Peanut Butter Cookie Day!

So, yesterday, June 12th, was Peanut Butter Cookie Day!  In honor of this day, the kids and I made scrumptious PB cookies!

 

Mmmmmmmm.... don't they look tasty?

 

 

 I just love these cookies!  When I was little, I baked these with my grandma.  We made so many!  Funny lil story... when I was in grade 6, my mom went along on a semi trip with my dad.  My siblings and I went to different houses for what was supposed to be one week... ended up three!  Dad's normal trip was switched up on him.  Anyway, I was at my Grandma's house those 3 weeks... making igloos, trying to create a 'gingerbread house' using graham crackers and icing, and baking.  One of the things we made were PB Cookies!  Then, for school lunch, she would send about 10 of them with me... and they were HUGE!  At least 3-4 inches in diameter!  I ended up 'sharing the wealth' with friends.  And the amount of sandwiches... 3 or 4!  It took a while for me to convince her that I couldn't eat all that food, only needed one sandwich 2 or 3 cookies, and maybe some carrots or an apple or something fruit/veggie (yes, I was asking for carrots.  All those grains were making me feel yucky after awhile, haha).  Ah, memories!  :)

Anyway, here is the recipe for the cookies pictured above.  It is probably not the same recipe as my grandma made with me, but it is a good one nonetheless

Peanut Butter Cookies (adapted from Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour (I did 1 cup whole wheat and 1/4 cup white)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt

Mix sugars, shortening, peanut butter and egg.  Stir together flour and baking powder/soda/salt.  Mix dry into wet ingredients.  Form into a ball, wrap, and chill in fridge for one hour (recipe says 3 hours, but I didn't have the patience and one hour worked just fine)

Heat oven to 350 F.  Shape dough into one inch balls and place two to three inches apart on the cookie sheet.  Flatten with a floured fork in a criss cross pattern (I didn't bother with the flour, it worked fine).  Bake until set but not hard, about 8-10 minutes.

Cool slightly on cookie sheet, and remove onto cooling racks.  If you want, you can make the cookies smaller and put jam in between, making 'sandwiches'.  Or, serve with milk.  Mmmm

Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies.

PB Banana Ice Cream Treats

 One of the ladies at preschool recently told me about this wonderful little treat she'd heard about... after I mentioned how some people turn frozen bananas into 'ice cream'.  The treat she mentioned sounded so perfect I couldn't wait to try it for myself.  It really takes very little effort, and while mine may not look perfect, they sure do taste good.

PB Banana Ice Cream Treats

Ingredients
Bananas
Peanut Butter (or other nut butter.  I use all natural)
Melted chocolate (I'm unsure how much per banana... I melted far too much and ended up wrapping my bowl so I can do this again later)

Tools
wax paper
knife
toothpicks
cookie sheet

First, slice your banana.  I was able to make 8 treats per banana, but you can do more or less depending on the thickness of your slices (well, I could have done 9 but I ate the ends, haha).  Place peanut butter on a slice of banana.

 

 

Next, sandwich the peanut butter between another banana slice.  Then, using the toothpick, dip and coat completely in chocolate (sorry, no picture.  My camera didn't want to cooperate with me).  Place the chocolate coated treat on wax paper and into the freezer for 20 minutes.



 

Voila!  Done!  And boy are they tasty!  This is from 2 bananas.  I kept eating the ends of them, haha.