Peanut Butter Cream Sandwich Cookies

Pin It

Remember the Kale Salad with Radishes, Grapefruit and Candied Pepitas I shared? I briefly talked about the ground spice cardamom and its uses in sweet and savory dishes. Its ginger-like taste and floral aroma make it a superb addition to both flavors. If kale is not to your liking, maybe these cookies will be! This is like a traditional peanut butter cookie with the classic crosshatch pattern. The addition of the creamy filling spiced with cardamom takes it over the top! 

When choosing peanut butter for this recipe, purchase the "regular" or conventional peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Peanuts in regular peanut butter are emulsified with sugar, salt, and hydrogenated oils, making them thicker. Natural peanut butter is made of ground peanuts and not emulsified with added ingredients, which would cause the cookies to spread more, and the filling would be less flavorful.

Can you use creamy or crunchy regular peanut butter in this recipe? For the cookie dough, yes, you could use either. For the filling, I would recommend using only the creamy because crunchy would make the filling more difficult to spread or pipe.

I like to use a #60 cookie scoop when equally portioning out tablespoons of dough. I also like to use a #1A decorating tip fitted in a piping bag when applying the filling. Both kitchen tools make for ease of execution, but these cookies will taste good no matter what you use in your kitchen. Happy baking!

Simple Beef Chili

Pin It

When the weather is cool, it is not hard for me to decide to make a nice big pot of beef chili. What is hard is trying to decide which recipe to use; there are just so many to choose from. This chili has been on our list for over twenty years, and it will stay this way for many more.

What really gives this chili a depth of flavor is adding the spices to the sautéed vegetables before browning the meat. This allows the spices to bloom, which is the key to unlocking their full flavor. 

This simple chili calls for a simple topping of freshly grated cheddar cheese, but you can certainly add topping that suits your tastes, like sour cream or chopped scallions. Sweet Cornbread on the side is a must to clean up every bit of goodness in the bowl. 

Looking for another beef chili recipe? Try this Mexican Beef Cocoa Chili. 

It is simple but with a twist. Happy cooking!

Red Lentil Soup with Warm Spices

Pin It

My favorite comfort food this time of year is soup! This particular batch of healthy goodness is easy to prepare and budget-friendly.

Lentils are a great source of protein, fiber, iron and are low in fat. When added to liquids, they break down quickly and easily to make a smooth purée without using a thickening agent or blender. Ground spices of coriander, cumin, ginger and cinnamon make up the quadruple layers of warm and comforting spices. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness.

This soup is certainly enjoyed right out of the pot and when serving, I sprinkle on some chopped fresh cilantro and ground sumac for color contrast and a vibrant taste. 

I like to serve this with my Homemade Garlic Butter Mini Naans to wipe up every last bit of soup from the bowl. If you have any leftovers, you will need to thin the soup with additional liquid when reheating. Happy cooking!