CB's Peanutbutter + Martha Stewart= Happy Valentines Cookies

Local nut roasters extraordinaire!

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Martha Stewart Living Feb 2011 issue

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EXTRAORDINARY 

VALENTINES DAY COOKIES!

True story! Using CB's Nuts Peanut butter in this recipe puts it over the top!! Great ingredients can really elevate any recipe and this is indeed the case here. Thanks CB's Nuts and Martha Stewart Living teams for creating a match made in heaven.

Start this recipe with CB's organic peanut butter for best results

The recipe can be found on MSL's link; http://www.marthastewart.com/356375/peanut-butter-and-jam-heart-cookies

The cookies at their first baking cycles

The trick I use is to use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough and form the cookie before it's chilled.  I flatten the scooped cookie dough gently with the bottom of a wide juice glass. The heart shape is made by indenting your thumb pointing about 1:00, then pointing 11:00. Chill for about 5-10 minutes in the freezer and then into the pre heated oven for 10 minutes.

Adding raspberry jam into the heart indentations

The choice of jam or jelly filling is yours; current, raspberry or strawberry all are gloriously crimson but the strawberry jam can be rather chunky and challenging to work with.  I prefer raspberry jam or current jelly.

Place back into the oven for the final 5 minutes to set the jam and finish toasting the cookies to perfection.

Toasty, nutty, sweet and adorable Valentines Day cookies cooling

At this point, my husband and son miraculously appeared from another room to inquire about the availability of the cookies. (I'm baking these for my son's class as he's now too cool to make handmade cards with his Mom this year but still wants to give his classmates something).  I smile and allow them to snatch one...it's Valentine's Day tomorrow after all!

Think Reese's Peanut butter cup in cookie form but better

So if jam isn't your thing and your knees weaken for chocolate...then I have the answer to fortify you!  I chopped some dark chocolate finely, melted it in a bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds, stirred and back in for 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Using a teaspoon, finesse the melted chocolate into the heart indentations after the initial 10 minute baking cycle and then bake again for another 5 minutes to set 

chocolate.

Dark Chocolate hearts make me smile!

These chocolate hearts are really my husband's favorite and I let him have one of those too. I can't pass up the opportunity to hear "Oh my goodness! These are great Mama-bear!" That's his term of endeerment and I love the look of contentment on his face while he devours the cookie, carefully holding his other hand underneath the cookie hand so that he doesn't miss a crumb. 

My son kisses me goodnight and thanks me for making all these for his classmates and teachers at his school. He loves to watch the pleased faces of the recipients as he proudly passes them out. It fills his cup to share the joy of good food with others. This is one lucky Mama-bear!

Happy Valentine's Day my friends! May you find big and little things in your day, in your life that puffs your hearts with joy.

Chow for now!