Family Recipes

Lately I've been trying to go through my grandmother's old recipe boxes to see if I can find any interesting things to try. A couple weeks ago I had a strong craving for peanut butter cookies. The last time I attempted to make peanut butter cookies I followed a Martha Stewart recipe, and things didn't come out so well. Call me crazy, but I just don't see why the recipe has you bake them for 18-22 minutes. I kept reducing the cooking time with each batch, but they almost all burned. They were edible, but nothing I even bothered blogging about, I don't think. This time around I decided I should find the cookie recipe my grandmother used. My mom told me she didn't know exactly where it was, but once I found Aunt Minnie's recipe I had the right one. Luckily it didn't take too much searching to find it. These cookies came out much, much better than the previous attempt. I should have added more flour, I think, as the cookies spread to the point that you could barely tell I had fork-pressed them. That didn't affect the taste though, and as soon as I took a bite I new these were the cookies from my childhood. Josh really loved these cookies, and his dad liked them a lot too. I'm going to try and make some more soon, half a batch with peanut butter chips and half with chocolate chips. I didn't even think to ask my mom who the heck Aunt Minnie was until after I had made the cookies. Turns out she is my great, great aunt- my great-grandfather's sister. And turns out she made a mean cookie.

Aunt Minnie's Peanut Butter Cookies
3 cups sugar- half white, half packed light brown
1 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
3 eggs
3 cups of flour or more
2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

• Cream shortening and sugars together. Add peanut butter and mix until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add flour slowly, mixing after each addition. Add baking soda water. Add any additional flour needed until dough is desired consistency.
• Roll dough into small balls, place on parchment lined baking sheet, and press out with fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire rack or paper towels.

My notes: I don't really understand the whole soda/hot water thing, but I did as it says and the cookies came out good. I described the way I mixed the dough together because the actual recipe just said roll into balls, press with fork, and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. These cookies are honestly different, not to mention better, than any of the other peanut butter cookies I've ever had. I don't bake enough to be able to tell you what it is about the recipe that makes them that way. But really, give them a shot and see how you feel about them. I don't think you'll regret it.