PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE CHIP-OATMEAL COOKIES

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips

1 - 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar and peanut butter until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips, oats and peanuts.

Drop dough in rounded 2 tablespoon portions, 3 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined baking sheet. With a lightly floured fork, flatten slightly into 2 - 1/2 - inch rounds about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake in a 350 F oven until cookies are golden and tops fell set when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes (they will feel underdone but firm up as they cool).

Let stand 5 minutes on sheets, then, with a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.

MAKES: about 30 cookies

NOTES: The best accompaniment to these indulgent cookies is a cold glass of milk.

" MAD HATTERS MUFFINS "

2 cups all-propose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 - 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup pecan pieces

2 tablespoons sugar plus 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon for topping

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Butter twelve 3 by 1 - 1/2 inch muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl cream together butter and brown sugar until lightly and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add bananas and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Spoons mixture into prepared muffin cups.

Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture evenly over muffins.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean.

Yields: 12 large muffins

Chocolate Chip Cookies

WOW!!! Chocolate Chip Cookies. I developed this recipe in 1992. I had been entering cookies in the New Mexico State Fair for 2 years and hadn't won a blue ribbon with my chocolate chip cookies. So, I started trying different combinations of ingredients in what I thought was a great recipe. One morning I decided to add a box of instant pudding, Eureka!!! The cookies were even greater than the other recipe. This GREAT recipe won a blue ribbon the first time I entered it and a blue ribbon every year I entered them. Its an easy recipe. Make these GREAT cookies with all your heart n soul and show someone how much you LOVE them.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl cream together

1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Add to the creamed mixture one at a time, and mix well after each.

2 eggs
1 - 3-1/2 oz. box instant vanilla pudding
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Now add until everything is mixed together

2 - 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecan pieces

Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto a non greased cookies sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges and center are lightly brown. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Yields : 4 - 1/2 dozen GREAT cookies