Favorite Cold Weather Cookies

These are my favorite non-chocolate cookies.  (I love chocolate above all other things!)  The sugar and spice in them are perfect for the holiday season.

Molasses-Spice Cookies

Molasses-Spice Cookies

(from The Best Recipe cookbook)

2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulphured molasses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1.  Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and spices together in a bowl; set aside.
2.  Cream butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with mixer at medium speed.  Add egg, vanilla and molasses.  Beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
3.  Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
4.  Place 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.  Working with 2 Tbs. of dough each time, roll dough into 1 3/4 inch balls.  Roll balls in sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheets (I use parchment paper lined cookie sheets), spacing 2 inches apart.
5.  Bake two cookie sheets at a time, on upper and lower middle racks, reversing positions half way through cooking time, until outer edges begin to set and centers are soft and puffy, 11-13 minutes.  Cool cookies on sheets 2-3 minutes then transfer to racks.

Gluten-free - What's a gluten?

I make this recipe because it is delicious, not because it is gluten-free.  For those avoiding gluten, you must try these treats.  I like the hearty texture of the quinoa flour and the almond butter.  It's an easy recipe to whip up, and worth the effort of grinding quinoa.  Enjoy!

Almond Butter and Quinoa Blondies

(From: EatingWell Magazine March/April 2013)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth or crunchy natural almond butter
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup quinoa flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper (or foil), allowing it to slightly overhang opposite ends. Coat with cooking spray.

Beat butter and almond butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk quinoa flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it, 25 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool in the pan for 45 minutes. Using the parchment (or foil), lift the whole panful out and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares. Let cool completely before storing.

*To make quinoa flour, purchase pre-washed quinoa and grind it to a powder in a clean coffee grinder.

1 square = 147 calories; 9 g fat(3 g sat); 2 g fiber; 15 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 7 mcg folate; 21 mg cholesterol; 11 g sugars; 10 g added sugars; 82 IU vitamin A; 0 mg vitamin C; 51 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 73 mg sodium; 101 mg potassium

Seriously...add the nuts!

Ok I get it, some people don't like nuts in their chocolate chip cookies.  If this describes you then don't make this recipe.  If you aren't afraid of nuts, these may be the most delicious chocolate chip cookies you will ever have so go ahead and give 'em a try.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

(from Leah's kitchen)

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 1/2 cup oatmeal
2 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or place parchment paper on cookie sheets.
Combine flour, salt, soda, and baking powder in small bowl and whisk to break up clumps.
Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer.  Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and beat until creamy. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and beat until combined.  By hand, stir in walnuts, oatmeal and chocolate chips.
Drop spoonfuls of dough 2" apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until done.  The tops do not brown much so test doneness by checking the bottom of a cookie to see if it is browned.  Remove from oven an let sit on cookie sheet 1 min. then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Yield 4-5 dozen.

Too Many Bananas!

I can't stand to waste food so what's a girl to do when 4 bananas are really ripe?  Make banana bread, with a twist.  I happened to have all the ingredients (finally a use for those flax seeds!).  I always keep some plain yogurt in the fridge for just this kind of occasion.  The result was quite delicious!

Peanut butter Banana Bread

Peanut butter Banana Bread

(from Cooking Light, Oct 2010)

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed (I buy whole flaxseeds and grind in a coffee grinder)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray (I greased and floured the pan). Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

Always on hand

Here is a healthy recipe I can make whenever I haven't been to the grocery store in a while.  It is derived from some basics I always keep in stock:  bacon,  onions, sweet potatoes, frozen edamame and cans of corn.

Sweet Potato and Edamame Hash

Sweet Potato and Edamame Hash

(adapted from Southern Living, April 2010)

2 slices of thick bacon
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (12-oz.) package uncooked frozen, shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn (if using canned corn, add it near the end of cooking time)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher or table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Add oil to a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until done.  Remove bacon from pan to drain on a paper towel.  Add onion to pan and cook 5 min.  Add sweet potatoes and sauté 5 minutes more.  Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.  Stir in edamame and remaining ingredients and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Chop cooked bacon and stir into vegetables.

A match made in heaven

Blue cheese and fresh figs make a delicious appetizer.  When the figs are in season I usually keep them in the fridge with a wedge of blue cheese.  Just slice the fig in half long ways and place a chunk of cheese on top for a tasty treat.  With this combination in mind, I recently created this yummy chicken.

Chicken with blue cheese & figs,
cauliflower rice, & sautéed zucchini

Chicken with Blue Cheese & Fresh Figs

4 boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
salt
pepper
flour
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 oz. blue cheese
½ cup wine (red is preferred but white will work fine)
½ cup chicken broth
6-8 figs, each cut into 4-6 pieces
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Tbs. honey

Mix rosemary and thyme and set aside.

Place chicken between two pieces of wax paper and pound out to ½” thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet.  If chicken is large, you can cut in half horizontally and then pound lightly to get uniform thickness.

Add enough olive oil to lightly cover bottom of frying pan and heat on medium high heat.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken then dredge in flour.

Using tongs, add chicken to hot oil in pan and cook 4 min on one side. Flip chicken to cook other side 3-4 minutes more.  (Add more olive oil if pan is dry.)  Sprinkle chicken with half of herb mixture and flip over to quickly sear.  Turn back over and add a slice of blue cheese to each chicken breast. Remove from pan and place in 200 degree oven or cover with large lid to keep warm while making pan sauce.

Add wine to pan and scrape up browned bits.  Add broth, figs, garlic and remaining herbs and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add honey and cook 1 minute or until sauce is thick.

Pour fig sauce over blue cheese covered chicken and serve.

Chocolate & Pecans & Bourbon - Oh my!

This is my all-time favorite dessert!  In high school, a friend's mother made the most amazing Kentucky Bourbon pie and I spent years trying to find a recipe to recreate that deliciousness.  Southern Living magazine came to the rescue.  I can't get enough of this pecan pie on steroids.  If you love chocolate and if you love nuts...this one is for you.

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

(adapted from Southern Living magazine)

1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I use 1/4 cup mini chips and 3/4 cup regular chips)
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
4 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons cornmeal (not cornmeal mix)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust.

Stir together corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk one-fourth of hot corn syrup mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot corn syrup mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.

Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool pie completely on a wire rack.