Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

I dug up this recipe a few years ago from the internet, and it officially became my Favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe ever. :) You get a triple whammy from crunchy peanut butter and PB chips. This is one of those cookies that taste better the longer they sit; in fact, I don't like them much until they cool completely. I found that it's easier to shape the cookies if you put the batter in the fridge for a while before baking and in between cookie sheets. Once cool, they will be slightly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies do not spread much when baking, so you can cram quite a few on a single cookie sheet.

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
6 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 c. peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, margarine, and sugars until well blended. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball with fork. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes on cookie sheets until edges are lightly brown. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing to cooling racks. Makes 10 dozen.

Mulled Cider

This recipe came from my college roomie. She served this at her wedding (January) and every Christmas after I kept thinking I should make it. This year I finally did. I dumped everything in the slow cooker the night before, and we sipped on cider all day long Christmas Eve day. It was sooooo good! Her original recipe called for orange juice concentrate, which I didn't have, so I improvised and used regular OJ. There are no exact measurements - you can't really mess it up, so just add to taste. I did find that it needed more cinnamon sticks, so I added more in the morning for a total of about 10.

Mulled Apple Cider

apple cider (a gallon or so)
orange juice or orange juice concentrate (if OJ, use two cups. if concentrate, use less)
pineapple juice (optional, maybe a cup or so)
whole cloves (about 1 tbsp)
cinnamon sticks (about 10)

Dump it all in a slow cooker on "keep warm" setting the night before serving. Will keep in slow cooker for about 24 hrs - if it lasts that long!

Bubble Bread

I can't tell you how often as a child I woke up on Sunday mornings to the smell of Bubble Bread in the oven. Because it is mixed the night before, it was frequently Mom's choice for a speedy breakfast on church days. It had been years since I last enjoyed it, but I suggested to Mom that we make it the day after Thanksgiving. It's completely unfriendly toward dieters, but oh-so-good anyway! Just a note - you need to eat this as soon as it comes out of the oven because the gooey topping hardens very quickly.

Bubble Bread

1 pkg frozen dinner rolls (we use Parkerhouse brand)
1 stick butter or margine, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. chopped nuts, optional
1 pkg cook & serve butterscotch pudding (not instant)

Grease an angel food or bundt pan very well. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients until well blended. Place frozen rolls in pan and pour butter mixture over the rolls. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Invert onto a plate and serve immediately.

Serves 6.