Peanut Butter and Potato Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 tablespoons Smooth Operator or The Bee’s Knees peanut butter
1 egg
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
¾ cup crushed potato chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in the egg. Stir in the peanut butter and mix well. Stir in potato chips. Add vanilla; mix well.

2. Stir in flour just until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then on a wire rack for 30 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter & White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
1 bag (10.5 ounces) miniature marshmallows
½ cup peanut butter with white chocolate*
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter chips

Directions

1. Butter (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan; set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until melted.

3. Add the Rice Krispies cereal, white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Stir until well coated.

4. Using a greased spatula or spoon or a piece of wax paper, evenly press the mixture into the pan. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or until set. Cut into squares and serve.

*Note: If you can’t find the peanut butter/white chocolate blend, use the same amount of regular peanut butter and add 2 ounces of white chocolate, melted.

Source

Quick Apple and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia onion
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups apple cider

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and olive oil. Add the celery, onion, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, then stir while cooking until the onions and celery are tender. Add the garlic, cinnamon, allspice, and cumin. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and apples stirring to coat them with the contents of the pot. Add the vegetable stock and apple cider and then cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

In batches, carefully puree the contents of the pot in a blender or use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt. Serve warm or chilled.

When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Source

Asian Dumpling Soup

Ingredients

1 (15- to 16-oz) package frozen Asian dumplings (also called pot stickers; about 20 to 24)
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (40 fl oz)
3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (from 1 head)
2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps
1 cup shredded or matchstick (1/8-inch-thick) carrots (from a 10-oz bag)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Cook dumplings in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling unsalted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. (Cut into a dumpling to check filling.) Remove pot from heat and keep dumplings warm in hot water.
While dumplings cook, bring chicken broth to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot. Add cabbage, mushrooms, and carrots and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes, then add peas and cook 2 minutes. Stir in scallions, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and boil until all vegetables are tender, about 1 minute.

Divide dumplings among 4 soup bowls with a slotted spoon. Ladle soup over dumplings.

Source

Maple, Apple & Cheddar Pie

Ingredients

Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups thinly sliced peeled apples, such as Jonathan or McIntosh (5 medium)
1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
6 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Pastry for a Double-Crust Pie. On a lightly floured surface, slightly flatten one portion of dough. Roll dough from center to edge into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie pan or plate. Ease pastry into pie pan without stretching it; set aside.

2. For the filling, in a bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add apples; toss to coat. Add cheese and 4 tablespoons of the maple syrup; stir to combine. Transfer to pastry-lined pie pan. Drizzle with cream.

3. Trim pastry even with edge of pie pan. Roll the remaining dough into a 12-inch circle. Cut slits in pastry. Place pastry circle on filling; trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie pan. Fold top pastry edge under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent over browning.

4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 20 minutes more or until apples are tender and pastry is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack. Brush with 2 tablespoons maple syrup. If desired, sprinkle with pecans. Cool for 1 hour. Serve slightly warm.

Source

Apple Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Crust
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

For the Apple Topping
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
6 medium to large Granny Smith or other baking apple,
peeled, cored and thinly sliced

For the Filling
3 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup apple topping

Directions

For the Crust, combine the three ingredients and press onto the bottom and about 1-1/2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan; chill in the refrigerator so the butter will set and hold the crust together.

For the Topping, place sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a Dutch oven or large, deep frypan; whisk ingredients together well.

Add apples; bring to a boil, stirring often because the flour needs the boil to thicken all the juices, both from and sugar and lemon juice and from the apples as they cook.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or just until apples are tender. Gently stir as needed.
Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Set aside about 1/2 cup of the topping to incorporate into the filling and refrigerate the rest until needed.

For the filling, Mix cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until well blended.

Chop up any large pieces of the reserved topping so it will distribute evenly through the filling. Otherwise, it will create holes.

Add the reserved apple topping to the filling and mix well.

Pour the filling into your chilled crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Turn the oven off and prop open the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 60 minutes.

Cool cheesecake to room temperature, and chill four hours or more.

Top with your apple topping.

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Source

Roasted Eggplant Hummus

1 large eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (generous) tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, then score flesh in crisscross pattern at 1-inch intervals, 1/2 inch deep. Rub cut sides with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt. Place eggplant on rimmed baking sheet, cut side down; bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly, then scoop flesh into processor (discard skins). Add garbanzo beans, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic; puree until mixture is almost smooth. Transfer to bowl; stir in parsley. Season hummus to taste with salt and pepper.

Dark Chocolate Dreams Banana Muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons Peanut Butter & Co.’s Dark Chocolate Dreams

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar, butter, mashed bananas and egg on medium speed for about 3 minutes.

Slowly add in the sifted ingredients on low speed until just combined. Take a spatula and fold the ingredients together.

Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop the batter into each cupcake liner.

Then place three 1/4 teaspoons of Dark Chocolate Dreams on top of each muffin. Swirl it around with a knife. If the swirls aren’t perfect, don’t worry.

Bake the muffins at 375 degrees F for 18 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.

Whoopie Pies