PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES (and a question)

These quick, easy, moist, fudgy, addictive peanut butter brownies are the perfect accompaniment to a big glass of cold milk.

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Cream the peanut butter and butter together; beat in the sugars, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until well mixed, then fold in the miniature chocolate chips. Spread into a 9" x 9" greased baking dish.

Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 30 minutes, but start checking for doneness (toothpick test) at 25 minutes. They will be done when the top springs back a little, don't over bake.

I can't believe that  it is time to start thinking about Christmas baking!! It is my favorite time of year, when I can bake with wild abandon and it all goes into the freezer for holiday cookie boxes.  Do YOU give cookie boxes as gifts? How do you present the cookies? I usually just put my baked goods in a decorated large foil pan, but I'm looking for something a little different this year...maybe more festive? Any ideas?

STOVE-TOP TO OVEN BABY BACK RIBS

Shelby, over at The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch, posted this "recipe" recently. It is more of a cooking technique than a recipe, but never-the-less, it is fantastic and so much fun to bring the tastes of summer indoors during the winter!!! Shelby has such good recipes over there, I hope you will visit her page.

This isn't the best photograph, but the ribs QUICKLY disappeared before I realized I needed a better photo, so this will have to do for now.  Let's just say that the ribs went from the above condition, to the condition in the next picture in record time.

Start with a 2 to 3 pound section of baby back pork ribs and cut them into three sections. I buy the more meaty baby back ribs, so I think next time I'll cut them into even smaller sections.

Put the sections in a large deep pot and cover with water. Shelby said to salt and pepper the ribs, but I added a full tablespoon of salt and a ½ teaspoon of black pepper directly to the water.
Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to a "high simmer" (not a full boil) for an hour, then drain.

While the ribs are simmering, cover a baking sheet (that has a lip) with foil and spray it with vegetable spray. This will be a huge help in cleanup.

Place the boiled ribs bone side up first and cover with a thick layer of your favorite barbecue sauce. Shelby recommends Sweet Baby Rays and I totally agree.  Broil in a PREHEATED broiler, on high, for 5  minutes.

Remove from oven and flip the ribs over so the meaty side is up. Apply another thick layer of barbecue sauce and put back under the broiler for another five minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and just starting to crisp up (watch it because it will burn quickly if left under the broiler too long).

Remove and serve immediately....with LOTS of napkins!!!   Delicious, thanks Shelby.

COCONUT CREAM PUDDING

This is a wonderful "last minute dessert" that uses every day pantry items and holds up very well in the fridge for a couple of days, if need be. The wonderfully sweet, rich (but mellow) coconut flavor comes from adding the coconut during the first stages of cooking this pudding.  Even Picky-picky hubby loves this dessert !!

4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk ( 2% is ok)
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 egg YOLKS (just the yolks)
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt , coconut and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture gets THICK and bubbly. Turn heat down a little (to medium simmer) and cook (and stir) for 2 minutes. In the meantime, put the 2 egg yolks (yolks only) in a small bowl and set aside.

Remove pan from heat  (but leave the burner on) and temper the egg yolks.  To do this, slowly dribble about a cup of the hot mixture (while you whisk like crazy) into 2 beaten egg yolks.  Once you've whisked in about a cup of the hot mixture, put it all back into the saucepan, stir well and put back on the heat and cook for one more minute.

Remove from heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and stir well.

Pour into dessert dishes (or serve family style in a larger dessert bowl). Chill for a couple of hours, (I like to eat it warm).  Either way, top it with sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut.

NOTE: Toast the coconut in a dry saute pan, over medium heat until it is golden brown (when it cools it will  be a little crunchy and almost taste like coconut candy). Watch it very carefully, the coconut burns easily!!

NOTE:  This recipe doubles well.

BROWN AND SERVE DINNER ROLLS

This recipe is just in time for the holidays and could not be easier. The dough goes together in the stand mixer (or bread machine) and only has to raise once. PARTIALLY bake the rolls (for about 10 minutes) then freeze them for later use.

When it's time for dinner, pop them into the oven and finish baking them (no need to defrost). You'll know they are done when they turn golden.

This technique insures great FRESH yeast rolls at ALL dinners. It is also a HUGE TIME SAVING RECIPE during busy holidays; it makes a dozen rolls. As "Empty Nesters" it is nice to be able to bake just two or three rolls.

 

2 cups all purpose flour (divided) (see note)
1 envelope dry active yeast (I use 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter

Mix 3/4 cup flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Heat the milk, water and butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or just until it is "baby bottle warm". Add it to the flour mixture and beat with mixer for 2 minutes.

Add another 1/4 cup of flour and beat on high for another 2 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

NOTE: This recipe calls for 2 cups flour (total), but it takes me 2+ 1/2 cups. Since the moisture content of flour is always different (brand to brand and climate to climate), I suggest that you put in the 2 original cups of flour and then see how the dough looks. If it's still very sticky, add a little more flour.

Knead the dough (with dough hook or by hand) for about 8 minutes; at the end of 8 minutes, the dough should come away from the sides of the bowl cleanly.

Cover with plastic and let it rest for 10 minutes.  Divide dough into 12 pieces and shape into balls.  Place in greased cupcake pans. Mist the top of the rolls with vegetable spray and cover loosely with plastic. Let rise until double (this dough rises very quickly and it only takes mine 30 minutes to rise).

Bake at 375 for 16 to 20 minutes (if you are going to eat them right away)or until golden brown. If you are going to freeze them as Brown and Serve Rolls, only bake them half way; cool then freeze.

Just before you serve these rolls, and while they are still hot, brush with butter.

APPLE SNACK CAKE

Many years ago, "snack cakes" were all the rage. They were quick to fix, usually rich flavored, moist and dense little cakes and they were almost always baked in an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan. They were perfect for... "snacking!!"

This snack cake is over the top delicious. Three whole apples are packed into this cake, so you can imagine how moist it is.  On day two (if there is any left) it is twice as moist!!

 

½ cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 medium apples, chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Grease a 9" x 9" baking pan and preheat your oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar, then add egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy, add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until smooth. Fold in apples and walnuts.

Mix (by hand) just until everything is well combined. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick tests clean (my oven took 43 minutes).  Frost with simple vanilla glaze if you like (but it isn't necessary).

 

NOTE: Use any good baking apple, I like to use Granny Smiths.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Today is our 41st Anniversary; actually, we've been together 46 years (we were high school sweethearts). If you follow my recipe blog, you know that I call him "Picky-picky husband" (because he is very timid when it comes to trying ANY new recipes); but he is a GREAT guy and we are more in love today than ever.

~~~~~~~

This is a recipe for basic French toast. Everyone seems to have their own recipe and there are a million variations, but this is a post for the beginning cook, complete with a few tips I've learned over the years.

 

First of all, a tip about the kind of bread you need.
1. ANY bread will work, but SOME breads make a much better French toast than others.

2. Fresh, soft bread makes the worst French toast; day old (or even week old) bread works better.

3. Thicker bread makes better French toast than thinner bread. 

4. Sweet bread like Texas toast works well, as do semi-stale cinnamon rolls (sliced)  and of course raisin bread, (so keep an open mind when thinking about bread choices)!!

4 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg (optional)

Whisk all of the above until very well mixed.  I like to use my immersion blender to do this.  Dip the bread into the mixture and let it sit for 10 or 15 seconds (longer if the bread is extra dry) then lift out and cook on preheated (and buttered) frying pan (I get the best results from my electric frying pan). Cook until the French toast is golden brown on both sides.

Serve immediately with butter and HOT maple syrup.

NOTE: You can use milk instead of cream, but the cream gives a richer taste and helps the French toast get that golden "crust".

CHERRY-ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

A lot of us have company over the holidays and it is always nice to having something tasty to serve with coffee or tea. This recipe is not only pretty, but would be wonderful for company of all ages.  Picky-picky hubby loves cherry, so I made this with cherry pie filling, but ANY pie filling would work well.

This cake is moist, rich and "holiday perfect" !!

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter room temperature
½ cup sliced almonds
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
1 (14 oz) can cherry pie filling (see note)

Grease a 9” spring form bundt pan. Beat butter till creamy, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, add extracts and sour cream, mix well. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread half of batter into prepared pan. Top with half of pie filling (see important note below) and half of the almonds. Spoon remaining batter into pan and spread out. Top with the remaining pie filling and almonds.

Bake at 350° preheated oven for 45-60 minutes (my oven takes 52 minutes). Test with toothpick to make sure its done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with a vanilla glaze.

NOTE: Recipe says to use a whole can of pie filling, but I use the whole cherries in the pie filling and only about ¾ of the “goo”.