Shrimp Boil At The Lake

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes: 36 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter, I use Creamy JIFF, but you can use crunchy if you like.  

1/2 cup shortening, I use Crisco butter flavored, but you don't have to.

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

additional granulated sugar to roll cookies in

Directions:

1.  In a mixing bowl, cram together the butter, peanut butter and shortening.  Mix for about 1-2 minutes.

2.  Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and baking soda.  Beat until combined.

3.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4.  Add the flour and mix until just combined. 

5.  Chill dough in the fridge for about an hour.

6.  Preheat oven to 375'.  Scoop dough using a cookie scoop, I use my mother-in-laws antique ice-cream scoop.  It holds 2 Tablespoons.

7.  Roll cookies in granulated sugar.  Flatten slightly with a fork to create marks that symbolize peanut butter cookies, I don't know why.

8.  Bake 7-9 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

What I like to do is: Do steps 1 though 4.  Skip step 5,  go directly to step 6, eliminating the preheating.  Then place them in the freezer on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350',  using a parchment lined baking pan, bake on the 3rd rack for about 18 minutes.  Depending on how well you like your cookies.  

Iced Lemon Cookies

Makes: 17 cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

1/2 cup oil, (I use Crisco's pure canola oil)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/4 teaspoon salt

extra granulated sugar for top of cookies

Cookie Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, and powder sugar.  Beat well.

2.  Add egg, oil and lemon zest.  Mix well.

3.  Add flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and salt to above mixture. Beat until well blended.  

4.  Cover dough with saran wrap, refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.

5.  Heat oven to 325'.  Shape dough using a cookie scoop, I use my mother-in laws antique ice-cream scoop that holds 2 Tablespoons, flatten cookies into rounds with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

6.  Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire rack.  Glaze.

What I like to do is Steps 1-3.  Then deleting step 4, do step 5 eliminating the preheating.  Then place in freezer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  When ready to bake place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 325'.   When cool, put on glaze.  Also the flavor intensifies if you make them the day before you want to eat them.  Put them into an airtight container over night.

Glaze Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Glaze Directions:

Using a small bowl, blend powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice for desired spreading consistency. Spread glaze on cooled cookies.

Jhumpa-Me-Helen

Budhu's big catch of the day.