Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

These could also be renamed "Santa Bait" but, quite frankly after you taste them, you're gonna tell the Fat Guy in the Red Suit to fend for himself - let him know the Oreos are in the cabinet. :)

Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 Sticks Country Creamery Butter
1 Cup Benton's Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Cups Grandma's Best Sugar
2 Golden Hen Eggs
1 Tsp. Stonemill Classics Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Grandma's Best Flour
1 Tsp. Baker's Corner Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Sebree Salt
1 package Baker's Corner MILK Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°

Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add Vanilla and continue to mix well.

In a small bowl mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add slowly to peanut butter mixture. Continuing to stir until well combined.

Add in chips and mix well.

Drop by tablespoons full onto a greased cookie sheet (I use a cookie scooper to make this easier). Bake 10-12 minutes until just lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Allow to cool on cookie sheet 2 or 3 minutes before removing to cooling rack. These cookies taste best when they are cooled.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

I love holiday baking. I love that during this time of year Aldi carries some specialty items and baking chips that make Christmas Cookie baking SO FUN!

One of my absolute favorite cookie recipes is a mesh between a Rachel Ray and a Sandra Lee recipe for a sugar cookie that sports coconut, white chocolate and macadamia nuts. USUALLY, I cannot make these cookies exclusively "Aldi". That all changes for the month of December when Aldi not only sells sugar cookie dough but also white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts AND coconut!!!

It's a very easy recipe, and Kristy (my friend), it does NOT start with a cake mix BUT a cookie mix! Pardon the short cut, but I've got enough other cookies to bake that take LOTS of time and energy. It's nice to have a go to, quick recipe that tastes great and works well as a quick gift!


Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

1 Pkg Baker's Corner Sugar Cookie Mix
1 Stick Country Creamery Butter
1 Golden Hen Egg
1 Cup Baker's Corner Coconut
1 Cup Southern Grove Macadamia Nuts
1 Cup Baker's Corner White Baking Chips

Preheat oven to 375.

Place sugar cookie mix, coconut, macadamia nuts and white baking chips into a large bowl. Melt butter and allow to cool to warm. Beat egg in small bowl. Add melted butter and egg to dry ingredients and mix well.

Bake one of two ways - drop by spoonfulls 2" apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown OR spread into a 13 X 9 pan and bake 20-25 minutes - until edges are golden and center is cooked.

ENJOY!!!!

Pink Peppermint Ice Cream Pie

I've been doing the rounds of the Christmas Parties. Friday, we had our homeschool group Christmas party and we took Cheesecake Truffles. Friday night I took a Peanut Butter version of the truffles. Tomorrow night, my homeschool friends and I are having a Mom's night in at another mom's house. We're going to chow down on some yummy goodies. My contribution is dessert, of course. My favorite part of any meal.

I decided to make a variation of my Pink Peppermint Ice Cream. This time of year, Aldi sells a Candy Cane Cream Cookie - it's an oreo like chocolate wafer filled with mint cream that has piece of candy cane in it. Oh. Yum. So, the crust is made out of them. They also sell Peppermint Extract and food coloring this time of year!

You WILL need an ice cream maker for this recipe. I own a Cuisinart Electric Ice Cream Machine and recommend it highly. This is so worth the effort of making your own ice cream!


Pink Peppermint Ice Cream Pie

1 Pint Container Friendly Farms Heavy Cream
2 Cups Friendly Farms Half and Half
3/4 Tsp. Stonehill Classics Peppermint Extract
1 Cup Sugar
7 to 8 drops Stonehill Classics Red Food Coloring
Bentons Candy Cane Creme Cookies
1/4 Cup melted Country Farms unsalted butter
4 Candy Canes (I think they're by Excitemint - you can use their starlight mints also), crushed.


Mix heavy cream, half and half, peppermint extract, sugar and food coloring together. Chill in refrigerator for one hour. Pour into ice cream maker and process according to directions.

Process all but 4 cookies into crumbs. Add melted butter to the crumbs and mix together. Press mixture into a 9" spring form pan, come up the sides a little.

When ice cream is soft serve consistency, add the crushed candy canes and allow to mix in. Stop machine and pour soft serve ice cream into crust. Cover and freeze about 4 hours or until firm. Defrost about 10 mins and cut with a warm knife.

ENJOY!!!!

Hamburger Rice Soup

Friday evening, one of the moms from the gym had a little holiday soiree at her house. We all dropped our gymnasts off at the gym and headed to her house for dinner and goodies. It was a delicious night. So many delectable goodies to sample! One of my favorites of the night, by far, was a Hamburger Rice Soup she made. It was so warm and comforting on a cold almost-winter's evening. Warmed me all the way to my toes. She graciously (thanks Christine!) gave me the recipe and I feel I MUST share it with you!!!! I made it for my family for dinner tonight and served it with Bakehouse Crescent Rolls.

Hamburger Rice Soup

1 pkg Fit & Active 92% Lean Ground Beef
3 Chef's Cupboard Beef Boullion Cubes
6 Cups Hot Water
1 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1 Envelope dry Onion Soup Mix
1/4 Cup diced Celery (about 1 stalk)
1/4 Cup uncooked rice
1/4 Cup diced Carrots (about 1 carrot)
1/2 Tsp. Oregano
1 Tsp Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Brown ground beef in a saucepan over medium heat. Drain any grease. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.

EASY! And really inexpensive!!!!