Every time I think of this recipe, I want to make these incredible cookies. It has every flavor profile: sweet, salty, chewy, soft, flavorful! It's yet another way that chocolate and peanut butter go so well together. I love the addition of oats for some chewy texture. You could put any kind of chips in these. If you are a HUGE peanut butter lover, peanut butter chips would take these over the top in the peanut butter category. If you are feeling even more devilish, try putting a thin coat of chocolate frosting on the top. (Not that they need anything...they are good as is).
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c sugar 1 c brown sugar 1 c butter 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 c peanut butter 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 2 c flour 2 c oats 3/4-1 c milk chocolate chips
Combine sugars and butter until fluffy. Add eggs, and vanilla, mix. Add peanut butter, until combined well. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix until incorporated. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes (depending on how well done you like your cookies, adjust the time to more or less)
It's been awhile, I know. Life has not been abnormally busy, but I just needed to take a break from recipe experimentation. But, I'm back and have some new recipes coming your way! I'm thinking about publishing all the recipes on this blog into one cookbook, including some bonus recipes. However, I wanted to know from my followers/friends if this is something worth putting time into. Answer the poll question to your left! Thanks! I have another flour tortilla recipe on this blog, but it has alot more shortening in it. While it's good, this recipe is awesome! The tortilla has body to it, kind of like a gordita that you would get at Taco Bell. These tortillas are super good for wraps, tacos, and a replacement for pita bread or any flat bread. They are super flavorful, soft, and make any meal TDF! They store very well in the fridge, you just need to reheat them in a dry skillet on high until warmed. Don't worry if you can't roll out a perfect circle. My tortillas are not perfectly round, they are much more rustic looking. You could try substituting one cup of whole wheat flour to these a little more healthy. However, I like white and not wheat....and can't we all agree white tastes better anyways?
Flour Tortillas (Gorditas)
2 c. flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp oil 3/4 c lukewarm milk (2 percent is fine) 2 tbs shortening
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. With your hands, mix the ingredients, incorporating the shortening into the flour. Stir in milk and oil until combined. Pour mixture onto the countertop (it will be dry and crumbly at first, but after kneading, it will come together) and knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Return kneaded dough to bowl, cover and let sit for 30 minutes (this is to let the gluten relax, the dough will NOT rise). Using a knife or kitchen scissors, cut large dough ball into 8-10 pieces. Preheat a pancake griddle or a large skillet to medium high heat. Roll out small dough balls until very, very, thin and at least 8-10 inch wide. (the dough will shrink once placed on the griddle). Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side or until done.
We have a mango tree in our backyard. Mango season in Hawaii is in the summer, so we have been enjoying amazing mangos! They taste so incredibly good straight from the tree. They are slightly warmed from the sun (I know warmed mango sounds gross, but it's so good). We have probably had about 50 mangos from our trees so far, and probably another 50 to go. My husband eats 3 a day! We have breakfast for dinner at least once a week in our family. I decided to make these muffins to go with our eggs and bacon. Muffins are a great way to have something sweet on side, when you don't want to make pancakes. Plus, we eat the leftover muffins the next day for breakfast. I think this muffin base is good for any fresh fruit. I packed mine FULL of mangos. My husband said they tasted like mango/peach cobbler. I guess that's a compliment??? if you do not have or like almond extract, leave it out. But, you know how I love anything almond!
Mango Muffins
2 mangos, peeled, and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups) 1/2 c shredded coconut 2 1/2 c flour 1/2 c sugar 1/4 c brown sugar 1 tbs baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c oil 2 eggs 1 c milk 1 tbs vinegar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
In a separate measuring cup, measure milk and vinegar, stir, and then let sit. (You are creating your own buttermilk) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a medium bowl combine sugar, oil, and eggs, mix well. Add vanilla and almond extract, mix. Combine salt, baking soda, and flour in a bowl. Add milk and flour a little bit at a time, until combined. Stir in chopped mango and coconut. Fill muffin tins to the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done.
We had some corn on the co leftover from Memorial Day, and I decided to make a corn salsa with it. This is super simple, and you don't have to use fresh corn. You can buy frozen petite white corn, and it will taste super fresh as well. I served this with my fish tacos recipe found here. This would be good as an appetizer with chips or on top a salad with grilled chicken. You could use pinto beans instead of black beans, and you could also use lemon juice instead of lime juice. I used whatever I had on hand. There are so many versions out there, but this is the one I made. I decided against adding any heat, so that my kids could eat it. But, adding 1/2 a jalapeno would make this really good and spicy. The key to a good corn salsa: acidity and salt.
Corn and Black Bean Salsa
2 ears of corn (already cooked) or 1 c frozen white corn, defrosted 1 large tomato, diced 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/4 c cilantro, minced 1/4 c onion, minced 1/2 tsp garlic salt juice of one lime salt and pepper to taste
Mix ingredients all together. Salt and pepper to taste. Let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Stir before serving.
So, I have decided to share with my followers and friends the process which it takes to keep this blog going. 2 years ago, I typed up a bunch of my recipes, and copied them off, bounded them together, and created a cookbook called TDF Recipes. It was so much work to type every single recipe out at one time. I decided that I was going to start a blog, to make it easier to compile my recipes. I discovered along the way how much I loved this new publishing hobby of mine. It is fun for me to help others in the kitchen with ideas, recipes, and tips. And it is so nice when someone asks me for a recipe, I can say "its on the blog". Besides the fact that now, I have a great collection for myself online.I think it is absolutelynecessary to have a picture with each recipe. I HATE recipe books without pictures, I won't even attempt to make a recipe if it doesn't have a picture. So, to get my pictures, after I cook the recipe that I post, I go to google images and match the picture that matches best with my outcome. I make sure there aren't any ingredients in the picture that aren't in the recipe. This saves me a ton of time. I'm not a photographer,and I don't have any interest in being one. This blog is a hobby, not a business.
The process of getting my recipes comes through several different outlets. I watch alot of Food Network cooking shows, read cookbooks, and read other cooking blogs. Through these outlets, I'm able to learn what flavors go together, and then I customize the recipe to fit my palate.
This hobby is so much fun for me, and I enjoy the "no pressure" element that comes with my food blog. I appreciate all the followers and readers that visit my blog regularly. It really makes my day when a recipe turns out for you. Thanks again for reading! I look forward to sharing many more TDF recipes with you! And just because I can't resist, here is a recipe for an easy party punch...it's a family favorite!
Party Punch
1 large can pineapple juice (chilled)
1 (2 liter) bottle Sprite or 7-up (chilled)
