1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 lg egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oatmeal( i use whole oats)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional) ( i use walnuts )
* beat butter and peanut butter until creamy
* add egg & vanilla
* add sugars,baking powder,baking soda until well blended
* with mixer on low beat in flour and oats just until blended
* stir in raisins, nuts
* roll a 1 tablespoon ball and place 1 1/4 apart on an ungreased cookie sheet ( i did use parchment paper)
* the original recipe said to flatten with a fork. I left it as a ball (because i forgot)
* bake 10-12 minutes at 350
(Catoe batch items in parentheses)
1c. Brown Sugar (light brown sugar)
1/2 c. Light corn syrup (light Karo)
1/2 c. Butter, room temp. (Land o’ Lakes – the real deal)
2/3 c. Peanut butter (JIF – as if any other peanut butter will do!)
2 ts. Vanilla extract
1/2 c. Sunflower seeds
3 c. Quick oats*
1/2 c. Coconut, grated
1/3 c. Wheat germ
1/2 c. dried fruit (golden raisins)
1c. choc. Chips (semi-sweet)
1c. nuts (half toasted pecans, half toasted almonds)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat inside of 9X12 glass baking dish with vegetable oil. In large bowl, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir well to the consistency of a paste. Stir in remaining ingredients and work the mixture so that several large clumps adhere together. Using fingers, press the mixture into baking dish (be sure to mash pretty hard, or you will end up with bars that fall apart, which is not so bad, either, because it's still edible). Bake at 350 for 15-20 min. until golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars. I wrap each individually, and haven't missed store bought granola since I first discovered this recipe. They freeze well, too.
*Carol notes that you may substitute 1 &1/2 c. crisped
The original recipe:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
8oz. container Cool Whip
8oz. cream cheese
Graham cracker crust
The in-your-face peanut buttery version:
3/4 cup peanut butter (we’re a JIF family)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
8oz. container Cool Whip
8oz. cream cheese
Oreo crust
Extra peanut butter
In a mixing bowl, blend the 3/4 cup peanut butter, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, Cool Whip and softened cream cheese. Before you dump it into the Oreo crust, spread between 1 and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on the crust. Mmm, peanut butter layer. After you dump the PB blend into the crust and spread it out, melt a tablespoon of peanut butter (took less than a minute in our small microwave) and drizzle on top.
(from FamilyFun.com)
Feel free to substitute cooked sausage for the ham or another cheese for the cheddar. French or Italian bread works well too, in place of croissants.
INGREDIENTS:
3 or 4 large day-old croissants
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
3/4 cup diced ham
6 eggs
2 1/4 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1. Butter a 9- by 13-inch casserole. Using a serrated knife, cut the croissants into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (you will need 6 cups) and scatter half of them in the casserole. Set the remaining cubes aside for now.
2. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and sauté it over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the spinach (you may have to do this in batches) and cover the pan. Let the spinach cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Spoon the spinach over the croissant cubes in the casserole. Then sprinkle on half of the cheese and all of the ham. Next, add the remaining croissant pieces and the rest of the cheese.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper, and basil just until blended. Ladle the liquid evenly over the layers in the casserole. Press the croissants down gently with a fork to dampen all of it. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Heat the oven to 350°. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the strata in the center of the oven until it is puffed and golden brown, about 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer the casserole to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Makes 12 servings.
Nutritional Information Per serving: 305 Calories, 15.5g Carbohydrates (5% dv), 20.9g Total Fat (32% dv), 12.3g Saturated Fat (61% dv), 164.5mg Cholesterol (55% dv), 565.8 mg Sodium (24% dv), Iron (10% dv), Vitamin A (49% dv), Protein (27% dv), Vitamin C (11% dv)
(from FamilyFun.com)
Scones:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, plus a little for brushing
1 egg yolk, beaten slightly
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons heavy or whipping cream
1. Heat the oven to 400°. Grease a large, heavy baking sheet (preferably not a dark one) and set it aside.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon zest and toss the mixture with your hands.
3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the cream, the yolk, and the vanilla extract and use a fork to blend the liquids within the well. Then use a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients, just until the dough holds together.
5. Scrape the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and then, using floured hands, knead it gently three or four times to form a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk about 3/4-inch thick, then cut it as you would a pie into 8 wedges. Transfer the pieces to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1/4 inch between them. Brush the tops lightly with cream.
6. Bake the scones in the center of the oven until golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes. Allow them to cool on the sheet for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack.
7. While the scones continue to cool, make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk them until the mixture is smooth. If necessary, you can thin the glaze with water, stirring in no more than 1/2 teaspoon at a time. When the scones have cooled for another 10 minutes, drizzle each one generously with glaze. Makes 8 scones.
Nutritional Information Per scone: 379 Calories, 48.4g Carbohydrates (16% dv), 18.9g Total Fat (29% dv), 12g Saturated Fat (60% dv), 87.5mg Cholesterol (29% dv), 251.3 mg Sodium (10% dv), Iron (8% dv), Vitamin A (15% dv), Protein (9% dv)
Cooking oil spray
2 cups white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Zest of 1 orange
5 large carrots, grated
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 large eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup orange juice
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange zest. Add the carrots, brown sugar and raisinsthen stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Set aside.
In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, canola oil and orange juice. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well. Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and use a rubber spatula or butter knife to smooth the top.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to whip the cream cheese and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the extract and whip another minute.
Cake can be frosted as one piece, or cut into squares and each serving frosted individually.
Makes 9 servings. (Eat it soon, it dries out quickly)
20 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups sliced mushrooms*
1/2 cup prepared pesto (we used Bertolli)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup (3 oz.) provolone**
15 oz. ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
1 large egg
3/4 cup grated parmesan
26 oz. tomato-basil pasta sauce
8 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. No-boil lasagna noodles
In medium bowl:
Drain and squeeze-dry the spinach. Combine spinach, mushrooms and pesto.
In medium bowl:
Lightly beat egg. Add mozzarella, provolone, ricotta and parmesan.
In medium bowl:
Combine pasta sauce and tomato sauce.
Coat the crock pot with cooking spray, spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture in the bottom. Arrange 3 noodles, top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers once, ending with remaining spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach, top with remaining cheese and 1 cup sauce. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Cook on Low for 5 hours; serves 6.
*The original recipe calls for cremini mushrooms, but we used Baby Bella
**We were out of provolone, so we doubled the mozzarella
In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a large mixing bowl, combine:
3/4 cup shortening, stirred to soften
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
Stir the flour mixture into the shortening-egg mixture in increments. (If you dump it all in at once, flour goes everywhere as you stir.)
Roll small hunks of dough (about the size of a quarter or 50 cent piece) in your palm into little cookie discs and place them on a greased pan about 2 inches apart. Before you put them in the oven, sprinkle the cookies with sugar.
Bake at 350 for 12 min. Makes about 48 cookies.
1 box light brown sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (not the self-rising kind)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 sticks butter (melted)
3 eggs
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips*
Bake for 30 min at 350**
*I've used half a bag of white chocolate chips and half a bag of dark chocolate chips
**This may be for a metal pan; I’ve used glassware and it takes closer to 45 min to get done
You need:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels
1 (6 oz.) bag sweetened dried cranberries
• Combine 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup (softened) butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/3 cups sugar. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each egg.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in white chocolate and cranberries.
• Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Recipe from Southern Living
