Monday, August 5, 2013

Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup ond-fashioned oats
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Reese's peanut butter baking chips
2 cups chopped Reese's peanut butter cups

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil.  Spray with cooking spray and set aside. 
2.  Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.  Add peanut butter and continue mixing.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.
3.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats baking powder, and salt.  Slowing add this mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until combined.
4. Mix in the peanut butter chips.
5.  Press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan, fully covering the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with chopped Reese's.  Drop remaining dough in small pieces over the Reese's (you won't be able to cover all of th Reese's, but this doesn't matter).
6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through.  Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Nordy Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 pkg. butterscotch chips (12 oz.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
2 cup miniature marshmallows

In medium sauce pan melt butter, add butterscotch chips and brown sugar.  Stir until melted.  Remove from heat, add eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add vanilla and set aside and cool.  When cool stir in chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts if desired.  Spread in an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake 25 minutes at 350.  Remove and cool.  They will be soft and gooey when you take them out.  They will set up as they cool. 

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders or chicken breast tenders
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice win vinegar
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
 1/2 cup cashews

Combine flour and pepper in large ziploc bag.  Add chicken.  Shake to coat with flour mixture.  Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side.  Place chicken in slow cooker.  Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in a small bowl; pour over chicken.  Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.  Add cashews and stir.  Serve over rice.  Makes 4-6 servings. 

Morning Green Smoothie

1 banana
5 ice cubes (a handful, I don't actually count)
1/2 cup orange juice (just pour a little in - no measuring required)
2 large spoonfuls of plain Greek Yogurt
Fill the rest of the blender up with unpacked Kale (3 cups?)

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 pkg. (12 oz.) milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat butter, both sugars, pudding mix, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl.  Beat until creamy and fluffy.  Then slowly mix in flour and baking soda.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for ONLY 9-10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before eating.

Yields 36 cookies
Recipe from Beth Davis