Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanuuuuut Peanut Butter.....

What better way to start of this beautiful month of September than with a sweet, creamy, melt in your mouth peanut butter cookie recipe and a few pictures to make you drool.

This is the best PB cookie recipe ever. I love adding the morsels to it for a little extra PB flavor.

2 c. AP flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 c. dark brown sugar

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 c. butter, softened

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 c. creamy peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c. peanut butter morsels

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.

Blend together sugars and butter. Add the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla until fluffy.

On low speed add dry mixture until barely mixed with wet. Add morsels and blend well.

Drop by the Tablespoon 2 " apart onto baking sheet.

Using a fork dipped in sugar, make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool on flat surface or wire rack.

Want a better look? Here you go! Sorry, I'm out of virtual napkins ENJOY!!!!

Say Cheeeeeze!

As I begin this post I just want to thank each and every one of my followers and bloggy friends for all the comment love you give me each week. You are great!


Now down to some exciting news.....I FINALLY got a new camera. Yippeeeee!!!! It is an Olympus Evolt 510. Yep, that's right! A Big Girl Camera as my daughter would say. I am really excited about it and have a lot to learn about using it. Any helpers out there?
I love photography and can't wait to get some really great photos around town of the historic attractions as well as my baking creations. I have even thought about redoing my kitchen and using picture of cookies that I have made to decorate. What do you think?

Of course I could not do this post without giving you my first picture from my new camera.

Tada!

This is a picture of my Lime Sugar Cookies from this weeks recipe. Looks yummy doesn't it.
Well....They are. If you haven't tried them yet, you really should. They have a tangy lime flavor and a sweetness from the confectioners sugar. I am very proud of my picture too. :)

So I am off to find more recipes, more things to photograph, and a little R & R.

Enjoy!
XOXO

Cookie Club Recipe #4

I am so happy for the weekend. I have been sick all week with a virus and finally feel really great today. I did not make the cookies for this week but Suzi over a Savy Suzi made them and they were a big hit with her kids.
Spring is really around the corner and I am so ready for it. Old man winter can surely pack up and go away. So this week I have a really yummy Spring recipe for cookies that will get you in the mood for chirping birds and flower blooms. It is from my Martha Stewart cookie book but with a Cookie Girl twist.

I hope you all enjoy them...

Lime Sugar Cookies (Lime Flowers)

2 cups AP flour, plus more for work surface

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs. finely grated lime zest

1 1/2 sticks butter (room temp.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

( I will use key lime juice)

Confectioners sugar for dusting

Directions: Sift together flour,baking powder,and salt into a bowl.

Put granulated sugar and lime zest in a separate bowl and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add butter, and mix until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla and lime juice. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flower mixture.

On a lightly floured work surface, halve the dough. Flatten each half into a 10 inch disk, and wrap each in plastic. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Working with one half at a time, roll out dough on parchment paper to 1/8 inch thick. Cut shapes with a 3 inch flower cookie cutter or cookie cutter of choice. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining disk.

Wrap scraps in plastic. Freeze 30 minutes, re-roll and cut.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until cookies are set, 12-13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on wire rack. Before serving, sift confectioners sugar over cookies.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.

Cookie Girl Notes: I will be using key lime juice. I am going to forgo the freezing step and use my cookie press instead. I will chill the cookies before I bake them.

Cookie Club Recipe #3

Wow! I can't believe we are already on recipe #3. These are going so fast. I hope you are enjoying them as much as me. I am a little ahead of myself this week and decided to go ahead and post this recipe instead of waiting until tomorrow.

If you would like to join the Cookie of the week club, just grab the banner in this post. Simply copy it to your a file on your computer in jpeg format. Then add it to your blogs side bar linking it to my blog. Voila! Easy peasy and your are ready to join in on the cookie fun.

(P.S. when I figure out how to create a real banner I will post that too.)

This recipe is full of flavorful chunks. Yummy! Some ingredients can be optional or substituted as well. I will be using parchment paper on my pans this week.

White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. shortening

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 c. AP flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. coconut (optional)

CG Note:Should probably add extra oats in place of coconut if you choose to leave it out.

1/2 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 c. Nuts (macadamia,pecans,or walnuts)

12 oz. white chocolate chunks

Combine sugars and shortening and beat til fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and blend well. Combine flour,soda,salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to wet mixture and blend slightly. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool and place on wire rack. (depending on the size of cookie scoop you use, the bake time will vary. I make mine a little large and bake for 10-12 minutes)

Have fun with these and let me know what you did to make them special!

I would love to see pics on your blogs too.

Cocoa Mallow Cookies~Valentine's Style

Here are my Cocoa Mallow cookies from the Cookie of the week club. I added a few extra pictures to give you an idea of what they will look like before and when you bake them.

Some of you had trouble with the cookies sticking. I had mentioned using parchment paper to prevent that problem. I was of course out and decided to use bakers joy. It worked like a dream.

Once they are baked they come out looking like this. Not too fluffy not too flat.

I let them cool about a minute before transferring them to a cooling rack. They cooled completely before I added the filling. I decided to do them Valentine style and added a little pick icing color to the cream. YummmY!

The only thing I did different than the regular recipe is that I had to use 1/2 and 1/2 and water instead of milk because I was out of that too. (Really need to make a trip to the market)

I used pink icing color in the filling and Bakers Joy on my cookie sheets instead of greasing them.

They turned out beautifully! Enjoy!

My Honest Scrap

Woohoo! I just received an Honest Scrap award from my friend Suzi at Savy Suzi.

With this I get to tell you something, actually 10 somethings about me.

Here is what I must do.

List 10 honest things about yourself.

Pass this on to 7 bloggers whom you feel embody the spirit of the Honest Scrap.

So here goes....

I pass this on to these Blogger Friends....

Panz at A Divas Hammer

Tammy at White Iris Designs

Gourmet Mom on the Go

Groovy Baby Blog

MammaTalk

Optimistic Cynicism

From a desperate housewife

1. I sing. Yep! I belt out songs without any warning to those around me. If I feel one coming on..I just can't help myself (get it) I just can't help myself...I love you and nobody else. LOL Much to their surprise, It is actually in tune. I sing in the choir at church and have been known to sing at weddings too. (yes I was requested) :)

2. I sell Premier Designs Jewelry. I never thought this would be something that I would ever do but I actually love it. Even though I enjoy singing in front of others I have a hard time speaking in large groups. I think it is the "All eyes on me" thing that really freaks me out. Ever since I started selling premier and holding home shows, I have really relaxed and get a kick out of talking to people. ( just picture them in their underwear) just kidding!

3. I am obsessed with CLEAN. Germaphobe if you will. For instance,if someone walks by me coughing or sneezing I actually hold my breath until I get 100 ft away from them. I know, I know! It is crazy and makes no sense but I can't help myself. Yes my house is germ free! LOL Not really, but in my mind it is the cleanest house around. Does this actually fall under the OCD category?

4. I love to bake and cook. No surprise I know this. But what you don't know is that I don't like cooking unless it is for a large crowd of people or a party. I would rather eat out during the week. Go figure. Baking is a little different though..I will bake anytime. Just love it and it is a "Very good thing" LOL

5. I am very uncomfortable with my size. I am tall 5'7" and 160 lbs. I feel like an amazon woman. I lost 30 lbs and got to 130 about a year and a half and it was great but then I gained it all back plus 5 lbs. Turning 30 didn't help either. No pity party here, I promise. I know it is in my control to lose it again. It's just these darn cookies and stuff. LOL

6. I love the fine things in life. Gourmet foods, extravagant tropical getaways, all the pampering a girl can handle, clothes and shoes. There is a BUT coming....here it is! But I don't indulge in such things as much as I would like. I think that getting wiser (not older) and having a family really changes ones priorities. It sure did mine. I actually find myself being more frugal by the minute.

7. I am the baby in my family but have first-born traits and habits. I think being 10 years apart from my sister has a lot to do with that. I grew quickly being around adults more than kids. It has made me a more serious person but thanks to my husband I have really changed.

8. I love animals. Dogs and horses mostly. All the horse lovers out there will understand this next part and not think I am weird....I love the smell of a horses face. The velvet soft feel of there nose is so sweet to me. I love nuzzling them. Dogs are wonderful animals and very loyal. My favorites are Rottweilers and Boxers. I have had 3 Rottweilers and now have a boxer named Izzy. They are great with children and enjoy loving and being loved on.

9. I have an extensive collection of cookbooks. Over 200. I have an uncontrollable desire to buy them when I go to a book store.

10. #9 leads to this one. I love Barnes and Noble and Starbucks. The smell of all the new books and coffee combined sends my creative senses into overdrive. I can hang out there from open til close. Wanna join me?

I hope you have enjoyed reading a little more about me.

Cookie Of The Week Club!

Who love's cookie's so much that they would bake a new batch each week? ME! Of course
Well I have decided to see just how many crazy cookie lovers just like me are out there. I am officially starting a COOKIE OF THE WEEK CLUB!
Since this will be my first attempt at something like this, please be patient with me. So far here is how it will work.
Comment on this blog post if you would like to join.
Here is a banner for those who choose to join, that can be placed on your blog. If you add it to your side bar it should shrink to fit. Link it to this post.

Every Sunday I will post a new cookie recipe for everyone to try for that week. Once you make your cookies take pictures and of course blog about them. Let us know what you think of the taste, texture, look etc.... Add any suggestions and tips for the recipe as well. Please feel free to send me your favorite cookie recipe via email. I would love to use them as well. Also, I know that it will not be possible for everyone to make cookies each and every week. You can still be a part of this.
I will have links to all of you who join so that you will be easily found by other members.
Of course plenty of bloggy-love should be given to each member for their cookie creations, mishaps, and triumphs.
At the end of the year there may even be a Nationwide Cookie Exchange. WooHoo!!!!
Okay that excites me a little too much LOL

Come on Cookie Lovers...Let's see what kind of dough you're made of :)

xoxo

HAS IT REALLY BEEN TWO MONTHS?

I can hardly believe it has been two whole months since my last blog entry. What a whirlwind of busy days this has been! I made it through our Thanksgiving Holiday with an abundance of blessings and now find myself entering into the Christmas season just the same.

Somehow I have managed to decorate my home with not one Christmas tree but 4 Christmas trees plus all the trimmings.

There have been days of Trick or Treating

Days of Bread baking until all I saw was Banana's when I slept:)

Many Many Days of Jewelry Shows....I am loving this by the way!

and even a day for My Little Angel's Birthday Party....This was the best!

This is just a little recap of what I have been up to lately.

I hope that each of you had a Blessed Thanksgiving just as we did.

I promise to take so long in blogging next time.

xoxo

My Cake Creations

As I was talking with friends last night, I was encouraged to display some of my cake creations. They seem to like them very much so I went through my pictures today and pulled some of my favorites to share with you.

This is one of my favorite birthday cakes I did for a friend when he turned 30. The Hear No, See No, Speak No evil Monkeys were so fun to create with Fondant. The cake flavor was chocolate with peanut butter frosting.

I made this traditional birthday cake with a political flair. I call it my Political Clown Cake. The two guys that I made it for have the same birthday and worked together. Pretty neat I thought.

Last but not least, this was a wedding shower cake for a couple that worked with my Mother In Law. It was the second time I had ever used fondant. Everything turned out great and the shimmer dust I used really set off the bow. It was so much fun to work with.

So there you have it! A few of my favorite creations. I hope you have enjoyed viewing them. I hope to add more soon as well as some delectable cookie treats that you will be able to purchase for the Holidays!

Three Snaps for Ginger Snaps

Today the weather is so nice out. It is a lot cooler than the hot Summer days we have been experiencing and Fall is in the air. These are the days when my spirit is renewed and creativity flows like a river, especially in my kitchen. So what better way to enjoy this time than with a recipe for a spicy Fall favorite, Ginger Snap cookies.

A little facts of the recipe and its ingredients:

Ginger Snaps- crackly topped cookies so named for the crisp texture of the classic version- are surprisingly, a secret ingredient in many recipes for the German stew sauerbraten.

The powerful spice in these cookies is not only ginger but cloves. Cloves are not seeds like most other spices but are actually dried flower buds. The pungent flavoring (used in small amounts) often works hand in hand with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Ginger Snaps

1 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 tsp cloves

1 egg

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 1/4 cups AP flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

In large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, butter, molasses, and egg; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-12 minutes or until set. ( cookies will puff up, then flatten during baking.) Cool 1 minute and remove from cookie sheets.

Yields 5 dozen cookies