Peanut Butter Macaroons! Another new Cookie Suggestion

This week I'll be posting some of my recipes from 2012.  Enjoy!

Lucky grandchildren!  I made these super easy cookies today and hubby even loved them.  Light, chewy and ready to devour in no time.  You may like to try these as a Christmas addition too for everyone to enjoy!  They are great the way they are or maybe I'll add some coconut to them next time.

Another new cookie Recipe for 2012

 Some days you luck out and today while searching for some new cookie additions I realized, YAY, I have every ingredient that's needed to make these yummy looking (I have the photo) peanut butter macaroons.

I'm thinking everybody likes macaroons and adding peanut butter can't be too bad, right?  Hope I'm not offending those sensitive to peanut butter.  Note:  Those peanut sensitive might like to try my chocolate dipped macaroons http://iliketobakeandcook.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-to-some-of-my-favorite-cookies-dark.html.



Here's the recipe!  It's from April 2004
I had it published in our ladies women's club cookbook

 Peanut Butter Macaroons

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

dash salt

11/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups chocolate flavored crisp rice cereal (I used inexpensive chocolate rice cereal)

1/3 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. Set aside

In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually  add sugar and peanut butter.   Gently fold in cereal. Drop mixture by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Turn oven off and let cookies dry in oven with door closed for 15 minutes.  Remove macaroons from cookie sheets to wire rack; cool completely.

Makes about 30 macaroons.

Note:  I tried leaving them out covered with wax paper and they remained crispy.  I put some in a sealed baggie and they were soft inside.  Chewy or Crispy??  We liked them both ways.  

******If I were making them for the holidays I would keep them in a sealed container in a cool place.



From my kitchen to yours,

12/8/12

12/8/12

Peaches and Cream Bread Pudding!

Hi Everyone:

I'll make this simple. lol We were out to dinner last week and we ordered dessert...It was peach bread pudding.  It had a yummy vanilla sauce on it which was delicious but I'm taking the short cut and serving mine warm with Vanilla bean ice cream while it's warm. You can always heat it up in the microwave it you have refrigerated it.  Yummy..

Of course I had to try to make it my way and it is just what I expected. Delicious with little effort.

I've been making bread pudding since my children were little and quite honestly I never followed a recipe. Since then I do because I want all you foodies to get the same results as I do.

You'll see on my blog I have several recipes for bread pudding.  I make it several different ways but basically very similar ingredients.  If you want to view them check the label section under desserts.  You'll find two or three.

Here goes today's version.

1- 15 oz canned peaches in syrup. Cut or dice the peaches in pieces (use the syrup)

1 regular size loaf of regular Italian bread broken in pieces (any type bread will work but mine was regular bread. Note: if using a heavier type bread you may have to add more milk.

4 eggs

2 cups milk I used regular milk but you can use 2%

2 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp cinnamon 

2 tsp butter

In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, vanilla and a 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon depending how much of a cinnamon flavor you like. Whisk thoroughly so eggs mix well with the milk.

In a separate large bowl place broken pieces of bread.  Add egg, milk mixture (I use my hands to make sure it's all incorporated). Once all is incorporated I add my peaches, including the syrup and toss thoroughly to mix well.Top with a few pieces of butter.

In a large baking dish rub some butter around bottom and perimeter of dish. Pour mixture into dish and top with cinnamon.

Bake 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes depending on size of pan.  If it is deep and on the small side you'll need to bake possibly longer.  My baking dish was about 3 inches deep. It would work well in a 9 x13 inch glass dish.  Note:  Make sure to grease it with butter.....You can test the center with a knife and it should come out pretty clean not too wet.

Note: We liked this very much and it was not too sweet. If you like your bread pudding sweeter add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to the mixture.

Of course I taste tested it and as usual YUMMY!

Enjoy!

From my kitchen to yours,

Chocolate pudding dessert or dip

All it takes is a little imagination and being in the mood for sweets to come up with an easy and tasty dessert/ dip recipe. Enjoy!

2 boxes chocolate instant pudding

4 cups milk

2 pkg lady fingers

1/2 pint heavy cream

4 T confectionery sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

small peanut butter cups (broken or cut in half)

In a large bowl place instant pudding and milk.  Whisk until blended. As pudding starts to thicken pour a slight amount into 9 x13 inch glass baking dish. 

On bottom of dish lay lady fingers across dish. Top with some pudding and continue to layer until all pudding is used. Pudding will still be liquid. In this dish you will use about 20 lady fingers. To fill the sides break several in half.  Once the dish is filled pour remaining pudding over all and cover and refrigerate until you beat your whipped cream.

Using your mixer place heavy cream, confectionery sugar and vanilla.  Beat until thick but still creamy. Top the dish with beaten cream. Garnish with dusting of cocoa and small pieces of peanut butter cups and half pieces of lady fingers.

You can also use this recipe as a dip.  Yum....although you would eliminate the lady fingers while layering. 

Place Pudding and cream in a pretty bowl and use lady fingers to dip into the pudding and cream. Top with chopped peanut butter cups or morsels. 

Easy right?

Enjoy!

Happy easy desserts,

Food for Thought....Mother's Day Reminder

Take this to heart.

 My parents have passed and I am so very grateful for them having  a long life. Dad was 77, Mom 93 but never for a minute did I take them for granted.

 There were many times circumstances that prevented me from seeing them but I always CALLED them.  I made the time! 

 Today's families seem so busy. Well yesterday's families were busy too.

I don't know what the difference is that in today's world  a call is so easily put aside? 

 I know one thing for sure. My mom and dad were treated with the uppermost respect by me, my brother and their grandchildren.  They got their occasional call and cards too!

 As I am getting older more than ever I too want a call or a card and I bet there are a lot of us who yearn for a 5 minute(to quote my mom) call or in today's world A TEXT.  Make the time. 😍

 Make someone happy...Think about how good it'll make you feel and especially them.

Happy Mother's Day!

Kung pao Chicken Meatballs with sauce

Hi everyone:

I wanted to try a recipe for Kung Pao chicken so I combined two recipes I saw.  Quite honestly I don't remember which two but here goes. One could have been from Allrecipes but?

Mentioned first that after my experience with soy sauce some seem to be very salty so I used the low sodium one but if you don't want to buy that type cut back slightly on your soy sauce if you like.

Here's what my ingredients are.

1 lb. ground chicken breast (try regular ground chicken if you can find it).  It may make your meatballs softer.
 Note: Definitely use ground turkey if you prefer. I know regular ground turkey is moist.  I use it for my turkey meatballs and I am always complimented on my recipe.
1/3 of a cup of onion. I grate mine
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 to 1/2  tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs Note: you can use all breadcrumbs but increase amount to 3/4 cup
1 tsp. to 1 T siriracha sauce depending of how much spicy you like it
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup chicken broth to moisten
sesame seeds for garnish
chopped chives or green onion snips for garnish

Mix the ground chicken, onions, garlic, ginger, egg,oatmeal, breadcrumbs,chicken broth, sriracha and salt and pepper. Roll into approximately 20 meatballs. Place on a parchment paper or spray with coconut oil on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from oven.

Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce (I used low sodium because regular seems a bit too salty for me).
4 T chicken broth
4 T rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil.
2 T Chili sauce (I used Thai chili sauce) or you can make your own** 
1 tsp. sriracha or red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2  cup brown sugar(depending on how sweet you want your sauce)
1 T cornstarch
2 tsp. water

 While the meatballs are baking. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce except the cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch and water together and add to boiling sauce. 

Cook until slightly thickened. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place in sauce. Cook a couple to minutes to coat the balls well with sauce. Serve the meatballs garnished with chopped chives or green onion tops and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!!

P. S. one of the recipes suggested also topping with chopped peanuts.You can do that as well.  I do not because I can not have any type nuts.  I do put some on my hubby's portion.

I served frozen steamed peas as my side.

From my kitchen to yours,