Brown Butter Salted Carmel Cookies

Brown Butter Salted Caramel Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Brown butter snickerdoodles with a caramel surprise inside!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose Gold Medal flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 cup caramel squares, cut into 1/4's
For Rolling the Cookies:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Sea salt, for sprinkling on top of cookies

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
2. To brown the butter, heat a thick-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add the sliced butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter until melted. The butter will start to foam and browned specks will begin to form at the bottom of the pan. The butter should have a nutty aroma. Watch the butter carefully because it can go from brown to burnt quickly. Remove butter from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown butter and sugars. Mix until blended and smooth. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt and mix until combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Form the dough in a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You can chill the dough overnight.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Measure about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Flatten the ball with the palm of your hand and place a piece of caramel in the center of the dough. Wrap the cookie dough around the caramel, making sure the caramel is completely covered with dough.
6. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough balls on a large baking sheet that has been lined with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Make sure the cookies are about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookie tops with sea salt.
7. Bake the cookies 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. The centers will still be soft. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, or until set. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter No Bake Pie

This dessert is great, especially in the spring and summer. It is quick and easy and won’t heat up the house. It is a rich dessert bu...t I will give you some variations at the end that you can use to modify that. It calls for peanut butter but if you don’t like peanut butter, I’ll also be giving you several variations that don’t include peanut butter.

Crust:

20 Oreo cookies, crushed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine

Mix and press into 9×13 pan. You can use store bought crusts of you prefer.

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 (8 oz.) tub whipped topping

Beat cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on crust. Chill for at least 3 hours. You can freeze, but thaw before serving.

Variations:

You can add less peanut butter if the flavor is overpowering.
Add chopped peanuts or walnuts.

Drizzle with chocolate ice cream topping.

Leave out the peanut butter altogether and add a couple tablespoons of cocoa. Then serve with fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries or bananas.

Add chocolate chips along with the peanut butter.
Leave out the peanut butter and just use chocolate chips, sprinkles or crushed candies.

Use a graham cracker crust for a less rich dessert.

Garden tower

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

Bring to boil:
1 cup butter
1 cup water...
2 Tbsp cocoa

Remove from heat; let cool.

In a bowl mix in with cocoa mixture:
2 cups sugar
1 tsp soda
2 cups flour
½ cup buttermilk
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, about 1 heaping teaspoon in each.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top is set and toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly moist.

After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not then tap the centers with teaspoon, this will make a indent for peanut butter.

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Over low heat, warm creamy peanut butter. While brownies are still warm spoon about half teaspoon warm peanut butter into the center of each brownie; top with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan. Remove from pan and serve.

Southern Fried Cabbage

Southern Fried Cabbage
Serve 4 (or 2 hungry bikers)

5-6 strips of bacon
1 head cabbage, sliced...
1 onion, diced
¼ cup chicken broth (I use low sodium broth)
1 tsp vinegar (optional)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

In large skillet, (I use cast iron) fry the bacon until crispy, remove to a paper towel to drain
Place chopped cabbage and onion in the skillet with the bacon fat over medium heat and cook until it begins to wilt a bit
Crumble the bacon and add to the pan
Add in the chicken stock,vinegar, salt and pepper, cover and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes
Serve hot (try adding some diced apples, sliced sausage, noodles, or what ever tickles your fancy)

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Reasons to Eat Fruit