Peanut Butter Temptations

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Unwrap 24 peanut butter cups and place in freezer.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 14 oz. bag bite size peanut butter cups

Cream together butter. Peanut butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Then add butter to mixture. Blend until creamy. Shape into 1 inch balls and place into the cups of lightly greased 1 1/2 inch cupcake pans. Chill in fridge for easier dough handling. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overlook!  The cookies will be light golden brown and slightly sunken in the center when ready. Remove cookies from oven and immediately push 1 frozen peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. May have to push down twice so they are flush with the top of the cookie. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans and baking the next round.

Makes 24 cookies.

Submitted by Juli

Heart Cookies

1 lb. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 cups flour

Mix together. Roll, and cut into hearts with a cookie cutter. Chill on cookie sheet.

Cook at 300 degrees in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Dip half the cookie in melted chocolate chips.

Makes about 48 cookies.


Submitted by Juli

Iceberg Lettuce with Cucumber Dressing

1 large head iceberg lettuce, chilled
1 large cucumber, peeled seeded and finely chopped (2cups)
1 medium sweet yellow onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
4 oz. sour cream
4 oz. plain yogurt
1/4 cup snipped fresh mint
1 TB white wine vinegar
1 tsp. dill seed, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
6 cherry tomatoes

Peel outer leaves from the lettuce. Remove core. Rinse thoroughly and drain. Cut into 6 wedges. Place on a serving platter and chill for up to 4 hours.

For dressing:
In a medium bowl combine cucumber, onion, sour cream, yogurt, mint, vinegar, dill seed, salt, sugar and pepper. Stir to combine. Chill for at least an hour.

To serve, spoon dressing over each wedge. Garnish with a cherry tomato. Sprinkle with additional dill seed if desired.

Makes 6 servings


Submitted by Juli

Peanut Blossoms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
48 milk chocolate candy kisses

Sift flour, salt and baking soda together. Cream shortening, peanu butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Form into 48 balls; roll in white sugar. Do not mash down. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Have candy kisses unwrapped and ready to press on cookies as soon as they come from oven. They take a while to cool completely.

Submitted by Juli

Oatmeal Lace Cookies

3 Sticks unsalted Butter
3 cups uncooked rolled oats, do not use instant
1 1/2 TB flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 3/4 cups Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Let cool a bit and add remaining ingredients except the eggs. Stir well to combine, then add the eggs.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
Place 1 1/2 tsp. of batter per cookie on parchment, leaving at least 3 inches between. Flatten batter into a circle with the back of a spoon. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until just golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Submitted by Juli

Snicker Cookies

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 cup butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 bag of bite sized snickers

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TB milk
1 TB cocoa powder

Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Unwrap all the snickers. Divide dough into pieces about the size of a golf ball and flatten. Place 1 snickers in the center of each disk and wrap the dough around the candy to form a ball. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 11 minutes. After cookies have completely cooled, drizzle frosting over the top with a fork. Makes about 4 dozen.

Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix everything together and drop on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12- 15 minutes.

Submitted by: Cindy

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. pumpkin
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins

Mix together by hand (not mixer) until smooth. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips or raisins.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Submitted by: Heidi

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
Cream together and then add:
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Mix together and add:
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Put in greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. (don't overcook-lightly browned)
Let cool. Frost

Frosting:
1 cube butter
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 TB. milk
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Submitted by: Heidi