today–if you just happened by, you would have been greeted by the lovely scent of peaches.
As you may know, we’ve had one heck of a time getting any of these pretty things in jars or bags or–well, anywhere, for that matter, besides our tummies.
But after buying our third box–a big one this time–we finally had the self discipline (or the box was big enough- ha!) to squirrel some away for the winter. With applesauce and pears and tomato sauce ahead of me, I just didn’t have the “umph” to bottle the peaches–kitchen is still too warm.
So Miss Chompy and I blanched and peeled and sliced and counted pitts…ahem…
and packed away 9 lovely bags into the freezer. There’s just something soothing to a woman’s heart about piling up food for the family for another day. Don’t you agree?
Oooh, I see Autumn smoothies and peach shakes and fruit crepes and peachy applesauce in my crystal ball.
Guess heading back to the Farmer’s Market for more peaches is also in my future.
When I was a teenager, trying to impress a handsome young man, I made these lovely cookies. While the butter and peanut butter were blending on medium speed I was…umm…distracted, by aforementioned handsome young man.
Ahhh, youth.
ANYway, when I turned my attention back to the cookies at hand, the mixture looked all whipped and pretty–like it had had the living daylights beat out of it. I went on with the recipe like I’d meant to do it and it worked without a hitch. The cookies were incredible. Not heavy and crumbly–like SOME peanut butter cookies I know– but soft and fluffy and positively perfect.
So perfect, in fact, that I hesitate to call them just…cookies. It seems more appropriate to call them something exotic, like…Peanut Butter Meltaways or something. Alas–that name has already been taken by a famous truffle company.
At any rate–we make them this way on purpose now…
with or without the distraction.
Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat oven to 360 degrees–not 350, and not 375, but 360. It works.
Beat butter and peanut butter together until they are light and fluffy–about 3 or 4 minutes, then add the eggs, mix well. Add the sugars, half of the flour, the soda, b. powder and vanilla. Now add the remaining flour and blend slowly until well mixed.
Roll into tablespoon sized balls and then roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten–just a bit with the bottom of a glass and bake for 7 minutes. Leave on pan for a minute or two before removing to a cooling rack.
Since we had all of these luscious, beautiful blueberries–no, I didn’t pick them, they don’t grow well in Utah I’m told– Costco, thank you very much…
I decided to make something equally luscious and beautiful out of them. The plan was for Blueberry Smoothie Popsicles. Aren’t they pretty?
I set up the fruity, popsicley photo shoot and tried to be very creative so that everyone on earth would want to make them. It was wonderful and all was right with the world.
Until…
I bit one.
Yeah, pretty much tastes like…
well, dirt. This time, I mean it.
So, out of love and respect for you, dear reader, I won’t be posting this particular recipe until I tweak it and smack it around a bit and make the silly thing behave. THEN and only then will I share it with you.
No, no. This is for your own protection.
So in the mean time…enjoy the pictures and try to imagine they taste like something…
good.
Hopefully, the next time you see the creepy things they actually will.
I’ve heard about the Taste of Home Cooking School that tours the country and teaches all kinds of amazing stuff–but I’ve never gone before…
tonight.
We–my sister Laurie and I–spent the whole evening watching this cute little gal cook about 10 different dishes using all kinds of yummy ingredients. She made BBQ Chicken Pizza, Pumpkin Whoopee Pies, Chocolate Agave Cake, Raspberry Pork Roast, and so much more. Dang–it made us so hungry!
They gave away about a million prizes–dishes, cookware, groceries, jewelry…
and about a dozen or so cookbooks. Ooooh…I wanted one of those! These guys even gave away all the food that she made and the dishes that went with them. So much fun.
This lady won a toaster oven or something wonderful like that. Hey, wait…I KNOW her! Congratulations, Alice!
We each received a prize bag filled with recipes, kitchen gadgets and sponsor products. I was just about to take of picture of what was in the bag–when my camera battery died.
Wow.
So much for me being the Taste of Home Cooking School reporter of the year. I guess you’ll just have to imagine the picture of my sister and I having a wonderful time and learning so many new things to cook. Maybe we’ll even show you a few of them soon.
In the meantime–it’s nice to know Papa Murphy’s is still just around the corner.
