peant butter sandwich cookies

I didn't do much measuring with this recipe. I kinda just tossed and sprinkled and poured. I'll do my best to estimate the measurements.

IN the mixer, mix 1/2 c. butter, 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/2 c. white sugar, 1/2 c. brown sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Once creamy, add an egg and blend. IN a small bowl mix 3/4 c. flour 1/2 t. baking soda, 1/4 t. baking powder, and 1/2 t. salt. Add to mixer and mix! Then add 1 cup oatmeal.

Drop onto greased baking sheet and flatten with the bottom of a glass. BAke at 350 for 10 minutes or until browned.

Cool them on a cooling rack.

Back in the mixer- you might want to clean it. Blend 3 Tb. butter, 1/2 c. Peanut Butter, 1c. powdered sugar, 1/2 t. nutmeg, 1/2 t. vanilla, and 2 Tb. heavy cream.

Spread between two cookies like a sandwich.

YUm.

chocolate-chip biscotti

Last summer, for a friend's wedding, I baked over 200 biscotti, all because I happened to mention to that friend's mother a great recipe I'd found, months before the July ceremony. The bride's mother had flipped when she heard me mention the Italian cookie, and she begged me to make some for the wedding favors, which were personalized coffee bags with individually wrapped biscotti.

I made three kinds: double-chocolate, lemon pistachio, and chocolate anise. What I made today was a variation of the last one--I left out the anise (many people dislike it) and, because of availability issues, used salted, not unsalted, butter, compensating by neglecting the additional salt completely; and I combined bittersweet and semisweet chips to get the full cup. Here's the original recipe, though, taken from Giada De Laurentiis' Family Dinners.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
(1 tsp. ground anise seed)
2 large eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350degrees. Line a large, heavy baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, butter and anise seed in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Form the dough into one long 3-inch-wide log. Transfer it to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

Place the log onto a cutting board. Using a serrated knite, cut the log into diagonal 1/2 to 3/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

double chocolate biscotti

(Recipe taken from the Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook--made them last week; delicious!)

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsps. baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white baking pieces
1/2 cup large semisweet chocolate pieces or regular chocolate pieces

1. Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Beat until combined, craping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in white baking pieces and chocolate pieces.

2. Shape dough into two 9-inch-long rolls. Place rolls on prepared cookie sheet; flatten slightly until about 2 inches wide.

3. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a woodon toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour. (If desired, wrap cooled rolls in plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.)

4. Use a serrated knife to cut each roll diagonally into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 8 minutes.

Turn slices over and bake for 7-9 minutes more or until dry and crisp (do not overbake!). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.