Easy Peanut Butter Cookies {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

These cookies. They are SO good. And so addicting. It's hard to eat just one; but why should you? Especially if you make them small enough, you won't feel badly about eating several! I used my small cookie scoop and the cookies are just adorable - 3 bites and they're gone!

And they're SO easy. They come together in a snap.

These cookies are naturally gluten and dairy free, but even if you don't have those dietary restrictions, you will really enjoy these cookies. Whip them up tonight and you will have a happy family on your hands. Just be sure you have tall glasses of milk to serve with these. I think I'm off to make more cookies!

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Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter (not natural)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt


In a large bowl of a stand mixer, beat peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Mix for about a minute. Shape into balls, and if desired roll in additional sugar (about 1/4 cup will work). Flatten with a criss cross pattern with a fork, or simply flatten with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes, don’t over-bake, and let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Recipe Source: Our Best Bites

Creamy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

This is a delightfully different dinner idea. And it was a huge hit at my house. Bonus: significant vegetable eating. When I serve these, my teenagers eat a whole bell pepper in one sitting.

The cream cheese makes these stuffed peppers delightfully creamy (as you would expect based on the title!) and the jalapeno, cumin and salsa contribute amazing flavors. These are so easy to make, and especially easy if you have cut up chicken on hand.

Change up your dinner rotation with these great stuffed peppers. You will be glad you did!


Creamy Chicken Stuffed Peppers

4 bell peppers
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 - 8 ounce package light cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup salsa
Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Slice each pepper in half and remove the seeds. Set each pepper half in a greased 9x13 baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, cream cheese, Colby jack cheese, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and salsa. Scoop mix into each pepper.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and broil the peppers for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the tops, if you like.

Garnish with cilantro and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.

One-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

While I'm at home all the hours of the day now I want to learn new things. Most of my learn new things goals center around cooking and baking. I have never made cinnamon rolls, so on my birthday yesterday, I decided that was a good new thing to learn.

However, I also wanted rather immediate gratification since I decided this at 8 am. So I found this recipe for one-hour cinnamon rolls and they turned out wonderfully. There are a lot of other cinnamon roll versions out there that proof for a long time or require overnight resting and rising. Maybe one day I'll try those too. But if you want cinnamon rolls quickly, this is the recipe for you.

Homemade cinnamon rolls are really much easier than you might think. This is yet another example of thinking something is hard, and then being surprised when it's not! This recipe doesn't even require a mixer. I didn't use one, but you certainly could, especially if you want your mixer to do the kneading. After your dough has been kneaded, roll it out and then cover it with butter and cinnamon sugar.

Roll it up, slice it, and place in a pan. (Doesn't this make you want to sing "Patty cake, Patty cake, Baker's men!" ???)

Bake

and glaze,

and when your teenagers stumble out of their rooms after noon, they will be ecstatic to find this treat. (Note: for said teenagers, the rolls warm up nicely in the microwave -- about 20 seconds.)

What are your cooking and baking goals in this strange season?

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One-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Dough:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1/2 cup oil
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
5 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
5 Tbsp. butter, melted, divided use
1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

Glaze:
1/4 cup warmed milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar

For the dough, in a large bowl, mix sugar, yeast, and oil with warm water until dissolved. Cover and let stand in warm place for 15 minutes. (Heat your oven to 170, turn it off, then put the bowl inside.)

Whisk eggs into the yeast mixture. Add salt to flour, then gradually add to yeast mixture to make a very soft dough. (You may not need all the flour; I had about 1/4 cup leftover which I used to flour my kneading surface.)

Knead dough for 5 minutes on lightly floured surface, or use the dough hook on your mixer. Roll dough into rectangular shape, about 1/4 inch thick.

Brush dough with melted butter, reserving 1 Tbsp. for the glaze. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over dough.

Roll up dough the long way and slice into 12. I first slice it in half, then half again, then in thirds to get 12 pieces. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Let rest 10 minutes.

Bake at 425˚ for 12-17 minutes or until nice and brown on top--it's easy to under bake this recipe, so if you're unsure, bake for another minute or two.

Let the rolls cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, for the glaze, combine the warm milk with the reserved melted butter (it's ok that it's slightly solid now!) with a whisk. Add the powdered sugar gradually, whisking as you go. Add more powdered sugar as necessary to get the consistency that you like. Drizzle over the warm rolls and serve.

Recipe Source: Adapted from The Food Charlatan

Pork and Green Bean Stir Fry

I have many favorite things, but one of my very favorites is a simple meal with extraordinary flavor. That's what this stir fry is. This dish needs only a few ingredients to pack a flavor wallop. Besides flavor, it has a couple different textures (always a plus in my book) and lots of color from the gorgeous green beans. The "secret" to this dish is charring the green beans. Do you see the beautiful char? It adds so much flavor.

Unless you have the most gigantic pan ever, you will likely have to do this in batches, but don't worry, it is still extremely fast. Put some rice on to cook before you start the stir fry, or you may end up waiting! The secret to the char is to be patient - let the green beans sit in the hot pan without stirring it. That pretty much goes against the title of this recipe - STIR fry - but it will be worth it. As with all quick dishes, be sure you have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start.

This was a huge hit with my family and we fought over the leftovers. I won. That's what happens when you can pull the "cook card."

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Pork and Green Bean Stir Fry

2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Chinese cooking wine
2 tsp. sugar
2-3 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1 pound fresh green beans
2 1/2 Tbsp. sesame or peanut oil
4-6 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 pound ground pork (not sausage)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped


In a small bowl or measuring cup, combing the soy sauce, wine, sugar and chili garlic sauce. Whisk well and set aside.

Trim the green beans, then chop into 1" pieces. Heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until the oil smokes. Add a layer of green beans so they are covering the bottom of the skillet but are not overlapping. Leave for 1 minute. Stir, then let sit another 30 seconds. Repeat one or two more times until beans are charred but tender crisp (not withered and floppy). Remove to a bowl. Repeat this process until all the beans are charred (it took me three times with a pound of beans and a large skillet.)

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil to the pan, then add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until edges of onion are golden. Add mushrooms and cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Add pork and cook, breaking it up as you go. Cook for 2 minutes until the pork is cooked through, then whisk the sauce again and add it to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, then add beans and stir for another 30 seconds.

Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms

First the good news: This is a restaurant-worthy dish that you can easily make at home. And now, more good news: It's super fast. Even more: Only dirties two pans. And finally: Super delicious.

Start the pasta water boiling, and you'll have plenty of time to whip up the creamy shrimp and mushroom mixture. The asparagus cooks right with the pasta, so you get two things done at once. Get someone in your family to whip up a salad, and you will have a fantastic dinner in no time.

I typically used cooked shrimp for the convenience factor, but if you use raw shrimp, simply peel and devein, then add to the sauce before the pasta so it can cook in the sauce for a couple minutes.

If your family loves shrimp, they'll love this fantastic pasta dish. I love that it uses ingredients that I usually have on hand. Winner all around!

There are more excellent ideas at Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Inspire Me, Full Plate, Tasty Tuesday.


Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms

12 ounces small pasta shapes
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
12 ounces cooked shrimp
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded


Cook pasta according to package instructions, adding cut up asparagus in the last minute. Drain pasta and asparagus, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and garlic. Add mushrooms, basil, paprika and red pepper flakes and cook on medium heat for about 2 minutes, occasionally stirring, until mushrooms become soft and release juices. Sprinkle with salt part way through cooking.

Immediately add 1 cup half-and-half. Bring to a simmering boil.

Add half the cheese. Bring to boil, and immediately reduce to medium-simmer. Cook, constantly stirring, until the cheese melts.

Gradually start adding the remaining cheese, stirring constantly until all cheese is melted.

Add pasta and asparagus to the skillet and stir in the shrimp. Stir well to coat all the pasta.

If the cream sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water in small amounts to the cream sauce (while the sauce is simmering on low-medium heat) until you reach desired consistency.

Season with more salt and add more crushed red pepper flakes and basil, if desired.

Winter Squash Soup {Instant Pot}

It's only mid February, which means we have plenty of cold weather still ahead here in Minnesota. So there's plenty of time to enjoy a wonderful soup like this. This soup is pretty close to the soup of its namesake at Panera, which I adore. So I'm glad to be able to make a big batch at home - and it's SOOO easy using the Instant Pot! Throw everything in the pot, let it do its magic, and then blend it up at the end. Easy peasy!

The hardest part about this, as with all butternut squash recipes, is cutting up the squash. Buying it precut or frozen is an option if you just can't hack it. Sorry for the pun. Sorry, not sorry.

This Winter Squash Soup is great for your Meatless Monday. It can also easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth, maple syrup and coconut milk. Or use honey, chicken broth and half and half, or whatever combination of these you have on hand, if your diet is not restricted.

Winter won't seem nearly as long with delicious soup to eat!

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Winter Squash Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small sweet onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed, about a 3 lb squash
15 oz pumpkin puree
2 cups apple cider
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or half and half

Turn instant pot on and set to "saute" function. Once hot, add oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Press "cancel" to stop cooking process.

Add remaining ingredients (except coconut milk or half and half) and gently stir to ensure that all ingredients are submerged in liquid. Secure lid and set valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

Once the soup is done cooking, do a quick release. Add coconut milk or half and half. Use an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a high-speed blender, to puree until smooth and creamy. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, if desired, and serve warm.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta {Instant Pot}

It's well documented here that risotto is my favorite thing to cook in the Instant Pot. But I think pasta dishes would have to be a close second. And I was such a skeptic at first! How on earth does it work to put raw pasta in and it cooks to perfection alongside the other ingredients? This is never going to work, I thought. Sure enough, I was wrong. It works wonderfully!

And in this recipe, it's not only the pasta that gets fully cooked, but RAW CHICKEN. This Instant Pot is da bomb. If you don't have one yet, what are you waiting for??? Yes, this dish could easily be made on the stovetop. (Note: you would have to adjust the amount of broth so don't go trying it as written!) However, I love the convenience of throwing everything in the IP and having a few minutes to set the table, make a salad, etc. Or just to sit. Sometimes a person just needs to sit for a minute.

In any case, this is a delicious dinner that my family happily ate, and asked for the leftovers. I increased the spinach pretty significantly because my kids happily eat spinach in pasta, and the more the better, in my opinion. It wilts down so much that it won't seem overwhelming, I promise. After the main ingredients cook in the IP, you stir in softened cream cheese to get that nice, creamy pasta texture, all the spinach and then parmesan cheese. This dish has complex flavor due to the sundried tomatoes, and it's so easy it can become a weeknight staple. Plus, all the spinach.

Enjoy!

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Tuscan Chicken Pasta

4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
12 oz uncooked campanelle pasta or your favorite shape (rotini, etc)
8 oz fresh baby spinach
1 (8 oz) pkg. light cream cheese, softened, cubed
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In an instant pot insert stir together broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and garlic.

Add in chicken and pasta, pushing the pasta pieces down into the broth.

Secure the lid in place, and set the valve to sealing position. Select the "manual" setting or high pressure and set to 5 minutes.

Do a quick release, then stir well. Add in cream cheese and stir until combined, then add in spinach, a handful of a time, until it's all wilted. Finally, stir in the parmesan.

Let rest for about 5 minutes to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh or dried basil and additional tomatoes.


Recipe source: Adapted from Betty Crocker