Peanut Butter on the Brain

For some reason I couldn’t get Peanut Butter Cookies off my brain this week.  I finally succumbed to the thought and baked a batch of PB cookies.  We needed a little something sweet for lunchbox treats this week anyway.  My girls have taken homemade lunches to school from kindergarten all the way through high school.  It is a rare occasion that they eat from the cafeteria.  I know cafeterias are reputed to be working at providing healthier lunches for kids, but mine always prefer mom’s sack lunch.  It’s always fun to have a “cute” or “comical” lunchbox to tote to school too.  School is out for summer next week in my neck of the woods.  Miss T has carried an old-fashioned, metal, Hello Kitty lunch box to school this year.  It could be placed in retirement in lieu of a cooler, cuter, bigger, brighter lunchbox next year, or her affinity for Hello Kitty might keep it in circulation.  She will be a senior so it will be interesting to see what she chooses for that last year of carrying her homemade lunches to school.

Ok, peanut butter cookies.  Maybe the easiest cookie to throw together.  I used extra crunchy peanut butter as I like that little crunch in the cookie.  They are crunchy, rich, and peanuty and only a few bites per cookie.  This does not guarantee against multiple trips to the cookie jar, but if you’re hankering for a bite of something sweet, these are perfect.  One night I wanted something extra indulgent, here is what I did.  I took two scoops of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Bean ice cream, drizzled it with warmed Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Topping and crumbled 2 PB cookies over the top.  Sheer pleasure at the combo of the cold ice cream, which is delicious alone, the warm caramel oozing with every bite, and the rich crispness of the cookie topping.  Give it a try!

Before I go just a bit about bees and Beep, our resident Roadrunner.  Beep is becoming so comfortable in our yard that our normal comings and goings as well as those of the dogs don’t seem to faze him anymore.  I’ve been as close as about 25 feet away and he just watches.  The dogs have long given up chasing him.  Yesterday he was lounging on the chairs in the back yard, preening himself, and making the funniest clacking noises with his beak.  I pulled up a rocker on the porch, with camera in hand and took one shot I will post below.  It is interesting how you can see the patches of blue and orange, a sort of peachy orange on the sides of his face. These are not feathers but patches of skin and not usually seen when catching a glimpse of a Roadrunner.  Thought you might admire our handsome Beep!

The bees are incredibly busy now.  I checked all 5 hives yesterday and was pleased with my findings.  Looks like honey production is beginning to take place and still lots of baby bees baking. They will continue to hatch and replace the older girls as summer progresses.  I got a peek at Queen Heidi, she is my shyest queen but she is doing a great job in her hive.  It’s my biggest with the most bees.  Maybe 25-30,000 bees in her hive. Mind boggling isn’t it?  In my newest hive, where Queen Anne resides, the bees in less than a week have added new comb, wax and secured the natural comb to the frames.  I think they like being country girls!

This Peanut Butter Cookie recipe is straight from the Joy of Cooking – 75th Anniversary Edition.  In lieu of the upcoming long holiday weekend, I’ll be taking a short break from writing to spend time with my family, party with some friends and hopefully do a little yard work.  Happy Memorial Day weekend to you, my readers.  Have a safe and fantastic holiday.  Thanks for stopping by……

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (5 1/3 tbsp)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375*.  Grease or line two cookie sheets.
Whisk flour and soda together, set aside.  Beat together butter and sugars until well blended.  Beat in egg, peanut butter and vanilla, mix well.  Stir in flour mixture until blended.
Shape into 1-inch balls and arrange 2″ apart on the cookie sheets. Press flat with a fork. Bake one sheet at a time, about 10-12 minutes.  Let stand briefly, then remove to racks to cool completely.