Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Do recipe get any easier than this? I could do this one in my sleep... and they are delicious! I doubled the batch and they made exactly 4 dozen... I LOVE THAT! I love it when the come out perfectly even and you don't either have to jam a few more on so they stick together or start a new tray with all four of them. I got this one from Joy the Baker's website (I have a link on the side.). Hope you enjoy this simple goodness!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

The Gourmet Cookbook

makes about two dozen cookies

1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter

1 cup sugar (1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar)

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside. In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes. Roll into walnut sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork. If you’d like, add a few chocolate pieces to the top of the cookies. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for two minutes, then transfer to… your mouth.

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers

I got this great recipe from my friend Megan. I was really excited because the ones she made tasted just like wheat thins- even better, and I'm always talking myself out of buying crackers because they are a little pricey. This is a really easy, inexpensive recipe. She got it from the "How to Cook Everything" cookbook by Mark Bittman. She said when she makes them, she likes to mix white and whole wheat flour as well as toss in a couple handfuls of oats and some Parmesan. They can be as plain or as fancy as your imagination. (I doubled the batch and it covered one baking sheet.)

Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers
Crackers are ridiculously easy to make, and once you produce your first batch you'll have little trouble figuring out how to create your favorites. Sprinkle them with salt, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds; work a tiny bitof garlic or herbs into the dough; or substitute whole wheat or rye flour for some or all of the white flour.

Yield: about 4 servings Ingredients:
1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) all-purpose or wheat flour, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
About 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the flour, salt, and butter together in a large bowl or in the container of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Blend with a fork or pulse, until the flour and butter are combined. Add about 1/4 cup of water and blend, then continue to add water until the mixture holds together but is not sticky.
3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick, or even less. Don't worry about overhandling-add flour as needed, and keep rolling. Score lightly with a sharp knife or razor if you want to break these into nice squares or rectangles later on. Bake on a lightly floured baking sheet, or directly on baking stones, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack; serve warm or at room temperature , or store in a tin.

Crockpot Pork Chops and Gravy with Veggies

This recipe made a great Sunday dinner. I actually halved the whole recipe because I only had 4 pork chops. It turned out really nicely and the veggies were perfect!

Crockpot Pork Chops and Gravy with Veggies
8 pork chops (salt and pepper to taste)
1-2 T olive oil
1 10 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, sliced
12 oz can evaporated milk
4 large carrots sliced
1 medium potatoes washed and sliced

Spread a little oil on the bottom on crockpot. Season pork with salt and pepper and place in cooker. Place vegetables over the top of pork. Pour cream of mushroom and evaporated milk over the top and add a little salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8.

Savory Pork Roast

I'm always looking for yummy things to do with pork because it is a little less expensive. This make a good roast.

Savory Pork Roast
4-5 lbs pork loin roast
1 large onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
2 T soy sauce
1 T garlic powder (or minced garlic)

Put the roast in a slow cooker. Add bay leaf, soy sauce, and garlic. Cover and cook on high about 3-4 hours or low 6-7.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I found this delicious recipe in the Cook's Country magazine. I thought it turned out well for being reduced-fat. :) I did use a different cream cheese frosting, because I didn't have the marshmallow cream. Anyway- enjoy!

Reduced-Fat Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 (4 oz) jar carrot baby food (or about 4 oz apple sauce)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded (about 4-5 carrots)

1. Heat oven to 350 and lightly grease 9x13 pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl. Mix and beat eggs, baby food, and sugar until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly add oil and mix until thoroughly incorporated, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, and mix until nearly smooth. Fold in carrots.
3. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake 24-28 minutes. Once cooled, spread on frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup marshmallow creme
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Mix together cream cheese, marshmallow creme, and vanilla. Sift sugar over mixture and beat on low until smooth, about one minute. Frost cooled cake.

Alternate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cube butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar

Mix... if too dry add 2 or 3 tsp water.

Orange-Apricot Bran Muffins

This recipe just tasted so good and healthy to me. I really liked the fresh orange peel taste.

Orange-Apricot Bran Muffins
1-1/3 cups vanilla yogurt
1-1/4 cups bran
1 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup orange or pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
1/4 butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 T grated orange peel
1 cup dried apricots (or other dried fruit like cranberries)

In a bowl, combine yogurt and bran; let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking soda and powder, and salt. Stir the orange juice, honey, butter, egg and orange peel into yogurt mixture. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apricots.

Coat miffin cups with cooking spray or use cupcake holders. Gill three-quarters of the way full. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to wire racks.

Momma Kaye's Salsa

My Mom makes a mean batch of fresh salsa! Is there anything so good?!!! She shared her secrets with me, and I'm passing them on to you!

Momma Kaye's Salsa
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 white onion, chopped
5-6 fresh tomatoes, chopped (you can add a can or two of petite diced tomatoes to make it go further)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (or mom held of the heat for me and just added about 1 tsp ceyenne pepper)
the juice of one lime
dash of garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Give it a good stir and serve with chips.

Baked to Perfection...

I just cooked up one of the best "sweets" I will ever make!!! :) It seemed to take forever for this one to bake, but I promise that it was well worth the wait!

Little Seth
Ingredients Include:
9 lbs 7 oz of precious baby boy
Lots of dark hair

Bake for 41 weeks. Stretch out to 22 inches long. Rinse and serve fresh with lots of hugs and kisses!