"Boscoe Bakes"......."Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters"

I've learned that there are two types of attendees present each week at my Wednesday evening social get togethers. There are the "Cookie Monsters" and the "Pastry Profiteers", and both camps have their own strategies in place to ensure the biggest score and ultimate victory.  Yes, I am now hosting my own version of "Survivor" and the competition seems to be getting more aggressive and creative as the weeks go by. The "Cookie Monsters" are looking for snacks and luncheon companions for their trip to the office tomorrow, while the "Pastry Profiteers" must amass a collection of goodies to please the sweet tooth of a wife, husband or significant other waiting patiently at home. And of course for the later, their hero status yields benefits that money just can't buy. I won't go into that here, because after all this post is rated PG. 

Tonight, things got a little crazy when I announced that some of the chocolate used in the Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters was from the three Amano Artisan chocolate bars I had just reviewed. I chose to share this news and the chocolate in this fashion, since I always have several guests and not nearly enough chocolate so that everybody could enjoy their own piece.  My guests had seen the review, heard me wax enthusiasm over the superb quality, and now ALL of them were determined to sample the same chocolate bliss that I had so quietly enjoyed just a few hours earlier. Never mind the fact that there were several people who had been munching on these delicious cookies and singing their praise throughout the evening, now even the "Pastry Profiteers" who were busy inhaling my banana cake, wanted in on the action. Suddenly these peanut butter infused oatmeal cookies with the gourmet chocolate "chips" were all the rage, and pandemonium nearly erupted.  Thank God, I had 4 dozen of these beauties available, so that in the end, everybody was a winner. The real kicker here is that most of the chocolate chips were from another source, and it was the combination of chunky peanut butter mixed with the other ingredients that truly made these cookies shine. The recipe for these "to die for" cookies can be found in Dorie Greenspan's newest book......"From My Home To Yours" on page 73.

"Boscoe Bakes"......Old Fashioned Chunky "Crunchy" Peanut Butter Cookies

Today I came across a site that got me very excited. In fact, I was giddy that I had even found such a place. What's this special place called you may ask!  Well, it's called "The Peanut Butter Boy" and in case you didn't know, anything devoted to peanut butter and the myriad and wonderful uses for this heavenly creation, also starts my heart to flutter. And as luck would have it, today was the final day to submit your very own Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe for "The Great Peanut Butter Exhibition #1. http://www.peanutbutterboy.com/2008/04/great-peanut-butter-exhibition-1.html Now I don't think they have any fancy prizes, plaques, or trophies, but this was all the inspiration I needed to retrieve my recipe and start chopping peanuts. Served alone, or better yet with a tall glass of cold milk, these are guaranteed to please........Enjoy

"Boscoe's" Old-Fashioned Chunky"Crunchy" Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 
1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter; at room temperature
  
• 
1 cup chunky peanut butter - Do NOT use old-fashioned natural or freshly ground
  
• 1 cup finely ground dry roasted peanuts
  
• 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  
• 
1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 
2 large eggs; at room temperature
  

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, peanut butter and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in both of the sugars and scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Add half of the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture with one egg and mix well. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Mix in remaining half of the flour mixture and add remaining egg. Mix thoroughly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add ground peanuts and mix until just incorporated. Dough will be thick.

Use two tablespoons or small scoop to form balls using 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough. Roll each ball in sugar and place approximately 2 inches apart on sheet. Use the bottom of a sugar coated glass to flatten the balls. Form crosshatch designs on top of the cookies using the tines of a fork. Bake the cookies for approximately 13-14 minutes, until golden around edges and browned on the bottom. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2-1/2 minutes and then remove to racks to cool completely.