Peanut Butter Maple Cookies

This recipe from allrecipes.com intrigued me with the unusual combination of ingredients.  Maple syrup and peanut butter are new to me but they sounded as if they would “mate” well.  Actually, I think the cookie would be better without the maple syrup and I am a big fan of maple flavor.  Whatever the reason, it did not appeal to me.

Peanut Butter Maple Cookies  (adapted)

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 egg beaters
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (10 ounce) package peanut butter chips

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in syrup and vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in peanut butter chips.
4. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks.

This is linked to Sweetology

Chinese Noodles with Hot Peanut Sauce

Seeing a recipe, like the one below, is similar to putting a red cape in front of a bull.  I jump right in to play and it is a lot less gory.  Having a package of fresh Chinese noodles in my refrigerator, this was a no brainer and I made a dish that could be served both as a salad or as a side.  Yum.

Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce (adapted)

Ingredients for Noodles:
1 pound package Chinese  noodles
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Method:  Boil noodles 3 minutes or according to directions. Shake to drain. Rinse. Put in bowl and add oil. Toss to coat. Cover and cool.

Ingredients for Peanut Sauce:

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

3-4 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons  red wine vinegar
1/4 cup cold water
2 teaspoons hot chili sauce

Method:  In large bowl, combine peanut butter and oil, stirring constantly until smooth. Gradually stir in sesame oil, salt, sugar, soy, vinegar, water, and chili. Pour sauce on noodles, stir gently and taste for seasoning. Add more chili if preferred. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

This is linked to Friday Food                   Sunday Supper Stumble                   Melt in Your Mouth Mondays               My Meatless Mondays 

Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies

For some strange reason, over the past few years, my most successful recipes have been flourless, which spell checker will tell you is not a word.  Foodies know better.  Flourless is a potent word because it means that people who eat gluten-free can eat the suggested food, that people who like the real taste to shine through will enjoy it and that it is usually easy to make.

I have made flourless cakes and brownies, nutty cookies, like this one with no flour. Using cashew butter, almond butter and peanut butter, I have mastered some really scrumptious cookies.  I only tasted this warm and it was delicious.

  Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies   —-   Everyday Food, March 2005

• Yield Makes 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts  (the one change in this recipe was to chop the nuts)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts.   (What they call — easy peasy)
2. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets.
3. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.  (The cooling is very important for this recipe to stand as whole cookies.

This is linked to

Seasonal Sundays   Simply Delish Saturdays      Mangia Monday,    Melt in Your Mouth Monday,    Just Another Meatless Monday,·Mingle Monday,      Metamorphosis Monday,   Made by You Monday,   On the Menu Monday    Sweet Treats   Sweet As Sugar Cookie’s Sweets for Saturday   Six Sister’s Stuff’s Strut Your Stuff Saturday  

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