Peanutbuter thumbprint cookies with Reeses inside! (Only 2 Tblsp. flour!)

This is a great recipe, and SUPER easy...you could have cookies in the oven in less than 15 minutes!

* 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 Tablespoons flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 Tablespoon Cinnamon


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, the egg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix well with a spoon. Roll the dough into balls and then flatten with your palm on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven, let cool for about 2 minutes. Using the bottom of the Reeses push into cookie. Let cool completely on a wire rack and ENJOY!!!

Baked French Toast Casserole (Needs 24hrs and so worth it!)

This is a great recipe, I made it when my mom was staying with us. Took about 10 minutes the night before to prepare and throw in the fridge for the next morning! The great thing about this recipe is it feeds about 6 people and no need for syrup!
Ingredients

* 1 loaf French bread (I used Safeway's french toast bread, any thick bread works
great, I go for pre-cut!)
* Butter, for pan
* 8 large eggs
* 2 cups milk
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* Dash salt
* Praline Topping, recipe follows


Directions

Slice French bread into 15 slices, 1-inch thick each.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture.

Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. After layering the slices make sure to dunk them all under batter so they are wet.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes (in my oven it took about an hour), until puffed and lightly golden.

Praline Topping:

* 1 stick butter
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup ( I did not have this so I left it out and it
was fine)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Spread over bread as directed above.

This is a very rich recipe but well worth it! I reduced many ingredients to make it less sweet, I can not even imagine what it would have been like before. I made eggs and bacon to go with this dish in hopes to reduce the sugar intake!

This is a great meal for a busy family, holiday treat, or when you have guests in town! MMMMMmmmm!!! This is a keeper!

Beef Stew/Soup

This is great for a cold spring day or a nice bone warmer in the winter!!!

Ingredients

* Vegetable oil for searing
* Flour for dredging (coating meat)
* 1 pound beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 medium onion, cut into sixths
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 can tomato paste
* 2 cans beef broth
* 2 table spoons parsley
* 1 bay leaves (can leave out if wanted)
* 4 red potatoes, cubed
* 4 medium carrots, chopped
* 2 celery stalks, chopped
* 2 canned tomatoes ( I prefer pre-cut


Directions

First Meat:

Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Pour in enough oil to coat the bottom of pan. In a Ziploc bag put about a cup of flour, salt and pepper, after cutting beef place meat in bag, coat all sides (shaking works best!) Shake off the excess flour, and add to the pan. Saute the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Discard the oil and wipe out the pan. (Do not wash the pan, keep the flavor!

Second:

Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Next, Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more.

Return the beef to the pot and add the water or broth, and bring to a simmer. Next add the parsley and thyme to the pot. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Stew, uncovered, on top of the stove, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has thickened and the beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour.

NOTE: If you would like more of a soup follow the recipe above; if more of a stew is desired use 2 cans of tomato paste.

Banana Bread, the best recipe so far!

Banana Bread, the best recipe so far! Generally it is hard to cook breads in the oven if you don't have a convection oven. Who knows if it is the recipe or if I am just that good!!! :)

Ingredients

* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted
butter and then just left out the salt)
* 2 large eggs
* 3 ripe bananas
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.

It has been awhile!

Hello All,
I am sorry it has been so long since my last post; things have been beyond busy here! I will be posting many recipes from over the last month, they are in no sort of order, but all wonderful!!! I hope you enjoy as much as Kris and I do! :)