That kind of day.

[rowangolightly]

It's a good day to stay in and bake, have a fire in the fire place and have a low stress day. It's been that kind of day and I've really enjoyed it, even though I HAVE gotten some good stuff done.

Yes, I'm Posty McPost the last couple days. Blame this particular one on dear band-mate, ladyniniane. I was raving told her about the cookies I just baked and she wanted the recipe. So here it is with the changes I made to it from the experience of using the recipe.

I told Bruce that I was making cookies today and asked if he would prefer chocolate chip or peanut butter. He replied, "Yes." Hey, I actually got an opinion out of him! *giggle*

I actually had in mind to make either oatmeal chocolate chip pecan cookies OR peanut butter cookies. But since he's requested it, I'll make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies instead.

And there's even recipes out there (what a surprise....not!)

This is the one I'm using with a few small changes.



Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth (I used smooth)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
dash of Penzey's vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (heaping) cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°.

In mixing bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together and blend well. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir til mixed. Add the chocolate chips.

Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.

NOTE: Leave on baking sheet for a couple minutes before moving to cooling rack or they'll crumble all over the place. These are very fragile, crumbly cookies but OH SO GOOD!

I think I have a new favorite cookie.

EDIT: And because ar_wahan wants it, here's the lemon blueberry almond bread recipe.



Lemon Blueberry Bread
(ganked from the Cooking group, with changes made to add almonds)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds

Lemon glaze:

1/3 cup granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
Spray bottom and sides of a loaf pan with a non stick vegetable spray.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened.
Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in extracts and zest.
With the mixer on low, add the 1/2 of the flour mixture then 1/2 of the milk alternating, ending with the flour. Mix only until combined.
Gently fold in the blueberries and almonds.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan
Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the 1/3 cup of sugar and the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
When the bread is done, remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Pierce the hot loaf all over with a wooden skewer or toothpick and then brush the top of the loaf with the hot lemon glaze. Cool the loaf in the pan for about 30 minutes then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

EDIT: Next time, I think I'll add more almonds and omit the glaze; it's a bit too-too, if that makes any sense. I think it'd be great with cream cheese spread on a slice of it, which I will try tomorrow.