Gluten-FREE Peanut Butter Cookies

Secret ingredient:
Large granulated sugar
sprinkled on the tops

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Mama Jo:   "...it's Gluten-FREE."  

Always said after someone has taken one of these cookies from a stack, tray or cookie bag from whatever event these show up at.

And I have to confess:  always said with a smirk.

YUP.

They're that good.

It's like a magic trick.  

Sneaking in the "Gluten-FREE" and you can't even tell that it is Gluten-FREE (not even a little bit).

My favorite.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

(Gluten-FREE)

Mix in a bowl and set aside:

3 1/2 cups Gluten-FREE flour mix

2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream/Beat for 8-10 minutes on HIGH:

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup (two cubes) softened butter

Then add to the creamed butter and sugars:

2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy)

Last, add to the creamed ingredients:

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

Options for the cookie tops:

* Large granulated sugar, sprinkled on the tops

* Hershey kisses, unwrapped

* Mini Recess Peanut Butter Cups, unwrapped

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  

Using a mixing stand: 

cream butter, sugars and beat on HIGH for 8-10 minutes; 

then add peanut butter.

Last, add egg and vanilla to the creamed ingredients; 

mix thoroughly.

Mix in dry ingredients.  

Roll into small balls (walnut size).  

Roll in sugar.  

Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.  

If using large granulated sugar as a topping: 

squish tops cross-wise with a honey-spoon or fork and sprinkle with large granulated sugar before baking. 

If using kisses or mini recess cups: place on cookie immediately once baked and out of the oven.  (Ideal with liners in a mini-muffin pan, but not required - cooking time and temperature remain the same.)

Bake at 375 for 8 minutes or until just BARELY browned on the bottom.  

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(It's a recipe FOR your recipe!)

CLICK TO GO TO: 

Gluten-Free Flour Mix

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Click Link FOR:       Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS  

Gorilla Poops (No-Bake Cookie)

 

My favorite voicemail of all time was as follows from Bret Annalese when she was in kindergarten or 1st grade:

"Mom - May I have the last Gorilla Poop in Big Bird?"

At our house this actually made sense at the time!

We had a Big Bird cookie jar in our kitchen and there were indeed Gorilla Poops (No-Bake Cookies) in the cookie jar...   :0)

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GORILLA POOPS

1/4 cup butter

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2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

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1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup peanut butter

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1 teaspoon vanilla

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1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups oatmeal

2 cups coconut (1 package)

IN A LARGE POT:

Gather your ingredients and mix cinnamon, oatmeal and coconut in a bowl.  Set aside.

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In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.

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Turn OFF the stove and add sugar, and cocoa.

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Turn the stove ON to a medium heat.

Add milk, peanut butter and mix throughly. 

Continue to stir and bring to a simmer / low boil phase and boil for one minute.

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Turn OFF the heat and vanilla.

Stir throughly.

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Add remaining ingredients immediately.  

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Scoop out with two spoons or large cookie scoop to make a “poop” and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Let cool on the counter.

Store in an air-tight container.

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Click Link FOR:       Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS  

GREEN Smoothie - Berry/Banana

The best part of this photo is the
curly kale just behind the jar of
"GREEN" smoothie. 

(NOTE: I am not color blind...
all my smoothies that have
kale or spinach as 1/2 the content
get the "GREEN" label.) 

 The kale is the best part because it is from a collection of 3 kale plants in the backyard garden that have been producing for more than 12 months now!  AMAZING gardening feat by the Handsome Bret Sr. - amazing because usually kale will produce through May and then die off at the beginning of the Houston HOTTER-than-hell months. Here we are in October and they're still going...

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If you have a commercial grade blender - layer in this order and blend until throughly mixed.  Keep an extra 1/2 cup of water nearby if mix is too thick to finish blending. 

If you do not have a commercial grade blender, still blend in this order and throughly mix one layer at a time instead of mixing all at once. 

2  cups water 

4  cups washed kales leaves and stems

OR

4 cups washed spinach leaves

1/4  cup ground flaxseed 

2-4 Tablespoons honey

1-2 room temperature (naked) bananas

2 frozen (naked) bananas

2  cups frozen mango pieces, grapes, strawberries or cherries 

2  cups frozen blueberries

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Click Link FOR:       Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS  

Smoothie Bowl

 

Y'all - why is it still SO HOT???  

We are at the end of September, and it feels like July.

My "GO-TO" summer dinner for 2022:  Smoothie Bowl.

EASY.  FAST.  COLD.  DELICIOUS.  YES  PLEASE...

Since we are still struggling through summer temps in September, thought I'd share one of my summer-dinner-survival tips.

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Layer in a large bowl in this order PER PERSON:

1 cup Green Smoothie - Berry with Banana base preferred

1/2 - 1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt

1/3 - 1/2 cup gluten-FREE granola

2 Tablespoons Almond Butter

1/2 banana, sliced

3-5 strawberries, washed and sliced

Serve immediately.

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Click Link FOR:        GREEN Smoothie - Berry/Banana

Click Link FOR:        Gluten-FREE Update for Coconut Granola

Click Link FOR:       Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS  

BBQ CHICKEN CHILI

Acknowledgements:        The original recipe was procured at a Halloween Chili-Cook-Off (his beat out mine!) sometime around 2004 and in Twin Fall, Idaho.  The dude's name was Michael... and we talked about Dutch ovens, cooking, food in general and what we were cooking after church for many years after he shared this first recipe.  

Fast forward to life in Texas and I have another Michael at another church who I delight in talking to about all things food related!  :0)  God's hand in my life is GOOD!  And I love his humor in the details of it too...  (I guess if I ever move again I'll buddy up with the "Michael" of the church.)  I am definitely blessed with good food and even better people to enrich my life.  

Much love and gratitude to my family for helping me be a better cook by sharing their food-snobbery opinions to make what I make BETTER.  This recipe has been one of those that has changed, developed, and morphed into something worthy of taking on ANY chili-cook-off challenge.

BBQ CHICKEN CHILI

 

2  Tablespoons olive oil

2  medium onions, chopped

1 bundle of garlic, minced

2  7 oz cans chopped green chilies - MILD

4  cups of cubed BBQ cooked chicken 

        (3-5 chicken breasts, split - ready to BBQ)

grill on the BBQ until 1/2 cooked and the add and finish             cooking with the onions, garlic, and chopped green chilies  

1  Tablespoon cumin powder 

2  Tablespoons oregano

¼ up to ½   teaspoon cayenne pepper  

        - NOTE: you may want to add more later 

  (WARNING: will be very spicy too soon if you do more                 than ½ teaspoon to start off with...)

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt 

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper 

8 cups chicken broth

OR  1/4  cup Better-Than-Bullion or 4 chicken bullion cubes

4  16oz cans Great Northern white beans 

        - Drained and rinsed

  -  OR make a 2 pound bag of Great Northern White                     Beans the day before OR day of in pressure cooker

  - Drained and rinsed

(Optional:)

4  cups pork verde taco stock 

        - make ahead and store until needed

At the end of simmering ADD to chili 

OR set aside as an optional topping:

1 pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. 

Add onions, sauté until translucent

Add garlic, chilies, chicken, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper.

Sauté for 5 minutes. 

ADD:  cubed BBQ chicken cooked 1/2 way and finish cooking in the above sauté mixture.

ADD:  drained and rinsed beans, pork verde taco stock and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer 1/2 hour to 1 hour OR more.

STIR very frequently - every 5 minutes to be specific…

When ready to eat, add shredded cheese OR keep it set aside for an optional topping.

If you've added the cheese:

Stir on low heat until thick and melted.

Taste and add more cayenne pepper, Kosher salt and coarse black pepper IF needed.

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Click Link For:  Gluten-Free Corn Bread

Click Link FOR:    Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS  

Big And Chunky Red Potato Salad

 Big And Chunky Red Potato Salad 

5 pounds red potatoes diced bite-size, cooked in pressure cooked for 20 minutes - cool

18 hard boiled eggs, diced 

5 Dill pickles diced 

2 Tablespoons pickle juice

2 teaspoon each of the following:

Dill 

granulated garlic 

granulated onion 

paprika

40 grinds of salt 

40 grinds of pepper 

2 cups Mayo

2 big squirts of yellow mustard 

Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight before serving.

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Click Link FOR:  

Hard Boiled Eggs // from the Jennifers 2024

Mama Jo's Recipe Blog TABLE OF CONTENTS