Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies

Pamela made some deeelicious cookies this weekend.
Cub and I tried to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible just so we wouldn't eat the cookie dough before they were baked.

Preheat oven 350

Cream together ---
1 1/4 cups Peanut Butter (Sesame/Cashew ... whatever)
1/2 cup Butter

Then add ---
1 cup Brown sugar
1 cup plain sugar

Once this is all incorporated, stick your finger in and taste ... mmm , maybe we should just stop here and get out the spoons ... nonono .. must continue.

Ok , add ---
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a separate container mix ---
1 cup WW pastry flour (dont have it? Me neither, use AP flour instead)
1/4 cup Wheat Germ (it's in the back of your fridge, behind the milk)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups oats (regular, quick, just not instant)

Pour the dry into the wet and stir for a few secs. Get everything wet. Roll into balls (a bit smaller than Ping-Pong Balls), put on the tray and impress with a fork.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Be sure to send the kids outside before the first batch comes out. Eat those quickly, with a glass of milk hunched over the hot tray ... Hey! It's only fair! You baked! All the kids did was eat the dough and try to pour all the vanilla in.


Dave

Fridge Curry

It's a lazy Saturday afternoon and I am tired of watching the weather channel for updates on Hurricane Dean...And I am hungry.

I go scrounging in the fridge, and I see the package of sausage I had pulled for breakfast in the morning. It's not going to last. I pull it, two heads of broccoli, some Greek yogurt, one half of an onion left over from earlier in the week and the last of the diced garlic.

Off the produce counter get that paper bag that may or may not have good potatoes in it. (close your eyes, say a little prayer to your kitchen gods .... peek in the bag .. yes! still good!) Get about six good sized Yukon golds out and grab a green apple. Peel all of the above, leave the taters whole, dice the apple into big chunks and cut the broccoli into florets (make sure to cut the stem up also .. lots of yummy goodness there as well).

I fill a pot with water, salted to sea like and put my trusty cast iron skillet on the burner , both of them set to high. Drizzle some olive oil in the skillet and when its hot drop the sausage in. When the sausage is nice and brown add your rough chopped onion and the last of the pre-chopped garlic. (Yes, I buy the big jugs of pre-chopped garlic, it makes life easier.)

Turn the heat down a bit, add some salt and pepper, rummage above the stove in your spice cabinet. Pull down some red curry, yellow curry, a cardamom pod or two and some cumin. When the onions have started to brown and wilt pour in two shots of bourbon to de-glaze and then add the spices. To this add about three-quarters of a cup of water and a can of diced tomatoes to help make the sauce.

By now the water should be close to boiling, add the whole potatoes and let them start. Keep the water boiling for about twelve minutes. When the potatoes are almost done drop the broccoli in for a quick blanch. We hate soggy broccoli.

As you add the potatoes to the water be sure to add the apples to the sauce so they can have a bit of time to tenderize.

OK, the potatoes are done, cut them into chunks, and then its time to plate. Take the sauce off the heat and right before pouring some over your potatoes and broccoli mix in some of that Greek Yogurt. It'll brighten the the sauce with the tartness of the yogurt and give it some body.

I recommend a nice cold Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout for yourself, and a big glass of homemade lemonade for the kids.

---
Dave