Microwave the b.u.t.ter in a microwave-safe mixing bowl for approximately 90 seconds on HIGH to melt it. Mix in the brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until they"re thoroughly blended.

Measure out the peanut b.u.t.ter. (I spray the inside of my measuring cup with Pam so it won"t stick.) Add it to the bowl and mix it in. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir it all up. Add the chopped salted peanuts and mix until they"re incorporated.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each ingredient. Mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Form the dough into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s with your impeccably clean hands and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet. (If the dough is too sticky to form into b.a.l.l.s, chill it for an hour or so, and then try again.) Make an indentation in the center of the dough b.a.l.l.s with your thumb. Spoon in a bit of jam, making sure it doesn"t run over the sides of the cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: Approximately 7 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size.

Hannah"s Note: If you happen to run out of fruit jam and you have cookies left to fill, put a few chocolate chips in the indentation. You"ll have to call those cookies PBCs, and they"re wonderful!

Tracey likes her PBJs with strawberry jam, Andrea prefers apricot, Bill"s wild about blueberry, and Mother loves them with peach. I prefer to eat one of each, just to test them, of course.

PEANUT b.u.t.tER MELTS.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup melted b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

2 cups white (granulated) sugar52

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

cup mola.s.ses (2 Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 and teaspoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

1 cup peanut b.u.t.ter (either smooth or crunchy, your choice)

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

2 and cups flour (don"t sift pack it down when you

measure it)

Microwave the b.u.t.ter in your microwave-safe mixing bowl to melt it. Add the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the mola.s.ses. Stir until the mixture is thoroughly blended, then add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

Measure out the peanut b.u.t.ter. (I spray the inside of my measuring cup with Pam so it won"t stick.) Add it to the bowl and mix it in. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir until they"re incorporated.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition.

Form the dough into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s with your impeccably clean fingers and arrange them on a cookie sheet that"s been greased, sprayed with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, or covered with parchment paper. Place 12 cookies on a standard-size sheet. (If the dough is too sticky to form into b.a.l.l.s, chill it for 20 or 30 minutes and then try again.) Flatten the b.a.l.l.s with a fork in a crisscross pattern. (If the fork sticks, either spray it with Pam or dip it in flour.) Bake at 375 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: 4 to 5 dozen delicious cookies, depending on cookie size.

Hannah"s Note: Bill"s favorite PBJ snack is to spread jam on one cookie and stack another cookie on top. Mother likes PBFs better (that"s fudge frosting between the cookie layers.) PECAN CHEWS.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 cup b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

3 cups brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten (just whip them up with a fork in a gla.s.s)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups finely chopped pecans

4 cups flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Add the beaten eggs and mix until they"re thoroughly combined.

Mix in the salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, and pecans. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition. Continue mixing until the flour is thoroughly distributed.

Form the dough into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s with your impeccably clean fingers. Place the dough b.a.l.l.s on a greased cookie sheet, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet. (You can also spray the cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper.) Press the dough b.a.l.l.s down with the back of a metal spatula.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes.

Let the cookies set up on sheet for 2 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Hannah"s Note: There"s no need to keep brown sugar in stock. It can be easily made with white sugar and mola.s.ses, 1/8 cup mola.s.ses for every 3 cups of white sugar. (That"s how they manufacture it, really. And it"ll save you from having to deal with all those lumps.) Just add the mola.s.ses to the white sugar and stir until it is thoroughly and evenly mixed. there"s no problem if your recipe calls for dark brown sugar, or light brown sugar. Just mix in mola.s.ses until it"s the right color.

Yield: 8 to 10 dozen, depending on cookie size.

PECAN DIVINES (ANDREA"S FAVORITES) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

2 cups melted b.u.t.ter (4 sticks, one pound)

3 cups white sugar

1 and cups brown sugar

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking soda