Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday!

Cookie Carnival - Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

I enjoy baking but I can't remember the last time I made cookies! I seem to gravitate towards desserts instead of cookies. I decided to join Cookie Carnival, a baking group that features two cookie recipes each month. As a member of Cookie Carnival, you can bake one or both of the recipes and post them anytime during the month. Simple and fun!!

I am excited to share my first Cookie Carnival recipe, Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies. When I think of Peanut Butter Cookies, I think of those I learned to make as a kid. You know the ones where you criss cross the tines of a fork on the top of the cookie? I love the ingredients in this recipe! Besides the usual ingredients, there's oats and coconut! They add crunch and flavor to the cookies. I made jumbo cookies and they took every bit of 20 minutes to bake. At the end of 20 minutes, they still looked a little wet in the middle but as they were fine after the cooled. Even if you're not a coconut fan, give this recipe a try. You'll keep reaching in the cookie jar for more!!

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe Courtesy of Smucker's

•	1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
•	1/2 cup butter, softened
•	3/4 cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter, stirred
•	2 large eggs
•	2 tablespoons milk
•	1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•	1 cup All Purpose Flour
•	1 teaspoon baking powder
•	1 teaspoon baking soda
•	1 1/2 cups quick rolled oats
•	1 cup flaked coconut

Directions:

1	HEAT oven to 350°F. Beat sugar, brown sugar, butter and peanut butter in large mixing bowl on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda; stir in rolled oats and coconut. Add to peanut butter mixture and beat on low speed until well blended. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
2	Drop by heaping tablespoonful, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown around edges. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
	VARIATION:
	JUMBO CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES: Prepare dough as directed above. Drop by 1/4-cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 14 to 17 minutes or until light brown around edges. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

I am linking this to Miz Helen's Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and Sweet Tooth Friday!!

In My Garden

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

I am envious of those of you who take beautiful photographs of the main dishes you've prepared. I struggle to get the shot set up and still eat before everything is cold. This is one of those photos! Photo aside this is a great chicken recipe. Chicken is a staple at our house and I am always looking for new recipes.

I found this one over at One Crazy Cookie. Tiffanee, thanks for a great addition to my chicken repertoire.




Crock Pot Barbeque Chicken
chicken pieces (I used 4 chicken thighs)
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette (I used balsamic vinegar)
1/2 cup pop (I used Root Beer. Tiffanee says Cherry Coke Zero is her favorite to add. )
1 Tablespoon minced onions
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
Place all ingredients in crock pot. Stir to combine and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Update: (Optional) About 30 minutes before you are going to eat mix up 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch in a little bit of water and mix it in the sauce. Replace the lid, keep it on low and cook about 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. This will allow the sauce to thicken up a bit.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesday's at The Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Your Recipe My Kitchen!

Meet Me On Monday

Did you have a nice weekend? Hot and humid here but a wonderful weekend just the same!

Monday means two things, back to work and Meet Me on Monday! If you'd like to join Meet Me on Monday, you can find the details here!

1. What feature of the opposite sex do you notice first?
Okay I know I am getting older, I don't even know!

2. Do you talk to yourself?
All the time! Sometimes, I even answer myself, too!

3. What is your current relationship status?
Very happily married to the love of my life! Maybe that's why don't have an answer for #1.

4. Do you have a garden?
Yes, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, brussels sprouts, peas and beans. Sounds MUCH bigger than it is. Most of those, it's just one plant!

5. What is your favorite licorice flavor?
I don't like licorice!

How about you, what's growing in your garden this summer?

Pink Saturday

I've been absent from Pink Saturday the past few weeks. We've been out of town, without internet access, so I've had no way to link to Pink Saturday. I am guessing there's a way from my phone but have yet to be successful.

Today I am sharing a couple of pink roses from my garden.

Happy Pink Saturday !!!!!

From The Good Life

Sadly enough today's From The Good Life doesn't reflect such a good life for many. Here in Omaha, as well as all around us we're experiencing terrible flooding. Having lived in the midwest all of my life, I've experienced flash flooding and some river flooding but never anything like this. Farmland and towns have become lakes, highways are closed and levee's are breaking. I was amazed on Sunday when I spoke with my son, who lives in Los Angeles, he hadn't heard anything on the news about what was going on here. Just this week, I've started to see a bit in the news about the devastation but certainly, or so it seems, not as much as when disaster occurs on the east or west coast.

Photograph courtesy of St. Joseph Post

The really sad part is this could go on for weeks or even months, as the release of water continues from Gavin's Point Dam in South Dakota. Please keep all of the people effected by this in your thoughts!