Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chipsters

I reached for Dorie Greenspan's cookbook the other day when I felt like baking up something delicious. My plan was to find a recipe in the book that I had all of the ingredients for and that I was able to make right then and there . When I came across this cookie recipe it sounded pretty good so I thought that I would give it a try.


If you were to take a peanut butter cookie, an oatmeal cookie, and a chocolate chip cookie and cram them all together into one bite these would definitely be what it would taste like. My husband and I enjoyed the cookies and so did all of my co-workers (especially the pregnant one). I did not have enough of any one kind of chocolate to put into these so I used a combination of bittersweet, semi-sweet, and white chocolate. These were a huge hit all around and I am already planning on adding the recipe to my list of favorites.


What is your favorite kind of cookie? Is there any kind of cookie that you would like me to feature here on Amber's Delectable Delights?

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
from Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 1/2 cups -bought chocolate chips or chunks.

Directions
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips.If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours or for up to one day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)
If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.
Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Storing - wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they'll be good for 2 months.

Garlic Herb Braid

I have been baking bread for about five years now. In that time many different sizes and shapes of bread have graced my dinner table, yet I have never experimented with a braided loaf. The concept is easy, three ropes of dough are carefully maneuvered back and forth until the end of the ropes are reached and a beautiful braid is achieved. Lets just say there is a reason you do not see a picture of my loaf before it was cut. Let's just say that I am going to have to practice this technique. :)


This was one of the quickest yeast bread recipes that I have ever made. The whole process from raw ingredients to baked loaf could not have taken much more than an hour and a half. The end result was quite delicious and went well with the chicken manicotti and salad that was served at my monthly scrapbooking night. This is definitely a recipe that I will make again.


Garlic-Herb Braid
as seen on Christy's Kitchen Creations from Taste of Home

Ingredients
4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 packages (1/4 oz each) quick-rise yeast
2 teaspoons dried basil
1-3/4 teaspoons dill weed
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and seasonings. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water and cubed butter to 120-130 degrees. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a 15-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Restaurant Style Salsa

I have made salsa a few other times but the results were never anything to write home about. I came across this recipe on Pioneer Woman's site and thought that it sounded right up my ally. Since I prefer my salsa with no large chunks in it, the food processor was definitely my best friend when making this. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make it as chunky or smooth as you like it. Heck you can make half of the batch chunky and half of it smooth. Really, it is so easy and foolproof.


I typically hate cilantro but thought that a teeny bit would be ok in the recipe. I was right, it was fine. Actually this recipe was quite delicious. Even my husband, the condiment hater, was scooping it up all night long. I took my leftovers into work the following day and the entire batch of salsa was polished off in a matter of a few hours.By the way, this recipes makes enough salsa for a small army. I think I had about 4 1/2 cups of it when all was said and done. Another thing to think about is draining the Rotel. The recipe does not mention it, but I did it. It seemed like the salsa would have been to watery if I had not. Enjoy!


Restaurant Style Salsa
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 can (28 Ounce) whole tomatoes with juice
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel
¼ cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin
¼ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground cumin
½ cups cilantro (or more to taste!)
½ whole lime juice

Preparation Instructions
Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like—I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos.