well, hello again, blog!  i’m happy to report that things are back to “normal” at the shoebox.  it was hacked a month or so ago, and we’ve been working on moving content around and finding a suitable server.  (hello, godaddy!)  the shoebox is back with one more nashville recipe.  then, we get to move onto the wa ones!

i made these cookies for my dad on his last visit to nashville.  they’re all of his favorite cookies, rolled into one!  after a ten hour drive to nashville from michigan, the least i could do was have a batch of cookies ready for him to eat.  if cookies could make it through the mail, i’d probably send a batch of these to him tonight to celebrate the big buck that he got today and that his spartans have clinched the big 10 legends championship!  (mostly for the buck, though…. go blue!)

the cookies are soft and chewy and are a bunch of wonderful cookie types, all rolled into one tasty gem.  i’m thinking next time, i’ll throw some pretzels in there, too!  i love the sweet/salty combination.

source: browneyedbaker

• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1/2 c creamy pb
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1/3 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c old-fashioned oats
• 1 c chocolate chips

it’s no secret that i have a sweet tooth.  one of my favorite restaurants is the cheesecake factory, and i do not love them for their food, but for their cheesecake.  redonkulously overpriced, but amazingly perfect in every way cheesecake.  my absolute favorite is adam’s peanut butter cup fudge ripple cheesecake, there’s nothing else on the menu that even comes close to comparing to this masterpiece.  obviously, i cannot indulge myself in this very often, but have found a way to enjoy it at home…  for a lot less calories and a lot less moo-lah.

tom bought me a popsicle mold for my birthday this year, and it has been a lot of fun making tasty creations with it.  i started out with the basics, like chocolate pudding and juice mixed with club soda, but these recipes were not blog worthy.  this recipe made the cut.  look for more popsicle blogs to come!

note: this recipe is enough for 1 c worth of popsicle filling, and little extra for quality control.  my molds hold about 1 c, but this recipe can be multiplied as needed.

• 1/2 pkg sugar free jell-o instant cheesecake pudding
• 3/4 c milk
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp chocolate syrup
• 2 pb cups, coarsely chopped

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix for 1 min, 30 sec.   stir in peanut butter. swirl in chocolate syrup.
2. pour a spoonful of pudding mixture in popsicle mold, add pb cups, repeat until mold is full.
3. freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

does anyone have any suggestions for another cheesecake popsicle flavor?  let me know!

enjoy!

we had paul and brandy over for dinner the other night.  it’s just getting too hot to have egg rolls with chinese dishes, so this looked like an acceptable summer swap!  it kind of reminds me of salad and dressing that you would get at a hibachi grill.  it’s a winner!

• 6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic

• 1 bag of shredded cabbage
• 6 green onions, chopped

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together the first seven ingredients.
2. toss cabbage and green onions with the mixture just before serving.

enjoy!

rice krispie treats are very simple.  just follow the directions on the box of rice krispies and for the love of all that is sweet and ooey gooey: do NOT, under any circumstances microwave your ingredients.  always melt them low and slow on your stovetop.  if you use the microwave, the texture is all wrong and you end up with hardened rice krispies that are difficult to eat.

here’s what you need:

• 6 c rice krispies
• 1 bag mini marshmallows
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. in a large saucepan (i use my soup pot), melt your butter.  add marshmallows and vanilla, stir until completely melted.
2. add rice krispies, stir until evenly coated.
3. pour into a greased 9×13″ pan, pressing in with waxed paper or a nonstick spatula.

pictured above is a variation that i like to make.  follow the directions above, but add 1/2 c peanut butter when you add marshmallows and vanilla.  I top mine with 1 1/2 c melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted with 1 1/2 tbsp butter.  (you can melt this in the microwave at 30 sec. intervals, stirring constantly.)  spread chocolate mixture over the top of the rice krispie treats.

there are also a ton of variations out there for making rice krispie treats.  some people enjoy the fruit flavored marshmallows, others use cocoa krispies, while others use cheerios.  the possibilities are endless and the recipe is so simple, it should be easy to find your favorite flavor combination.

enjoy!

boy met girl.  girl liked boy.  girl brought boy a bajillion cookies to his dorm room to impress him.  boy (and his stomach) fell in love with girl.  that’s only part of mine and tom’s love story!  but the story continues today and here’s another cookie recipe, just because you need something else to steer you away from your new year’s diet!

the peanut butter cookie recipe is a classic from the better homes and gardens cookbook.  i have a reprinted 1953 edition and LOVE it.  the filling comes from a november 2008 better homes and gardens magazine.

cookie: “peanut butter crisscrosses”

• 1 c shortening
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 1 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 c peanut butter (i add extra, if using crunchy pb)
• 3 c sifted flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• dash salt

1. thoroughly cream shortening, sugars and vanilla.  add eggs; beat thoroughly.  stir into peanut butter.  sift dry ingredients, stir into creamed mixture.
2. form into ping pong sized balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet.  press with back of fork to make crisscross.
3. bake in moderate oven (375°) 10 minutes.
4. allow cookies to cool.  while cooling, make peanut cream filling:

peanut cream filling:

• 3/4 c crunchy peanut butter
• 3/4 c marshmallow creme
• 3 tbsp milk
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin (trust me on this one!)
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, marshmallow creme, milk, cinnamon and cumin.  gradually whisk in powdered sugar.
2. spread 1 tbsp (or so) on bottom of one cookie, and make a sandwich.

enjoy!

these are a wonderfully rich treat.  they’re best consumed with a glass of milk.

• 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 c butter or margarine, melted
• 2 c white sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 9 x 13 pan
2. in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, 1/4 c white sugar, 1 egg, and milk until smooth.  set aside
3. in a large bowl, mix together melted butter, 2 c white sugar, and vanilla; mix in the remaining 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; mix into the batter.  stir in chocolate chips
4. remove 1 cup of the chocolate batter.  spread the remaining batter into the prepared pan.  spread the peanut butter filling over the top  drop the reserved chocolate batter by the teaspoonful over the filling.  using a knife, gently swirl through the top layers for a marbled effect.
5. bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean.  cool completely, then cut into bars.

enjoy!

courtesy of: allrecipes.com