Thursday, July 29, 2010

Triple Play Peanut Butter Cookies

I'll have to post a picture later, because each time I made a batch of these, I forgot to take one (they didn't last very long, either). I left the dough in the refrigerator and made one sheet at a time - better than making them all at once and having them go stale! You'll get about five dozen from this recipe.

If you like peanut butter cookies, these are fantastic - they have peanut butter, chopped peanuts, and peanut butter chips. A triple play of peanut butter! If you need some chocolate with your peanut butter, add a some mini chocolate chips or replace some of the peanut butter chips with chocolate ones. Personally, I prefer them with just peanut butter - if I want chocolate, I'll make these.

Triple Play Peanut Butter Cookies from King Arthur Flour

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups chopped dry-roasted salted peanuts
1 1/3 cups peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with Pam.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugars and peanut butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each. Add the flour mixture, nuts and chips - stir until combined.


Bake right away or chill for later.

Scoop the mixture using a tablespoon cookie scoop on to prepared baking sheets and slightly flatten them. Bake until the centers are set and the edges are golden, about 12-13 minutes. Remove and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Greek Chicken

Posted by Picasa


A couple of weeks ago we had Greek Mythology week at our house. One night we had a Greek dinner, with Greek salad, Greek chicken, ambrosia (food of the gods), pomegranate juice (in reference to Persephone), and honey cake for dessert. The Greek salad was our usual favorite, but the chicken was new: garlicky, lemony, and outstanding. I made it a few weeks later for my in-laws and my father-in-law said, "I can't stop eating this chicken!". That's high praise for the lowly chicken, I think.

You can marinate the chicken for up to a day or as little as an hour. Try to loosen the skin of the breasts and legs to let the marinade really soak in.

I started the chicken on the grill, then when the weather turned stormy I finished it in the oven, basting it with additional marinade. You can roast it, grill it, etc., but I liked having both the charcoal start and still getting the juices from the chicken as it finished in the oven. I spatchcocked this chicken, but you can cook it whole if you like or cut it up into pieces.

Greek Chicken (adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 4 lb. chicken, whole, cut up, or spatchcocked

1/2 c. olive oil

2 lemons, juiced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 T fresh oregano or 1 t. dried oregano

1 T fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried rosemary

1 T fresh thyme or 1 t. dried thyme

2 t. kosher salt and pepper to taste

Put marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour into a gallon ziploc bag, add chicken, seal, and smoosh it around to combine. Marinate for at least one hour, flipping the bag from time to time. Roast or grill as desired.