Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever

Recipe from Fifteen Spatulas
Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes about 24 cookies

These fabulous peanut butter cookies are dangerous.  You will need major will power to keep from eating them all at once.  Absolutely scrumptious!!!

7.5 ounces by weight all-purpose flour (1.5 cups measured) 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar* (I used dark brown sugar, but light will work too.)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter**
Flaky sea salt, optional for sprinkling over the top

Preheat the oven to 350F.
(I highly recommend weighing out the flour before using.) 
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
In another medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar, for about 60 seconds, until fluffy and light.
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds, until combined.
Mix in the peanut butter for an additional 30 seconds, until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then mix just until the flour is incorporated. Take care not to over mix.
Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out scoops of dough directly onto a baking sheet. (Try not to smooth out the cookies.  What makes these especially nice, is the texture of the "rough ridges" you get when scooping out the dough.) You should get about 24 scoops of dough total (split them between two baking sheets).  If desired, sprinkle each cookie with flakey sea salt.
Bake*** for 13 minutes, until the edges are golden, but the middle is still soft. Let them cool for a couple minutes before eating. They are especially fantastic enjoyed warm out of the oven. 

Notes
*I've used both light and dark brown sugar and each works well. Use whichever you have.
**While you may have happy results using a natural peanut butter, using the creamy variety will make for a better texture. When using natural peanut butter, the cookies may be more crumbly and dry, with an inferior texture. Brands like Skippy, Jif, organic Whole Foods Brand etc. make peanut butters that are very creamy and spreadable. 
***Do not over bake these. Keep in mind that when you take the cookies out of the oven, they should seem excessively soft. There will be a little bit of carryover cooking, and the cookies will firm up as they cool, so you want to err on the side of underbaking. If the cookies turn out dry, simply put, they were over baked. They should be moist and gooey on the inside.

Freezing:
Completely Baked Cookies: Complete the recipe start to finish, then let the cookies cool completely. Place the cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature, for about 30 minutes.
Unbaked Dough: You can also freeze these unbaked. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, then freezing completely. Then remove the frozen dough balls from the tray and place in a bag to save space. For this recipe, thaw the dough back to room temperature before baking, which should take about an hour. If bake these straight from frozen, they won't bake quite as evenly.

Storage: Make sure to store these in an airtight container, or they will dry out. These cookies will last about two days at room temperature before losing too much flavor and freshness. Technically they will keep longer than this, but I think the taste is too inferior, and at that point you’d be better off freezing them. See the freezing instructions above.

Make-ahead instructions: After making the dough, scoop it while it's still at room temperature, then keep those dough scoops in the fridge on a sheet pan. Otherwise, you'll need to bring the dough to room temperature in order to scoop again. Make ahead up to 2 days in advance. 

Double-batch: You can absolutely double or triple this recipe with no problem.

Nutritional Info: Calories: 166.09kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.6g, Protein: 3.89g, Fat: 9.51g, Saturated Fat: 3.63g, Cholesterol: 16.99mg, Sodium: 172.33mg, Potassium: 96.29mg, Fiber: 0.88g, Sugar: 9.65g, Vitamin A: 128.08IU, Calcium: 15.53mg, Iron: 0.68mg

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons (Gluten-Free)

Recipe from Downshiftology

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 8 macaroons

When you are compelled to utter "mmmm" after each bite, you know you've found a great keeper of a recipe.  These are fantastic and so easy to make, you will want to make a few batches.  They are very pretty too and would look especially nice on any dessert platter.

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup honey (I used raw honey.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (finely shredded, not the big flakes)

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or use chips

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Add the add the egg whites, honey, vanilla extract and salt to a heat-proof mixing bowl.  Place the mixing bowl on top of a saucepan with 1-2 inches of simmering water (creating a double boiler).  Stir the mixture (I used a whisk.)  for 5 minutes, until frothy and very warm to the touch.  

Add the coconut and stir it into the mixture until it's well combined and no liquid remains.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tablespoons) place mounds of the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake the coconut macaroons for 25 minutes, checking on them towards the end to make sure they're not browning too quickly.  

Let the cool completely on the baking tray before removing otherwise they may fall apart.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the bowl and set it over simmering water again.  Place the chocolate in the bowl.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  

When the macaroons are completely cooled, dip them into the melted chocolate.  Return them to the parchment paper lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.  

Tip: If you have any leftover melted chocolate, you can dip dried or fresh fruit into it, such as dried apricots or banana slices, etc.  (Below you will see a jar of chocolate dipped dried apricots that I made using the leftover chocolate.  They made a great snack.)

To Store: Store the macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.  They can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Just be sure to layer parchment paper in between so that they don't stick.  To defrost, let them sit on the counter at room temperature to soften them before serving.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 8 cookies) 178 calories; 14 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 14 g fat; 83 mg sodium; 133 mg potassium; 3 g fiber; 10 g sugars; 1 mg vitamin C; 6 mg calcium; 1 mg iron

Soyrizo y Papas Breakfast Burritos (Vegetarian)

Soyrizo y Papas Breakfast Burritos (Vegetarian)
served with steamed broccoli and a clump of grapes

Recipe from Vegetarian Times

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

When you’re looking for a little spice in your life, make this delicious dish.  Soyrizo is a spicy meat substitute made from soy protein.  I love the flavor, the texture and also the fact that it’s not greasy.  It’s also vegan, although this particular recipe is not because of the eggs. (It’s also gluten-free, nitrite-free, non-GMO with no preservatives.) Soyrizo can be used to make tacos, soups, chili or any spicy Mexican style dish.

3 teaspoons canola oil or olive oil

1 medium russet potato, diced

8 oz. soy chorizo (Soyrizo)

Cooking spray

4 large eggs

4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas, warmed (I used blue corn tortillas.)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet (I would recommend a non-stick skillet.) over medium-high heat.  Arrange the diced potato in a single layer in the skillet.  Cook for 7 minutes, or until golden, turning once.  Move the potato to the side of the pan.  Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the opposite side of the pan.  Then add then soy chorizo; cook for 1 minutes, crumbling with a spatula.  Stir the potato and soy chorizo together; cook 2 minutes more, or until the potato is tender.  Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.  Wipe out the skillet, spray with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat.  Crack eggs in the pan, and cook 2 minutes or until the whites are set, turning once for over-easy.  Lay the eggs in the centers of warmed tortillas.  Divide the potato mixture among the tortillas and top with scallions.  Serve them open-face or roll them up burrito style.  Serve with sour cream and/or salsa, if desired.

Nutritional Information: (1 serving) 380 calories; 38 g carbohydrates; 208 mg cholesterol; 16 g fat (2 g sat. fat); 6 g fiber; 515 mg sodium; 4 g sugars

Instant Pot Hard-Cooked Eggs

Recipe from Tried Tested and True (Lisa Childs) 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When I first got my Instant Pot, I watched lots of videos before I used it.  One of the things that interested me was how easy it was to make hard-cook eggs. Lisa Childs’ YouTube channel was very helpful.   I’m thrilled with how nicely my eggs turned out.  I found the Tried Tested and True website to be a huge help. I watched the video from Tried Tested and True regarding hard-cooked eggs. She thoroughly tested all sorts of times, etc. including the popular 5-5-5. However, her experience with the times below resulted in non-rubbery whites, non-gooey yellows and no green ring around the yolk. The shells slipped right off. As you can see, it worked for me!!! So, I’m sold.  Here’s how to do it.

Special Equipment:

Instant Pot

Steamer Basket

1-Cup Measure

Tongs

Large Bowl for Ice Bath

Timer

Ingredients

1 cup water

Large eggs straight from the fridge (As to the number of eggs, use however many will fit in your steamer basket.  I usually do 6 or 7 at a time because it’s just we two.  But my basket would allow more than a dozen eggs.)

2-4 cup ice (I don’t measure, but I usually grab a few handfuls of ice to put in the large bowl for the ice bath.)

Water for ice bath

Directions

Be sure the Inner Pot is in the Instant Pot.  Pour 1 cup water into the Inner Pot.  Place the steamer basket into the Inner Pot.  Put the eggs into the Inner Pot.  Lock the lid into place.  Choose High Pressure for 2 minutes.  Hit Cancel.  Allow the Instant Pot to Slow Release for 15 minutes.  (Set a timer for this.) The pin most likely will drop before the 15 minute slow release time is up, but keep the lid on and wait for the entire 15 minutes to lapse before opening the lid. Meanwhile, prepare the ice bath.  Place the ice in the large bowl.  Pour in water to fill the bowl, allowing enough space for the eggs. When the 15 minutes is up and the pressure has been released, open the lid, and use the tongs to remove the eggs from the Instant Pot to the ice bath.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the timer dings, remove the eggs from the ice bath and peel the eggs.  The peels should slip right off. The eggs should have non-rubbery whites, non-gooey yellows and no green ring around the yolks. Use the eggs in your favorite recipes and/or store in the fridge in an air-tight container for later.

QUICK REFERENCE: High pressure 2 minutes; slow release 15 minutes; ice bath 10 minutes

Sushi Grain Bowl

Recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 grain bowl (Can be easily doubled, tripled, etc.)

Boy, I wish I had known about this terrific lunch back when I was still working.  Wowza!  We loved all the flavors and textures of this simple dish.  Another great thing about this simple recipe is that all the components can be prepared in advance and then just arranged together right before serving.  

Dressing

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon lime juice (or lemon juice)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Grain Bowl Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown basmati rice

½ cup cooked shelled edamame

½ cup or so of tuna or sardines in oil (leftover cooked salmon would also work)

1 small cucumber or Persian cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced

1 large hard-cooked egg, peeled and halved

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

½ sheet nori, cut into thin strips (use scissors)

Measure out the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid.  Shake the jar vigorously until all the ingredients are well blended. Set aside.

Arrange brown rice, edamame, tuna, cucumber, and hard-cooked egg in a bowl or on a plate.  Sprinkle the egg and the cucumber with the salt and pepper. Drizzle the sushi bowl with the dressing.  Top with the toasted sesame seeds and the nori.  Serve.

Heart “Beet” Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Healthyish via Bon Appetit

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 (8-inch) round or square cake

This cake is mmmm-good and perfect with a cup of hot tea. 

Cake

4 medium beets*, scrubbed

2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil, plus more for the pan

½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for the pan

1½ cups almond flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips.)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1¼ cups packed brown sugar (I used Sucanat.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Glaze

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips.)

1 Tablespoon virgin coconut oil

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

Gold Luster Dust (For serving; optional)

Cake: Cook the beets in a pot of boiling unsalted water until tender, 30-40 minutes depending on size.  Drain and rinse the beets under cold water until they are cool enough to handle.  Cut off the stem ends and peel.  Cut into large pieces and add them to a blender along with 2 Tablespoons of water.  Blend until a smooth puree forms.  It should be the consistency of applesauce.  Measure out 1 cup of puree for the cake.  Reserve the remaining puree for another use. (*I used 3 large beets, one golden, and ended up with 3 cups of puree.  I froze the extra beet puree in 1-cup containers for future cakes.  The puree can also be added to smoothies.) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line the bottom of an 8” round (or square) cake pan with parchment paper.  Grease with oil and then dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.  Whisk the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and remaining ½ cup cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside.  Heat the chocolate and remaining 2 Tablespoons oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until melted.  Remove the bowl from the heat.  Stir in the vinegar, vanilla, and reserved 1 cup beet puree until smooth. Set aside.  Beat the eggs, brown sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until more than tripled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when the beater is lifted above the batter. This will take 5-7 minutes.  Thoroughly beating the eggs is key to creating an aerated, light crumb and is a critical step when using gluten-free ingredients. Pour the chocolate-beet mixture into the egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined.  Turn the mixer off and gently tip in the reserved dry ingredients.  Beat on the lowest speed, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Transfer the batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 45-50 minutes.  Let the cake cool 10 minutes in the pan.  Carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan, then invert the cake onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before spreading with the glaze.

Glaze: Heat the chocolate, oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted.  Let cool, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and cool enough to touch, about 10-15 minutes.  Place rack with the cake over a piece of waxed paper or on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the glaze over the center of the cake to cover the top.  Spread the glaze a bit so that it runs over the sides of the cake in dribbles.  Sprinkle with luster dust (if using).  Let sit at room temperature until the glaze is set, 2-3 hours.  Cover and store the cake at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Hot & Sour Soup (Instant Pot Recipe)

(Instant Pot/Vegetarian)

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from simplyvegetarian777.com 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I don’t mind chopping and measuring out ingredients if the end result is great.  This company-worthy soup is totally worth any effort.  It may seem daunting, but it’s actually very easy in the Instant Pot once the ingredients are prepped. When the ingredients are ready, the soup will come together quickly. It tastes great the next day, so perfect for guests.

Broth Ingredients

(Broth can be made in advance.)

4 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon grated ginger

¼ cup brown rice vinegar or rice vinegar

4 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 teaspoon red chili paste or sambal oelek

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Vegetable Ingredients

7 scallions, sliced diagonally

1 large carrot, thinly sliced or julienned

2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

10 button mushrooms, thinly sliced (baby bellas or shiitake mushrooms may be used)

5 oz. can of bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced

1 cup extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into small cubes

Other Ingredients

3 Tablespoons corn starch

3 Tablespoons water

1-3 large eggs, beaten (I used 2 eggs.)

Insert the inner pot inside your Instant Pot and plug it in.  Place all the Broth Ingredients into the inner pot.  Stir well.  Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Pressure cook on High for 2 minutes.  Once the time goes off, use the Quick Pressure Release.  When the pin has dropped, open the lid.  The broth is now ready to use or to store for later.  Add the Vegetable Ingredients to the broth.  Stir well.  Cover with a lid.  Cook on High Sauté mode for 3 minutes.  Once the timer goes off, remove the lid and stir.  In a small bowl, combine the corn starch and 3 Tablespoons water to make a slurry.  This will thicken the soup a bit.  Add the slurry to the soup and stir well.  Drizzle the beaten eggs in a stream far above the pot.  Keep stirring the soup with a spoon or single chopstick in a stirring motion.  This will help in making the popular egg ribbon or thread in the soup.  Set the Instant Pot on High Sauté mode and cook for an additional 3 minutes. 

Now the soup is ready to serve.  You can add a garnish of more sesame oil and scallions.  You can make it more sour by adding more rice vinegar. You can make it more spicy by adding more chili paste.  You can add more vegetables of your choice, if you wish.  You can omit the eggs to make this vegan.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 8 servings) 139 calories; 8 g fat (1 sat fat; 0 trans-fat; 6 g unsaturated fat); 70 mg cholesterol; 1221 mg sodium; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugars; 8 g protein

Winter Salad Hummus Bowls with Seedy Power Sprinkle

Recipe from Anna Stockwell via Epicurious

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

5 Tablespoons unseasoned brown rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into bit-sized pieces OR 4 cups baby kale

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, thinly sliced

4 Hard-Cooked Eggs, cut in half

1 cup store bought or homemade hummus

1 cup Seedy Power Sprinkle*

Flaky sea salt, for serving

Freshly ground pepper, for serving

Whisk the unseasoned brown rice vinegar, honey, tamari or soy sauce, kosher salt and ¼ cup olive oil in a large bowl.

Add the kale and brussels sprouts to the vinaigrette.  Toss and massage with your hands until the kale is darker in color and the vegetables are coated in the dressing.

Smear about ¼ cup of hummus onto the side of each bowl or plate.  Top with the salad and egg halves. Season the eggs with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Drizzle with oil and top with the Seedy Power Sprinkle.

Notes:  Unpeeled eggs can be prepared 2 days ahead.  The vegetable salad can be made 8 hours in advance. 

Seedy Power Sprinkle

1 large egg white

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Aleppo-style pepper (optional)

1 Tablespoon water

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup sunflower seeds

½ cup chia seeds

½ cup flaxseeds

½ cup raw sesame seeds

Whisk egg white, oil, honey, pepper (if using), salt, and water in a medium bowl to combine.  Add the sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds and stir to coat.  Let sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Spread the seed mixture in an even layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake, stirring very gently after 10 minutes to encourage the mixture to from small clusters, until golden brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool.  Sprinkle can be made 2 weeks in advance.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  Use them for the salad listed above or use them to sprinkle atop yogurt, soups, or on anything you wish to add a bit of crunch.

Wake-Up Cocoa Quick Bread

Recipe from SmallKitchenCara via Food52

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes one 9”X5” loaf

The recipe author describes this quick bread as a loaf cake inspired by pain d’epice, but made with cocoa and espresso powder rather than spices and honey.  I prepared this for my family for the holidays as a breakfast treat.  I was delighted that both my grandchildren absolutely loved it.  Each morning, Sandrita and I had it toasted and spread with Chocolate Nut Butter Hummus and Luis had it un-toasted and unadorned.  (I also ate a sliced apple with it while the children ate bananas.) This bread, once completely cooled, freezes beautifully.  It’s definitely a keeper and will now become a holiday breakfast tradition.

Cooking oil spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole-wheat flour or whole wheat flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

4 Tablespoons good quality cocoa powder (I use dark cocoa powder.)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder

1 large egg

1 ½ cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Spray a 9”X5” loaf pan with cooking oil and set aside. (I used a parchment paper loaf liner and sprayed it with cooking spray.  You could probably butter the pan and sprinkle in some unsweetened cocoa powder, tapping out the excess to prepare the pan.)

Mix together the flours, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, combine the butter with the sugar and espresso powder.

Add the egg, beating to distribute evenly, then pour in the milk.

Using as few strokes as possible, stir in the dry ingredients.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is dry and is slightly cracked.  (I also checked using a toothpick in the center of the loaf.)

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. 

Remove the loaf from the pan to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.