage. In a small saucepan, add the cream and split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and add the pod and the seeds to the pan. Over moderately high heat, scald the cream and vanilla. In a stream, whisk into the egg yolk. Strain the custard into a pitcher.

Fill 8 ramekins halfway with the fruit and then cover with the custard. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour enough hot water to reach halfway up the outside of each ramekin. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until custard is set. When finished, remove ramekins from the pan and cool on wire racks. Cool in the refrigerator until chilled, about 4 hours.

Just before serving, cover each custard with the raw sugar and, using a torch, caramelize each dessert. If you don't have a torch, you can place them under the broiler. Serve and enjoy.

Strawberry Pie

I got this recipe from a friend in college. It's one of my faves!

(Makes two 8-inch pies or one 10-inch pie)

Crumb crust
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 T. sugar

Mix ingredients and press into pie pan(s). Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.

Filling
1-1/2 c. sugar
4 T. cornstarch
1-1/2 c. water
strawberry jello (3 oz. pkg.)
1 qt. strawberries, cut in half

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add jello. Allow mixture to cool, then add strawberries. Pour into crumb crust.

Allow pie to set in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. When ready to serve, top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Honey Oatmeal Cookies - uses no refined sugars!

I have been looking for some recipes where I could substitute honey for refined sugar and came across some on this website. www.honey.com Appropriately named! I tried this last night and the kids all like them. At first I skipped the step of putting the raisins in the hot tea, but then I realized it was pulling sweetness from the raisins to put in the recipe. Good idea! The first batch I omitted it and they weren't sweet enough. I did in the second batch and they were just right. I didn't put the raisins in the cookies, because my kids would turn their noses at them. I just used the sweetness from them. Give it a try!
Michelle

Honey Oatmeal Cookies

* 1/2 cup hot tea
* 1 cup raisins
* 2 cups flour (I used a 1/4 to 1/2 c more more bc my cookies were a little flat)
* 1-1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup shortening (I used coconut oil)
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine
* 3/4 cup honey
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
* 1 package (6 oz.) chocolate chips, optional

Directions

Pour tea over raisins; let stand at least 15 minutes. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly; set aside. Cream shortening and butter; gradually add honey until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Drain raisins; reserve 1/4 cup liquid. Alternately add flour mixture and reserved raisin liquid. Stir in nuts, raisins and chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F about 12 minutes or until browned. Let stand one minute on cookie sheet; remove and cool on rack. Store in airtight container.