Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

We have the majority of the boxes unpacked. So, the first cookies I decided to make were peanut butter cookies. This batch makes about two dozen cookies All the cookie were gone by the next day. I think the majority of the cookies were eaten by my daughter. These cookies were very popular. It could have been because I haven't baked for awhile but I have a feeling it was the recipe. These cookies are delicious. I did dip my fork into flour before attempting to make some crisscross patterns. I think sometimes my patterns are just a couple of crazy lines but I'm just glad no one judges my pattern top.

Honey Peanut Butter Cookies
1 1/2  cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tsp honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the baking soda. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy.
5. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
6. Add the vanilla, peanut butter, and honey. Mix until incorporated.
7. Slowly, add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
8. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto the cookie sheet.
9. Lightly flatten and firmly press a fork into the dough to make a crisscross pattern.
10. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Rotate and continue baking for ten minutes or until lightly browned.
11. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart professional bake-ware recipe.

Two years ago................................I made Lasagna Soup.
Three years ago..............................I made Noah's Kickin Chicken Bake.

Did you already know.....................
-Crisscross is when a pattern is formed when lines cross over each other. 
-Scrabble was originally called crisscross words.
-It is unknown why peanut butter cookies have the crisscross patterns on the top but several theories are to help the cookies to cook evenly, to distinguish the cookies from others, for peanut allergies, or religious reasons.

Boxes

When I moved down here, I packed a few essential kitchen items so I could cook. I was able to cook before the household goods arrived. Now, we have boxes everywhere. I think packing is so much easier than unpacking. We have spices lining the counters which we haven't decided where to put them yet. The cabinets are half lined with contact paper. I have to purchase more since I ran out. It really is crazy here. I would have to guess that half of our boxes are for the kitchen. My goal is to have the majority of the kitchen organized by this weekend. Please be patient for my unorganized kitchen. I miss cooking.

Halloween

For Halloween, we decided to go with a Disney villain theme. I thought they played their roles pretty good. I was pretty frightened especially when I heard off with her head. Halloween is so much fun!

Beware! Here comes Ursala, Queen of Hearts, and Maleficent!

Whether you are a princess or a villain, I hope you have a wickedly fun Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

Seasoned Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

For October, I always have an urge to cook with orange foods. Since I had some sweet potatoes on hand, I figured I would use them up. I actually don't cook with sweet potatoes often. When I was a kid, we had them all the time. It could because my father is from Mississippi. I really should cook with sweet potatoes more. At least next month, I will be making sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving.

Seasoned Chicken with Sweet Potatoes aka Halloween Supper
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 chicken breast
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano 
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Onto a large baking sheet combine 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp butter, and the sweet potatoes.
3. Bake the potatoes for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the olive oil
5. Add the butter.
6. Season the chicken breast with the thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. 
7. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken breast.
8. Cook the chicken breast for 5 minutes per a side until golden brown.
9. Remove from the skillet and top the sweet potatoes with the browned chicken. 
10. Place the baking sheet back into the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
11. Remove the chicken from the baking sheet and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
12. Flip the sweet potatoes and allow to bake for another 10 minutes or until fork tender.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago................................I made Pumpkin Juice.
Two years ago..............................I made Chocolate Brownie Cookies.
Three years ago............................I made Mummy Cake Pops.

Did you already know......................
-President Washington grew sweet potatoes at his home in Mount Vernon.
-In the U.S., North Carolina is the leading sweet potato grower.
-Sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Since school is important to us, we decided not to pull the kids from school until they were ready to transfer. So, I have been living in North Carolina for the last week alone while the family were preparing to move from Maine. This is what I've been doing since I'm alone. Yes, I've had cereal a lot lately for supper. I've been washing what few dishes I have and been using the dishwasher as my drying rack. Since I'm suppose to look professional, I've been using the counter with a towel to iron my clothes. It will be nice once the household items arrive but I'm just glad my family is here now.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins aka skeleton pieces muffins
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten 
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until incorporated.
4. Add the eggs, oil, apple juice, applesauce, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
5. Fold in the apples.
6. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full.
7. Bake the muffins for 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker. 


One year ago.......................I made Pirate Cookies.
Two years ago.....................I made Alien Cupcakes.
Three years ago...................I made Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes.

Did you already know..........
-About 17% of Americans move each year.
-Married couples with children tend to be the typical Americans moving.
-Almost half the reason for people to move is job related.

Cheeseburger Soup

When it becomes colder, I like to make soups. They are easy to make besides all the chopping. The other reason is all the vegetables I add to the soup. My son was watching me and even commented how many vegetables I was adding to this soup. Good thing he likes vegetables. I asked him if we should mention it to Dad and he agreed that we better not. The thing with this recipe is my husband asked me to make a cheeseburger soup recipe years ago. The recipes I found weren't what he wanted. When I saw this recipe, I knew this must be the one he would like. It is delicious! What a great meal. I did add a kohlrabi but it was because I had one on hand. My husband said the soup tasted better the next day. Good to know.

Cheeseburger Soup aka hidden lake water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup julienne carrots
3 celery stocks, diced
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add the olive oil.
2. Add the hamburger and brown.
3. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and parsley flakes. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the butter and allow to melt. 
5. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir. Cook for 1 minute. 
6. Stir in the chicken broth and stir well to prevent lumps.
7. Add the potatoes. 
8. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
9. Reduce the heat to low and add the milk, salt, and pepper.
10. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Allow the cheese to melt.
11. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the sour cream. 
12. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from The recipe critic.

One year ago........................I made Chili Mac.
Two years ago......................I made PB Cookies.
Three years ago....................I made Onion Dip.

Did you already know.........
-Woman are more likely to order soup in a restaurant than a man.
-The original Campbell soup cans were orange and blue. 
-There are 32 cans of soup in the famous Andy Warhals Campbell's Soup Cans painting.

Halloween

My favorite time of year is right now. I love Fall. I love Halloween. I love trying new foods and try to come up with some scary names. This move has really disrupted my Halloween cooking. So, I wanted to give you a list of some of the dishes we have named with some spooky names. Enjoy and cook something for me. Just maybe don't mail it to me unless you want me to be scared once I opened it.

Mummy Cake Pops
Chicken Enchiladas with scared face
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Crazy Face Sloppy Joes
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies aka Mouse Cookies
Stromboli, Mummy style
Black Forest Cherry Torte with spiders
Hamburger with pumpkin face
Alien Cupcakes
PB Cookies with Honey-Roasted Peanuts aka Spike Cookies
 Pretzel Buns with Bratwurst aka Mummy Dogs
Crab Rangoon aka Witch's pouches
Fried Sausage Dumplings aka Red Goblin Noses
Chocolate Cookies aka Funny Face Cookies
Roasted Vegetable Panini (aka Scary Claw Sandwich)
Pumpkin Juice
Pirate Cookies
Zombie Brains aka Chili Mac
Doggie Cupcakes
Snail Cookies aka Sugar Cookies
Witch Dunk Brew
Two Tone Halloween Cookies
Scary Soup aka Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup
Grave Dirt aka Apple Crisp
Shark's Teeth aka Homemade Croutons
Meringue Ghosts
Asparagus Soup aka Swamp Alien Soup
Even Zombies would eat these biscuits
Cheese and Intestines aka Mac and Cheese

No Boil, One Pot Mac and Cheese

The kids have been asking for macaroni and cheese. So, I caved. I haven't been cooking lately so I thought this would make them happy. I decided to try this one pot mac and cheese so I would have less dishes. I would say the best part of this dish was the one pot but actually it was the creamy and cheese pasta. I used the large elbow noodles to make it appear to be scary for Halloween.

Cheese and Intestines aka Mac and Cheese
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup flour
6 cups milk
3/4 lb. large elbow noodles
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Fontina cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to broil. 
2. In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium heat.
3. Once the butter has melted, add the onion. Saute for 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the flour on top and whisk. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Add 1 cup of milk and whisk to dissolve the lumps.
6. Add the remaining 5 cups of milk. Bring to a simmer.
7. Add the elbow noodles and stir. Cook for 6 minutes.
8. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the cheddar and Fontina cheeses.
9. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.
10. Place in the oven and broil for 1 minute or golden on top.
11. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from Yahoo.com.

One year ago...........................I made Snail Cookies.
Two years ago.........................I made Crab Rangoon.
Three years ago.......................I made Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

Did you already know...............
-The small intestines are 20 feet long.
-The small intestines absorbs the nutrients for most of the food we eat. 
-The large intestines are 5 feet long.

Move

So, we finally found a place to live. What a relief! We will be moving in this weekend. The kids approved. The husband is happy. Soon I will be able to cook again. I do not mind eating out once in awhile but every day is just crazy. My sister will be heading down to North Carolina to help with the move. Through this move, my sister has been the greatest. She has been over to our house almost everyday to help with the prep. To get a house ready for sale is a lot especially since we have kids. Kids love to leave hand prints and yes feet prints on walls. My son feels he needs to practice climbing walls for his future career as Spider-man. The walls have been painted. Our stuff has been packed. The warmer weather will be greatly appreciated.

Risk Taker

Are you a risk taker? Would you be willing to move for a promotion? Back in the day, would you have been one of the many immigrants to cross the ocean to head to a new world? I really do not believe I'm a risk taker but here I am moving to another state. I would post a recipe but I have no kitchen. When I will have a kitchen again is an unknown. There is a lot of unknowns but I still did it. Would you have done it? Do you just think I'm crazy? So, please bear with me for lack of recipes but I will keep you updated on this crazy trip.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

This weekend my children stayed up late. I mean they stayed up until midnight. They still woke up early. By the time it was dinner time, the kids could not stop laughing. I found it very funny. I'm just glad I served something easy like broccoli cheddar soup with these wonderful biscuits. These are my favorite biscuits. I love cheddar like my husband loves peanut butter. I have made these biscuits several times so I figured I should share it. Since it is October, we have to give everything spooky names.

Even Zombies would eat these biscuits
2 1/2 cups flour plus additional
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3/4 cup extra sharp Cheddar, shredded
1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. Add the butter and mix until the butter is incorporated to the size of peas.
5. In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk with an egg. Beat lightly with a fork to combine.
6. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until just moistened.
7. Combine the cheddar cheese with a little flour to coat.
8. Gently, combine the cheese with the dough. 
9. Mix only until just combined.
10. On a floured surface, scoop out the dough and knead six times.
11. Roll the dough into a rectangle.
12. With a sharp, floured knife, divide the dough into 8 rectangles.
13. Place the rectangles onto the parchment paper.
14. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the milk.
15. Bake for 20 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through.

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook.

One year ago..........................I made Swamp Alien Soup.
Two years ago........................I made German Pancakes.
Three years ago......................I made Hamburger with Jack o Latern cheese.

Did you already know...............
-School age children should have between 9 to 11 hours a sleep a night.
-Teenagers should be sleeping between 8.5 to 9.5 hours a sleep a night.
-The Mayo Clinic recommends adults should sleep 7 to 8 hours a night.

German Food

Since I had made a large selection of German foods, I figured I would share them with you. Even if my Dad enjoys going over to Oktoberfest, I have recently been asked if we are German. No, we aren't German but I guess we can party like the Germans. Here is my selection of German foods I've made on the blog:

Black Forest Cherry Torte

German Apple Pancakes

Pretzel buns with Bratwurst

Sauerbraten

Apple Strudel

German Red Cabbage

German Potato Salad

Fruit Riesling

German Honey Cookies

 

Did you already know.....................

-Oktoberfest 2014 began on September 20th.

-The Mayor of Munich tapped the first keg at noon to began the celebrations.

-Oktoberfest 2014 will end on October 5th. 

Pork Chops with a mushroom sauce

Yesterday, my Dad called me from Oktoberfest. Yes, he went to Germany without me and called me from one of the tents. My Dad told us that he was having a beer just for us. I could hear the celebration in the background. He sounded so happy.  In celebration or Oktoberfest and my Dad's travel over to the festivities, I had to try another German dish. This dish is really good. The best part of the dish is how fast it is to make it. The roasted vegetables took longer then the dish. Since my daughter requested mashed potatoes, I made them for her. It was a nice combination. 

Jaegerschnitzel with a Mushroom Sauce
Sauce:
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium shallot
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp all purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp parsley

Pork chops:
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper 
4 pork chops with bone
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the tsp of butter and oil over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the chicken broth and wine. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the milk and stir. Reduce heat to low and shimmer for several minutes. 
5. Sprinkle the flour and whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. 
6. Sprinkle with the paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley to taste.
7. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer until the pork chops are throughly cooked.
8. One a plate, combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. 
9. Dip the pork chops into the flour mixture. Shake off the extra flour.
10. To another medium skillet, heat a tsp of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. 
11. Add the pork chops to the skillet. Cook the pork chops on each side for at least 3 minutes.
12. Add the pork chops to the mushroom sauce. 
13. Cook until the internal temperatures reach at least 145 degrees F.

Recipe adapted from About Food.

One year ago.............................I made Tomato Salad.
Two years ago...........................I made Plum Cake.
Three years ago.........................I made German Red Cabbage.

Pork Chops with a tower of potatoes!

Did you already know................
-Twenty years ago, pork had 25% more saturated fat than today. 
-Pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F. 
-Ground pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F.

Apple Cider Doughnut Glaze

We had scheduled to head to the orchards yesterday but it rained. Besides the apples, one of the best thing about apple picking is we treat the kids to the fresh doughnuts. Alright, we treat ourselves to the doughnuts but we share them with the kids! Fresh doughnuts are wonderful. I had never made doughnuts before so I figured I would use the beignet recipe. The beignet recipe is so delicious so why not. I did cut the beignet dough into circles with my biscuit cutters. After frying, I dipped the doughnuts into this apple cider glaze. Sticky and warm doughnuts are the way to go. The doughnuts did not last long.

Apple Cider Glaze:
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the apple cider to a boil.
2. Reduce the apple cider for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk in the powdered sugar until glossy.
4. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
5. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly before dipping the doughnuts into the glaze. 

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

One year ago........................I made German Honey Cookies.
Two years ago......................I made Rocket Focaccia Bread. 

Did you already know..........
-The origins of the doughnut is unknown but the Dutch have been cooking up oil cakes since the mid 19th century. 
-During WWI, doughnuts were served to the homesick Americans in the French trenches.
-In 1920, Adolph Levitt created the first automatic doughnut machine. 

Oreo Cheesecake

My kids and my sister love Oreos. So, they really love cookies and cream ice cream. When my sister saw this recipe, she pinned it to me so I could make it for her. It came out really good. My sister was very happy. Cheesecake isn't really hard to make. It is time consuming. I did a water bath. Here is a great link to show you exactly what to do: youtube. However, I only used a little bit of water and I knew better. My cheesecake only cracked slightly. It didn't matter since I had planned to top it with whip cream and additional cookie crumbs. Anyone that loves cookies and cream plus cheesecake will love this recipe. My sister loved it and so did my daughter.

Oreo Cheesecake
Crust:
24 Oreo cookies, finely chopped (2 sleeves of the Oreo package)
3 Tbsp butter, melted
pinch of salt

Filling:
 3 (8 oz.) packages light cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup light sour cream
6 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
Garnish: miniature Oreo cookies, whip cream, and finely chopped Oreo

Directions:
Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper. 
3. Spray the springform pan with nonstick baking spray. 
4. Double line the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil.
5. Place the springform pan in the center of a broiler pan.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the crushed Oreos with the melted butter and salt.
7. Press the mixture into a springform pan. Set aside.

Filling:

1. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese until fluffy. 
2. Gradually, add the sugar. Mix until incorporated. Scrap down the sides.
3. Add one egg at a time. Mix until incorporated. Scrap down the sides before adding the next egg.
4. Add the salt, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until well incorporated and smooth.
5. Gently, fold in the chopped Oreos.
6. Pour the filling into the crust. 
7. Carefully add hot water to the broiler pan. Make sure no water splashes onto the filling.
8. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour in the oven. The center should only be slightly jiggly.
9. Shut off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven with the oven door only slightly ajar.
10. Leave the the cheesecake in the shut off oven for 1 hour.
11. Remove from the oven and refrigerate overnight before serving.
12. Garnish the cheesecake as desired.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Pinterest.

One year ago.....................I made Stuffed Pork Chops.
Two years ago...................I made Zucchini Fries.

Did you already know.....................
- A springform pan is a cake pan with removeable sides.
-Springform pans come in many different shapes including heart shape and square. 
-A springform pan may be initially waterproof but over time the clasp may weaken so always wrap the pan if using a water bath.

FYI: Tomatillos

Sometimes I am intimated by new foods. How do you know it is ripe? Do you peel it or keep the skin on? Well, I've seen recipes for tomatillos but I have skipped them. The recipes said to husk them. When I think of husking, I'm thinking corn. Tomatillos look nothing like corn. At the farm, they educated me about tomatillos. I explained it to my sister since she picks up a share too. Then I figured maybe more people are like me and just need a little more information. 

 Ripe: When the paper thin coating is peeling, then the tomatillos is ripe. It is nice since you can see the fruit inside the wrapping. The fruit should be firm and bright green.

Prep: Peel off any paper thin coating and rinse. The fruit is sticky. I noticed the fruit was less sticky where the paper thin coating (husk) had peeled up. The paper thin coating is not edible.

Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked.They are very tart. They can be stored on the counter but will last longer if they are refrigerated. The fruit can be frozen. The inside of the tomatillos reminded me of a fig. It does not taste anything like a fig.