Peanut Butter & Jelly Optional Waffles

Since we make a lot of pancakes and waffles around here, I am always open to new recipes. I previously avoided the following Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffles from Taste of Home just because there is an extra step of separating the eggs and beating the whites into stiff peaks. The difference it makes in the final product makes the extra work so worthwhile, I expect I'll use the basic recipe for all future waffle endeavors. The addition of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips takes the recipe over the top where they can stand alone without the jelly and just a sprinkling of powdered sugar (or not) for good luck. Sorry there are no pictures, but trust me, you want to make these waffles.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Optional Waffles
adapted from Taste of Home
1 1/4 cups A/P Flour
3 TBLS sugar
1 TBLS baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup peanut butter
3 TBLS butter, melted
2/3 to 1 cup peanut butter chips

Jelly, jelly syrup, powdered sugar, or topping of choice.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, milk, peanut butter and butter until well combined. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in peanut butter chips. Beat egg whites till stiff peaks form and fold into batter. Cook as required by waffle iron. Top with jelly syrup (below), jelly or powdered sugar. Oh yeah, ice cream is a great topper, too!
Jelly Syrup: Heat 2/3 cup of jelly of choice in a small saucepan with two TBLS butter or margarine. Stir until well melted and whisk smooth. Pour over warm waffles.
OR if you're without peanut butter chips, make it peanut butter and chocolate: add one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Shortbread

Greetings! I've been loving shortbread lately since it takes so few ingredients, is quick to whip up and makes such a light, sweet treat, but wanted to experiment with flavor combinations. Curious as to how brown sugar would work and loving maple and brown sugar, Brown Sugar Shortbread was born.

The texture is crunchier than using powdered sugar, but with a slightly chewy texture. My daughter said they were like eating a block of brown sugar and to that I say, what's your point?

Maple Brown Sugar Shortbread
2 sticks unsalted* butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups A/P flour
3/4 teas salt
1/2 teas maple extract
*If using salted butter, decrease salt to 1/2 teas.
Preheat oven to 325d. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or cover with parchment paper. Sift flour and salt together and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy, add sugar and continue to beat until well mixed and and fluffy. Beat in Maple flavoring. Scrap down sides as needed throughout process. Add flour mixture and beat on low until flour is incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, roll in graham crumbs. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake 20 minutes until cookies are just starting to color (bottoms will be lightly browned). Cool on wire rack. When completely cool, dip tops into Maple Glaze, twirling slightly and let glaze dry. Store air tight. Makes about 30-40cookies.

Crunchy Coating: This is purely optional. I just happened to have some left from a previous recipe and decided to try it with this shortbread. Any leftovers can be used for oatmeal, ice cream or muffin topping, or in a desperate situation, eating with a spoon. It also worked as a coating for sliced bananas, dipped in butter, coated, than baked.

1 cup graham cracker crumbs (if you don't have the boxed crumbs, pulse six whole graham crackers in a food processor (or in a baggy with a hammer) until finely crushed.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 TBLS butter or margarine, melted
Mix cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl until well combined and crumbly. Store air tight in cool place.

Maple Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teas. Maple flavoring
3-4 TBLS milk
Add flavoring and milk to powdered sugar and whisk until well combined. Add additional milk as needed for glaze consistency.

Please sir, I'd like some more....
With only one stick of butter left, I thought it would be the perfect time to really experiment so when I came across several peppermint candy discs, Peppermint Shortbread seemed the perfect solution. I cut the recipe in half to accommodate the one stick of butter, but if you have lots of butter, plenty of peppermint candies, and know you love peppermint in anything, just double the ingredients for the full recipe.

Peppermint Shortbread
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup A/P flour
1/4 teas. salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teas. Peppermint extract
6 or more peppermint candy discs (or sticks), crushed
Preheat oven to 325d. Lightly grease cookie sheet or cover with parchment paper. Sift flour and salt together, set aside. Cream butter until light and fluffy, add sugar and continuing beating until light in color and fluffy. Beat in extract. Add flour and beat until flour is incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in crushed peppermint candies. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Bake 18-20 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to color. Cool on wire rack. Dip top of cookie into glaze and twirl slightly. Sprinkle tops with additional crushed peppermint candies (do this as soon as you dip, glaze dries fast). Store air tight. Makes 20 cookies.

Chocolate Peppermint Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/4 teas. Peppermint extract
3 TBLS. milk, warmed
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl at 10-15 second intervals until melted. Stir well. Warm milk in microwave, approximately 6-10 seconds. Add chocolate, extract and warmed milk to sugar and whisk until glaze consistency, adding more warmed milk as needed. Use immediately.

Any exciting combos you've tried lately?

Oh, La, La, Lavender

Years ago when I came across the following recipe in the August/Sept 2008 Taste of Home magazine, I was intrigued about the prospect of cooking with lavender. My daughter's first baby shower was coming up and this recipe sounded perfect. After checking locally for edible grade lavender and finding none, I tried the vendor suggested in the recipe, Penzeys Spices, which turned out to be another exciting find!

Penzeys Spices has a wide selection of top grade spices and once on their mailing list, send a colorful catalog which not only displays and educates about their spices but also includes delicious recipes from their readers. When I called to place the order, the rep was very pleasant and helpful and a very reasonable $4.95 later brought a 4oz bag of edible grade lavender right to my door! Four ounces may not sound like a lot, but trust me, it is a lot of lavender but keeping it double-bagged in a cool, dry place, it is as fragrant and fresh as when purchased over two years ago.

We tried this delicious moist and flavorful cake again recently and with holiday gift giving in mind, I decided to try baking it in miniature loaf pans. It is just as delicious made in the bread pans and well worth the effort to locate the lavender.

Almond Lavender Cake
Lillian Julow, Gainesville, FL Taste of Home Magazine Aug/Sept 2008

2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 TBLS plus 1 teas dried lavender flowers, divided
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
2 teas vanilla extract
1 8oz cup sour cream
1/4 cup half and half cream
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teas baking soda
1/2 teas salt
4 teas boiling water
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Additional dried lavender flowers, optional

Grease a 10-inch fluted tube pan and sprinkle with sugar, set aside. Place 1/2 cup sugar, the almonds and 1 TBLS lavender in a food processor, cover and process until finely ground.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy; beat in almond mixture until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine sour cream and half and half. (In another bowl) Combine flour, baking soda and salt, add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beating well after each addition.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool 10 mins before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
For drizzle, combine boiling water and remaining lavender in a small bowl. Steep for 5 mins. Strain, discarding lavender. In another small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough infused water to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over cake. Garnish with additional lavender, if desired. 12 servings.

Almond Lavender Mini Cakes

Follow the basic recipe above except grease and sugar 4 mini bread pans and one full size bread pan (or 6 mini pans). Divide the batter among pans, filling small pans first, about 3/4's full and spoon remaining batter into large pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 mins, remove to wire rack and cool completely before adding glaze. Garnish with additional lavender, if desired, but do so quickly and press down gently. Glaze dries very fast! If not eating or giving away immediately, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil and store in freezer. Let thaw and come to room temperature before serving.

Now, what to do with all that left over lavender.....how about some

Lavender Shortbread Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart Living

1 cup unsalted butter,* room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teas salt
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teas almond extract

Almond Crunch Topping
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
2 teas lavender

Lavender Glaze
1/3 cup boiling water
1 cup confectioner's
2 teas lavender
*If using salted butter, lower salt to 1/2 teas.

Preheat oven to 325. Butter or lightly spray (wipe off excess) 2 cookies or baking pans.
In a food processor, combine almonds, sugar and lavender and process until finely ground. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

Sift together flour and salt in a small bowl, set aside. In large bowl, cream butter until fluffy, about 4 mins. Add sugar and continue to beat, 2 to 3 mins, until fluffy and light in color, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in almond extract. Add flour mixture and beat on low until flour is incorporated and dough sticks together. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in almond mixture. Set aside remaining almond mixture. Refrigerate 20 mins. Bake until cookies are firm and just beginning to brown. Cool on pan 5 mins, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare glaze, add lavender to a tea strainer and set inside small bowl, pour boiling water over, cover tightly and steep for 5-8 minutes (water should be light lavender in color and fragrant). Add by teaspoons to sugar (about 3 to 4) and mix until smooth. Dip tops of cookies in glaze and then in remaining almond crunch mixture. Set aside to dry. Store covered at room temperature. Makes approximately 40 cookies.

These cookies are very flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. If you prefer a crunchy shortbread, substitute granulated sugar for the confectioners'.

So have any of you tried cooking/baking with anything unusual and out of the norm? Would love to hear about anything new and different!

Happy Baking!

Snack Mix, Anyone?

Amazing that it has been almost a year since my last post! Life has a way of doing that, though, doesn't it, changing things when you least expect it, turning itself upside down. It all comes out in the wash, as they say, just gotta roll with it and trust God to see you through. Sometimes the most heart-breaking events take you just where you need to be.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and now ready to jump into the Christmas season. This one will be extra special for me since I will spend it with my maaavelous daughter and son-in-law and that ever-incredible full-speed-ahead 2-year-old granddaughter, Toot.

As you may have noticed from previous recipe blogs, I am a big snack mix fan and love coming up with new flavor combinations. I would like to make a confession to any who may think this is such a feat: with the basic syrup recipe, you are only limited by the flavors of cereal and Jell-O you can find, available dried fruit and your own imagination. The real fun is coming up with your own favorites. I would love to hear of any concoctions you've come up with....

Here's the latest for your consideration:

CRANBERRY CRUNCH MIX

9 Cups* Chex Cereal, corn or rice or combination
2 cups Frosted Cheerios
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 TBLS corn syrup
6 TBLS butter, cubed
1 bag dried cranberries or Cranraisins
1 cup dried banana chips
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole cashews (optional)
2 3oz boxes Cranberry Jell-O
1 large roasting bag

Combine cereals (and nuts) in a large microwavable bowl and set aside. Combine cubed butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in microwavable measuring cup or small bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir well and microwave at 30 second intervals until melted. Mix well. Pour approximately one-half of syrup over cereal and fold gently to coat. Microwave 2 minutes, folding well after each minute.

Add banana chips, fruit and remaining syrup. Fold well to coat and return to microwave for one to two minutes, folding well after each minute. Set aside to cool briefly while you pour one box of Jell-O into the roasting bag. Add cereal mixture and pour second box of Jell-O onto top. Close securely and shake well to coat all pieces. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store airtight.
*9 cups is one box of cereal*


This one has moved to the top of the favorite stack.

Island Pineapple Melody

9 cups Chex cereal
2 cups Frosted Cheerios
1 7oz bag Sunmaid Tropical Trio (pineapple, mango, papaya)
1 cup banana chips
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole cashews (optional)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 TBLS corn syrup
6 TBLS butter, cubed
2 3oz boxes Island Pineapple Jello
1 large roasting bag

Follow directions for cranberry crunch above and enjoy!

Happy Snacking!

Flu Fighter/Good for You Cookies

I promised this recipe - one correction, it came from The Food Network Magazine, not Taste of Home (both are excellent sources for recipes and ideas). The first recipe is the original from the October issue and the second (Good for You Cookies) is an adjustment I made, substituting special dark chocolate (also a good antioxidant) for the walnuts. Full of natural antioxidants, these cookies are seriously yummy and - you guessed it, Good for you!!!

FLU FIGHTER COOKIES from the Food Network Magazine

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp (teaspoon) baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves =
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 TBLS (tablespoon) freshly grated ginger
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest (about one lemon)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups golden raisins
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups roughly chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Add the molasses, yogurt, ginger and lemon zest and beat until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture to make a sticky batter (do not overmix). Fold in the oats, and half the cranberries, raisins and walnuts. Mix the remaining dried fruit and nuts in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets. Top each with some of the reserved fruit/nut mixture and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 d.

4. Bake cookies until dark golden but still soft, 10 to 12 minutes; cool on rack. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week. Makes about 30 cookies.

GOOD FOR YOU COOKIES
Using the recipe above, substitute Special dark chocolate chips (different from semi-sweet) for the walnuts, adding approximately 3/4 cup to the batter and the balance of chips mixed with the cranberries and raisins to top the cookies.

Lime in Da Coconut

Thank you all for visiting and commenting on my first official post-mostly due to a little shout out from Katamommy over at Just Add Glitter and Stir~thanks, Maggi! I'm still learning blogging etitique and how to get around, so please bear with me. Nonetheless, your comments were very encouraging so here we go again. After success with the cherry-banana mix, I wanted to come up with something using lime and coconut. I'm still working with this one a little, but my sweet son-in-law said the last recipe was perfect - he's my favorite food critic because usually whatever I make is, to him, "the best ever!" He really knows how to butter up "Nana" so the treats keep coming! The recipe is a little more involved but the flavor is great!!

I also tried a new cookie recipe this week from the Taste of Home, "Flu-Fighter" cookies and I'll share that one a little later. Thanks again for stopping by! Happy Holidays!!


LIME IN DA COCONUT

9 cups Chex Cereal (corn/rice/wheat or mixture) (9 cups is the whole box)
1 cup Frosted Cheerios
1 package dried banana chips
1 bag dried pineapple (the small square pieces are best, if only the large pieces are available, chop into smaller chunks)
1 cup whole cashews or other nuts, optional
1 cup shaved coconut pieces - the larger "shaved" pieces are better; usually found in fresh produce markets. If you can't find the shaved pieces, use a can of shredded coconut, found in grocery stores.
2 fresh limes
3/4 cup coconut milk (A 5.6 oz can is exactly 3/4 cup - I have found these small cans in Asian markets - grocery stores usually carry the larger size cans where the evaporated milk/baking supplies are kept. Keep opened milk in fridge and use up quickly.)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 TBLS (Tablespoons) butter or margarine, cubed
3 TBLS corn syrup
1 large box lime Jello

Large size roasting bag

Zest the peel from the two limes, juice both, collecting all the soft, green pulp you can (careful of the tiny seeds) and set aside. Measure out and combine cereals (nuts) in a large microwave safe bowl and set aside.

In a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl, add brown sugar, corn syrup and butter. Microwave 1 minute until butter is melted and ingredients mix together well. Add lime juice/zest/pulp and coconut milk. Stir well and return to microwave for 30 seconds intervals until mixture is hot and well combined.

Pour approximately one-half cup of the syrup mixture over cereal and fold gently to cover cereal. Return to microwave for 1 minute. Fold gently to mix. Add coconut, bananas and pineapple to cereal; fold in gently. Return to microwave for 1 minute, fold gently and microwave 1 additional minute. Mix gently and set aside to cool briefly.

Pour half of the jello into the roasting bag, and working quickly, add the cereal and fruit mix. Pour remaining jello on top, twist bag shut and shake, shake, shake to coat. Spread mixture on wax paper to cool. This mix is a little more chewy than crunchy.

Enjoy! And please remember, I appreciate any feed back!

Tis the Season....Cherry Banana Crunch

I have always loved the holiday season - Thanksgiving and Christmas....besides the obvious reasons, mostly because of the baking and cooking that goes along with it. All the years my kids were growing up, November and December meals consisted of sausage balls, Chex mix, and double-dipped bon-bons. Sweet Bread was always a favorite for giving away, and I loved experimenting with new flavors. As mentioned, Chex Mix was a staple, and nobody loves the new direction Chex cereals have taken than moi!! An original recipe follows, and if you are a Chex Mix lover, try it, and let me know what you think.

CHERRY BANANA CRUNCH

8 cups Rice or Corn Chex cereal
1 cup Frosted Cheerios
1 cup granola (or two cups Cheerios)
1 package banana chips
1 package dried cherries
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons (TBLS) corn syrup
6 TBLS butter, cubed
1 large box cherry jello

Large size (roasting) bag for shaking

Place cereals (granola) in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Set aside.
In microwave safe measuring cup or bowl, place cubed butter, brown sugar, and syrup. Microwave 1 minute and stir. Microwave at 10 second intervals until butter is melted and mixture combined if needed. Stir and add two TBLS cherry jello. Mix well and microwave 30 seconds or until mixture is hot and mixed well. Pour three-quarters of mixture over cereal and fold into cereal until coated. Microwave 1 minute and gently fold until cereal is well coated with syrup. Add bananas, cherries, and rest of syrup mixture. Fold into cereal until well coated. Microwave two minutes, folding well after each minute. Fold well and set aside to cool slightly. Pour approximately half the remaining cherry jello in a large (roasting size) bag and add cereal. Pour balance of jello on top of cereal, close securely, and shake to coat pieces as evenly as possible. Spread on wax paper to cool and keep in airtight container - if it lasts that long.