White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I love to cook, but I'm not that fond of baking. However, I love to eat baked goods :0 It may be the size of my kitchen, my clumsiness, my impatience but I always make a mess. I'm getting better though at being better organized and making counter space before I begin the baking. All that to say, I baked cookies today. Now cookies are usually pretty easy to whip up, so it was a pleasant baking experience. I tried a recipe that I think I had jotted down several years ago while rummaging through my grandma's larger than life recipe box. They are a white chocolate peanut butter cookie. It's got a light peanut butter flavor, but just enough. I used whole wheat flour so I was a little worried that they may not "set up" as well. On the contrary they formed and set perfectly. Add a cold glass of milk and you're in cookie bliss.

1 cup Peanut Butter
1/4 C. milk
1/2 C. vegetable shortening (I used butter flavored)
1 1/2 C. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 C. white Choc. morsels

Mix with a mixer the first 6 ingredients and set aside
sift flour, salt, and baking soda
Mix dry ingredients with moist
Stir in chocolate
place on ungreased sheet
bake 6-8 min. at 375 degrees
Makes about 3 dozen

Tasty Tuesday Dish

I have a great one for you today. I'm not even going to tell you much about it, just try it. It's called crescent zucchini pie, and it's delicious. With the abundance of summer squash and zucchini we already have on hand from our garden and the staple herbs we have in our pantry, it's pretty cheap to make. I used squash and zucchini.

Not so good banana bread

As we gear up to go to the beach next week, I decided to try a new recipe for banana bread to freeze and take with us. Upon returning home from the grocery store, I began to make the bread only to remember that I was out of vegetable oil. I decided to use half lite olive oil and half applesauce as a substitute. Didn't the bread come out looking great? Well, it didn't taste as good as it looks. I was disappointed at how dry it was. I used whole wheat flour and of course the applesauce substitute, so it was healthier, but definitely not as good. The recipe might be good using the oil, but I think I'll stick with my mom's deliciously moist banana bread recipe.

Tasty Tuesday, I mean Wednesday

I never got around to posting the new recipe I tried this week. I technically didn't make it on Tuesday, but it was yummy, and I wanted to share it. The travel bug bit me so I've been pretending that I'm going on a vacation and have been looking at places around NC for night away. I came across a bed and breakfast, Sabotta Manor, and got to looking at their recipes. That is where I found this fab dish that I made for Luke's Father's Day breakfast. The name is a mouthful, Pineapple mandarin cream cheese stuffed french toast. Is your mouth watering? It's a very sweet dish and the pieces are thick, so one piece is a good serving. Instead of syrup for this french toast, the recipe calls for making the glaze/sauce that uses the pineapple and mandarins. Because of it's sweetness, I would recommend serving it with something to counteract it like bacon, eggs, or sausage. It really was delicious but should probably be steered clear of if you're trying to cut calories or watch your sugar intake. However, indulgence is a necessary part of life every once in awhile.

Tasty Tuesday

This week I tried out a recipe for "sloppy lentils." Okay, so the title doesn't make it sound too appetizing, but it was good. It's a take on sloppy joes using lentils. They've got a good flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. I really liked them. Luke stated he would still rather have the meat version, but these suit me just fine. They make for a hearty and filling meal full of protein and fiber. It's also very cost efficient. With just the two of us, it's definitely enough for two meals, so I think I know what we'll be having for lunch tomorrow.

Bananaberry bran muffins

It's tasty Tuesday! I tried a new recipe today and am excited to share. I had blueberries on hand and wanted to incorporate them into whatever I made. I tried a recipe for banana blueberry bran muffins that I scoped out on Money Saving Mom's website. I followed the recipe as is except I didn't have flax seed on hand so I substituted about 2/3 tbsp. of oil instead, and they turned out great. Oh and I also added about 2 pinches of brown sugar (I just had to know that there was some sugar in them :) They are bran muffins so don't go expecting your typical blueberry muffin. They aren't nearly as sweet, but the honey gives it a good flavor. Overall, I really like them. They are a healthy and filling breakfast muffin or snack. I like them best warm with a little butter. Nathan really loved having one for a snack too.

Tasty Tuesday

Recently I've been feeling as though I've been in a cooking rut. My meals the past month have been coming together haphazardly with not a lot of thought. So, each Tuesday this month I'm going to try out a new recipe and post the good and the bad. Up first for review is a summer harvest soup.

I liked the soup because it was cooked in a crockpot. I chopped and prepped this morning, went for a massage, and came back to a pleasant aroma of simmering soup. It was hearty with the fresh veggies, but needed a little kick. I think my mistake was in adding too many noodles. I chose to use dry noodles because I already had them on hand and added them 30 min. before serving. I however just eyeballed it and after they swelled from cooking, I think they took away from the veggies. I would also recommend adding a little salt. I shredded some fresh parmesan and added some croutons to top it off. Another plus was that Nathan really enjoyed it!