Crumbly & Crisp Peanut Butter Cookies

Some mornings I just wake up craving something that I haven't eaten in years...and this morning it was the salty sweetness of an old fashioned peanut butter cookie. Not sure if it's the cold weather or the holiday season, but when I get something in my head, I usually have to face it. And that's just what I did. When it comes to old fashioned cookies, I turn to 2 ladies: Martha and Nancy. Martha, of course, being Martha Stewart. and Nancy Baggett, author of "The All-American Cookie Book", among others. This recipe comes from Nancy Baggett's cookbook, and it is simple and delicious. What you see is what you get. The recipe yields a good 40 cookies, they are beautiful and so, so good.

Classic Peanut Butter Crisscross Cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (or margarine), slightly softened
3 tablespoons peanut or corn oil
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups crunchy or smooth peanut butter
about 2 tablespoons sugar, for topping

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl, set aside.
In a bowl fitted with an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, sugar, butter, and oil. Beat until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peanut butter, and beat on medium speed until combined. Refrigerate the dough for about 15 minutes or for as long as you need until you are ready to form the cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease several baking sheets with non-stick spray. Use a mini ice-cream scooper or a tablespoon to form the batter into balls (about a heaping tablespoon each). Flatten the balls slightly into disks, and place on the baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. Use the back of a fork to form 'criss cross' markings in the center of each cookie. Sprinkle the sugar over the tops of each cookie, and bake, 10-12 minutes. You will be able to tell from the smell in your home that they are just about ready- golden brown, soft but crisp- rich but light. This is a really good cookie.

 Combine the dry and wet ingredients

 Add your favorite peanut butter

 Use an electric mixer to combine

 Scoop into heaping tablespoon-sized balls

 Flatten and "criss cross" using the back of a fork

 Sprinkle with sugar

Bake and eat!

Thanksgiving Pressure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving is the one holiday I have never cooked for.... What I mean is that I have never hosted an official American Thanksgiving Dinner- remember, I am Canadian after all! That's not to say I don't love the holiday. The first time I attended a Thanksgiving dinner,  I felt like I was in a sitcom or something..all I could think was: this is SO American. The turkey, the stuffing, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, the fire going, the table set in orange the brown!! Well, I love it. And I love not having to cook for it! But for those of you who do, I will offer a few makeshift quick and fun recipes...Mini Pumpkin Pie Muffins with Tart Lemon Glaze and Sweet & Sour Turkey Cranberry Meatballs.

Mini Pumpkin Pie Muffins with Tart Lemon Glaze 
These are great because they are delicious, easy to prepare and everyone loves them. You can serve them as a Thanksgiving side dish, or even as a dessert. I make a ton of them, wrap them up in cellophane bags, and give them away to family and friends...Always a hit! The glaze, which uses fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest is really what takes these little treats to the next level. The combination of tart and sweet on a soft, crumbly, adorable mini muffin, combined with the cinnamon and nutmeg aromas just scream "thanksgiving!!"

 2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
3 eggs plus 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Tart Lemon Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
juice and zest from 11/2 lemons

Preheat oven 350. Grease 2 mini muffin tins and line with paper liners. (If you only have one muffin tin, do one batch at a time. Once cooled, the muffins will pop out easily, just grease, line with paper liners and refill with the remaining batter. Alternatively, you may grease 2 loaf pans) In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Fill the muffin liners almost to the top with the batter ( I use a small measuring cup to make this easy and prevent dripping). Bake, for 20 minutes until golden. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze:
In a small bowl, stir the confectioner's sugar and the lemon juice and zest until smooth, set aside.
Once the muffins are cool, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze all over them...Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for one week...

 Grease and line mini-muffin tin

 Fresh pumpkin puree, but you can use store bought!

 Whisk all the ingredients in a large bowl

 Bake the muffins- as you can see, one muffin was sampled here!

 Zest the lemons

 Fresh lemon juice

Drizzle the glaze using a spoon

Beautiful and delicious

Sweet and Sour Turkey Cranberry Meatballs
Makes about 2 dozen meatballs
If you are going to skip out on cooking a whole turkey for the holiday, this is the recipe for you. If you are always looking for the next great meatball recipe, then this recipe is also for you! Look, not everyone is going to have the time, patience, or the crowd large enough to make it worthwhile to cook an entire bird. I totally get that. It's 2011, I am all about keeping up the traditions, but once in a while, it's fun to change it up a bit! In this clever recipe, the turkey and cranberry flavors are combined to create a sweet and sour meatball (who doesn't love that?) and I make this recipe all year round, because it's really the perfect meatball recipe. I love that the recipe uses rolled oats rather than breadcrumbs to hold the ground meat together. It is a light recipe, with robust flavors...not too sweet or too sour, just right. My sister gave me a version of this recipe years ago, and I have adapted it over time, though neither of us can remember where the recipe originated from.

For the meatballs:
2 pounds ground turkey meat (you can use all white, all dark or a combination)
11/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
For the sauce:
3- 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
1- 14 ounce can or jar whole berry cranberry sauce ( you can also make your own fresh version, I use this easy recipe http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Sauce-102583
juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, salt, pepper and rolled oats. Use your hand to combine all the ingredients together. In a large pot, stir the tomato sauce, cranberry sauce, lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar over medium-high heat. Taste the sauce, adjust the seasoning according to your liking. Wet your hands with cold water, and roll the turkey meat into tablespoon-sized balls and drop into the bubbling sauce. Once you have rolled all of the meatballs, cover the pan and lower the heat to a Medium temperature. Cook for about 40 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are firm.
That's it! You can serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for several days. This recipe also freezes wonderfully, so you can make ahead.

 Combine turkey and rolled oats

 Use your hands to combine

 Roll into meatballs

 Drop into the prepared sauce

Cook the meatballs over the stove top

Quick & Delectable Dill Chicken Stew

If you asked me what I get the most requests for, it is without a doubt, chicken-breast recipes! Although chicken breast are delicious, if they aren't cooked properly or eaten right off the grill, they often get dry and stringy. The recipe below is an old family favorite of mine. My mom makes it all the time, and it's one of those, "you can't screw it up" recipes. Perfect to serve this time of year and can be prepared in under 30 minutes! In this recipe, the skinless, boneless chicken breasts are cut into finger-like strips, and smothered in sauteed onions, and a delicious tomato-soy sauce...Once the chicken is cooked and the sauce is thickened, handfuls of freshly chopped dill are tossed in. The dill is really what takes the recipe to the next level- adding a rich, robust flavor. Goes perfectly with steamed rice, roasted potatoes, or even pasta and it can be made a day or two in advance because it reheats wonderfully.
It's really good, and really easy.

Dill Chicken Stew
Serves 6-8
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 handfuls freshly chopped dill

Cut the chicken into finger-like strips. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and saute for 10 minutes until translusent. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the ketchup and soy sauce. Pour the soy mixture over the chicken and throw in the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, and stir all together. Cook, covered, on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat, and toss in the dill. Let the chicken sit, covered, for about 5 minutes or so, for the flavors to deepen. That's it! Enjoy!

 cut the chicken into strips

 saute the onions

add the chicken to the saute pan

 meanwhile, whisk together the ketchup and soy sauce

 add the bay leaf

 pour in the sauce

 chop the dill

 toss in the dill

enjoy

HELLO DOLLY!

On his way home from work, my husband informed me that there would be a board meeting taking place in our apartment in less than an hour...thanks for the early notice! What could I serve these guys that will take under an hour to prepare, and go well with coffee and/or beer?? These lush, gooey chocolate-coconut squares, otherwise known as "hello dolly squares" are always a go-to recipe for a last minute fix. Perfect. Hello Dolly Squares. I have made them a million times, and actually used to sell them to local coffee shops when I first started my culinary career in New York. This tried and true recipe comes from one of my all time favorite Kosher cookbook authors, Norene Gilletz. Norene is a legendary Canadian cookbook author who is well-known for her straightforward but inventive recipes...Her cookbooks have become staples in my home! (Every Canadian Jewish woman who is about to tie the knot is officially anointed by getting at least one of Norene Gilletz's cookbooks at her bridal shower!! It would be a shanda not to!) Anyhow, this recipe is a classic. They can be whipped up in no time and everyone goes crazy for these squares. Try them.

Hello Dolly Squares

makes about 30 small squares, or 15 larger ones

1/2 cup walnuts, almonds or pecans

11/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter

11/2 cups chocolate chips

11/2 cups coconut

1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven 350. Process nuts until finely chopped, set aside. Place butter in a 9x13 inch baking pan and place in the oven to melt. Once melted, remove from the oven and stir the graham crumbs into the butter. Spread evenly into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts. Drizzle the condensed milk evenly over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. Cool and cut into squares. They freeze really well!