Thursday, October 7, 2010

"Support Group for Lactose Intolerants - milk & cookies provided"

I don't know that I have a story tonight...nothing is springing to mind, and the taco meat is getting cold. Maybe if I have a couple I will get inspired...brb. OK, I had a couple...tacos and margaritas, so let's keep this short and sweet and unmarred by unecessary profanity.

Tyler is a family friend - I would say my sons friend, because that's where it started, but just by sheer time spent in our house I think we can partially claim him on our taxes. He is a sweet guy, very affable and quite a do-it-yourselfer - he was the bartender and brewmeister that made all the beer and wine for Joey and Kira's wedding. It's not unusual for him to walk through the front door (he doesn't knock, he's family) carring a tank and a small keg of whatever his latest concoction is. He has been responsible for opening my mind a bit regarding mead and an absolutely lovely dark belgian beer called Brother Thelonius that you can only find at artsy-fartsy grocery stores like New Seasons, but mostly it's ales, which I despise with a white hot passion....not a big fan of the hop flavor, it reminds me of the stuff my mom used to put on my fingernails to encourage me to scrape it off with my teeth and still bite them down to the nubbins.

So anyway, I decided to post a cookie recipe in honor of Mr. Beer, alias Mr. Lactose Intolerant - he has not an ounce of extra flesh on his bones, and I always feel bad when I've made some luscious concoction and he can't eat it because it has dairy in it. Altho he did teach me that eating some yogurt with live cultures can counteract some of the "by products" his body creates when lactose products are consumed...cool beans! So here you go Tyler....I will be making some this weekend, so hopefully you'll make an appearance for a non-gaseous, cramp free treat!

Peanut Butter Cookies
(The name does not do it justice - should be PBOMG'S....pure heaven!)

1 C. shortening (I almost always use Crisco butter flavor)
2/3 C. peanut butter....probly doesn't matter, but Jif is my fave
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. white sugar
2 eggs
3 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Cream shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla, then add soda and salt and mix well. Add flour and beat until combined, form into balls or use a cookie scoop and place on cookie sheets. My recipe says to grease the pan, but I never have...I think the sugar keeps them from sticking. OH YEAH....you have to drop the scoops of cookie dough in a bowl with some sugar and roll them around in it, THEN put it on the cookie sheet...dang tequila. Using a fork, and dipping it in the sugar if it starts sticking, press an "x" on each scoop of dough with the fork, pressing the cookie down about halfway. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes....it should be very lightly browned just around the edges....a tiny bit of shiny foaminess should be visible in the fork lines....that way they will not get crisp and hard. Nothing like overbaking to make me want to feed cookies to the dogs.....it has to be chewy or it just ain't right! Let stand on the pan for 1-2 minutes or they will fall apart and you will be left crying with a mouthful of burny-hot cookie lava - put on cooling racks as soon as possible though to keep them from overcooking on the hot pan. If you're under the influence of some blue agave, remember to turn off the oven...good thing I'm not baking tonight.

You could put chocolate chips in these, maybe Reeses Pieces, perhaps a Hershey's Kiss instead of forking them, or as I saw in another recipe, cook them in mini muffin tins and when they come out of the oven, press a whole mini Reeses peanut butter cup in the center....now there is a reason for "buffet pants" if I ever heard one! Or you could just keep them pristine...nothing but peanut butter, and a great big glass of icy cold milk...or in Tyler's case, a frothy glass of Ale-of-the-Week! Enjoy.....I don't recommend the beer option, but if it makes your inner fat lady sing, Gesunheidt (sp)!

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