Katey's Kitchen

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 (12.5 ounce) jar grape jelly* (or flavor of choice)

~Preheat oven to 350°.  Set aside an 8 x 8” square baking pan

~In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and peanut butter until creamy.  Add the brown sugar and beat on medium speed until blended.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until blended.

~In a medium bowl combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend one more time until a crumbly dough forms.

~Press a little more than ¾ of the oat mixture into the bottom of the ungreased prepared pan (do not press too hard!).  Spread the jelly on top taking care not to leave more in the middle, spread the jelly evenly.  Crumble the remaining oat mixture on top in clumps.  Press down on the topping gently to make the top more even.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.

*If the bars are too sweet with jelly you can substitute jam.

1 1/2 c flour

1/2 c cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 c butter, softened

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 c brown sugar, packed

1/4 c creamy peanut butter

1 egg

1 Tbl milk

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 c powdered sugar

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

1/4 c granulated sugar

 

In medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa and baking soda, set aside

 

In large mixing bowl combine butter, the 1/2 c granulated sugar, brown sugar and the 1/4 c peanut butter; beat with electric mixer until combined.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with mixer.  Using wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.  Shape into 32 balls, each about 1.25″ in diameter.  Set aside

 

For peanut butter filling, in a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar and the 1/2 cup peanut butter; using a large fork mix until smooth, you may need to “knead” by hand to get completely combined.  Shape into 32 balls, each between .25″ – .50″ in diameter

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Take one chocolate dough ball, flatten in palm of hand and place one filling ball in middle.  Pull chocolate ball up and around filling, roll by hand back into a ball and set aside.  Repeat with remaining dough.

 

Place cookie balls approximately 2″ apart on cookie sheet, using glass with flat bottom, dip in remaining 1/4 c granulated sugar (placed on plate) and lightly flatten cookie.

 

Bake for 8 minutes, or until just set and surface is slightly cracked. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

 

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens “Christmas Cooking From the Heart” Volume 5

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks

1 Tbl vegetable oil

2 Tbl soy sauce

1 rounded Tbl peanut butter

2 tsp hot sauce

2 tsp grill seasoning

2 Tbl honey

2 Tbl cider vinegar

1/2 cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 ball refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 cup duck or plum sauce

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups shredded cheese

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Cilantro leaves, chopped – to taste

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

 

~Preheat oven to 425°

~Preheat a large nonstick pan, over medium-high heat.  In a medium bowl, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, hot sauce and grill seasoning.  Add chicken chunks and coat evenly with mixture.  Toss chicken into the pan and cook until no longer pink, approximately 5 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan (set aside) and toss in red peppers.  Cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

~While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar in a small bowl.  Add the cucumber.  Turn to coat evenly; set aside

~Form pizza dough on pizza pan or cookie sheet.  Spread with duck or plum sauce, up to 1″ from edge.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes.  Top with cheese, chicken and bell peppers.  

~Bake for 15 – 17 minutes or until golden brown

~Top cooked pizza with cilantro and peanuts.  Drain cucumbers and scatter evenly over pizza.

 

~Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking