Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

Keeping with the theme, and using up some more of the Raspberry Preserves from yesterday's thumbprints, I thought I'd make my friend Betsy's nearly world famous Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars.  Betsy and I have been good for many years.  When she first gave me this recipe, I had to convert it to a gluten-free recipe .  They were very good, even gluten-free.

I was sitting at the table tonight, after about my 13th cookie, wondering what I was going to do with all the rest of the preserves.  I love peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, but one can only eat so many in a week.  You could also make these Raspberry Breakfast Treats.

So, for your eating enjoyment, here's another recipe that will use up the preserves, and make your tummy happy!

I had many friends over today, and they all agreed, they were very tasty.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars

1/2 Cup Grandma's Best Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Baker's Corner Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Baker's Corner Shortening
1/2 Cup Berry Hill Peanut Butter
1 Golden Hen Egg
1 1/4 Cup Grandma's Best Flour
3/4 Tsp Baker's Corner Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baker's Corner Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Berry Hill Raspberry Preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, peanut butter and large egg.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda and baking powder.

Mix dry ingredients with sugar/shortening mixture until coarse crumbs.  Set aside 1 cup.

Press the rest into a greased 13" X 9" baking pan.  Spread 1/2 Cup of the Raspberry Preserves over this layer.  Crumble reserved crust mixture on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool completely on a rack before trying to cut.

Easy Raspberry Thumbprints

Have you ever had a crazy holiday week, where you have parties, get togethers, gatherings, and gifts!  And your rushing all over the place, then you child looks at you and says "Mom, you're supposed to bring cookies".  The temptation to buy them from the grocery store is very great, but then, they all know you love to bake, so they're expecting something homemade, special and delicious.  These cookies combine the best of both worlds, it's quick and easy, but it also gives the air of homemade and the impression that you slaved for hours.

Quick, easy, special.

Bakehouse Creations Prepared Sugar Cookie Dough (in the refrigerated aisle)
Berryhill Red Raspberry Preserves
2 Tbs. Baker's Corner Vanilla Frosting


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Open cookie dough and cut apart into 24 squares.  Roll each square into a ball.

Place balls about 1 1/2" apart on a greased cookie sheet (or a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper, which is my preferred method) Using a 1/4 Tsp measure (or your thumb if your nails aren't too long!), press a well into the center of each ball.  Spoon in about 1/4 tsp of the preserves into the well.

Bake 14-18 minutes until cookies are spread and flattened and preserves are bubbly.  I know this seems long, but trust me, it takes that long at the lowered temperature.

Allow to cool for about 1 minute before trying to remove from the tray.  I also recommend letting them cool on a rack completely before trying to consume, the jelly will be very hot.  Let's just say I learned the hard way.

Melt frosting in the microwave for about 10-20 seconds.  Using a fork, drizzle over cooled cookies.

**another substitution idea....use Peanut Butter Cookie dough instead of Sugar Cookie dough and make PB&J cookies!

Christmas is coming, Hannukah is here....

It's that time of year again.  Is it Christmas?  Hannukah?  Kwanzaa?  Or Holidays?  In our house, it's Christmas.  In yours it could be something else.  So, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Joyous Kwanzaa.  My most favorite thing about this season is that there are traditions.  Each and every family has a unique and special way to celebrate their respective holidays.  And it usually includes food.  Aldi, this time of year, is decked out in everything you need for cookie baking, party going, party hosting, and whatnot (yes, I said whatnot - BABAM!).

My oldest and I have just been on a baking prep binge preparing 4 different cookie doughs to be baked at a later date.  And on the horizon are the rest of our goodies.  BE WATCHFUL, or you'll miss them.

Tomorrow, I'll be doing a new recipe, Jam Thumbprints, which will be perfect for the last minute cookie to give or take to a party.  Easy, breezy, Aldi-riffic!!!

While you wait, however, don't forget to check out Benton's Candy Cane Creme Sandwich cookies, and Benton's Peppermint Ice Cream.  Absolutely perfect ways to get your mint craving satisfied!

Cherry Almond Crunch Bars

No funny story to go with this one, sorry folks!  I was craving almonds and cherries together, and we had a Christmas party to go to, so I HAD to make something I was craving, that was easy to make.  I spent the day at the mall, waiting in a 2 1/2 hour line to meet the Barefoot Contessa herself!  YAY! :)  So I was TIRED!

Anyway....

Cherry Almond Crunch Bars

1/2 Cup Country Creamery Unsalted Butter
1 Pkg. Baker's Corner Yellow Cake Mix
1 Can Baker's Corner Cherry Pie Filling
1/2 Cup chopped Almonds (or walnuts or pecans) * this is seasonal, you might have to buy whole and chop them up yourself!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cut butter into the cake mix.  Set aside about 1 cup.  Pat remaining crumbs into a 13X9 pan.  Press onto the bottom and up about 1" of the sides.  Spread pie filling over the bottom crust.  Add almonds to the reserved cake mix/butter mixture and mix well.  Crumble over the top of the pie filling.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

Tastes great warm with whipped cream, or ice cream!   Also great chilled and served "bar" style.

ENJOY!!!!

Mama F's Minestrone

I'm not exactly sure what has taken up residence in my brain, but I have had a solid craving for Minestrone Soup.  It's INSANE.  I made a large batch of this the other day, and my family did  not eat much of it (my husband cannot have pasta, my oldest HATES pasta, my younger two liked it, I LOVED it!).  My husband did taste it, and said it was delicious.  And for him, a man who does not like tomato based soups, is HUGE.  It must be good, and must not just be my imagination! :)

I made it today for some friends coming over.  I make it "vegan" since my one good friend is vegan.  I did serve cheese on the side, for those, like ME, who are not.  And you really, really, cannot tell.  It's warm, it's comforting, it's delicious.  Perfect for a rainy, snowy day such as this.

Mama F's Minestrone

3 medium carrots, cut in 1/4" coins
3 stalks celery, cut in 1/4" half moons
1 medium onion, diced
1 large zucchini, large dice (note, you can add more if you like a lot of zucchini - like me!)
2 Cloves Garlic, smashed and minced fine
2 Cans Priano Italian-Style Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Happy Harvest Tomato Sauce
2 Cans Dakota Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Quart Chef's Cupboard Vegetable Broth
Olive Oil
Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Cups Season's Best Frozen Green Beans
2 Cups cooked pasta *I used an orzo that was bought during one of the "seasonal" items, it is not often available at Aldi, that said, you can use the Reggiano elbows instead.

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil.  Add diced onion, celery and carrot.   Reduce heat to medium and cook until onions are almost translucent.  Add zucchini and garlic.  Sauté for about 5 more minutes.  Add Italian-style diced tomatoes ,regular diced tomatoes.  Stir and sauté again for 5 more minutes.  Add about 3 cups of the broth (you can add more, if need be after adding pasta and beans).  Add bayleaf and cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are nice and soft and almost melt in your mouth.

Stir in beans, green beans and cooked pasta.  Continue cooking until beans and pasta are warm.  Serve piping hot in bowls.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

It's fall out there, folks.  And fall mean apples.  Cranberries.  Halloween.  Thanksgiving.  The shopping day countdown to Christmas.

As a family, we do not celebrate Halloween.  But almost every year, we host good friends for dinner that night.  Their neighborhood does Halloween big time, and since we live on a busy road, even with every light in our house, no one ever knocks on our door.  Ever.   This year it almost didn't happen....but thanks to Hurricane Sandy rescheduling things, non-Halloween Dinner at our house happened again!

My favorite part about hosting ANY dinner event is dessert.  I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm a dessert freak.  I love to bake desserts, I love to eat desserts, and I love to share desserts and relish the kudos.  The eyes rolled back in the heads, the ummming and yummmming that I get.  Fills my ego tank quite full.

Well, tonight I decided to try something different.  It was delicious!!!! :)  Top with a little whipped cream and it was to die for.

ENJOY!!!!

Cranberry Apple Crisp

1 Can Happy Harvest Cranberry Sauce (I used jellied, but next time trying whole berry)
4 medium apples, peeled and medium diced (I used jonagold and galas)
1/4 cup Grandma's Best Sugar
1 Cup Millville Quick Oats
1/2 Cup Baker's Corner Brown Sugar, packed
1/4-1/2 Cup Friendly Farms Butter, softened
Pinch salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine cranberry sauce, apples and 1/4 cup sugar.  Mix well, breaking up the cranberry sauce.

Spoon mixture evenly into greased ramekins (I used 8 oz Ramekins).

In another bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, salt and butter.  Mix well.  Spoon mixture evenly on top of the ramekins.  Press down.  Bake for 35-40 minutes....top will be crisped and brown, apple/cranberry mixture will be bubbly.

Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving (unless you like sugar burns....ouch!).

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Celery Apple Sauce

Something about the leaves turning color, the weather getting nippy, and the winds starting to blow makes me crave warm, cozy comfort food from my crockpot.  Something that stews all day, and is warm and inviting after raking the leaves.

<insert sound of needle screeching over the vinyl>  Yeah.  I know.  Life is too busy and that is why we use a crock pot.  Three kids.  In three activites.  We're lucky we even get to eat at all!  And things have just gotten crazier!

Tuesday nights are no longer a casual night where we can sit through dinner...where I can casually prepare.  All three kids are running from Science class, to gymnastics, to Karate, etc. etc. etc.  So, this means planning ahead, and using one of my favorite kitchen tools.  The Crock Pot.  This means when my husband picks my son up from Karate, they can come home, heat up a vegetable and have dinner.  And when the girls and I get home from the gym, we, too, can eat.  Something hot.  Something healthy.  Something that will warm us through.

Last weekend, my local Aldi had a special on Roseland Pork Loin Roasts.  Normally, these are sold in larger cuts, so I cut them in half and freeze the halves.  Then I have a meal portion when I want to make pork.  I use their pork tenderloins for A LOT of recipes.  But, this one is a crock pot recipe!  (I apologize for no pictures....our main computer is having a nervous breakdown....if it gets healed, I will add a picture!).

I was searching the internet the other day for recipes for pork.  After a while the same old, same old gets a little old.  So....I ran across a recipe for a Costco Tri Tip Pork Roast, and it sounded good, so I felt I needed to adapt it.  The recipe called for some ingredients that we cannot use due to hubby's diet, so I improvised a little bit!

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with Celery Apple Sauce

1 2 lb section of a Roseland Pork Tenderloin Roast
1 medium onion, sliced in half moons about 1/4" thick
2 celery stalks, sliced on a bias
1 gala apple, cut, cored and sliced thin (you can remove the skin if you like, I did not)
1 large clove garlic, skin removed but left whole
2 bay leaves
1 Chef's Cupboard Beef Boullion Cube
1 Cup Water
Salt & Pepper to taste.

In a large crockpot, layer onions, celery and apple slices.  Add Garlic Clove, and bay leaves.  Pour in 1 cup water and add the boullion cube.

Heat a skillet on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the tenderloin to your liking.  Brown on all sides in the hot pan.

Place pork tenderloin roast on top of vegetables in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

When pork is done, remove the tenderloin to a plate and tent with foil.  Remove bay leaves and throw away.  Using a stick blender, blend the celery/apple/onion/garlic and broth mixture until very smooth.  At this step you can add a dollup of sour cream or plain yogurt to add some creaminess.

Serve sauce over the pork after slicing.