Perfect Cornbread

I love going out to eat and trying new restaurants. But I have to admit that if I find a good dinner roll, bread stick, garlic toast, or any bread in general you will HAVE ME HOOKED. That's all they need and I will be a repeat customer for life. I can always find something on the menu I like, but you have to have good bread I'm there. (and my waistline proves it). A particular favorite of mine that not many people get right is cornbread. It's either to dry or has to much stuff in it or not enough "corn" flavor. So I was especially excited to run across a recipe for Sweet Corn Bread  @ http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/10/sweet-cornbread/ . It was so PERFECT. It didn't need honey, it was even good without butter. It's not a recipe to add a bunch of extras too, you don't need to "spice it up". It was just perfect the way it was. And unfortunately VERY addicting. And since it makes a ton, if you don't get some into the freezer quick, you'll easily find yourself with a fork in the pan at 11:00 at night (not that it happened to me or anything). And it's so easy:

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

2 Jiffy cornbread mixes

Oil, milk, and eggs according to package directions

(Yes, all the eggs, milk(I used all milk no water), and oil)

Bake at 350 degrees and use the same cooking time as the cake box dictates. 20 minutes for muffins, 30 for cake, ect. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

 

I made a sm loaf and a 9x13 but feel free to make 24 muffins or a 9x13 and an 8x8, whatever is easiest for your family.

 

 

 

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I love homemade chocolate chip cookies. The husband-not so much. So when I was craving them last night I wanted to make something yummy but something we would both like. I came up with these and they were sooooooo good!

Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Mix
2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
When combined add 2 eggs and mix well
Add
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt
Mix
Add 1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.
Mix well
Break 2-3 Hershey bars into chunks and stir into the batter

Spoon into ping pong sized balls and bake on a cookie sheet 9 minutes or till tops are slightly browned. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Stuffed Banana Peppers

To say that this years banana pepper crop is prevalent would definitely be an understatement. I've been picking for a month now and they don't seem to end, but no complaints here. Pickling them is the main reason we plant them. My husband loves them on almost anything and I love having them all year long, but I also like to try different ways to make them as well. Last night I took a mix of a couple stuffed pepper recipes I found on Pintrest (Oh how I love Pintrest) and came up with something pretty great.


Stuffed Banana Peppers

10-12 lg banana peppers sliced in half and seeded
1 pkg cream cheese (room temp)
1 cup shredded chicken
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

In a bowl combine all ingredients (except the peppers of course) and mix well. stuff peppers with mixture and insert a tooth pick through the middle to hold them( they need a little structure when they're on the grill). Grill on medium for 6-8 minutes or till warm, melty, charred, and delicious.