3 RECIPES FOR
HAPPINESS—One of the side effects of being a stay at home dad raising a
toddler is having to cope with life after Sesame Street and those daily
brainwashings by the “Cookie Monster.”
Our son escaped without being afflicted with the eternal
call for “C-O-O-K-I-E-S,” by Jim Hensen’s notorious blue muppet, however not
me. I am now a member of cookie-a-holics
anonymous. Forget cute, folks. I’m hooked.
And, there is no known cure and my affliction is only acerbated on an
annual basis when legions of Girl Scouts—like unleashed enabling butterflys--descend
on the neighborhood.
Each year, I seek strength.
Each year I fail by succumbing to knocks on the door (from them) and the thousands of cookie
recipes beckoning the weak like so many latter day sirens of Greek mythology.
This year, after polishing off my order of Girl Scout mint
cookies, I fell prey to my own fantasy. Would
it be possible to add peanut butter to shortbread cookie recipes?
Who knew short bread cookies could be made with peanut
butter? The following are only three of
countless recipes I found within moments on the ‘net.
#1 CARPE DIEM COOKIES
Guest blog by Diana Rattray, who says: "these cookies
are easy to prepare and they're egg-free. Drizzle melted chocolate over these
shortbread cookies for the holidays. Use a food processor or electric chopper
to chop the peanuts for this recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2⁄3 cup creamy peanut butter
2⁄3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
3⁄4 cup peanuts, very finely chopped (use roasted or
honey-roasted peanuts for better flavor)
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F Combine the butter, peanut butter, and
brown sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat with electric mixer until smooth and
creamy. Beat in vanilla.
Slowly beat or stir in the flour and cornstarch until
mixture holds together. Blend in the very finely chopped peanuts.
Roll out on a lightly floured board to about 1/4-inch
thickness and cut with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased baking sheet or
baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Or, shape the dough into small balls and place on a cookie
sheet, dip the flat bottom of a glass in granulated sugar, and flatten gently
to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until cookies are set
and bottoms just begin to brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a
wire rack to cool completely.
Yields:
4 dozens
#2 ADDITIONAL AWESOMENESS
Guest Blog by Julie Gunter, Southern Living Magazine, May 2002.
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened $
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter $
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar $
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt $
Preparation
Beat butter and peanut butter at medium speed with an
electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Stir in
vanilla.
Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture,
beating at low speed until blended.
Roll dough to 1/2" thickness on a lightly floured
surface. Cut with a 2 1/2" round cutter or Christmas cookie cutter. Place
2" apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 275° for 45 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking
sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Shortbread: Stir 1/2 cup
semisweet chocolate mini-morsels into the dough before rolling, cutting, and
baking.
#3 TOSS IN THE WHOLE JAR (almost)
Guest Recipe by Pat Lenaghan, who insists, “...enjoy the
most peanutiest shortbread peanut butter cookies you’ll ever taste, cuz, it’s
all peanut butter...”
Ingredients
2 cups natural peanut butter
2 eggs
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F;
Mix in the order given.
Spoon onto cookie sheet and gently press into cookie shape.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden.
Note: chocolate chips are
required in most States.
Yield
2 dozen
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-shortbread-cookies/
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