Grams Made Filled Peanut Butter Cups

In looking over my blogs for the past few weeks, I realized that I promised you a recipe for the Peanut Butter Cups that I made for Christmas. They are so simple that it's hardly fair to call it a recipe. They are made with a mix and pieces of candy and they are delicious. I will definitely make them again.

The recipes were adapted from recipes I found at both Betty Crocker and Pillsbury.

I made three different kinds of cookies using the same basic cookie. They came out so good that I used them for gifts. I will definitely make them again.

FOR THE BASIC COOKIE

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg

Heat oven to 375ºF. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms. Form dough into thirty-six 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons each); press into ungreased mini muffin cups.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven.



PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

36 Bite-Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Make the basic cookie. While cookies are hot and straight from the oven, press one peanut butter cup into each muffin. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing. (I think it goes without saying, but you must remove the paper wrapper from each Reese's Cup before pressing into cookie.)

SNICKERS CUPS

 

18 Bite-Size Snickers (1" x 1")

Make the basic cookie. While the cookies are baking, cut Snickers in half and press half of a Snickers bar into the peanut butter cookie cup when cookies are still hot and straight from the oven. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.

SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE CUPS

 

1 bag of Brach's caramels

1 Tablespoon water

2 Tablespoons of sea salt

Make the basic cookie. While the cookies are hot, use the end of a wooden spoon to carefully press into center of each baked cookie to make an indentation.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and water on high 1 minute. Stir; repeat until caramels are completely melted and can be stirred smooth.

Fill each cookie cup with about 1 tablespoon melted caramels. Sprinkle a few granules of coarse sea salt on top of each. Cool in pan about 20 minutes before removing.



I'm planning to make these again for Valentine's Day and fill them with chocolate fudge frosting which I will top with heart-shaped sprinkles. I can't wait to try them.

Grams Made Granny's Oatmeal Cookies

Grams had a wonderful visit this past weekend with Our Little Princess and her mom. Unfortunately, about the time they arrived, I came down with a nasty cold. I'm still hopeful that maybe they won't get it. It's been miserable and I'm not feeling much better yet.

In preparing for their visit, I decided to bake cookies. When considering what kind of cookies to bake, I remembered that, when we cleaned out my Mom's belongings, I ran across a copy of my Granny's recipe for oatmeal cookies. These are the cookies I grew up eating. They are so good! To this day they are the only cookie that has ever tempted me to eat the raw cookie dough. They are that good.

The original recipe came from the back of a package of Mother's Oats, which I don't think they make any more. The only change I made was to use butter instead of the shortening called for in the original recipe. Since I don't buy or keep shortening, I always substitute unsalted butter.

I have magical memories of eating these cookies as a child in my Granny's kitchen. If I close my eyes, I can still see her bending over to take them out of the oven in her little country kitchen. She always wore her hair in a bun on the back of her head and always wore homemade shirtwaist dresses that buttoned in the front. And she had so much love for all of her grandkids. She was the quintessential grandmother who always had time and patience for all of us. She was the adult in my life who gave me consistency and unconditional love.

This is, without a doubt, the best oatmeal cookie recipe I have ever made or eaten. Our Little Princess liked them too, with one exception. In the future, I'll be omitting the raisins, Our Little Princess picked them out rather distastefully.

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted enriched flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
3 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla in mixing bowl; beat thoroughly. Sift together flour, salt and soda; add to shortening mixture, mixing well. Blend in oats. Stir in raisins, if using.

Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes.

Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Grams Made Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

Grams and Grandad are off to Houston later this week. It's time for Grandad's three-month follow-up visit with the electrophysiologist who did his cardiac ablation. I'll update on that after we see the doctor.

After that, we will meet up with other family members for one of my favorite weekends of the year. On Saturday, Grandad's family has it's annual golf tournament at Bluebonnet Golf Club in Navasota.  While they play golf, my sisters-in-law will join Katy, Marie and me for a day in Round Top for the Texas Antique Festival. Watch this space next week. I promise there will be lots of photos.

Katy, Travis and Our Little Princess will join us at Nick and Marie's house in Houston on Friday. In preparation for the trip, I spent this evening baking cookies which will be a nice treat for Our Little Princess. I doubled this recipe and it sure did take me a long time to bake them. (Note to self -- buy another sil-pat. It takes too long with only one.)

This is a very old recipe that's been around for years. The only change I've made is that I now use unsweetened all-natural peanut butter.


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
¾ cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Beat together the butter, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, or about 2 to 4 hours.

Take tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls with hands. Place about 3 inches apart on greased baking sheets. (I use a sil-pat instead of greasing the cookie sheet.) Using a dinner fork dipped in flour, lightly press cookies, flattening and forming a criss-cross pattern on each cookie.

Bake at 375° until golden brown, or about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for a minute; transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen peanut butter cookies. 

I couldn't resist a taste test as they came out of the oven. They are delicious. Now I'm going to have to resist them for the next several days. It would be a shame if there were none left for Our Little Princess.

Since we'll be traveling, I probably won't be posting any new blog entries for the remainder of the week. Word is that we'll be having our first cool front of the season sometime this weekend. I can't wait for that first glimpse of fall when the air smells of promise. I hope you get a little bit of fall in your neighborhood too.

Grams Made Reduced Sugar Forgotten Cookies

I have always loved meringue cookies. When I had to reduce the amount of sugar I eat, I was delighted to find this recipe. It's one of my personal favorites, because it doesn't taste like I'm giving up anything!

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Bake walnuts in a shallow pan, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until toasted. Set aside.

Beat egg whites and vanilla a high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.

Add Splenda Sugar Blend, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form; stir in walnuts and chocolate morsels.

Spoon rounded teaspoons of mixture on baking sheets lines with parchment paper.

Bake 2 hours. Cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin.

(Be sure you use SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking. It's a blend of pure sugar and SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener, which reduces the amount of sugar by one half but still gives you the qualities of sugar which are important for baking.)