1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups flour
2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Cup creamy peanut butter
3 Eggs
1 Cup softened butter
1 1/4 Cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 Cup dark brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together with a wire whisk. In a large bowl, blend the sugars using an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix until it forms paste. Next, add the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until the batter becomes light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and change the mixer to low speed.  Continue until just mixed.
Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, 1 1/2 inches apart. With a fork, gently press a crisscross pattern on top of each cookies. Bake for 10-20 minutes until cookies are slightly brown along the edges. Transfer cookies from the pan immediately with a spatula and allow them to cool.

1 1/4 Teaspoon Chili powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Teaspoon minced onion
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 Teaspoon Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Ground oregano
1 Tablespoon Flour

Combine all of these dry ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an air tight container.

 Need the instructions for tacos that always comes on the back of the package???

To prepare the meat filling for tacos preheat a large skillet.   Brown 1 pound ground beef; drain the fat.  Add your Taco Seasoning that you prepared previously and 2/3 cup water to the beef; mix thoroughly.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve taco filling with warmed taco shells or tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese and chopped tomato or fresh salsa.

This recipe makes enough meat filling for 12 tacos.

Gratinata Sauce:
2 teaspoon Butter
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 cup marsala wine
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream

Saute butter, garlic , and rosemary until garlic begins to brown but do not burn the garlic.
Add marsala wine and then reduce by one-third. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half of original volume.
Set aside.

Penne Rustica:
1 oz. pancetta or bacon
18 shrimp peeled and deveined
12 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced
4 1/2 cups of granita sauce
3 lbs. cooked Penne Pasta
3 teaspoons pimentos, minced
6 oz. butter
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pick but still translucent, you do not want to overcook the shrimp or else it will be rubbery. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Add granita sauce and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens.
In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with precooked pasta. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ lb ground beef
6 oz Italian sausage, skinned
1 cup red wine
18 oz can crushed tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 lbs Tortelloni
Parmesan cheese, freshly grate

Heat oil in a large pan.  Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Deglaze the pan with wine; let reduce.  Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for about 1 hour more.
Toss the hot, drained pasta with the sauce.  Top with parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl for about 20 seconds.  Add broccoli florets, cooked rice, salt and pepper.  Mix the ingredients together until evenly combined.  Dice the Velveeta into 1/4−inch pieces.  Place the cheese and half−and−half in a microwave safe container.  Cover and microwave for 2 minutes on medium power or until cheese is melted. Add to ingredients in the bowl and mix together.  Spray 9−inch pan with cooking spray. Pour casserole mixture into pan.  Place in a 350 degrees F preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.  Top the casserole with the crushed Ritz crackers and shredded cheddar cheese and cook for about 5 minutes more, or until the cheese melts and the crackers brown.

Ingredients

Filling
1 1/2 pound cream cheese
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces sour cream
5 Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies for the topping

Crust
1 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 25 Oreo cookies finely chopped)
2 tablespoon melted butter
9″ spring form pan (buttered on bottom and sides)

1. Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of the spring pan and 1 1/2″ up the sides, set aside.
2.All Ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning.  Beat cream cheese with a mixer on low until fluffy.
3. Slowly add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed well.
4. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.
5. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat.
6. Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.
7. Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.
8. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.
9.After that time, keep oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Filling
1 cup water
3 cups sugar
1 package unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon salt
3 limes , juice of
1 cup condensed milk

Crust
1 stick butter
1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1.To prepare the filling, heat water, sugar, gelatin, salt and lime juice in pot but do not boil.
2.Then mix in condensed milk and heat again without boiling.
3.To prepare the crust, place butter in a pan and melt.
4. Mix in crumbs until it makes a crust-like substance.
5. Pour filling into crust and let cool.
Makes 1 Pie

Store in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Enjoy!  Garnish with a mint leaf if you like.