Peanut Butter Cookies

I am not totally in love with baking; I find that cooking allows for more freedom and spontaneity whereas baking requires you follow a set recipe. I love the freedom that comes with throwing everything AND the kitchen sink into the pot and seeing your husband's new favorite dish come alive. I think all wives would agree that satisfying our husband is a number one priority, next to supporting him in His walk with the Lord. I just get so much joy out of seeing my husband's face light up when he takes that first bite: his mouth is full and he's trying to say, "Honey, it's wonderful!" but it turns out more like, "Mnhmy, fis funmferful!" I don't care that he just spit some out on my new placemat, he loves my food. I wish every new experience were that idyllic. Let me give you a taste of our conversation this afternoon:

Me-"Honey, I'm making peanut butter cookies. Do you like those?"
Him-"I don't like ANYTHING peanut butter. Well, except peanut butter and jelly."
Me-"Oh well, more for me."
...fast forward to the first cookie off the pan...
Me-"Oh my goodness, these are delicious. Here, try it and quit talking about your computer."
Him-"It's just peanut butter in cookie form."
Me-"Uhhh, yeah, that's why they're called 'Peanut Butter Cookies'."
Him-"Well, slap some jelly on it and I'm good to go."
Me (in my head)-"Ugh. Why doesn't this man love sweets? Annoying."
Me (aloud)-"Okay, no problem, dear. Whatever you'd like!"

So, alas, I have 40 peanut butter cookies and one mouth...I guess that's a pretty good ratio. We're heading over to Cooking in Cucamonga's house tomorrow, so hopefully she'll help me eat them! I don't think her husband (affectionately referred to as 'the husband' on her blog) likes sweets too much either, so the odds are in our favor! And, as you can see in the pictures, I had to try various backgrounds for their shot, and they look cute in whatever they're wearing whether it's zebra, blue, or orange! Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies that are Delicious Even if Your Husband Doesn't Like Sweets
Source: Annie's Eats
Yield: about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup vegetable shortening
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs
Sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening, butter, peanut butter and honey. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture and beat just until incorporated.

Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, and roll each dough ball in sugar. Place the dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, a couple inches apart. You can either leave them in little balls of heaven, or you can press them down about halfway using a fork so you get that cool looking criss-cross; I personally liked leaving them as balls of joy. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden (I had to go almost 14 minutes). Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Friends come in stages; many of the friends I had as a little girl are not the same friends that I have now as young adult which will likely not be the friends I have when I'm 60. But, there are few friends I KNOW will be around forever. One of these such friends is Kalene; we've been best friends since junior high. Another is Summer. We didn't meet until college, but I know we'll be the best of friends forever. Enter, Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas! I went over to Summer's mom's house one night, and getting together with Summer and her mom means lots of good food, lots of fun, and lots of laughs. Her mom, Judy, is a wonderfully creative stamper/scrapbooker and an amazing chef. Summer also loves to cook. She and I developed our love for cooking from our moms, so we immediately had a connection. When Judy made this for dinner I immediately demanded the recipe. It is so rich and creamy and not one of the flavors overpowers another. When Summer and I get together we usually end up complimenting each other's talents perfectly: she always takes care of the dessert while I prepare the savory dishes. Enjoy this recipe with your favorite Mexican rice (I either use a box or go to my local Mexican restaurant...although I should learn to make it soon!).

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Source: Judy
Serves: 6
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or 1 can of canned chicken)
1 16 oz. container of sour cream
3 c. shredded Mexican style cheese (a combo of Monterey Jack and cheddar works)
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles, like Ortega chiles, do not drain
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
12 corn tortillas
8 green onions, diced
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the cream of mushroom soup, the sour cream, the chicken, the green chiles, and the salt in a large bowl. Mix well to blend flavors. In a 9x13 baking dish, spoon enough of the sour cream mixture to coat the bottom. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until they're all warm enough to roll without breaking. Fill each tortilla with some cheese and green onions--leave some behind for topping; roll and place seam side down on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the filled tortillas with the remaining sour cream mixture and top with the rest of the cheese and green onions. Bake for 25-35 minutes until cheese is melted and the dish is bubbling. Enjoy with rice!

Kafta and Potatoes

Marrying into a Lebanese family was a bit daunting at first. I felt the pressure in recreating Mom's old recipes. Well, I just haven't mustered up the courage to take it on yet, so my husband joyfully accepts the task of making the Lebanese fare in our home. Take it away, honey!

Kafta
1 pound ground beef
1 bunch curly (not Italian) parsley
1 yellow onion
salt and pepper

Allow beef to defrost completely. Tear the parsley leaves off and let them sit in a bowl of water overnight, or at least for a few hours. Dry the parsley and put it into a food processor. Peel and roughly chop the onion; put it in the food processor with the parsley. Pulse until finely minced. Put the onion/parsley and the beef in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper (a few shakes of each). Take your rings off and wash your hands! Gently combine the beef and parsley/onion until just mixed--don't overmix. Shape into little logs (about 9), or patties (about 6), or 4 long logs and put on a metal skewer. Grill until well done.

Garlic and Olive Oil Potatoes
6 medium Russet potatoes, washed and chopped
1/2 c olive oil (basically, enough to drizzle over the potatoes twice)
1/2 stick butter, cubed
garlic salt
pepper

Get that grill fired up on low! Line a 9x13 METAL baking pan with foil; make sure the foil covers the sides, too. Drop the potatoes in the pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Using clean hands, toss the potatoes to cover well with the olive oil. Dot the cubes of butter throughout the pan. Cover the pan with more foil. Set on the grill and allow to cook for an hour. Thirty minutes into cooking is when you should put the kafta (above) on the grill.

Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken with Cilantro Rice

I hate when people say "OMG," but "OMG"! This dinner was amazing! After last night's kitchen debacle, I was ready to go out to dinner tonight. But, since we're planning on purchasing a new couch soon, we decided to just use the marinating chicken and follow through with my intended plan. I am SO glad I followed through instead of giving up! Isn't that what teachers try to instill in their students?! How could I live with myself if I didn't follow my own advice? I got this recipe from Annie's Eats and, of course, adapted it to suit our tastes. My husband doesn't like spicy so I had to make sure it wasn't spicy in the least. I wanted to use more tequila but stuck with the recipe because I was scared to use too much, but now I regret that. I have changed the recipe to fit the way we prepared it, but you can find the original here. I used the original recipe, but will use the one below next time. Enjoy! Here's a printable recipe link.

Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. chili powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 cup tequila
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeeze orange juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix the chili powder, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large zip lock baggie. Seal and shake to mix well. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat. Put the bag in a deep bowl and make sure the liquid covers the chicken when it rests in the bowl. Put it in the refrigerator and allow to marinate overnight. When you're ready to grill it, put it on a grill on medium heat and grill until thoroughly cooked and has beautiful black grill lines on it.

Cilantro Rice
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 shallot, minced
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 T. salted butter + 1 T. to add in when the rice is cooked
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
the juice of 1-2 limes, depending how juicy your limes are
2 cups uncooked rice
4 cups water

While your chicken is grilling, melt 2 T. of salted butter in the bottom of a pot on medium-low heat. Add in the shallot and minced garlic. Move around the pan quickly and allow the shallot to become soft and translucent, but don't let the garlic burn. Add in the rice and mix well with the garlic, shallots and butter. Add in the water, and turn up the heat to high to get the water boiling. Once the rice has come to a boil, turn the heat to low and put the lid on. Allow to cook and absorb the water, about 20 minutes. Fold in the minced jalapeno, salt and pepper, the other 1 T. of butter, the juice of the limes, and the cilantro. Serve immediately with the chicken which should be done by now. We ended up squirting even more lime juice on it and the chicken while we were eating. Yum!

Chicken with Broccoli in White Cheddar Sauce

Okay...I think the rain is getting to me...I had a TERRIBLE night in the kitchen! I guess it happens to the best of us--although I don't consider myself "one of the best." I had a gut feeling something was going to go wrong, but I stayed in the kitchen! I didn't have all the ingredients necessary and my butter kept burning the pan! Argh! Okay, I think I'm over it. Anyways, I love the idea of this, especially because it's from Annie's Eats. But, I just wasn't prepared. I think it had to do with a long day of work, tutoring after work, and trying to do two things at once in the kitchen. I'll put the recipe that I used below, but here's the link to Annie's dish. Good luck--I hope you have more success than I did!

Chicken with Broccoli in White Cheddar Sauce
1 chicken breast, grilled (I used the George Foreman)
8 oz. tube pasta
1 c whole milk
2 c. broccoli florets
6 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded (I used Sharp Cheddar: Vermont White)
2 T. butter
1 1/2 T. flour
1-1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. of the water the pasta was boiled in

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. The last couple of minutes of boiling the pasta, add in the broccoli and let the water come back to a boil for a few minutes. Turn the water off, but don't drain it until the end.

For the cheese sauce, begin by melting 2 T. of butter in a skillet. Add in the minced garlic and move around the pan quickly. Add in the 1 1/2 T. of flour and move around the pan quickly. Don't let any of this burn because you have to start over and it stinks! Add in the milk and let it thicken and begin to bubble. Add in the cheese and stir using a figure eight motion. By this time the pasta/broccoli should be done. Go ahead and drain it, reserving just 1/4 c. of the pasta water. Add that into the cheese sauce to thin it out a bit. Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Return the pasta/broccoli to the pot and pour the cheese sauce on top. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Chicken Pesto Artichoke Calzone

Wow! What a simple and delicious dinner! I love these rainy nights when I'm forced to stay inside! As a teacher, I find myself exhausted and ready for bed the minute I walk in the door each afternoon. Today, though, I had the opportunity to observe a few of my fellow teachers and came home with lots of energy and a grocery bag full of the ingredients needed for this calzone. I am newly addicted visitor of Annie's Eats, and her recipes are so inspiring! I love that I have a wealth of recipes at my fingertips! Enjoy this recipe and check out her site for even more delicious ones!

Chicken Pesto Artichoke Calzone
1 pizza dough
basil pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 chicken breasts, grilled
1/2 can of canned artichokes, drained and rinsed and coarsely chopped
1-2 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees; put pizza stone in oven while it heats up and allow pizza stone to heat for at least 30 minutes. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken; grill until well done. Cut into chunks when it's done and set aside. Flour a piece of parchment paper and roll out pizza dough to the size of your pizza stone. Spread some pesto on the dough; for a pizza you'd leave some room around the edges, but for this you can go out as far as you'd like with the pesto. Also, I don't have an exact measurement on the pesto, but it should be a good enough layer to cover the dough. Put on as much or as little as you'd like. Put 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese on just half of the dough. Chop the artichokes and garlic together. Layer on top of cheese. Add the grilled chicken, a bit more pesto and the rest of the cheese. Feel free to add more cheese! Fold the dough over so you create a half moon shape. Fold the edges over on each other to make sure the dough is sealed. Bake about 10 minutes, or until crust is golden brown with a few darker spots on top. Serve with ranch dipping sauce! Yummy!

Holiday (or Everyday!) Cheeseball

So many people have the preconceived notion that cheeseballs are lumps of over-processed junk--which they usually are--and are always left untouched at parties. This recipe, however, is always the first thing to be devoured at all my family parties. Pictures to come!

Cheeseball

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, at room temp.
8 green onions, sliced into small rings
4 oz. dried beef (Carl Buddig is best), chopped
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chop beef and green onions. Mix the beef, green onions, Worcestershire, cream cheese, and 3/4 cup cheese. Turn out onto a piece of wax paper and form into a ball. Roll it in the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Transfer to a plate, cover with plastic wrap and let chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Bring out of fridge at least 20 minutes before serving to allow it to soften a bit. Ritz crackers, wheat thins, club crackers, or Triscuits are the best choice of crackers to serve with it.