Peanut Butter Football Cookie

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here… Feb. 3, 2019. Lots to look forward to… the game, the commercials, the party, the food. Here’s a great idea for dessert: A giant football cookie isn't only festive; the rich peanut butter flavor is sure to score big with the fans at your party. Add thick frosting stripes on the ends for a college ball, but leave them off for an official look.

Ingredients

Cookie:

Nonstick cooking spray

Peanut Butter Football Cookie

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 large egg
1 cup smooth Peanut Shop of Williamsburg Peanut Butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch fine salt

Directions

For the cookie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pulse the oats in a food processor or mini chopper until finely ground. Whisk the ground oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Mix the butter and 1 cup of the granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, using either a hand mixer with a large bowl or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture until the dough is well combined.

Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Using your hands, flatten and form the dough into a football shape, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar over the surface. Bake until the cookie is light golden brown and set, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely, about 15 minutes.

For the frosting: Beat the butter until creamy on medium speed in a medium bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt. Beat until thick and creamy. Spoon the frosting into a quart-size zippered bag. Snip a small piece from the corner and pipe to create football laces or any other desired decorations.

From Food Network Kitchens

Gingerbread House Day is Dec.12

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DAY

Gingerbread House Day is observed annually on December 12. A favorite food of an Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis, brought gingerbread to Europe around 992 AD and taught French Christians to bake it. Gingerbread was often used in religious ceremonies and was baked to be sturdy as it was often molded into images of saints. We can thank the Brothers’ Grimm for the idea of a gingerbread house through their tale of Hansel and Gretel. It didn’t take long for the German gingerbread guilds to pick up the idea and put it to a more festive use making snowy cottages made from the spicy-sweet treat. It is believed gingerbread was first baked in Europe at the end of the 11th century when returning crusaders brought back the custom of spicy bread from the Middle East. Ginger was not only tasty; it had properties that helped preserve bread

The Delicious and Colorful History of Gingerbread House Day

It is believed gingerbread was first baked in Europe at the end of the 11th century when returning crusaders brought back the custom of spicy bread from the Middle East. Ginger was not only tasty; it had properties that helped preserve bread. According to a French legend, gingerbread was brought to Europe in 992 A.D. by the Armenian monk and later saint, Gregory of Nicopolis (Gregory Makar). Gingerbread figurines date back to the 15th century and baking human-shaped biscuits was practiced in the 16th century. The tradition of making decorated gingerbread houses started in Germany in the early 1800's. According to certain researchers, the first gingerbread houses were the result of the well-known Grimm's fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. In modern times the tradition has continued in certain places in Europe. In Germany, the Christmas ma)rkets still sell decorated gingerbread before Christmas. (Lebkuchenhous or Pfefferkuchenhaus are the German terms for a gingerbread house.

How to Celebrate Gingerbread House Day

Get the family together, pick up the supplies necessary to make a gingerbread house.. Bake up some gingerbread and start building and decorating your very won gingerbread house.

Abraham Lincoln Proclaims Thanksgiving an Official Holiday During the Civil War

Thanksgiving usually brings up thoughts of the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe celebrating their harvest and friendship together. That famous feast took place in 1621, but it would take more than 200 years for Thanksgiving to become an official holiday in the United States — and under very different circumstances.

In 1863, the nation was halfway through the Civil War. In July of that year, the Battle of Gettysburg took place. That battle alone saw nearly 50,000 casualties. The country was torn apart and the bloody fighting was far from over. On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln would deliver the famous Gettysburg Address. One month earlier, however, Lincoln issued another profound and important proclamation.

At the urging of magazine editor, Sarah Josepha Hale, President Lincoln issued a proclamation that would establish Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday, to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November.

In a time when there was so much strife, turmoil, loss, and division, what could have inspired Lincoln to establish a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise” for the nation? His words are profoundly moving and just as meaningful today as they were when first written.

Washington, D.C.October 3, 1863.

By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

It is no wonder that Abraham Lincoln is one of the most beloved Presidents of the United States in the country’s history, not only for his accomplishments but also for this perseverance and unwavering optimism through such hard times. When the nation was torn in two and war continued, Lincoln was able to speak of thanksgiving, harmony, peace, and union.

Apple Butter Gooey Butter Cake

When you’re looking for an easy make and take dessert for your next get together, look no further than this Apple Butter Gooey Butter Cake with a homemade yellow cake base and an apple butter cream cheese layer.

What is Gooey Butter Cake? It is a super-sweet, rich, St. Louis original treat! The gooey part of the name comes from the gooeyness between the cake and cream cheese layers, as if it’s slightly under baked. It’s more prominent if you serve the cake the same day you baked it while either still warm or at room temperature. If you do refrigerate any leftovers, let the cake sit 15-30 minutes at room temperature before eating. It may not be as gooey at this point, but it’s still a worthy dessert.

There are many versions of Gooey Butter Cake, this version is made with Graves Mountain Apple Butter made from their own apples.

Ingredients
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup Graves Mountain Apple Butter
1 egg
¼ cup (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) unsalted  butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Whipped Cream and ground cinnamon, for serving

Instructions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8x8 square pan.

2.    Make the cake layer: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the egg, melted butter, milk, and vanilla until moistened. Spread evenly in the pan (mixture will be slightly sticky).

3.    Make the filling: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and apple butter until smooth. Beat in the egg then beat in the melted butter and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl then beat in the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

4.    Spread the filling over the cake layer then bake 45-50 minutes or until the center is set (do not overbake as the center should be slightly gooey). Cool completely before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best results, let cake sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before serving.

Graves Mountain Lodge

Graves Mountain Lodge is a family-owned and operated rustic mountain retreat well known for its down home hospitality. The Graves family can be traced back to Jamestown. Captain Thomas Graves sailed the “Mary and Margaret” to Jamestown in 1608, He served as a representative in the Virginia Assembly at Jamestown in 1619 and later sat on the House of Burgesses in the colonial capital of Williamsburg. In 1630, Captain Graves was commissioned to build a fort at Old Point Comfort in Hampton.

Jimmy's family goes back to a son of Captain Graves, Francis, whom was born in Virginia. In 1852, Jimmy’s great-great grandfather, Paschal Graves opened an “ordinary” or inn along the Blue Ridge Turnpike on the land that is now part of the Shenandoah National Park. The Graves ordinary was a natural spotting point for travelers making the 70-mile journey between Gordonsville and New Market. Around 1857, the Graves family moved to a new location, which is where the farm is today.

Graves Mountain Apple Butter

A sturdy log house that was built in the late 1700’s, was added on to over the years, and is now the center of a three-story farm house known as Mountain View. This has been the home place for four generations of the Graves family. For over 100 years, travelers and vacationers enjoyed the hospitality of Mountain View. Inn keeping was in Jimmy’s blood, so he decided to carry on the family tradition of hospitality. He met Rachel Lynn Norman through 4-H showing cattle, and she shared Jimmy’s enthusiasm for the idea of a mountain resort, they married in the fall of 1964. In April of 1965, Graves Mountain Lodge was open to the public.

The Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival: Oct. 6-7, 13-14, and 20-21 would be the perfect time to visit, see the mountains in stunning color and experience the days of yesteryear watching apple butter being cooked in kettles over an open fire. In the meantime, you can enjoy their incredibly smooth, perfectly spiced Apple Butter and other small batch preserves from The Virginia Marketplace.

Smoky Meat and Peanut Butter and Jelly a ‘Perfect Marriage’

If peanut butter and jelly can be so good in a sandwich, could those flavors be transferred into meats?  The answer is yes! Try it on a rack of smoked St. Louis-style pork ribs.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ribs

The sauce is super simple: a cup of creamy peanut butter (We recommend The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg All Natural Peanut Butter), a cup of your favorite fruit preserves (We recommend Graves Mountain small batch preserves), beer (your choice) and a little salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Remove the membrane (often called silverskin) from the inner portion of the ribs, and apply your favorite dry rub (equal parts paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder always works) to both sides of the meat as you would any traditional rack of ribs.
The end result is a bite of pork that mixes the sweet of the sauce with the saltiness of a dry rub, and the smoke infused into the juicy ribs.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Ribs
Makes 6 servings

2 racks St. Louis cut pork ribs
1 lager beer
¼ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Rub

1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Sauce

1 cup fruit preserves (your choice)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup lager beer
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions: Remove excess fat and floppy meat from the ends of the ribs so they are mostly squared up. Remove the fat membrane (often called silverskin) from the inside of the ribs.

Mix the rub ingredients in a small bowl and give a light coating to both sides of the ribs. Refrigerate the ribs for at least 30 minutes, then bring back to room temperature before placing in the smoker.

Set the smoker to an internal temperature between 250-275 degrees. Place the ribs lengthwise in the smoker and smoke for one hour. Open smoker and mop the top side with lager beer (enough to heavily moisten). Turn the ribs 180 degrees so the opposite end of where you started is facing the firebox. Close the smoker and cook another hour.

Assemble the ingredients for the sauce in a large saucepan. Over the firebox, warm the sauce, stirring, until it’s smooth and easily runs off a spoon without sticking.

After the ribs have smoked for two full hours, mop peanut butter and jelly sauce to the top of the ribs. Sprinkle with more lager beer, 1-2 ounces, then wrap the ribs completely in aluminum foil. Cook another hour. Open the smoker lid and carefully remove foil (it will be hot) and discard. Apply another layer of the peanut butter and jelly sauce. Smoke for one more hour.

Ribs should be ready (well beyond the 145 degree internal temperature needed for safe consumption ... hopefully they are in the 180-185 degree neighborhood). Allow ribs to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts as garnish and serve. Adapted from BBQpitboys.com

July is National Ice Cream Month and July 15 is National Ice Cream Day

July is National Ice Cream Month and National Ice Cream Day is the 3^rd Sunday in July. This year it is July 15, 2018.

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" Shout it from the rooftops, because July 15 is National Ice Cream Day! National Ice Cream Day is observed each year on the 3rd Sunday in July and is a part of National Ice Cream Month. Although ice cream isn’t sold on The Virginia Marketplace, we have products that will add to your ice cream eating pleasure.

It is believed that ice cream was first introduced into the United States by Quaker colonists who brought their ice cream recipes with them.  Their ice cream was sold at shops in New York and other cities during the colonial era. in    Others say it was brought to the colonies from Europe and quickly became a favorite of the wealthy. It would remain in the hands of the elite until the 19th century when improvements in technology allowed ice cream to be mass produced. The rest, as they say, is history.

Some facts about ice cream:

·         Ben Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson enjoyed ice cream.

·         1813 -First Lady Dolley Madison served ice cream at the Inaugural Ball.

·         1832 – African American confectioner, Augustus Jackson, created multiple ice cream recipes as well as a superior technique to manufacture ice cream.

·         1843 – Philadelphian, Nancy Johnson, received the first U.S. patent for a small-scale hand-cranked ice cream freezer.

·         1920 – Harry Burt puts the first ice cream trucks on the streets.

The celebrations were originated by Joint Resolution 298, which was sponsored by Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of Kentucky on May 17, 1984. The resolution proclaimed the month of July 1984 as "National Ice Cream Month" and July 15, 1984, as "National Ice Cream Day". In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month and established National Ice Cream Day as the third Sunday in the month of July.

Americans consume more ice cream than any other nation in the world. So HOW about trying something new and make an ice cream pie with peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie
Ingredients:

15 Oreo cookies (crushed)
½ cup butter (melted)

1 quart vanilla ice cream (softened- not melted)
1 cup The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg Chunky Peanut Butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup Virginia peanuts (crushed)

¼ cup chocolate syrup

Directions:

Combine Oreos and butter and mix well.

Press into piedish to form a crust going ¾ of the way up the sides.

Mix ice cream, peanut butter & vanilla until well blended and smooth.

Pour into crust
Freeze for a few hours (until frozen)

Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top and drizzle chocolate syrup right before serving.