Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, so this is not my recipe at all, but they are the best drop cookies I have ever made. I swore off any kind of drop cookie that had chocolate chips because, for whatever reason, no matter what I tried, they always turned out flat, dark brown, and ugly! Well, in keeping with my "Boost the Calorie" trend, I decided to go for a peanut butter chocolate chip recipe that looked good. I think it might be the corn syrup??? I don't know, but they immediately became a family favorite. Here's the goods:

Chewy Peanut Buuter Chocolate Chip Cookies

(www.allrecipes.com)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 white sugar

2 eggs

2 tbls light corn syrup

2 tbls water

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls (the recipe calls for 1/2 cup) onto ungreased cookies sheets. Bake at 375 for about 11 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack after 1 minute.

These were the chewiest, fattest cookies I've ever made and I will continue to make them until the stores stop selling peanut butter! Right, like that will ever happen! Also, I made them with semisweet chocolate chips the first time and milk chocolate the second time. Either way, they are scrum-diddly-umptious! They freeze well too :-)

Peanut Butter and Jelly WHAT???

Yep, that's right! I took an old time classic, paired it with a forever favorite, and what did I get? Peanut Butter and Jelly Scones! Sometimes, I think it must be nice to be an underweight 3 year old. Mama's always tryin' to cook up some extra calories! That was the inspiration behind this concoction. My little Molly is always struggling to put on the ounces (yes, we still weigh her in ounces), so I'm always looking for ways to boost calories. Peanut butter is a great source of fat and protein, but she's not much into PB & J sandwhiches, so I tried disguising it in a no-fail package! It sort of worked....

Peanut Butter & Jelly Scones

2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold butter

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

fruit jelly/jam

Mix the dry ingredients in a food processor or stir in a bowl. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and knead until thoroughly combined. (The step helps to incorporate the peanut butter, as it does not mix well.) On a floured surface, pat dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter (or plastic kid cup like I did), cut out rounds and place half on an ungreased cookie sheet. Add about a tablespoon of jam to each bottom half, then top with the remaining rounds. Pinch the sides together and seal with the prongs of a fork. Bake at 375 for about 15 inutes. Cool on a wire rack.

A lovely pair with a nice cold glass of milk! Makes for a delicious breakfast!