Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

I started this blog a while back to learn how to cook. Once I started learning, I wanted to share the knowledge with others. It was really exciting but for some reason, I haven't been as inspired the past several months. Maybe it's school, maybe it's something else. All I know is that the frozen items from Trader Joe's are delicious. Green chili cheese tamales, frozen Indian dishes, curries, frozen risotto...sooo good. What's more, they aren't even full of chemicals you usually find in pre-packaged meals. Just simple ingredients ready for me to heat up. I can't resist them. Actually, I have had a great time spicing up Trader Joe's dishes and I probably should blog about it more often. For example, Trader Joe's "'Spearean Risotto" with extra veggies and parmesan cheese is really delicious. It's much heartier if you add in extra mushrooms, onions, peppers, peas, or whatever you like. Same goes for their boxed Mac and Cheese. Sauteed tempeh makes an excellent addition to mac and cheese or rice dishes...I'm becoming a pro at this.

 I will say that the other day I had rice noodles with Trader Joe's red curry sauce, sauteed tofu, and frozen veggies. It was really good and perhaps I'll actually record the directions at some point. Also, red curry sauce in macaroni and cheese is great. Really.

Anyway, I do want to keep this blog up so I went into the archives for an older recipe I hadn't posted. Here it is:

I tried to make these cookies a few weeks ago and they did not turn out as I expected. The recipe called for natural peanut butter and brown sugar and well, it just didn't work for me. The idea was a good one though and I had seen numerous comments on various blogs applauding the basic recipe. So, I tried again with a different version. This time I used processed peanut butter and white sugar. Much better! They are light and crumbly. We stuck some in the freezer and we really enjoyed them straight out of the freezer.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
(adapted from Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef)

• 1 cup chunky peanut butter (use Peter Pan, Jif, or similar processed brand)
• 1 cup white sugar + 2-3 Tbsp.
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine peanut butter and 1 cup sugar in a bowl. Beat together with a fork until well-combined. Beat in the baking soda and the egg.

Roll cookies into very little balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Coat in remaining sugar. Bake 10-13 minutes, until cookies stay together when moved (don't completely fall apart) but are a little soft. Let cool for at least 10 minutes and they will harden. 

Makes about 2 dozen small cookies.

*Note-You don't have to chill the dough before baking these cookies. I tried both ways and I liked the non-chilled version better.