Grandma's Favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe as made by her 10 year old Granddaughter

Tonight we are preparing for a 22 hour straight drive to Florida to visit my parents for 10 days of glorious relaxation.  Golf, golf and more golf for all of us,  a couple of days at Universal Studios for some movie magic fun, and more golf.  We have been doing this drive almost yearly now for at least 8 years, skipping only one year when my appendix decided to blow up the day before departure.  We have it down to a science.  We stop for biobreaks/petrol, that is pretty much it. 

Long drives require snacks.  We always pack sandwiches made with buns from my Sour Cream Bread dough.  Veggie sticks like cucumbers, carrots, and celery.  Fruit salads (that we pick up on the US side of the border.  They get a little sticky if you bring fresh fruit...even though all our fruit at this time of year actually originates out of the US...odd).  We bring cereal bars, juice boxes etc.  A must is always the The BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe anywhere.  

The young lad making the Chocolate Chip cookies this evening.  He has been deemed the Chocolate chip cookie making King of the house.  Not too bad for 9 years old.

We Must must must have Buttermilk Scones.

And Montreal Style Bagels

It was determined that we must make Grandma's Peanut Butter Cookies this year.   My kids identify their Grandmas in an unusual way.  We have "Camp" Grandma (my mom), and "House" Grandma (my husband's Mom).  Camp Grandma got this name because they spend the summers at "Camp"...not a summer camp, but what 99% of the population refers to as a Cottage.   Unless you are from Northern Ontario and it is called a "Camp".   Believe me. When I moved to Southern Ontario my classmates thought my parents owned a summer camp facility.  No.  .   My daughter asked me to email Grandma to get her recipe so she could try it tonight.   The best thing to do is simply a copy and paste of the email my mom sent back to my daughter verbatim.  It is priceless

CAMP GRANDMA’S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

(discovered this recipe when Grandpa and I got married and they were the first cookies I made)

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter or margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (depending on the kind of flour you use)

1. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter or margarine and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.

2. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat till well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla till combined.

4. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour.

5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.

6. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten by making crisscross marks with the tines of a fork. (dip the fork in either flour or hot water so it does not stick to the batter)

7. Bake in a 325* oven for 9 - 12 minutes or till bottoms are lightly browned.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Have fun
Grandma

Mixing up the dough

Pressing the criss cross pattern

Small round balls made

Finished cookies.  Yummy.  I don't think Grandma is used to making cookies for a 22 hour drive with 6 in the car.   Recipe requires doubling.  Next batch to commence.  (real time update:   Daughter decided that patience was best left to others, and tried to remove cookie tray without oven mitt only using a tea towel.  It did not go well.  One tray of cookies smushed on the floor, One little girl with freezing cream on her arm now covering a small burn, One bruised ego, and 12 cookies remaining uncooked.  A second batch indeed required.   Tears have been kissed away, and a smile has returned.  We'll do batch two tomorrow.  A Pic of the surviving cookies. 

For your amusement.  Grandma's email printed out.  Bless her heart.





Valentine Fun in the Kitchen with the Kids

 

The kids treated me this morning with breakfast in bed.  How awesome is that??  They made it all by themselves.  As such they then hit me with the reason for the buttering up of Mom.  “Can I make cupcakes?” from one “Can I make lollipops?” from another.

So.  My day was set.  We started with a little trek to my favorite baking store as I needed a few things to get this started.

So here we are.  Sprinkles, molds, cupcake cups, baggies ready to go.  Got a little lazy and going with box cakes.  I do however change the way I make them so they actually don’t taste boxed.  To adjust the recipe instead of using water, substitute buttermilk (plus a smidgeon more), add a package of Vanilla instant pudding, and whole eggs instead of egg whites.  It gives the cake more substance.  Use oil as directed.
The cupcakes turned out great!!  The candy??  Not so much.  Discovered after two attempts and burnt candy that my candy thermometer is not exactly accurate.  Once we got that sorted out we successfully made both watermelon and grape varieties of lollipops.  I also skipped the “kit” stuff and used.
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
To make the hard candy.  Combine the sugar and cream of tartar.  Pour corn syrup, sugar mixture and water into a medium saucepan.  DO NOT stir once it has boiled.  If you get crystals on the sides of the pan, use a wet pastry brush (natural bristles only) to wipe the edges.   let boil on medium low until the temp reaches 285-300 degrees.  Test your candy for hardness by scooping out a little bit and dropping it into ice cold water. 
Add your colouring and flavour after you’ve removed the mixture from heat and it’s stopped bubbling.   Pour into molds.
Photos from our adventure today.
DD making the cupcakes.



Mama’s girl for sure!!!
Now onto the Candy.