By passion I’m a photographer, by diploma a teacher & for the past year because of a built up pressure of ideas swirling around in my heart bursting to be set free, a writer.  How did I end up creating a blog about food & love?  Well that’s another story for another day.

As you know love knows no bounds, it’s limitless.  You could compare it to the stomach of my dog Julio – bottomless.  Now being your typical black lab, Julio has an endless appetite for the zest of life & all things food.  As a photographer I believe a picture is worth 1,000 words ->

As you can see, Julio obviously feels a deep love & trained restraint when it comes to the kitchen.  This is particularly true when his keen sense of doggy smell detects a whiff of drool inspiring, chop smacking, crumbly peanut butter flavored yumminess!

Yup!  He really, Really, REALLY loves my baking!

Despite what Julio’s taste buds think, there’s nothing extra special about my peanut butter cookies.  My recipe comes straight from my mother’s old Betty Crocker Cookbook.  The only difference between Betty & myself is the type of sugar I use.  Instead of refined white granulated sugar (yuck, not in my body) I mix sparkly brown crystals of sugar in the raw into the dough.  As a result the cookies come out extra sweet with the illusion of being “healthy”.

Betty Crocker’s Peanut Butter Cookies AKA Julio’s Love Cookies

1/2 cup shortening (half butter, softened)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or sugar in the raw)

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Mix thoroughly shortening, peanut butter, granulated sugar (or sugar in the raw), brown sugar & egg.  Blend in flour, soda, baking powder & salt.  Cover & chill.

Heat oven to 375 F.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Place 3 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheet.  With fork dipped in flour, flatten in crisscross patterns to 2 inches.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not hard.

*makes about 3 dozen cookies