Okay, so this is a highly carb filled and baking Saturday!  I started off making bread because my mother-in-law mentioned last night she wanted to make bread today. After realizing my father-in-law had done a self fix on his Bosch mixer kneading attachment, I opted to knead the dough by hand so as to avoid having a possible hazardous situation ;). I then had to bake cookies for an event tonight. My mother-in-law then came in and started to make ojalda (Panamanian fried bread). I, of course, couldn’t say no to that!  I am thinking, though, that the homemade pasta I had my mind set on trying out later today might have to wait for another day. You see, I have been researching pasta machines and looking at recipes. Well, last night I found out my mother-in-law has been holding out on me…she has a pasta machine and hasn’t ever even taken it out of the box!!! What a shame. I explained that we were definitely going to have to remedy that very soon! I can’t wait to try it out! That will have to be a post for a different day though. For now, today’s post for dairy free Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies will just have to do. I know, bummer. But they are so very good. Of course, anyone can make them with milk so they are dairy filled, but I will leave that choice up to you!  Too bad we won’t get to eat all of them (although with everything else going on I did forget to “fork” the last batch, so we will HAVE to keep those imperfect looking ones at home)! 🙂  Enjoy! -Shelley

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies:

3/4 c creamy peanut butter

1/2 c shortening

1 1/4 c packed brown sugar

3 T coconut milk (or use regular milk or even water for that matter if you want)

1 T vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 c whole wheat flour

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 t salt

*Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

*Combine in a bowl whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda and mix well.

*In a separate bowl combine peanut butter, shortening, egg, vanilla, coconut milk, and brown sugar and mix well.

*Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients.  Mix well.

*Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit your baking sheet/sheets.  If you don’t realize what the purpose of parchment paper is and you do try this out…you will never go back!  That is unless you run out, and then you will be sorry you ran out.  The parchment paper keeps your baked goods from sticking to your pans and makes clean up a cinch!  I have heard someone say that they think parchment paper is quite possibly the best thing since sliced bread!  It is a great thing to have on hand in your kitchen though!

*Drop by rounded spoonfuls on your baking sheet and then “fork” them.  “Forking” the cookie dough is flattening slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes.  Allow to cool a couple of minutes and then cool on a wire rack completely.  Eat away!