KISSES Peanut Butter Blossoms

I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate! Mmmm! Always a crowd pleaser, these cookies are easy to make and they stay nice and soft. I tore this recipe out of a Martha Stewart magazine but I'm pretty sure this is the original Hershey's recipe.

KISSES Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 Hershey's Kisses Chocolates
1/2 c. shortening (can use butter)
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375. Remove foil from Kisses chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. (I bake exactly 8 minutes and they come out perfect.) Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and allow to cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Mini Meatloaves

Mini Meatloaves

1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. quick oats (I've used regular oats before and put them in a blender to make more fine.)
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder or 1 t. onion powder
1 lb. ground beef

Sauce:

2/3 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 t. prepared mustard
**This makes quite a lot of sauce. It's a little too much for my liking so I'll probably half this next time.

Preheat oven to 350. I large bowl, combine egg, milk, cheese, oats, salt and powder. Add ground beef, mixing well. Place mixture in lightly greased muffin tin. In separate mixing bowl combine sauce ingredients: ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf. Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes. Makes 12 mini loaves.

Chicken Parmesan

This is another goodie from sisterscafe.blogspot.com. I made this the other night when my brother-in-laws came over for dinner and they liked it a lot. In fact, between our family and the two of them we ate this entire 9X13 pan full. I made the low fat version.


CHICKEN PARMESAN

Sauce Ingredients:

2 Tb olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (approx 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 Tb sugar

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper


Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender and transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken ingredients:

1-2 pounds chicken breasts

2 eggs

Italian breadcrumbs

1/4-1/2 c olive oil

8 oz very thinly sliced mozzarella

1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Dip the chicken in egg and then in bread crumbs. Heat oil and cook chicken 2-3 minutes on each side. Put chicken on the bottom of a large baking dish (9x13). Put one thin slice of mozzarella and sprinkle parmesan on each breast and half of sauce on top. Repeat. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with grated parmesan cheese.


Lowfat version: skip breading and frying of the chicken. Place the chicken raw in the dish and do one layer of the cheeses. I don't even measure, I just sprinkle on grated mozzarella and parmesan then top with sauce. Bake a little longer - more like 40 minutes.