Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for Trey's birthday. Nestle has the best recipe, so here it is! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 cup SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking
• 1/2 cup packed SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/3 cups (8 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® SWIRLED™ Milk Chocolate & Peanut Butter Morsels, divided
• SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375º F.

COMBINE flour and baking soda in small bowl. Beat butter, peanut butter, SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking, SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 3/4 cup morsels.

DROP dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly with bottom of glass dipped in SPLENDA® Sugar Blend for Baking. Top with remaining Swirled Morsels.

BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Fluffy Angel Food Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries

Make according to directions on boxes.

Beef Cheese Ball

My mom has made this for as long as I can remember. I LOVE it!

4 pkgs. cream cheese (8 oz. size)
2 bunches green onions
1 lg. pkg. dried beef
Garlic salt
Worcestershire sauce
Chopped nuts

Put your cream cheese in a bowl to soften. Rinse the dried beef and pat dry on a paper towel. Clean up the green onions and cut off the ends. Chop onions in small pieces. Chop up dried beef, in a food processor if available. Mix cream cheese, dried beef, and onions together. Add Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt to taste. Shape into a ball and roll in nuts. Refrigerate. Makes 1 large or 2 small cheese balls. Serve with crackers.

Nirvana Sauce (AKA Cashew Gravy)

One of my student's parents invited Trey and I over for dinner before we move to Nashville. We had a delicious meal of grilled chicken, grilled squash, zucchini, corn, and bell peppers, and rice. Kristen served it with a sauce she called Nirvana sauce. I think it is mostly known as Cashew Gravy. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons margarine
1 medium onion
6 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cup finely ground cashews (raw)
3 vegetarian bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups boiling water
5 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (or Braggs Liquid Aminos)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute onions in margarine until golden. Stir in flour and cashews, cook for 3 minutes, stirring all the while. Add bouillion gradually, whisking constantly until smooth. Add soy sauce, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer until thick. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Great on mashed potatoes.

Serves: 4 cups

Preparation time: 30 min

Pistachio Pudding Cake

I found this recipe at Everyday is a Holiday and I can't wait to try it! YUMMY!

Here is the link: Pistachio Pudding Cake

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 package white cake mix
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry-flavored gelatin powder
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup mashed strawberries
• Strawberry Icing
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup mashed strawberries

Directions:
Combine cake mix and gelatin powder in a large bowl. Beat in oil, eggs, water, and strawberries. Pour into 2 9-inch round greased and floured cake pans. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and frost with strawberry icing.

For icing, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together until smooth. Add strawberries. Spread between cake layers, then frost top and sides.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I can't find the exact recipe that I used, but this looks close. I always use real sweet potatoes, instead of canned.

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz.) can sweet potatoes
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 pkg. marshmallows

Directions:

Butter baking dish. Place 1/2 of mixture in dish. Dot with marshmallows, then add remaining mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, dot top with marshmallows and replace in oven about 10 minutes or until brown.