Tuesday Tip of the Day!

In today's economy, we need to learn how to stretch our money and our meals. And with so many two person income families or single working parent families, time is also not easy to come by. Today's tip: Buy larger quantities of ground beef when it is on sale. Since cooked ground beef freezes well, fry the ground beef and freeze in one pound portion sizes (or larger depending on the size of your family) in freezer safe containers or to save on freezer space, freezer safe Ziplock bags. So easy to thaw and add to your favorite recipes and a real time saver too!!!

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

When making pasta, always salt the water - not the pasta!!! When the water comes to a boil, add salt, then the pasta. For a 4 quart pot, add approx. 1-2 TBS of salt. Does sound like a lot but the pasta will only absorb a small amount of the salt.

If you wait to salt the pasta until after it is cooked, the pasta will taste bland.

Go ahead! Give it a try!!!

Valentine Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup butter

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Sanding sugar

Dove heart chocolates or Hershey's kisses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, cream together butter and peanut butter. 

Beat in sugars until blended. 

Add eggs and vanilla.

Add flour mixture, beat until well blended.

Chill dough for about 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1" balls, roll in sanding sugar and place 2" apart on ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. (Do not flatten.)

Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 12 minutes. As soon as you remove them from the oven, place either a heart shaped chocolate or Hershey kiss in center of cookie. Press down lightly. Wait about 1 minute and remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Yield: 6 dozen