Today is #NationalPeanutButterLoversDay!

Our family loves Peanut Butter, we also love granola bars and go through them a lot. Even when we buy the no-name brand, the spending adds up.

So I found this great and easy recipe on Pinterest that only uses 3 ingredients! Thanks to Listotic

The first reason why I love these are because it only uses 3 ingredients that you pretty much already have in your pantry!

It's a pet peeve of mine when cooking shows or recipes declare an easy recipe for a mother to make and it uses some exotic or expensive ingredient or a specialty pan! Who the hell keeps Champagne vinegar on hand or a chestnut roasting pan on hand??

"Now grab your chestnut roasting pan"
"Oh sure, let me check my pantry...NO!"
(credit goes to John Pinette -  I miss his comedy)

The second reason is that it's so easy the kids can make it themselves!

So here's the recipe:
​

Copied from Listotic with my adjustments in brackets
​

1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Honey
3 Cups Oatmeal (I used 2 1/2 Cups)

- Line a 9x9 cake pan with non stick foil, or regular foil with non-stick spray. (I used a 9x13 cake pan and lined it with wax paper - again I don't horde a large number of pans or specialty products.)
- Melt the Peanut Butter and honey together, either on a stovetop or microwave (1 1/2 - 2 mins), until blended and smooth enough to mix.
- Mix in the Oatmeal, start with 2 Cups and add the rest slowly because you may not need it all. (I only used 2 1/2 Cups)
- Spread out in the pan and store in the fridge for a few hours until its set enough to cut into squares.
- Store in the fridge to keep them firm, or leave out to be soft and gooey.

And that's it! Nice and simple! Everyone here loved them and the teenagers can make it themselves easily for a snack or breakfast bars to go.

So Happy Peanut Butter Lover's Day!!

​Ever wonder why sometimes our food doesn’t look or taste as good as someone else’s? Or even be different from the last time you made it?

​Whether you’re a beginner or have been cooking for years, there’s plenty of cooking mistakes we make over and over again.  

Here’s what we’re doing wrong:

1.  We don’t read the recipe all the way through:

​We look at the recipe, get the ingredients and then get started. What we don’t do is read the recipe all the way through to see any prep work that needed to be done beforehand.

To avoid this, read the recipe all the way through and look for things that need to be done. Does anything need to be at room temperature? Does anything need to be brined, marinated, or pre-soaked? Do all your chopping first before cooking.

2. We put too much into the pan:

We try to do everything in one go. The problem with overcrowding the pan is that instead of browning and searing the meat, we steam it. Steaming the meat doesn’t lock in the flavors, get a nice char on it, or keep it juicy.

Instead, either use two pans or cook in batches. Allow a few inches between the meats to allow heat to circulate. If you’re cooking in batches, put the first batch on a plate or cooking sheet in the oven at a low temperature.

3. We’re Not Preheating the Pan

We don’t let the pan get hot enough to cook properly. When this happens, food sticks to it, doesn’t brown properly, and can get soggy.

To be sure the pan’s preheated, just sprinkle a few drops of water in and watch for it “dancing” across the surface. Then you can add your butter or oil. When the butter starts bubbling, or the oil starts shimmering, the pan is ready for your food. If you’re using a non-stick pan, put the butter or oil in first before heating it up as an empty non-stick pan releases contaminants when heated.

4. We’re not tasting while we’re cooking

We throw all the ingredients in according to the recipe, but we’re not tasting the food as we go along. Food ends up being either bland or too spicy.

While chopping, taste the food (except raw meat) to see if it’s fresh. Taste the pot for flavor combos and saltiness.

5. We’re not letting food rest

​We pull the meat out and cut it up and serve it right away. We take out casseroles and other dishes out and bring it to the table.

When this happens we end up with dry meat or a runny casserole. Allow time for the meat or dishes to rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes to adsorb juices and to firm up.

6. We’re turning the food too often

We have a tendency to turn, flip and poke our food before it’s ready. When we do this, the food won’t get a nice sear, get crusty, sticks to the pan, or lose its coating.

When you poke the meat with a fork or prongs, this releases the juices and thus the meat gets dry.
Leave the food alone in the pan for the stated amount of time. It’s ready when you can slide a spatula clearly under it without sticking.

7. We check on the food too often

When the food is covered, or in the oven, we open the lid or oven door to check on the food often. When this happens you lose precious heat or steam. Food then ends up being underdone.

Save the checking to only once or twice closer to the end of the cook time instead.

8. We’re doing the math wrong

When the recipe has a large serving size, such as serves 6, but want to cut it down to only 3 servings, we often get the measurements wrong.

Fractions sometimes throw the best of us off. To remedy this, look up and print off a recipe fraction chart, such as this one from Pinterest.

9. We’re overcooking

We tend to overcook our food. Overcooked vegetables tend to get mushy, lose their flavor and color. Overcooked meat gets tough, chewy and chalky.

To preserve vegetables fresh flavor, taste a bit throughout the cooking time, also most vegetables can be eaten raw, so it doesn’t hurt to leave it a bit on the firm side.

To ensure meat is cooked thoroughly, but not overcooked, is to use a meat thermometer. Pull the meat off the heat when it’s a few degrees underdone. The residual heat will finish it off.

10. We’re not using fresh ingredients

We sometimes wonder why our recipe taste alters the different times we’ve made it. 

This can be due to not using fresh ingredients. Frozen vegetables doesn’t offer the same taste or texture as fresh ones do. Sometime vegetables that aren’t so fresh have lost or changed their flavors.

Sometimes our spices on our spice rack don’t get used as often and becomes stale and that alters the taste of the food too.

To avoid this problem, keep an eye on expiration dates, use fresh food quicker, and even use fresh herbs and spices instead.


Following these tips will go a long way to having a great meal experience and less surprises.

Tracy,
​​"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

Hubby brings home a lot of various kinds of cheeses that were donated to his Agency. State law maintains that any food cannot be served past it's expiration date. Well to us, the expiration date is a "suggestion" and a lot of food is "still good".

One day he brings home a whole bag of "Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese", just look at them all!

So, off I go to Pinterest and search for recipes and found one for Goat Cheese Sugar Cookies. Well it's really "Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese Sugar Cookies" now, but that's too long....

Goat Cheese Sugar Cookies
Makes about 36 Cookies


2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1/3 Cup (3 oz.) Goat Cheese, room temperature
6 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Large Egg
2 Tablespoons Milk
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (Since there was already Vanilla in the cheese, I halved this, if you're using regular goat cheese, use 1 teaspoon)
Nonpareil sprinkles or sanding sugar (optional)

Note the "f" and "s" on the containers, just a low vision trick I use to differentiate the flour and sugar.

Yeah, doesn't look appealing here.....but patience my grasshopper....

Hang in there, almost done....

There we are!!

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use foil and spray nonstick on it.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In mixer bowl combine the sugar, goat cheese and melted butter until smooth.
Mix in oil, milk, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
Fold in flour mixture until no dry mixture remains.
(Optional Step) Pour Sprinkles or Sugar into a small bowl.
Dough should be soft but workable. Scoop out about a Tablespoon of dough, roll in the sprinkles/sugar and arrange on baking sheet with 2 inches of space between cookies.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until just set and slightly cracked.
Cool on baking sheet for about 3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!!

Tracy,
One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon

Here we go! My first posted recipe! I had a bunch of carrots left from other dinner recipes and didn't want them going bad so I looked up recipes to use them in. I came across this recipe and it's soooo good! Tastes just like a carrot cake would, but not dry or crumbly like some carrot cakes are.

You'll notice the ziploc bag with some "black stuff" in it. I didn't have ground cloves, just whole ones, so out came the ziploc bag and the rolling pin *snicker*. Hey I only needed a dash of it!

I used my Kitchen Kutter from KitchenCraft. These are great products and I'll blog about them later.

Kind of goofed here, I didn't need to roll them into balls. Just scoop about a Tablespoon out.

Tadaa! I left them unfrosted as we don't have that much of a sweet tooth and basically I just didn't have any cream cheese!

Cookie Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl or in your Kitchenaid Mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and mix well.
Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, salt and combine well. Stir in carrots (and raisins and walnuts if you are using them). Place spoonfuls of dough on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a rack.

Frosting Directions
Cream butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Add more or less powdered sugar for how thick you like your frosting. Spread over cookies and add chopped walnuts on top too if you'd like.

Enjoy!

Tracy,
One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon