Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Rounds

Yesterday was rainy. I needed a little pick-me-up since it's July and somehow summer still hasn't hit Cleveland full force (I REALLY need a little bit of summer before a long winter returns). Due to the rain I had no intentions of going to the store so I started browsing some recipe books looking for something to bake of which I already had all the ingredients. I was thrilled when I came across this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. I cannot take credit for any part of this recipe had to put it on here because these cookies are fantastic!

Just a side note, I like my cookies soft and chewy so I usually don't bake them the full recommended time. This recipe calls for 10 minutes, but I left mine in just a little less. If you like I little crunch on the outside, 10 minutes is perfect (depending on your oven).

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups rolled oats (I only had quick oats on hand and they worked as well)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces (or chopped cocktail peanuts)

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Stir in oats and chocolate pieces.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups flour
• 12 oz. chocolate chips

Mix together butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Mixture will be thick. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or 375 degrees, depending on oven (it takes 13 minutes at 375 degrees in my not-so-great oven).

Spice Cake with Raspberry Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist spice cake mix
• water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups fresh raspberries

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees for shiny metal pans (or 325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans). spray bottoms and sides of 2 (8 or 9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and flour.
2. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around side of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.
4. On serving plate, place 1 cake rounded side down. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Sprinkle 1 cup of the raspberries over frosting. Top with second cake, rounded side up.
5. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Arrange remaining 1 cup raspberries on top of cake along edge.

Layered Jello

A Christmas tradition (we do red and green Jello).

• 6 small boxes of Jello
• 1 large container cool whip (room temperature)

1. Prepare one layer at a time.
2. Prepare Jello according to package, exclude letting the Jello set.
   
3. 1st layer: 1 cup and 2 Tbsp. Jello (Pour into bottom of 9 X 13- inch pan). Let layer set in fridge 30-45 minutes.
4. 2nd layer: the rest of the prepared Jello and 1/2 cup cool whip. (Pour on top of previously set layer) Let layer set in fridge 30-45 minutes.
5. Continue until you get to the last layer. For the last layer, add 1 cup Jello and 1 cup cool whip. Let set in fridge for 30-45 minutes.
   

Ma's Easy Peach Cobbler

• 1 large can sliced peaches
• 1 box yellow cake mix (it's best if you can find a mix without pudding)
• 1 cube butter, melted
• brown sugar

1. Dump the can of peaches (including the juice) in a 9X13-inch baking pan.
2. Sprinkle cake mix over the peaches and then pour melted butter over it.
3. Sprinkle lightly with brown sugar.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Half way through cooking, pull out and make sure there is enough butter. Add some more if needed.

Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 24 rolls

• 5 1/2 - 6 cups flour
• 2 packages yeasts (2 Tbsp.)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (optional)

1. Pre-heat over to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Mix well.
2. In saucepan, heat milk, water, butter until warm. Add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Mix until moistened, then beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, gradually stir in enough remianing flour to make a sof dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
3. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let raise in warm place until light and double in size, about 1 hour. Punch down. Divide into 2 parts. On lightly floured surface, roll or pat each half into a 12X9 inch rectangle. Brush each part with melted butter.
4. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over buttered surface. Add raisins (if desired). Starting with 12-inch side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into a roll with each turn. Pinch edges to seal. Cut each roll into 12 pieces.
5. Place cut side down in greased 13X9 inch pans. Cover; let raise in warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
6. Bake at 373 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Combine glaze ingredients; blend until smooth. Drizzle over hot rolls. Serve warm.

Banana Bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
  
• 2 beaten eggs
  
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (5 medium)
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter
  
• 1 recipe Streusel Topping
  

1. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9X5X13 inch or two 7 1/2X3 1/2X2-inch loaf pans; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combing eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Spoons batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle with Streusel Topping.

Streusel Topping: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 Tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Bake in a 350 degree over for 55-60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan, or 40 to 45 minutes for 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch pans, or until a wooden toothpick insterted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover lossely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight beofore slicing (I've never waited).

Texas Sheet Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cube butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)

Icing:

• 1 cube butter
  
• 1/4 cup cocoa
  
• 1/3 cup milk
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar

Cake:

Combine flour and sugar, set aside. Bring to boil butter, oil, cocoa and water. Pour over flour mixture; mix well and let cool. When cool, add buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda and eggs, mix well. Pour batter in a 12X12X2 greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Icing:

Bring to hard boil butter, cocoa and milk. Remove from heat and add vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Pour icing over cake while cake is still hot.

Pumpkin Dessert

• 1 (12 0z.) can evaporated milk
• 3 beaten eggs
  
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 large can pumpkin
• 1 yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

1. Mix evaporated milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar and pumpkin.
2. Pour in 9X13 ungreased pan and sprinkle cake mix over batter.
3. Pour butter on cake mix. Bake 50-70 minutes at 350 degrees.

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 can (16 ounces) pumpkins
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
  

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.
   
2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourth full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until muffines test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Yield: about 24 muffins.

No Bake Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp. margarine
• 2 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups oats
• 3/4 cup peanut butter

1. Boil sugar, margarine, cocoa and milk.
2. Add salt, vanilla, oats and peanutbutter.
3. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper, and let cool.

Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  
• 2 Tbsp. cold water
  

Filling:

• 2 packages (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 2 Tbsp. milk
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1 egg
• 1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cocoa; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Shape into 24 balls. Place in greased miniature muffin cups; press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of each cup.
2. Ina mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smotth. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add egg; beat on low just until combines. Spoon about 1 tablespoon full into each cup. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes. Carefully remove from pans to cool completely. Top with pie filling (one cherry for each). Store in the refridgerator.

Yield: 2 dozen