Creamy Peanut Butter Cookies!

I love, love, love these creamy peanut butter cookies! They are very moist and absolutely delicious! They are also good with chocolate chips, but I prefer them with peanut butter chips!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup butter – softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 ¾ cups flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 – 12 oz package peanut butter chips (or chocolate chips)

Thoroughly cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter. Add flour till well blended then add chips. Scoop onto cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Homemade Graham Crackers

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup untoasted wheat germ
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp honey

Directions:
1. Whisk together both flours, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl
2. Put butter, brown sugar, and honey in a separate bowl and mix on medium speed about 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing well.
3. Turn out dough onto a floured surface and divide into quarters. Roll out each piece between two sheets of wax paper into rectangles a bit larger than 9 by 6 inches, about 1/8 inch thick.
4. Trim the outmost edges of each rectangle, and divide into three 6 by 9-inch rectangles. Pressing lightly, so as not to cut all the way through, score each piece in half lengthwise and crosswise, to form four 3 by 1 1/2-inch crackers. Stack parchment and dough on a baking sheet and chill in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from freezer. Transfer to large baking sheets and bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes (rotating halfway through). Let cool about 5 minutes; transfer crackers to wire racks to cool completely.

These are the perfect graham crackers for smores! I've yet to try this recipe as crust for a cheesecake, but that is my next project!

Cream Cheese and Broccoli Dip

This is one delicious dip (found on Food for Thought.)

1 8 oz package cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing
1 10 oz package broccoli (thawed and drained)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (plus more for top)

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and Italian Salad Dressing packet. Add broccoli and cheddar cheese. Pour into 9" pie dish and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes (or until cheese is melted). Serve with crackers.

Macaroni & Cheese

I tried this recipe from "A Year of Crockpotting" and felt it was worthy of sharing. It was really easy and quite tasty. It is very rich and creamy so a small portion really goes a long way. Be careful not to overcook or the noodles will be mushy.

--4 cups uncooked macaroni
--4 cups of milk (I used low-fat)
--2 eggs
--4 cups shredded cheese (I used all cheddar)
--1/2 t kosher salt
--1/2 t black pepper
--1 T dried mustard (I didn't use this ingredient because I didn't have any, but next time I'll try it)

Directions:

Spray crock well with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, whip egg and milk together. Stir in spices.

Add cheese and noodles, and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the crockpot.

It will be very liquidy.

Cover and cook on low for 2-5 hours, or on high for 1-3. The cooking time will vary depending on what size crockpot you are using, and how quickly it heats and cooks. I was quite surprised at how quickly the pasta got fork-tender. I cooked mine on low and it was ready to eat in 2 hours.

Celebration Chicken

What a treat this meal is. This chicken turns out creamy, cheesy, and practically perfect every time I make it. It is definitely a crowd pleaser.



Celebration Chicken

Lay 10 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 9x13 inch casserole dish (I use frozen but fresh also works)
Season with pepper, onion salt, and paprika

Mix together:
1 can cream of chicken soup
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp minced dry onion
1 cup grated mild cheddar cheese

Pour mixture over seasoned chicken and bake at 275 degrees for two hours. Serve over rice with a side dish of your favorite cooked veggies.

I make this about once a month and it is a great left-over meal through out the week. I also love that it doesn't take long to prep before I can throw it in the oven. Hope you enjoy!

Lasagna!

I have tried a few different lasagna recipes and this is definitely the best yet! It is so cheesy and creamy...absolutely delicious!

1 lb. ground beef

1 egg, beaten

2-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 container (15 oz.) POLLY-O Natural Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1/2 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 cup water

12 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix egg, 1-1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the parsley until well blended; set aside.

Drain meat; return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Add water to empty sauce jar; cover with lid and shake well. Add to meat mixture; stir until well blended. Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, one-third of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining 3 noodles and the remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1-1/4 cups mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with greased foil.

Bake 45 min. Remove foil; bake an additional 15 min. or until heated through. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.

Parmesan Breadsticks

All I can say about these breadsticks is Yum, Yum, Yum! My husband and I couldn't stop eating them. You must try this great recipe!

1 ½ cup warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 ½ cup flour
½ tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter (may need a little extra)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar and let it sit and bubble for a few minutes. Add the salt and flour. Knead dough for 3 minutes. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. (I did all of this in my Kitchen-Aid mixer) Melt 3-4 Tbsp of butter and pour most of it onto a cookie sheet. Roll dough to about the dimensions of the cookie sheet. Cut to desired width (I did them pretty thick), then twist or lay flat on cookie sheet. Brush remainder of butter on breadsticks and sprinkle with garlic salt, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Raise for 10-20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden (It only took about 15 minutes for mine to turn golden brown).

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Another incredible recipe from cousin Megan Mack. You will never want to eat a store bought oreo after trying these. Hope you enjoy as much as we do!

Chocolate Cookie:
1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs

Mix well until blended. Scoop out onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Match two cookies together with the following cream in between:

Cream Between:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cornbread

Here is an amazing recipe for cornbread. Once you try this cornbread you'll never be satisfied with any other recipe. It is so sweet and delicious that you could serve it as dessert with chili or any other meal you wish.

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil (or olive oil for a healthier spin)

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Pour in greased 8'' x 8'' pan
3. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes
4. Remove from oven and mix 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp melted butter to sprinkle on top

Coconut Cake

This coconut cake is so yummy, and it's so much fun to make! I love throwing the coconut all over the cake at the end. It makes it look perfect even though my frosting techniques aren't quite honed. I made this for a ward luau and everyone who tried it loved it!

Coconut Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 (7 ounce) package BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, divided
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Prepare cake batter as directed on package; stir in 2/3 cup of the coconut. Pour evenly into two 9-inch round baking pans. Bake as directed on package. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool cakes completely.

Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix and sugar. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 15 min.

Place one cake layer on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the pudding mixture. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the remaining coconut; cover with second cake layer. Spread top and side with remaining pudding mixture; press remaining coconut into pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Store leftovers in refrigerator.