Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, so I figure the peanut butter has got to be delicious too.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe:

(Makes 3 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oats (quick or old fashioned)

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars.  Stir in peanut butter, vanilla and egg until well combined.  Add flour, baking soda and salt.  Fold in oats and chocolate chips and mix until combined.  Roll into 1" balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

Yield: Serves 6-8

Note: You can use regular diced tomatoes if you don't have or can't find petite diced, but if you have the option, go for the petite diced. The smaller size of the tomatoes meshes better with the finely diced vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce each) cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced onions
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fat free half-and-half, warm
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Croutons for serving (homemade version here)

Directions

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, basil, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until the vegetables are tender.
2. About 45 minutes before serving, melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 3 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly, but that's ok.
3. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle in 1 cup (or a ladleful) of the hot soup from the slow cooker. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Add another cup or ladleful and stir again until smooth. Add another cup or two and stir until smooth.
4. Stir the creamy, hot mixture back into the slow cooker. Add the Parmesan cheese, half-and-half, salt and pepper, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
5. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes until ready to serve. Serve with homemade croutons, if desired (and trust me, you'll want to desire it).

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 20

Serving Size: 1-3 Taquitos per person

Crunchy, cheesy chicken taquitos that have a delicious ranch kick!

Ingredients

• 4 Cups Chicken, Cooked and shredded
• 8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
• 1 Packet Ranch Seasoning
• 12 Slices of Bacon, cooked and chopped
• 20 Flour Tortillas

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, cheese, bacon and 1/2 packet of ranch seasoning. Stir everything to combine, and add more ranch if desired.
3. Place 3 tablespoons in a row on each tortilla. Roll the tortilla closed, and place on a greased cookie sheet, seam side down. Spray with a little cooking oil or brush with oil and sprinkle a little salt to taste.
4. Bake the taquitos for 10-15 minutes and serve.

Crock Pot Picante Chicken Black Bean Soup

I love easy Crock Pot recipes like this so I'm trying to save a bunch of good recipes I've found.

Ingredients:

• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 (10 oz) cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 red bell pepper, minced
• 4 oz can diced green chiles
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 16 oz (2) skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 2 medium scallions, diced
• cut limes, for serving 
• 1 medium haas avocado, sliced
• sour cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions:

Take one can of beans and place in the blender along with 2 cups of the chicken broth; puree then add to your slow cooker. Add the remainder of the beans and chicken broth into the slow cooker along with tomatoes, bell pepper, diced green chiles, cumin, chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chicken breast, and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. Set slow cooker to HIGH 4 hours or LOW 6 to 8 hours.

Slow Cooker lemon garlic chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed)

2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp + 1 tsp butter

2 tbs + 2 tsp chicken broth (or water)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/4 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Mix oregano and salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Brown both sides of the chicken breasts then place in the crock pot.

In a small bowl whisk chicken broth (or water), lemon juice and minced garlic together and pour mixture over chicken.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 4-6 hours until chicken is cooked through.

Kneader's French Toast (and carmel syrup!)

AMAZING. The syrup is to die for. So unhealthy, but so good.

Ingredients

For the French Toast
• 1 un-sliced loaf of cinnamon bread
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• strawberries
• whip cream or cool whip
For the Caramel Syrup
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. light Karo syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

• Slice the cinnamon bread into 6 to 8 slices, depending on a how thick you like it. Preheat a large griddle to 325 degrees, or a large pan over the stove on medium heat.
• In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar. Dip each slice into the mixture, be sure to completely coat, then cook on the preheated and buttered griddle until both sides of the bread are a golden brown.
• For the syrup, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Serve french toast with warm caramel syrup, sliced strawberries, and whip cream or cool whip.

Pancakes from Scratch

We've made these and they're really good. I prefer them to Bisquick, Tommy doesn't. Good to have options though!

Light and Fluffy Pancakes

• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Whisk the lemon juice and milk together in a medium bowl or large measuring cup; set aside to thicken while preparing the other ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to combine.

Whisk the egg and melted butter into the milk until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl; pour in the milk mixture and whisk very gently until just combined (a few lumps should remain). Do not overmix.

Heat a 12 in. nonstick skillet over medium heat (I always use my trusty griddle) for 3-5 minutes; add 1 tsp oil (more for a griddle. Just eyeball it). and brush to coat the skillet bottom evenly. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto 3 spots on the skillet. Cook pancakes until large bubbled being to appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip the pancakes until golden brown on the second side, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately. Repeat with remaining batter, using the remaining vegetable oil only if necessary. 

For a delicious blueberry version:

Have ready 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, preferably wild, rinsed and dried. Follow the recipe for Light and Fluffy Pancakes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon blueberries over each pancake just after pouring batter into the pan.