Peanut Butter and Chocolate Oatmeal

An alternative to bland breakfast oatmeal...with some added protein...

This recipes makes a single serving of delicious oatmeal. The amounts for the cocoa mix and peanut butter can be altered to taste.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Oatmeal
Estimated Total Time: 5 minutes
Makes 1 serving 

Calories: 242  Carbs: 29g  Fat: 10g  Protein: 9g  Fiber 3g

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup oats (I use quick 1-minute oats, but quick old-fashioned oats will also work)
• 1/2 cup milk (I use 2%)
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa mix (I use Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate mix, but any variety will do)
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 teaspoons peanut butter (I use a natural variety of peanut butter that contains only peanuts and salt)

Instructions

1. Measure  ingredients into a medium microwave-safe bowl (the bowl should be large enough so that the cooking and expanding oatmeal won't spill over the top--most large cereal bowls should work).
2. Microwave on high for 2-1/2 minutes (watch to make sure it doesn't overflow).
3. Carefully remove from microwave (bowl will probably be hot). 
4. Stir mixture.
5. Serve with extra milk, if desired.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

A simplified variation of the Peanut Butter Cookie...

You can make these cookies fast for a dessert or sweet snack needed in a pinch. They won't last long. Thus you shall find that both making them and eating them is a cinch.

This recipe makes 1 dozen cookies and uses 4 ingredients.

Freezing: I found that these cookies freeze well. After baking them and allowing them to cool, I wrapped half of them up (individually) in plastic wrap, put them together inside a freezer bag, and froze them. They were easy to reheat in the microwave.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Estimated total time: 20 minutes
Makes 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup peanut butter 
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten just slightly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease one cookie sheet.
3. Mix all ingredients together with a rubber spatula.
4. Form cookie dough into twelve 1-inch balls.
5. Place each ball onto the greased cookie sheet leaving 1-2 inches of space between them.
6. Flatten balls (to about 1/2" or 1/4" thickness) with the flat bottom of a glass, jar, or plate. 
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until set. They'll be slightly crispy/golden on bottom. 
8. Enjoy them warm or cool them and then freeze or store them. Yum.

Enjoy!

New Features

Recent additions to my blog:

1. The "Complete Recipe List" link in the right sidebar (links to a page containing a chronological listing of only my recipes).
2. The "Snapshots" link in the right sidebar (utilizes Blogger's new Dynamic Views feature to show all my posts in various formats, all with snapshots of pictures from each post).

Coming soon: A recipe for implausibly easy peanut butter cookies. Yum!

Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here's something with which to dress a salad...

This salad dressing is easy to make and tastes great. It adds a flavorful zing to a bowl of leafy greens.

The recipe calls for a half-teaspoon mixture of spices, allowing you to use the spices you like best. I've used dill weed, coriander, thyme, onion powder, and basil. Whatever you choose to include, the mixture should amount to about 1/2 teaspoon.

To mix and store the dressing, I use a well-washed bottle that originally contained enchilada sauce.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Estimated preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes enough for about 6 side salads or 4 entree salads 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (or plain salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• Dash of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon total combination of dry spices like dill weed, ground coriander seed, thyme, basil, and onion powder (choose according to your taste)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Instructions:

1.  Measure ingredients into sealable jar or bottle. Seal securely.
2.  Shake well to combine ingredients.
3.  Add to salads and enjoy!
4.  Refrigerate unused portion. *Ingredients will separate; shake before each use.


Enjoy!