Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies

 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted 

 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/4 cup (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

 1/4 cup smooth processed peanut butter (not natural)

 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 

 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

 1 egg yolk, room temperature

 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Have a large ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl on medium-low speed, beat together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.

Turn the speed down to low. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until a dough forms.

In a small bowl, add the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Using a #40 cookie scoop or by hand, portion the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon balls. Roll each ball into the sugar to coat completely then place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Flatten each dough using a fork then rotate the fork and press down again, making a criss-cross patten.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

From: https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/small-batch-peanut-butter-cookies/

Puerto Rican Rice

 3 cups medium or long grain white rice, rinsed

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 heaping tablespoons sofrito

4 ounces tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) gandules (pigeon peas), partially drained

1/2 cup alcaparrado **Green Olives

1 packet Sazón with Achiote (I use Goya brand)

1 packet ham flavoring (I use Goya brand Jamón)

1 teaspoon adobo

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground oregano

Salt and pepper to taste (start off with 2 teaspoons of salt)

4-6 cups hot water

Rinse rice well in water and set aside.

In a medium caldero or large pot (about 6 quarts or so), heat oil and sauté sofrito until softened. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in gandules, alcaparrado, all of the spices and 4 cups of water. Taste and readjust seasonings, adding additional salt 1 teaspoon at a time. Broth should be heavily seasoned and on the salty side.

Cook in the Instant Pot: Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure the valve is sealed. Select the "rice" button on the Instant Pot and let it cook.

Allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure.

Fluff and Serve: Carefully open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. 

Croque Monsieur

 Bechamel:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup cream (pure or heavy / thickened)

1 1/2 tbsp / 25g unsalted butter

1 1/2 tbsp flour , plain / all-purpose

1/4 tsp salt , kosher/cooking salt

1 pinch white pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg , preferably freshly ground

Sandwich:

4 slices sourdough bread , 1.5cm / ⅗" thick (Note 1)

8 slices Swiss or gruyere cheese (165g / 6 oz, enough for 2 layers a sandwich) (Note 2)

120g / 4 oz ham slices , preferably smoked

4 tsp Dijon mustard

30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Topping:

1/2 cup gruyere cheese , shredded (packed cup, Note 2)

3 tbsp parmesan , finely shredded (Note 2)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).

Béchamel sauce:

Heat milk and cream: Place milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until steaming, but don't let it boil. Set aside.

Make roux: Melt butter in a separate small saucepan over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low. Add flour and cook, stirring almost constantly, for 3 minutes. Don't let it brown.

Add hot milk: While stirring, add half the milk. Once incorporated into the roux, mix in remaining milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Thicken: Mix for 30 seconds to a minute or until it thickens into a spreadable and soft butter-like consistency (ie. not runny). If you have lumps, whisk until gone. Remove from heat (it is OK if it cools).

Assemble for pan frying:

Spread with Bechamel: Spread half the béchamel over the 4 slices of bread, as though you are buttering them to make normal sandwiches! (Reserve half the béchamel for topping)

Cheese + Dijon: Top two pieces of bread with 2 slices of gruyere or Swiss cheese each (fold as needed to make them fit). Then spread the cheese with half the Dijon Mustard (this might sound weird, but see in post for why we do this!).

Ham + Dijon: Top with ham, then spread ham with remaining Dijon mustard.

Top each of the two slices with 2 more slices of cheese (again, folding as needed), then close sandwiches with the other slices.

Pan fry:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place sandwiches in the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes, pressing down lightly with an egg flip or spatula, until a deep golden brown.

Turn and cook the other side until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray.

Bake then broil:

Topping: Slather remaining béchamel thickly on the upper pieces of bread. Sprinkle with Gruyere, then parmesan.

Bake and broil: Bake 15 minutes, then switch to the grill/broiler for 3 minutes and grill until the top is golden and bubbling.

One Skillet Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake

 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper using more or less to taste

Kosher salt and black pepper

½ cup dry broken spaghetti or angel hair pasta

1 cup long grain rice

¼ cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini or dill pickles (optional)

1 (14 ounce) can black beans drained

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving

zest and juice of 1 lime, plus more for serving

1 ½ cups shredded swiss or mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes until the chicken is browned. Push the chicken and vegetables to one side of the skillet, add the pasta and rice, cook 1-2 minutes, until lightly toasted and golden. Stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute. Add 2 cups of water and the pepperoncini, if using. Bring to a boil. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the beans, cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken/rice. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

4. Serve topped as desired with avocado, cilantro, and additional lime. Enjoy!

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/one-skillet-cheesy-cuban-chicken-rice-bake/#wprm-recipe-container-88790

Gumbo Rice

Ingredients

1 cup of white rice, rinsed thoroughly and drained (long grain rice, do not use minute rice)

1 10.5 ounce can of Campbells Chicken Gumbo Soup (pictured in post)

1 10.5 ounce can of Beefy Mushroom Soup (pictured in post)

*any two cans of "brothy" type soup will do that doesn't have noodles, just don't use a cream soup, you can use a consomme, french onion or broth as well. I like the gumbo for the onions and peppers

1 stick of butter, cut into slices (if this is too much for you, then use less, but this is what allows the rice to get a nice buttery crisp on the bottom and sides)

1/4 cup of water

Instructions

You will need to use an 8 x 8 baking dish for this recipe.

Rinse your rice well in a mesh strainer if you have one and let it drain, add the rice to the baking dish.

Heat your oven to 425 degrees.

Add the two cans of soup and the water, I add the water to the cans of soup to get the stuff on the bottom of the can out. *To clarify, I add a little of the 1/4 cup of the water to each can and slosh it around to get up the rest.

Give this all a good stir, then add the butter slices on top.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes, the uncover and bake another 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and fluff up, then I like to add some black pepper and dried parsley for color.

I grill sausages and serve with the rice, sliced up.

This recipe can be doubled, if you double it, only increase the butter by 1 1/2 sticks and then use a 9 x 13 pan.

From: https://thetipsyhousewife.org/2023/12/13/baked-rice/

Cathead Biscuits

 4 cups self-rising flour

1 pinch salt

3 tablespoons room-temperature vegetable shortening (such as Crisco®), or as needed

1 ¾ cups buttermilk, or as needed

¼ cup melted butter for brushing, or to taste

Directions

Preheat an oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch cake pan.

Sift flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Make a dent in flour by pushing flour from center toward sides of bowl. Add 2 walnut-size lumps of shortening and a splash of buttermilk to the flour where you made the dent. Work the shortening into the flour using fingers in a twisting motion (rub thumb against pointer and middle finger motion) until the shortening is fully incorporated into the flour.

Pour buttermilk into the flour about 1/4 cup at a time, continuing to work it in with your fingers until the buttermilk is completely incorporated into a sticky dough.

Roll dough into 8 large balls and drop into prepared cake pan, working around the outside and putting the last one in middle to fill the pan. Press dough balls with back of fingers to flatten until they touch and are about 3/4- to 1-inch thick.

Bake in preheated oven until the tops are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter.

From: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/236141/cathead-biscuits/

Game Day Chili

 2 pounds ground chuck

1 medium onion, chopped

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (12-ounce) bottle dark beer

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can beef broth

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Step 1

Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well.

Step 2

Combine meat mixture, beans, and next 11 ingredients in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours or until thickened. Garnish, if desired.

From: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/game-day-chili-0