Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe taken from Stephanie Cooks

I saw these cookies on another wonderful food blog recently and, with just seeing the title, all I could think of was, "Boy would my husband LOVE these cookies!" (Truth be told, there are many recipes that get that reaction from my mind. I actually have a favorites tab dedicated to a list of foods Robert would get excited to eat.) These cookies have chocolate, peanut butter, and well it's a cookie so what's not to love!

1 stick butter (softened)
1/2 cup peanut butter ( I used smooth, but chunky would be great too)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (I didn't have any brown sugar on hand so I mixed 1/2 cup white sugar with 2 tbsp molasses)
1 egg
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used min kisses!)


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

3. Add the egg and continue to beat until fluffy.

4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

5. Slowly add dry mix to peanut butter mix while beating.

6. Stir in chocolate chips.

7. Drop dough by teaspoon onto lightly greased cookie sheets and bake 10- 12 minutes. Cool on baking racks.

This was Robert's special cookie. He made the last one triple the size!

Bracciole

My grandpa requested that my Mom and I make bracciole for him like my Grandma used to. I don't know if ours was as good as hers, but everyone ate it so fast I'm thinking we did ok!

Bracciole

1 1/2 lb flank steak (usually labeled bracciole meat)
6 tbsp Parsley leaves (roughly chopped)
8 garlic cloves (minced)
4 tbsp of olive oil
salt and pepper to season
4 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Tomato Sauce
Pasta



1. Lay out the bracciole on wax or parchment paper. Pound with a meat mallet.

2. Season both sides generously with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle with olive oil.

3. Spread garlic on top of the bracciole evenly across the entire piece. Scatter grated cheese on top of garlic.


4. Pile on the parsley! Be sure to cover the whole steak!


5. Now the tricky part, roll it up tight enough not flop over and fall apart, but loose enough to let the sauce and flavors mix well.

6. Secure with baker's twine. My Mom and I had a good time making different designs/knots with the twine!


7. Heat dutch oven on stove top to medium-high heat. Place your braccioles in carefully and continue turning to brown on all sides. The inside does not need to be fully cooked, because it will continue to cook in the sauce. Add water if necessary to keep the meat moist.

8. When fully browned, cover with tomato sauce and reduce to medium-low heat and let cook slowly for 2- 2 1/2 hours. This slow cooking will keep the bracciole tender. I used a tomato sauce similar to this one from an earlier post, except I used whole peeled tomatoes and pureed them in a blender and added onions and red wine.

9. Serve braccoile and sauce over pasta!

Banana Raisin Bread

Banana bread is a great comfort dessert or snack for any day of the week! My husband loves it for a quick morning breakfast on weekdays before work! Enjoy this simple and tasty recipe!

3 Bananas, well-ripened
1 cup of sugar
1/3 cup corn oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup raisins
2 cups water (for soaking raisins)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)


1. Heat water to a boil in microwave or on stovetop. Turn off heat and add raisins. Set aside for about 15 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher.

3. Mix all other ingredients together. Stir until well combined.

4. Remove plumped raisins from water and pat dry with paper towels. Fold into batter.

5. Pour into a loaf pan and bake at 350 for one hour and fifteen minutes.

6. Let cool, slice and enjoy!

Marinated Steak Fajitas

These fajitas are great because you throw the steak and marinade in the frig the day before and then cook it and make fajitas the next day. Such a simple dinner that has lots of flavor!

Marinade:

2 lb top round steak (london broil)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup worchestershire sauce

1/4 soy sauce

2 tbsp molasses

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

3 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp sweet paprika

2 tsp liquid smoke

Fajitas:

flour tortillas

1 cup Cheddar cheese

1 Cubanella pepper

1 Sweet red pepper

1 Orange Pepper

1 Habanero Pepper

1 small shallot

Corn oil for frying

1. Mix all marinade ingredients minus steak in a large ziploc bag.

2. Pound steak with meat mallet and make shallow diamond cuts on the meat surface.

3. Add steak into marinade bag and refrigerate in a shallow pan for 6-24 hours.

4. Broil on middle rack of oven on medium low for 7-9 minutes per side.

5. Let rest after cooking and then slice.

6. While broiling the steak, slice peppers and shallot. Fry in a pan with a tbsp or two of corn oil.

7. Time for the easy part: to build our fajitas! Take your tortilla and add in sliced steak, grilled peppers, and cheese. Wrap and enjoy!

Baby Shower Onesie Cookies

In case you haven't noticed I've been having an addiction to sugar cookies and royal icing. Well, one of my best friends and college roommate is having her first baby girl in a few months! I made these Onesie sugar cookie favors for her baby shower. They were fun to make and came out so cute! Best Wishes to Mommy and Baby!

I used this recipe for the sugar cookies and royal icing, only I added a bit more vanilla and one cup of granulated sugar.