Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup of butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

7 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and salt

4 teaspoons baking soda

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1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a small cookie sheet with a sil-pat or parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl use the back of a spoon or a wire whisk to cream together the butter and peanut butter. Stir until smooth and combined.
3. Add the sugars, and stir until smooth. Follow with the egg yolk and the vanilla, stirring or whisking until dough is lump-free and combined.
4. Sprinkle the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda over the peanut butter mixture stir it in gently until just combined with no streaks.
5. Pop the dough in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, or just enough time for it to be easier to handle.
6. Scoop the dough into 3-4 equal portions and roll in sugar. Place on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. And bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

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Serve with Love!

Best Pecan Pie EVER!!!

Pie Crust

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup confectioner’s sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Mix together butter, flour, and confectioner’s sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan, a pie plate, tart pan, or other pan for your baking.

Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling.

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Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 1 cup light brown sugar {packed}

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cup roughly chopped pecans

• 1/2 cup butter {melted}

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 tbs dark rum {optional}

• 1/2 tsp salt

• One 9-inch deep dish pie shell {unbaked}

• 1 cup pecan halves

Directions

 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

 In a large mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs until creamy.
 Add the chopped pecans, melted butter, milk, flour, rum, salt and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

  Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top of the pie in a circular pattern.

Bake the pie for 55 minutes. Check for doneness by shaking the pan slightly. The pie should be firm with only a slight jiggle in the center!

 Serve with vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of whipped cream or if you like me, BOTH!! Yields one pie!

4.) Enjoy :)

Italian Chopped Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings as a main dish, 16 servings as a side dish

Flavorful and hearty, this Italian Chopped Salad has all of the great flavors of Italy in one huge salad!

INGREDIENTS

Dressing
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
  
  
Salad
• 1 cup ditalini pasta
• 3 cups chopped romaine hearts
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
• 1 jar (7.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup cubed salami
• 1 cup cubed Provolone
• 3/4 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/2 cup mini pepperoni
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• Pepperoncini peppers
• INSTRUCTIONS
1. To make the dressing, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard, seasoning and garlic in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. Blend to combine. Slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify. Alternately, add all the ingredients to a jar and shake until completely combined slightly thickened.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the romaine, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, salami, provolone, cucumber, pepperoni and green onions. Add in the cooled pasta. Add in the dressing and toss to coat.
4. Serve the salad topped with a few whole pepperoncini peppers.

Original Source: Taste and Tell

Easy Blender Crepes

Ingredients

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups flour

3 Tbsp melted butter

3 Tbsp sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Additional butter for cooking

Filling

8oz cream cheese softened

1 tsp lemon extract, or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Starting with the milk add all the ingredients to a blender and mix on low speed until it is perfectly smooth. Do not over blend because the mixture will become to liquidy and not set up properly. Heat a pancake skillet or a large skillet to medium high, melt a tad of butter and then pour batter about 1/8 of a cup at a time.  Quickly spread batter with the back of a spoon into a thin circle. If you want larger crepes use about 1/4 cup of batter. On a counter skillet you can usually do four at a time, in a large pan you can do 2-3 small ones . As soon as the batter looks dry, about one minute, flip and cook the other side also about one minute. Crepes cook very quickly. Continue this process until all the batter is gone. This batter makes 18-22 small crepes, or 10- 12 large ones.

To make the filling just mix all the filling ingredients into a medium bowl with a fork. Serve with fresh berries or whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Chicken Pesto Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 baguette or ciabatta, cut into 3-4 equal pieces, Optional: toasted
• 2 cups arugula, for serving
• 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced, for serving or Sun-dried tomatoes.
• 8 ounces mozzarella, sliced
FOR THE BASIL PESTO
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1/2 cup pesto, Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve sandwiches on baguette with arugula, tomatoes, mozzarella and chicken pesto mixture. Serves 4-6 people.

Lightened up with Greek yogurt, this hearty sandwich is one of the quickest, most tastiest meals you'll ever have!

Original Source: Pinterest

Blueberry Brunch Scones

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup buttermilk or yogurt

1 egg

3/4 blueberries 

1/4 light cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut in butter.

In a separate bowl, beat together egg and buttermilk or yogurt. Fold into the dry mixture along with the berries.Drop onto baking sheets at least 3 inches apart. Brush tips with cream and bake.

~Serve with Love

From the Lorenc Family Kitchen

Russian Tea Cakes

The following recipe makes 5 dozen.

Ingredients

1 Cup Butter

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

2 1/4 cups sifted flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cups finely chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions

-Form into 1" balls

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Bake for 10 minutes until set, not brown.

-While hot, roll in powdered sugar

-Cool

-Roll in sugar again

-Enjoy

-Go brush your teeth

From the Gibbs Family Kitchen