Cooking vs Baking

Personally, I don't know how to cook. I can microwave things, and make macaroni and cheese and simple stuff. I don't know how to make chicken or steak etc. I mean I'm sure if I really tried I could. Luckily for me, Bryce does know how to cook. He makes really good meals and he enjoys cooking. But on the other hand, I'm learning that I can make yummy treats.

My chocolate chip cookies are amazing. I brought them to a work BBQ the other day and everyone said they were probably one of the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Last night I had the desire to make Granny's peanut butter bars. Now, she's been making these for a long time. I however, have never made them before and I wasn't even sure if I was doing it right. But I tried, turns out they were soooo good and they probably were better than granny's. ;)

(this is how my cookies turn out and that is what they should look like, not brown and thin so be sure to watch them around the 8 min mark)

So, with cooking vs baking I pick baking. And Bryce probably is glad that I pick baking too. Now all I need to do is go work off all the calories that come from the treats.

Now, tomorrow as Bryce and I watch conference I am going to make cinnamon sticks.

Wish me luck!

PS: If you are interested in making my delicious cookies or peanut butter bars here is the recipe:

Cookies:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3-4 cups flour (I usually use 3)

1 bag of chocolate chips (I use semi sweet)

Bake at 375 for 8-12 min (mine usually are complete around 10 min)

*also, if you have a pampered chef stone pan, those are the best to use!

Granny's Peanut butter bars:

Melt together: 1/2 cup of butter or margarine
2 cups of peanut butter

Melt over low heat and watch because it burns easy. I melt the butter before I put the peanut butter in.


Mix together: 1 lb. of powered sugar (this is about 3 and 1/2 cups but it is easier if you have just a lb box)
3 cups of rice krispies
 
Add the melted peanut butter and butter to the powered sugar and rice krispies. They need to be mixed really really well and I just use my hands. You want the mixture to be moist but not gooey. Press the mixture into 9x13 pan again really really well. If this isn't done well the bars will not hold together and will be crumbly.



The recipe calls for a package of semi-sweet chocolate chips but I like to use a package of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 a pkg of semi-sweet. Melt the chocolate chips (I use the micro-wave-takes about 2 minutes.) Spread the chocolate on the bars and let sit until the chocolate hardens.

**Don't put in the refrigerator for them to harden or you will make them too hard. If you want to chill them for about 15 min to speed up the process you can but remember, not too long!

Enjoy!