Really really good. Adapted slightly from Our Best Bites.
Bars:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup strawberry jam (or your favorite flavor)
Glaze:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons hot water (no more than 2T!)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and mix just until combined. Add egg and vanilla and mix again. Measure out the 1 1/4 cups flour in a separate bowl. Add small amounts to the peanut butter mixture while mixer is running (about 1/4 cup at a time). When about half of the flour is left, add the baking soda and powder to it. Combine it well, then add to the peanut butter dough and mix until all is incorporated.
Reserve one full cup for the topping. Take remaining dough and press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan. (Tip: crumble it all across the bottom and then press down with your fingers.)
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly set.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Spread jam over the top evenly.
Take the reserved dough and cover jam layer. (Tip: it's easier to flatten little pieces of dough at a time with your fingers, then place on top of jam. Some of the jam will show through when you're finished, but that's fine.)
Bake at 350F for 14-15 minutes. The top should be set and just barely golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on rack in pan.
When cool, mix up the glaze with wire whisk. Pour over top and spread evenly. Let glaze set for a bit to harden a little, then cut into squares.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Split Pea Soup
adapted slightly from a recipe found on Tasty Kitchen.
2 cups green split peas
10 cups water (or more)
1 ham bone, with plenty of meat still attached (can omit if going vegetarian)
3 whole carrots, washed, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, washed and diced
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
Put the peas, water and ham bone in a large pot.
Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil.
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, add the vegetables and stir.
Add the herbs, salt and pepper, and stir again.
Transfer soup to a crockpot and cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours, stirring periodically.
You may want to add another cup or so of water depending on the consistency you desire.
If you’re going to eat the soup the next day, let it cool down before covering and refrigerating it. Reheat the next day over low heat, adding a cup of water or more.
2 cups green split peas
10 cups water (or more)
1 ham bone, with plenty of meat still attached (can omit if going vegetarian)
3 whole carrots, washed, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, washed and diced
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
Put the peas, water and ham bone in a large pot.
Turn the heat on high and bring to a boil.
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, add the vegetables and stir.
Add the herbs, salt and pepper, and stir again.
Transfer soup to a crockpot and cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours, stirring periodically.
You may want to add another cup or so of water depending on the consistency you desire.
If you’re going to eat the soup the next day, let it cool down before covering and refrigerating it. Reheat the next day over low heat, adding a cup of water or more.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Lemon Cheesecake
adapted from Betty Crocker. served for Easter. we LOVED this dessert. it was pretty dang good, let me tell you! I added in some lemon zest to some whipping cream and decorated the top, and it was delicious! we had just a piece leftover, and it was gone the next day.
Crust
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 sugar
1 small box lemon pudding, prepared as directed on box
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups whipped topping
Heat oven to 350F. Spray bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with Pam. Wrap foil around outside of pan to catch drips. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix, butter and lemon zest with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of pan.
In same large bowl, beat reserved cake mix, the cream cheese, sugar, pudding and sour cream on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer.
Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before serving. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around edge of cheesecake. Store in refrigerator.
Crust
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 sugar
1 small box lemon pudding, prepared as directed on box
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups whipped topping
Heat oven to 350F. Spray bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with Pam. Wrap foil around outside of pan to catch drips. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cake mix; set aside. In large bowl, beat remaining cake mix, butter and lemon zest with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1-1/2 inches up side of pan.
In same large bowl, beat reserved cake mix, the cream cheese, sugar, pudding and sour cream on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixed. Pour over crust.
Bake 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer.
Remove cheesecake from oven; place on cooling rack. Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before serving. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around edge of cheesecake. Store in refrigerator.
Chocolate Mint Cheesecake
adapted from the Betty Crocker website
Crust
30 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon mint (NOT peppermint) extract
6-10 drops green food coloring
Garnish
sweetened whipped cream
Heat oven to 300F. Wrap foil around the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press in bottom and one inch up side of pan. Cool 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in extract and food coloring. Pour filling evenly over crust.
Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until set 2 inches from edge of pan. Remove from oven; run knife around side of cheesecake to loosen. Return to oven; turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours.
To serve, remove side of pan. Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag with large star tip; pipe cream around top edge of cheesecake.
Crust
30 Oreo cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon mint (NOT peppermint) extract
6-10 drops green food coloring
Garnish
sweetened whipped cream
Heat oven to 300F. Wrap foil around the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press in bottom and one inch up side of pan. Cool 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Stir in extract and food coloring. Pour filling evenly over crust.
Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until set 2 inches from edge of pan. Remove from oven; run knife around side of cheesecake to loosen. Return to oven; turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 1 hour. Refrigerate 3 hours.
To serve, remove side of pan. Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag with large star tip; pipe cream around top edge of cheesecake.
Baked Brown Rice
1 1/2 cups brown rice (not instant)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine water and rice in a 3-quart baking dish; cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before removing foil and fluffing with fork.
If desired, stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 Tablespoon sugar.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups cooked rice.
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Preheat oven to 350F. Combine water and rice in a 3-quart baking dish; cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes before removing foil and fluffing with fork.
If desired, stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 Tablespoon sugar.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups cooked rice.
Creamy Vanilla Pudding
found on and adapted from www.sisterscafe.blogspot.com - yum yum! I love the fact that you eat it warm.
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1-2 vanilla beans, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for one minute. Stir at least half of the milk mixture gradually into the egg yolks. Blend egg mixture back into the milk in the saucepan. Boil and stir one more minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into dessert dishes. Serve warm. Serves 4.
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1-2 vanilla beans, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for one minute. Stir at least half of the milk mixture gradually into the egg yolks. Blend egg mixture back into the milk in the saucepan. Boil and stir one more minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into dessert dishes. Serve warm. Serves 4.
Teriyaki Noodles
I found this recipe on sisterscafe.blogspot.com (one of my favorites!), and am just enamored of these noodles! I'm currently eating them cold, straight out of the fridge. Yes, they're supposed to go on top of a decked-out spinach salad, but I truly see no need. Well, unless you're looking for an actual meal, I suppose! As much as I love them, I think there's too much oil and am going to decrease it substantially next time (and there WILL be a next time!). I'll put my estimate/s in parentheses after the ingredient.
1 cup vegetable oil (I'd do as little as 1/2 a cup)
2/3 cup white wine vinegar (or almost 2/3 cup white vinegar + about 1 Tablespoon sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce (or make your own with 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup white vinegar and about 4 Tablespoons sugar - bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly - take your 2/3 cup from there)
5 Tablespoons sugar (yes, this recipe has a LOT of sugar if you make it yourself)
Cook your favorite shaped pasta according to package directions; drain and cool while whisking dressing. Marinate cooked pasta in dressing for at least one hour in the fridge. Then eat straight out of the bag.
If you're so inclined, assemble a spinach salad using mandarin oranges, craisins, chopped bell peppers, peanuts or cashews, and toasted sesame seeds - also add in some shredded chicken if you'd like. Top with these noodles. Yum yum!
1 cup vegetable oil (I'd do as little as 1/2 a cup)
2/3 cup white wine vinegar (or almost 2/3 cup white vinegar + about 1 Tablespoon sugar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce (or make your own with 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup white vinegar and about 4 Tablespoons sugar - bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly - take your 2/3 cup from there)
5 Tablespoons sugar (yes, this recipe has a LOT of sugar if you make it yourself)
Cook your favorite shaped pasta according to package directions; drain and cool while whisking dressing. Marinate cooked pasta in dressing for at least one hour in the fridge. Then eat straight out of the bag.
If you're so inclined, assemble a spinach salad using mandarin oranges, craisins, chopped bell peppers, peanuts or cashews, and toasted sesame seeds - also add in some shredded chicken if you'd like. Top with these noodles. Yum yum!
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