Marinade and Dressing

I definitely recommend:
KRAFT TUSCAN HOUSE ITALIAN

Try it as a marinade and a dressing.
You'll love it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

This makes two dozen of the best cookies you've ever had! Assuming you like peanut butter and chocolate. Which is everyone right?
Pros: They are amazingly delicious!
Cons: They are little labour intensive.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ squares baking chocolate
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 + 1 tbsp vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter



Directions

=Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
=Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.
=In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
=Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between additions. Add vanilla and baking chocolate; beat to combine.
=Gradually add dry ingredients; mix on low speed until fully combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill until firm, about 1 hour. In a small bowl using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar.
=Drop 1 tablespoon of dough at a time onto baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
=Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 2 teaspoons peanut butter mixture. Top with a second tablespoon of flattened dough. Carefully mold dough to cover the peanut butter.
=Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.


Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Oil Substitute

How to substitute applesauce for oil or butter

It's best to substitute fat with applesauce in oil-based baked goods, such as the traditional quick breads and muffins, or cakes such as carrot cake. Applesauce can lead to disaster in cookies and any other crispy treats. Substitute applesauce one for one with the oil, and in addition, add in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. A little oil goes a long way in contributing to a better taste and texture.

When you substitute applesauce, it’s even more important to work the batter gently, and as little as possible, in the final mix. Also:

* Use unsweetened applesauce, or reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe if you use sweetened applesauce.

* The finished product will be moist. Don’t alter the time for cooking because low-fat recipes dry out when they’re over-cooked.

Pizza Crust

This is a real pizza crust. The secret is semolina flour. Do NOT skip it or you'll end up with just plain round bread. It gives your pizza a delicious chewy crust.

I usually make two pizzas, bake one and freeze the other.

Tiffany's Pizza Crust
for your bread machine


Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon white sugar

Directions
Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer or which ever order you feel like. Select dough cycle.
Use with your favorite pizza recipe or make your own!

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins

PREP TIME 15 Min
COOK TIME 20 Min
READY IN 35 Min

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter


DIRECTIONS
, Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
, In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
, In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
, Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.