Kid Style Peanut Butter Cookies

I love cooking with kids. They ask the funniest questions while cooking, things that us adults just don’t think about.

My favorite part though is that I know I’m teaching the beauty and joy of cooking to a young person.

My niece Sydnee called me the other night and told me she needed a recipe with peanuts in it, as she was learning about George Washington Carver in school – Carver was a peanut farmer. So, I thought about it for awhile and remembered a cookie recipe I had come across and was in my recipe box that I had never tried before. I emailed the recipe to my sister-in-law so she could get the ingredients.

I traveled down to my brother’s house the next night, to spend the night as his house…I was traveling on business all this week putting on farmers’ market workshops for my job. That night Syndee, my nephew Hunter and I baked up some of the yummiest cookies.

The best part of this recipe is that it is very kid friendly. Hope you enjoy these wonderful cookies as much as we did.

Take a look at Syd rolling up her cookies.

Kid Style Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe courtesy Family Circle Magazine

1 package (about 18 ounces) prepared sugar cookie dough

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.


Beat together cookie dough and peanut butter in large bowl until blended and smooth. Stir or knead in mini chips, peanut butter chips and peanuts until evenly distributed.

Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheets. Then transfer to wire rack and cool.

Bon Appétit Podcasts

I stubbled over to Bon Appétit that other day and much to my surprise - Bon Appétit has podcasts now!

From the podcast page:

A weekly entry into the world of Bon Appétit Magazine, where our editors chat
with top experts on topics ranging from cooking and entertaining to wine and
restaurants. Our guests include chefs, wine experts, and cookbook authors.

Take a turn around the page and take a listen at the podcasts...they're worth it.

Local Missouri Beer Bread

The weather in Missouri is crazy once again. Snow in the northern part, 2 inches of sleet, plus snow to come tonight for us in Central Missouri and lots of ice for those Missourians in the southern region of Missouri.

I’m just praying for April to come soon enough so I can spend some time outside in the dirt. I’ve been busy picking out my garden seed from Baker Creek Seeds and traveling all over Missouri for workshops, conferences and presentations for my work with the Dept of Ag. I’m ready for some relaxation, sunshine and warmer weather.

Here’s a quick and easy beer bread recipe to serve alongside some chili or soup on these cold winter nights. I like to add some herbs in the bread mixture…rosemary and thyme work very well.

Gluten Free Beer Bread
Combine in a large bowl:
3 cups gluten free flour*
3 tablespoons sugar
3½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt

Add to large bowl and stir well:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 gluten free beer (12 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into a greased or parchment lined loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes.
Yield: one loaf

*A combination of gluten free flours usually gives the best result. Pick up a ready to use flour blend like Bob's Red Mill or use your favorite all-purpose mix. Keep it basic with a rice flour blend (2 cups brown rice flour, 3/4 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup tapioca starch) or spice it up with some mesquite meal. Great with gluten free oat flour, too.

Chicken Marsala For Dinner Tonight

Here is a good recipe for your dinner table tonight. Enjoy this Chicken Marsala with a fresh salad and some toasty garlic bread tonight.

Chicken Marsala Recipe

Tyler Florence and JoAnn Cianciulli, Food Network

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

8 ounces crimini or porcini mushrooms, stemmed and halved

1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan.

Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm. Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Chocolate Lava Muffins

My good friend Danni passed along this recipe to me the other day. If you are looking for a chocolate rush here is the perfect recipe for your taste buds...

Chocolate Lava Muffins
From Dunn Bros Coffee

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon Dunn Bros Coffee espresso blend beans ground to a powder
Butter to coat muffin tin

Preheat oven to 375degrees F.

Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water or use your double boiler. Melt the chocolate and butter in the bowl. Stir in vanilla. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, flour and salt. Sift these into the chocolate and mix well with electric hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. Beat at high until batter is creamy and lightens in color. Approximately 4 minutes.

Chill mixture. Coat the top and each cup of the muffin tin with butter. Dust with the cocoa powder and shake out excess. Spoon mixture into pan using a 4-ounce scoop or ladle. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Outsides should be cake-like and center should be gooey. While muffins are in oven, melt the ice cream in a small saucepan. Stir in the Dunn Bros Coffee espresso powder. Serve over warm muffins.

If you are preparing these for an event you can complete the last step right before serving.

Super Bowl Dip

Looking for a recipe for Sunday's Super Bowl....this is one that will leave them begging for more.

Shrimp and Crab Dip
by Lane

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large chopped red bell pepper
1 8oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled coarsely chopped
3 small cans of crab meat
1/3 cup sliced green onion or 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 T. lemon juice
¼ tsp. red pepper
½ tsp. basil
1 T. parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Assorted Crackers or bread for serving

Preheat oven to 350°F.In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add red bell pepper, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp, salt, parsley and green onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are firm and barley pink. In a large bowl mix cream cheese well add the sour cream, cheeses, seasonings, and mayonnaise and mix well. Add crab meat and mix in. Add shrimp, red bell pepper, and onion mixture to bowl. Spoon mixture into a large baking dish. Bake 50 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve with assorted crackers or bread.