Sweet Peanut Soup Recipe (花生仁汤)

Ingredients:

12 oz. peanuts (skin peeled)
Rock sugar (to taste)
8 cups water
3-4 tablespoons coconut milk (optional)

Method:

Soak the peanuts overnight with water. Make sure all the peanuts are submerged in the water.

The next day, rinse the peanuts thoroughly and transfer them into a pressure cooker with 8 cups of water. Depending on your pressure cooker, you might want to add more or reduce the amount of water accordingly. Use high heat to pressure cook the peanut soup for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook for another 30-40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool until you are able to remove the lid of the pressure cooker. Heat up the sweet peanut soup again with medium to low heat, add rock sugar to taste. Boil it until the peanuts are thoroughly soft. Add the coconut milk towards the end, boil for 1 minute, turn off the heat and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:

The water should reduce to about 6-7 cups after they are done. The soup should be creamy in color, not too watery, but creamy and rich.

From: http://rasamalaysia.com/sweet-peanut-soup/2/

Mexican Chocolate Cutouts

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
  
• 1/4 cup 60% to 70% tub-style vegetable oil spread (just veg oil?)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute blend* equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground chipotle chile pepper
  
• 1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-3/4 cups if using sugar substitute blend)**
  
• 1 recipe Vanilla Icing and/or Chocolate Icing
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine butter and vegetable oil spread; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough, half at a time, to just under 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1- to 2-1/2-inch star-shape or desired shape cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Reroll scraps as necessary. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are firm and centers are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate tops with Vanilla and/or Chocolate Icing as desired.
4. *Sugar Substitutes: Choose Splenda® Sugar Blend for Baking. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar and decrease all-purpose flour to 1-3/4 cups.

Tip

• ** If desired, substitute 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour for 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour.

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 5 - 6 teaspoons milk
  

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla, and enough fat-free milk (5 to 6 teaspoons) to make drizzling consistency.

Vanilla Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 3 - 4 teaspoons milk
  

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough fat-free milk (3 to 4 teaspoons) to make drizzling consistency.

From: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/cookies/mexican-chocolate-cutouts