Peanut Butter Puff Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Place peanut butter and softened butter in mixer bowl. Attach bowl and a flat beater to mixer. Turn to Speed 6 and beat about 1 minute, or until mixture is smooth.

2.Stop and scrape bowl. Add sugars, egg, and vanilla. Turn to Speed 4 and beat about 1 minute. Stop and scrape bowl.

3. Turn to STIR Speed. Gradually add all remaining ingredients to sugar mixture and mix about 30 seconds. Turn to Speed 2 and mix for an additional 30 seconds.


4. Roll dough into a large ball, cover with saran wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.




5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Remove from baking sheets immediately and cool on wire racks.

  

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

•  1 tablespoon oil
• 3 cups chopped chicken breasts (or tenderloins)
•  1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 4oz can chopped fire roasted green chile's & juices
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 14.5oz diced tomatoes & juices
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 can cream chicken
• 1 cup water
• 2 cans white beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, additional for topping
• toasted tortilla strips for topping

1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with garlic salt, and cook for 4-6 minutes.

2. Add chopped garlic, onion, green chiles & juice, cumin, oregano, & cayenne. Let simmer until onions are somewhat transparent.

3. In a bowl, mix cream chicken and water, then add to pot. Also add diced tomatoes & juice, lower heat to medium low, let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until liquid reduces slightly.

4. In a colander, rinse beans well with cold water.

5. Add drained beans, and corn. Cover and let cook for an additional 20 minutes.

6. Stir in cheese, & top with tortilla strips. Serve immediately.

Oh YUM, enjoy!

Grandma's Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs and leaves, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 12 cups of water
• 3 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 can reduced sodium cream of chicken soup
• 1 lb egg noodles
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot to medium-high heat.
2. Melt butter, then add thyme, rosemary, garlic, carrots, celery, and onion.
3. Saute until onions are slightly transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add water, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, and whole chicken breasts.
5. Bring to a boil, cover, then bring back down to medium heat. Let cook for 20 minutes.
6. Carefully remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks. You can also chop, it's your preference.
Add cream of chicken at this time and stir well, until blended.
7. Add chicken back to soup, add egg noodles. Cook covered for an additional 20 minutes.

This recipe is perfect for chilly winter nights, enjoy!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

2.  Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

3. Pour over confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl.

4. Beat until smooth.

5. Pour into a well greased 8x8 pan, set in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

6. On  a large cutting sheet, sprinkle confectioners' sugar, carefully flip fudge over on to the cutting sheet.
7. Cut in to 1-inch squares, clean knife between cuts for best results. Keep in refrigerator.

Perfect for the holidays, enjoy!

Pecan Brittle

Ingredients

• 2 cups pecans, toasted whole
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 3 teaspoon baking soda

1. In a nonstick saucepan, heat and stir sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Over high heat, using a candy thermometer, cook sugar mixture to a hard crack stage (290 degrees F).

2. Add pecans and butter and cook to 300 degrees F stirring all the time to keep the nuts from burning.

3. Pull off heat at 300 degrees F and stir in baking soda while beating to froth for 30 seconds.

4. Pour at once on to 4 well buttered 15 1/2 by 10 by 1-inch pans. Spread with a spatula as thin as possible. As the brittle cools you may use gloves to hand stretch the brittle which will give it a better eating quality.

Perfect for Christmas time! ENJOY!

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo with Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage or spicy kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering.
2. Add the bell peppers, chopped onion, celery, chopped garlic and cayenne.
3. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook them over moderately high heat until they are softened, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the sausage to the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour on top of the sausage and vegetables and stir until evenly coated.
6. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp and scallion to the saucepan, season lightly with salt and simmer, stirring, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
8. Lower heat to a simmer, cover and let cook 45 minutes.
9. Discard the bay leaves. 
10. Stir the parsley into the gumbo and serve at once.

Serve With Rice! ENJOY!

Parmesan Panko Crusted Tilapia with Parsley Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 large tilapia fillets
• 2 egg whites
• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• Nonstick cooking oil spray

Parsley Dipping Sauce:

• 1/3 cup Fat Free/Low fat Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon horseradish

1. To prepare dipping sauce, mix all ingredients together and set in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tilapia:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place egg whites in one bowl, in another bowl mix together Panko, Parmesan, salt and pepper.
3. Dredge tilapia in egg whites, then toss in bread crumb mixture until fish is completely covered.
4. Place fish 1/2 inch apart in a greased casserole dish.
5. Spray the top of fish with a little bit of cooking spray, it will give the panko a great crunchy texture.
6. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with dipping sauce!

Enjoy!