Dylan & Erica’s Place…

So my brother and husband wanted some cookies.. and I got a new cookbook for Christmas so I decided to make some peanut butter sandwiches (cookies).

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies , Adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook, 2005

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 1
• large egg
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups of creamy peanut butter ( I used natural)
• *** Peanut butter filling (recipe below)

Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Mix together butter, peanut butter, and all sugars in an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy. About 2 - 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture until all combined. (Low speed).

Divide the dough in half and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in wax paper and place in refrigerator at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325. If the dough has been refrigerated overnight, let dough stand at room temperature to soften. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 1/4 thickness. Using a pizza cuter, cut dough into 2 1/2 by 1 inch rectangles. Using the floured tines of a fork, score the top of each cookie. Place the cookies on a baking sheet (covered with butter or butter and flour etc). Place 1 1/2 inches apart, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden around the edges and firm in the center for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Once the cookies are cooled spread 1 tablespoon of filling onto the flat sides of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

Peanut Butter Filling, Adapted from Martha Stewart Baking Handbook, 2005

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, (I used natural)
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar ( I sifted mine)
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine all ingredients in electric mixer and mix on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.

*** My husband claimed that the filling tasted like plain creamy peanut butter so if you don’t want to make this filling just use the rest of the creamy peanut butter and mix a small amount milk or heavy cream to make it a little thinner.

Cooked Ham

This recipe I made all on my own… Its amazing actually because it is so simple. My dad was amazed at the glaze I made and along with how it came out.

• 1 11 - 15 lb ham
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1 cup of orange juice
• dash of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together until sugar has dissolved. Brush on ham 1/2 hour before ham is to be taken out.

Note: I used a roaster to roast my ham. I approximated the time to keep the ham in the roast. It took about 20 minutes per pound. It came out super juicy and super yummy!

Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas is nothing without gingerbread men. I made these Christmas Eve and my mom really thought they were from a box.

• 1 Stick of butter
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of Grandma’s molasses (this is the molasses I used)
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• 1 tsp. of ginger
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. of ground cloves

Beat butter with sugar and molasses. Mix in egg. Sift dry ingredients and mix into wet mixture. Divide dough in half, form into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour in freezer or 2 in fridge.

Heat oven to 350F. Roll out portion of dough 1/4″ thick on lightly floured surface. (I had to use more flour than lightly, however my cookies came out wonderful. The key to rolling out dough is using flour and enough to make sure your dough doesn’t stick. Also when making cut outs make sure you also flour your cookie cutter). Important! Chill remaining dough. Ice cold dough is much easier to work with than room temperature dough. This is also a key to making gingerbread cookies.

Cut with cookie cutter, place on greased baking sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. For soft cookies bake 8 minutes. For snappy cookies, in example, gingersnaps, bake for 10 minutes. Cool on cookie rack.

Yields: ~3 dozen cookies
Adapted from Grandma’s Molasses Original

Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) wedge Brie cheese
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and apple in butter until tender and browned. Set aside.

Arrange brie on top of thawed puff pastry. Top the cheese with the apple and onion mixture. Fold puff pastry over the cheese, and pinch closed. Brush with melted butter.

Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Adapted from All Recipes

Fried Green Bean Bundles, adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans
• 3-4 green onions, cut into 8 strips
• good shake of Tony Cachere’s
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Heat oil to 350 in a deep frying pan. I used a mini fryer
Blanch the green onion strips - bring a small pot of water to boil and cook the green onions for 2-3 minutes, until ribbon-like. Drop into a bowl of ice water until cool.

Place the flour (seasoned with Tony’s, salt, and pepper) and buttermilk into separate dishes for battering.

Bundle 5 green beans by tying in the center with a green onion strip. As Foodie Bride explains.. Take a deep breath!! You will not get a tight bundle because the green onions (not green beans) will snap if you pull too hard. Pull the ends of the onions snugly around the green beans, don’t worry if they don’t feel that tight, and dip into the buttermilk and then in the flour, coating well. The more you coat the better the bundles hold together. Fry the bundles in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Makes 8 bundles.

Well here I am about to start my own blog about baking. Lets see how long this one lasts. So the only thing right now I have pictures of are my haystacks I made last night.

This recipe is so super easy and comes out so super yummy.

• 1 11-oz. package of butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup of cream peanut butter
• 6-oz. of chow mein noodles

Combine butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a 2-quart glass bowl.Microwave at high for one minute. Stir then repeat for one more minute. Add chow mein noodles, stirring to coat. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper. Let sit until set