PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES

Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Beat butter, sugars, and peanut butter in a large bowl until creamy.

Add egg and vanilla extract and beat well.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to mixture until well blended.

Stir in chips.

Drop by 1/4 cup full onto baking sheet, placing only 6 cookies per sheet. Bake 12' - 16 ' or until edges are lightly golden brown. Cool for 1 minute. Remove and cool completely.

MARINADE FOR SHISH KABOBS

This is an easy, delicious marinade for just about anything...vegetables, beef, lamb, shrimp etc. It turns the ordinary into a flavorful treat! Keeps forever in the refrigerator. A real crowd pleaser. I made it for Mother's Day and people were eating the marinated vegetables raw before I even got them on the sticks! It is that good!

MARINADE FOR SHISH KABOBS

1 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, corn, canola)
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1 Tbsp. fresh pepper
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1 clove garlic crushed
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup honey

Put in blender 30 to 40 seconds. Store in tightly covered container or glass jar in refrigerator. Keep forever. Yields 3 1/2 cups.

HOT AND SPICY TOFU

The more chilie pepper and crushed red pepper flakes you use in the recipe, the hotter it gets! Firm tofu is the easiest to work with. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.

HOT AND SPICY TOFU

3 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 pound firm tofu, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 green chile pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup hot water
3 Tbsp. white vinegar
3 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Heat oil in wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Toss the tofu into the oil, and cook until browned on all sides. Once browned, toss in onion, bell peppers, chile pepper, and garlic; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Pour over tofu and vegetables, toss to coat, and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.

FROSTED BANANA BARS

You can use my cream cheese frosting on these banana bars which will make them extra special. If you are short on time, use canned cream cheese frosting. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. It is a keeper and will get raves every time you make them.

FROSTED BANANA BARS

1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 15 inch jellyroll pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir in to the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese frosting.

FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. confectioners sugar
milk if needed to thin icing if it will not spread

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla, sugar and milk if needed.

Absolute Best Ever CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I have been baking chocolate chip cookies for at least 40 years and these are by far the best I have tasted. If you like crispy cookies, be sure they are light brown around the perimeter before you take them out of the oven. Don't forget to let cookies cool a few minutes before removing to baking grates so they do not fall apart. (I have also used this recipe as a base for white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Add 2 cups white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup macadamia nut pieces in place of semisweet and milk chocolate chip pieces....these are incredible!!)

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.

Mix the sugars and butter just until thoroughly mixed, then add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the sifted ingredients and mix until just blended.

Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts (if desired). Roll into large balls (about 1/4 cup dough each). Bake 16 - 19 minutes depending on desired texture. Leave on sheet a bit before cooling on grates.

Stir in chocolate chips

SASSY GREEN BEANS

This is a terrific low calorie side dish!

SASSY GREEN BEANS

8 oz. green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp. corn oil
1 medium onion peeled and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. fajita or taco seasoning blend
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine (cooking white wine or low sodium broth can be easily substituted)

In saucepan over high heat, bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil: add green beans. Cook 3 minutes. Drain.

In skillet over medium high heat, cook oil 30 seconds, or until hot. Add chopped onions, jalapeno peppers and seasoning blend. Cook 5 minutes.

Stire in tomatoes and white wine; cook 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook 5 minutes.

SPICY CITRUS SALMON

This is yet another recipe from FIRST Magazine (April 2008). The key is the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Look in the Spanish or Mexican food section of your grocery store.

SPICY CITRUS SALMON

1 Salmon fillet (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (use 2 or 3 if you like it very spicy)
1 large clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lime, zested and juiced
3 scallions, sliced and divided
2 Tbsps. chopped cilantro

Heat oven 450 F. Place salmon on rimmed baking sheet coated with olive-oil falvored cooking spray.

In bowl of food processor, puree chipotle pepper, garlic, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1 Tbsp. lime juice 1 minute. or until smooth. Stir in 2 Tbsp. sliced scallions. Spread chipotle mixture evenly over salmon.

Roast 20 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily. Top with cilantro, remaining scallions and 1 Tbsp. each orange zest and lime zest.