Peanutbutter Muffins

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup softened margarine or butter
¾ cup peanutbutter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Sift dry ingredients together.

Cream butter, peanutbutter and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Stir in dry ingredients just until moist. Overmixing makes the muffins heavy. Add the chocolate chips just before the dry ingredients are all moist.

Spoon into 18 large muffin cups. Bake in 350° oven about 20 minutes, until just golden.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 9” pie shell, baked and cooled (either graham or pastry)

1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
dash of salt
1 ½ cups hot water
2 tablespoons butter
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice

Measure all ingredients first.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over moderately high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Stir a moderate amount (like 1/3 cup) of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and then add the egg yolks to the hot mixture. Bring to a boil and cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pie shell.

ALTERNATE MICROWAVE INSTRUCTIONS

Measure all ingredients first.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt in an 8 cup microwavable container. Gradually add hot water, stirring constantly. Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is thick, stir once or twice.

Stir a moderate amount (like 1/3 cup) of the hot mixture into the egg yolks and then add the egg yolks to the hot mixture. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Add butter and lemon peel. Slowly stir in lemon juice, mixing well. Pour into pie shell.

Meringue

3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar.

Beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar and cream of tarter and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over lemon pie filling. Bake in 350° oven 12 - 15 minutes, until just golden.

Mom’s Good Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup soft margarine
½ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 – 2 cups chocolate chips

Sift flour and baking soda together.

Beat butter and sugars together very well. Add vanilla and eggs and continue beating until the batter is nice a silky – most of the sugar will have dissolved and you won’t feel much of the graininess. This is key to a soft cookie when fully baked.

Add the flour and baking soda and mix it in. Add the chocolate chips near the end.

Drop by teaspoons onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8 –10 minutes in 350° oven.

My kids prefer to bake only about 5 minutes so they are still doughy in the middle; better yet we eat the dough raw.

Bread Quiche/Christmas Morning Wife Saver

Serves 10 – 12 people

1 loaf of bread – white, whole wheat or a combination

½ cup chopped of each add in – anything you like in an omelette is good, like, ham, onion, green or red pepper, mushrooms, etc. or none, if you prefer.

4 cups grated cheese – cheddar is good, monteray jack mixed in is good – any kind you like will work.

3 cups milk
6 eggs

Grease a 9 x 13” pan. Lay bread slices on the bottom to cover. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese on the bread. Sprinkle your add ins over the cheese. Lay another layer of bread slices over your add ins. Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese over the bread. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Mix the eggs and milk together well. CAREFULLY pour over the top – be sure to get all the bread edges. Sprinkle the top with another ½ cup of ham, bacon or some cornflake crumbs if you like. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bake uncovered in 325° oven for exactly 1 hour; it will puff up and turn golden brown.