Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

My family can’t keep their hands off these Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies. This soft peanut butter cookie recipe is a classic and will quickly become your favorite. This recipe is not your traditional crunchy peanut butter cookies, but there really isn’t a better peanut butter cookie out there, trust me I’ve looked.

While I do love making peanut butter cookies 3 ingredients or add vanilla and make it peanut butter cookies 4 ingredients, they are just not as soft and chewy. I love them but I am not as satisfied. These Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies go right in line with my love peanut butter. Peanut butter is my to-go-to anytime I am hungry.

Whether it’s by the spoonful, with pretzels, on a sandwich or paired with some Nutella, I really could eat peanut butter in any way, shape or form. Because I have a sweet tooth, of course cookies are at the top of my favorite foods. This makes peanut butter cookies are an obvious hit.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, if desired.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat together until smooth & creamy best if using a stand mixer or hand mixer.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until well combined.
4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
5. Using a cookie dough scooper or making the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in white granulated sugar if you desire and place on to baking sheet.  
6. Using a fork, press down on each ball of dough to slightly flatten and creating a criss-cross pattern.
7. Please visit Best Ever Soft Peanut Butter Cookies for full instructions.

Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup

This uber easy and crazy flavorful Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup can be made in a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or on the stove – game on!

This easy peasy recipe yields 6 cups of deliciousness. That’s enough for 6 side-dish sized servings or 3 big bowls! Pair it with your favorite Mexican main (anything from tacos to enchiladas to burritos) or a fresh salad for a delicious dinner that won’t disappoint.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 2.5 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 1 can (14-15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, extra to taste
• 1/2 cup salsa verde (or your favorite salsa!)
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained + rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto  beans, drained + rinsed
• 1 cup corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
• 3/4 cup dried red lentils
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream* (optional - see notes)
• salt and pepper to taste

Pile on the toppings!

• crushed tortilla chips - my favorite!
• shredded cheddar  or mex-blend cheese
• sliced or diced jalapeños
• chopped red onion
• fresh pico de gallo or salsa
• sliced avocado
• fresh cilantro
• sour cream or greek yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Below are the electric pressure cooker and slow cooker instructions, see blog post below for directions to make this bad boy on the stove.
2. First, chop your veggies and measure out the ingredients. 
3. Next add everything but the heavy cream your toppings.
4. This includes bell pepper, jalapeño, corn, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salsa verde, and all your herbs + spices. Toss them in and set IP to high pressure for 15 minutes. Walk away; FREEDOM!
5. Allow natural pressure release.
6. Please visit Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup for full instructions.

Soft Sugar Cookies

These Soft Sugar Cookies are a staple at our house. Soft. Chewy. With a perfect little crunch from the sugar on top of each cookies. I literally find every excuse I can to make these cookies.

 Birthdays…Holidays…Friday Nights….Monday Nights…Tuesday Nights…you get my point!

No matter what the occasion these soft sugar cookies are always my first choice to bring to a party and when I make them for my family they are pretty much gone that same day. So if your looking for an easy to make, soft sugar cookies recipe, look no further. These sugar cookies are definitely a favorite and I hope that they become your families favorite too!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) SALTED butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric or stand mixer, cream together the butter, and granulated sugar until combined.
4. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract.
5. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX!
6. Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop dough into balls about 2 Tablespoons each, roll in sugar and place onto prepared baking sheet.
7. Please visit Soft Sugar Cookies for full instructions.

Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower

This sweet and spicy roasted cauliflower recipe is the perfect oven roasted side dish. Toss it on a sheet pan and it’s ready in no time! It’s vegan and gluten free, and it’s great for adding to meal prep!

I was having a hard time deciding what recipe to share before we leave to go camping over the weekend. But then I started thinking of the soon-to-be new parents and how pressed-for-time they will be. This recipe is a game-changer and a life-saver. (Too many hyphens in one sentence? Nah.)

This sweet and spicy cauliflower is one of those recipes you can keep on hand, in the back of your mind. When you see cauliflower on sale. When you have cauliflower that’s on the verge of going bad. Or when you have a mixture of random vegetables in the fridge and you need a solution right now – this is the kind of recipe that saves your ass at hangry dinnertime.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoon sriracha
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl (or a Ziplock bag) combine cauliflower and other ingredients – maple syrup, sriracha, olive oil, tamari, and pepper. Mix until the cauliflower is well coated.
3. Pour the cauliflower onto the baking sheet and place in the oven. Be sure to give the cauliflower “room to breathe.” If the baking sheet is over-crowded, the cauliflower will “steam” and it won’t cook right. If you need to, divide it between 2 baking sheets.
4. Please visit Sweet and Spicy Baked Cauliflower for full instructions.

Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake

Sopapilla Cheesecake Dessert? Check. Easy? Check. So freakin’ good they’ll blow your mind? Check. 

I love sweet treats with cream cheese, and one of the dearest to me is this easy sopapilla cheesecake dessert with crescent rolls, rich with cream cheese. So here’s a recipe for all those who don’t like chocolate (if there are any) Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (8oz.) packs of Pillsbury crescent rolls
• 2 (8oz.) packs of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• Honey

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Press a can of the crescent rolls to the bottom of the dish, making sure to reach edges and keep together.
4. * bake the first layer of crescent roll dough till just done maybe 5-8 minutes. (Optional, that way I make sure it is done. I don't like raw dough)
5. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.
6. Spread mixture over crescent rolls.
7. Roll the remaining crescent roll over the top and stretch to the edges and seal.
8. Brush across the entire top of the crescent roll with the melted butter.
9. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of sugar
10. Please visit Easy Sopapilla Cheesecake for full instructions.

Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

These Black Bean Stuffed Peppers are filled with rice, black beans, onions, and Mexican spices. They are low carb, gluten free, and make a delicious meatless meal! Can y’all believe that March is almost halfway over?! Where has the time gone? And considering my birthday is coming up on Monday and I will be 29… again, seriously, WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?!

My birthday is on Monday, and then mine and my husband’s anniversary is on St. Patrick’s Day. So I guess I should say that March is more of a busy month in terms of CAKE. Yes, we don’t necessarily do very much, but more so eat lots of cake. Every celebratory day deserves a cake, right?! RIGHT!

Well, with all of the cake-eatin’ going on around here, I gotta try to lighten-up our other meals in order to compensate. These Black Bean Stuffed Peppers are a great way to do that, and they make a great option for meatless Monday.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Bell Peppers (any color, I used red and green)
• 1 TB butter or olive oil
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ¾ cup salsa
• 1 cup cooked rice (I used brown rice)
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove tops from peppers and scrape out membranes and seeds. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and add onions. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
4. Stir in black beans, cumin, chili powder, and garlic salt. Using the back of a fork, mash up about half of the black beans. Add in cilantro and salsa and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice.
5. Please visit Black Bean Stuffed Peppers for full instructions.

Butter Pecan Cookies for Tea Time

Hello ... Take the time to review my collection of tried and tested recipes that I am so happy to share with you.

These tasty butter pecan cookies are a delicious treat for tea time. Serve with a hot steaming pot of your favorite brew and reward yourself for all that you do! A few tips: the cookie dough will be crumbly, but once you form into round balls, they will hold their shape. Make sure you turn the sheet in the oven halfway through baking for even browning.

This is the perfect cookie to gift for the holidays, and as a hostess gift. They are so easy to make, you can double the recipe, and they are a real crowd pleaser. Package as shown in the picture above and just wrap with cellophane and a pretty bow! Another beautiful holiday gift idea is my prize worthy recipe for pecan buttercrunch. Adapted from a chocolate textbook from the Culinary Institute of America, it is foolproof, so delicious, and I urge you to try it. Your friends and family will harass you for the recipe!

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar plus more for coating
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat over to 350.
2. On a baking sheet, toast pecans about 6 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool, finely chop.
3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light, about 1 minute.
4. Beat in salt, vanilla, and flour, scraping down sides of bowl, just until dough comes together. Fold in pecans.
5. Separate dough into 12 pieces; squeeze down to shape into balls.
6. Roll in sugar. Place 3 inches apart, on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Gently flatten with the bottom of a glass (reshape sides if necessary).
7. Please visit Butter Pecan Cookies for Tea Time for full instructions.