I love peanut butter cookies; well actually, I love the idea of peanut butter cookies.  When I was little I loved to mix peanut butter, flour, oatmeal and brown sugar together, top it with colored sugar and eat it with a spoon.  I called it "no-bake-peanut-butter-cookies."  Since then I've searched for a good recipe, but came up empty handed.... until now.

These cookies are crumbly, but still soft and doughy enough to remind me of those "no-bake-cookies" I used to make.  Rolling them in the granulated sugar is an extra step, but makes them that much more wonderful.  

In my opinion, these cookies are actually better the second day.  I know, waiting that long to eat them is nearly impossible, but totally worth it.  Here's a tip: make them the night before, cover them, and they'll be ready and waiting for you the next day.  That way you're a little less likely to eat them all straight out of the oven.  :)

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 c creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 c Crisco
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 c flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• Extra granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.

Add egg and mix just until blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Add to peanut butter mixture at low speed.  Mix just until blended.

Roll 1 1/2 inch balls of dough in granulated sugar; place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with the tines of a fork.

Bake 7 - 8 minutes, until set and just beginning to brown.  DO NOT OVERBAKE!  Remove cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Store in an air-tight container.


Don't leave empty spaces!

 When putting up Christmas decorations (or decorations for any holiday for that matter), it's easy to overlook certain areas of your home.  The tree and the living room area a given, but what about the kitchen? dining room? bedrooms?  bathroom?  Leaving these areas empty and un-decorated leaves things just a bit melancholy.  It doesn't take much, but a little decoration here or there does wonders!