Cooking With Others in Mind...and A Recipe Link

Do you know people or have friends who have eating preferences that differ from yours or what you might be used to eating? 

Does that keep you from inviting them over?

Do you panic at the thought of having to make something that they will eat and enjoy? 

Do you cringe at the thought of possibly having to make all kinds of food to make everyone happy? 

I understand....I've been there! I've posted about it....but I'm here to tell you to embrace it, have fun with it, and you very well may discover that you like some of the things you're trying. It'll be good for your family. 


I've shared that over the years we have gradually continued to change our eating habits to be more whole, natural and healthier...I still love a good creamy pasta dish, or juicy burger, or Burgerville Walla Walla Onion Rings, but I would say that those things are about 5% out of the 95% of our eating, if even that. 


When I cook for others, I try to keep different ones in mind. If I'm asked to bring a dish to a get together I try and think if someone else might bring something that someone who is vegan, vegetarian, GF or lactose intolerant can have. When I have people over for dinner or my girls are having friends over for a bonfire or movie I try to make something that everyone can eat, or those who come know to bring their own vegan hot dogs....personally, those gross me out....give me a 100% beef one and I'm good...Trader Joes makes a great dog! I'm not in to catering to one group or another, I just like to have options for everyone...that's probably the people pleaser in me. 


A few weeks ago I was asked to bring cookies to a wedding. I chose these yummy Cranberry-White Chocolate cookies that were amazing, but I also knew there would be those who wouldn't want the eggs, butter, etc...so I went on a search for a yummy cookie and...oh, did I find a winner.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies packed up and ready to go. I save my containers from spinach or salad that I buy from Costco or the grocery store and use them to store cookies, or my own produce in. If I take them somewhere, I don't have to worry about getting them back because I'm always buying things in these containers.


My search led me to the blog, MAC & CHEESE and the recipe for Vegan Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cookies...Ummmm, I was sold at Peanut Butter Filled...add the word Chocolate to that and it's got my complete attention. I decided to give them a shot. Worst case scenario, they wouldn't work and no one would ever know. 


They were a hit...They were so full of flavor, not too sweet, but sweet enough..almost like a Peanut Butter Cup in Cookie form. They did take some time to make because you did have fill the cookie, but they were more than worth it. 


Click this link for the actual recipe but I will post some pics and what we did to make them successful.


My pictures are not as pretty...sorry but, well, it doesn't matter...they don't have to be pretty if they taste good!

 I read the comments that others had written and most said their dough was sticky so we decided to roll our little ball of dough (which I used my med. scoop from Pampered Chef...actually I don't know what size it is...) this helped.

 Flatten the dough ball out to make a nice round.

 Fill with some of the PB mixture...I think I could have tried to add more but it was tricky to fold dough around it...

 Like I said, it was tricky and a bit messy to fold dough around PB...might be a good idea to place disc of dough into sugar one more time. Possibly even double the recipe, add more PB in the middle and top with another disc of dough, carefully sealing the edges...I dont know..either way, they were really good. 

My beautiful assistant who put up with me taking picture after picture....I didn't get a picture of the inside of the cookie because I tried and it didn't work and then I forgot later. Oh well, go to Mac & Cheeses blog and see their yummy pics.




With Joy UNquenchable,