Oh My Oatmeal Crisp Cookies

These have got to be one of my favourite feel good cookies.  Probably not the healthiest with the butter and sugar but makes up for it with the oatmeal, coconut, whole wheat flour...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Preheat oven to 325oF.

Ingredients:  1 cup of butter,     1 cup of white sugar,     1 cup of brown sugar,     cream these 3 ingredients together and add 1 egg and blend.  Set aside.

In another bowl mix:  1 cup of whole wheat flour,     2 1/2 cups of oats,     1 tsp. baking powder,     1 tsp. baking soda,     1/4 tsp. salt,     3/4 cup of coconut,     dash of vanilla

Mix dry with wet ingredients.  Roll into large 1 inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Makes about 4 dozen (I never get to count them, they seem to disappear quickly).

They come out crisp and yummy just right for sharing with a friend over tea.

Joan's Awesome Healthy Banana Muffins

From my Mom to my other Mom, Joan...my mother-in-law.  I loved this banana muffin recipe the first time I tasted it.  I've made a few tweaks to make it a little healthier but it has the same great taste.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening,      3/4 cup cane sugar,     1 tsp. vanilla,     1 egg,     1/2 tsp. nutmeg,     I cup mashed bananas or 1 1/2 large ones,     pinch of salt,      1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour,      1 tsp. soda dissolved in a little hot water,       1/2 cup to 1 cup of cranberries or raisins

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Spray or oil muffin tin.  Mix flour, salt and nutmeg in a bowl, set aside.  In another bowl mix shortening, sugar, vanilla, egg and bananas.  Combine wet and dry then add soda.  Divide evenly into the muffin tin.  Bake for 30 minutes

You can substitute in half quinoa flour/ half whole wheat for a little protein.

Fabulous!!!

Quinoa Flour Waffles

I have a great new recipe for you to try.  Though it doesn't come from Mom's recipe book she was always about eating healthy and finding new ways of making an old favourite better.

I got this recipe from my pal Wendy and it is awesome...especially if you love light, fluffy, good for you waffles.

2 1/4 cups (560 ml) of Quinoa Flour               2 eggs, well beaten

4 tsp. (20 ml) baking powder                         1 1/4 cups (310 ml) of 1% or 2% milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. (22.5 ml) white or cane sugar         1 cup (250 ml) of water

3/4 tsp. (4ml) salt                                      1/2 cup (125 ml) of vegetable oil

                                                             1 tsp. (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl (I use my blender) and set aside.  In a medium bowl beat eggs, milk, water, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.  Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and blend well to make a thin batter.

Grease or lightly spray your waffle iron with cooking oil and preheat it.  Pour the batter onto the waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions and close.  Remove the waffles when the lid lifts open easily about 5-6 minutes.  Waffles will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and sealed in a container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.  Reheat in the toaster or microwave oven.

My son loves to have these in the morning before school.  It's easy just to pop them in the toaster.

For information about Quinoa check out this link: http://chetday.com/quinoa.html

Apple Crisp

This is a wonderful 'homey' dessert my Mom used to make though I've modified the recipe slightly. . .only slightly.  Now I ask you, how can something made with apples and oatmeal be bad for you.

Ingredients

5-6 medium apples,     1/2 cup flour,     1/2 cup white sugar,     3/4 cup brown sugar,     1/2 cup oatmeal,     cinnamon,     1/4 cup butter,     pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Peel apples and slice into a buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Mix flour, sugar and salt in a bowl.  Cut in butter and mix until it resembles a course meal, add oatmeal, mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle this on top of apples.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  Very simple indeed.

Absolutely wonderful!!!

Homemade Ham Soup

I love to use my slow cooker for homemade soups, so easy to start it off in the morning and keep adding to it throughout the day.

Ingredients

Bone from cooked ham,     carrots,    1 medium onion,     3 celery stalks,     1 can diced tomatoes,     1 small zucchini,     1/4 cauliflower,     3/4 cup orzo pasta (or whatever you have on hand)

Place ham bone in slow cooker and cover with water.  Leave a bunch of meat attached to the bone when you simmer it.  Turn cooker on high and simmer for a couple of hours.  As the ham bone is simmering add one medium onion and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer away.

After a couple of hours of simmering remove bone and meat.  Trim and cut meat and add back to pot...discard bone or give it to the dog.

Chop celery, zucchini, carrots and add to pot, add canned tomatoes as well.  You can add whatever veggies you have or prefer.  I like to add the cauliflower about 1/2 hour before I serve the soup, it is firmer that way.  You can turn your soup down to low if your veggies are cooked.

I cook my pasta on the side and add to the soup when served. . . I don't like it to get mushy.  Cook orzo as directed on package.

Serve with homemade bread or buns and a splash of Worchestershire sauce is a nice flavour booster.

There's nothing like a big pot of homemade soup to warm you on a cold January day.

Cucumber Salad

This is a real simple side salad to make on those hot summer days.  It's light, refreshing and goes perfectly with a beautiful steak.

Ingredients

1 Large cucumber,    onion,     vinegar,     granulated sugar (or healthy substitute like Stevia or Coconut Palm Sugar),     salt,     pepper,

Assembling

Wash and peel cucumber.  If the cucumbers are fresh you can leave the skin on if you prefer it though it looks nicer without.  Slice cucumber in 1/8 thickness place in bowl.  Slice onion in the same fashion, leaving in rings to keep the 'round' theme going.  

Splash on vinegar, just enough to cover cucumbers.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar, salt and pepper.  Let stand for 1/2 - 1 hour before serving.

This is also a great side if you are trying to watch those calories, you can control how much sugar you use.

Chili

To me this is less chili and more of a vegetable tomato stew.  I like lots of veggies and meat.  Serve with a nice garlic bread . . . and it is complete.

Ingredients

2 pounds of hamburg,     sausage (if you have it),     1 can of spaghetti sauce,     2 cans of diced tomatoes,     1 can of mixed beans,     1 can of corn,     1 medium onion,     3 stalks of celery,     mushrooms,     peppers,     chili powder,     red pepper flakes,     basil,     garlic,     olive oil.

I like to use my crock pot to slow cook my chili.  Combine spaghetti sauce, olive oil, tomatoes, beans and corn in slow cooker, turn on low.  In a fry pan brown hamburg, add to slow cooker.

Chop onion, celery, mushrooms, peppers and what ever other veggies you might like to include and add to pot.  Add spices to taste.

Nuts & Bolts

I usually only make these at Christmas time. . . makes them a little more special.  I don't add nuts to mine but you may want to.

Ingredients

1 cup butter,     1 tsp. onion salt,     2 tsp. celery salt,     3/4 tsp. garlic powder,     1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce,     4 cups Cheerios,     4 cups Shreddies,     1/2 pkg. pretzels,     nuts (optional).

Preheat oven to 225F.  Combine Cheerios, Shreddies, pretzels and nuts in a roast pan.  In a glass mixing bowl melt butter in microwave.  Add onion salt, celery salt, garlic powder and worchestershire sauce, stir well.  Pour over cereal mixture in roast pan and stir until well coated.

Bake for 2 hours.  Place in oven for 1 hour stirring half way through.  For the second hour bake uncovered, stirring half way through again.

Cinnamon Rolls

As a little girl I loved to make these with my Mom. . . she would always let me eat the ends before she cooked them.  These ones are made with whole wheat flour.

Ingredients

2 cups flour,        4 1/2 tsp. baking powder,        1/2 tsp. salt,        3 tbsp. shortening,        1 cup milk,        butter,        brown sugar,      cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 425F.  Mix your dry ingredients first (flour, salt and baking powder).  Blend in shortening using a fork until you have a crumbly mixture, add milk.  You now will have a simple dough.

Create a flour bed on your working surface, this will allow you to roll out your dough without it sticking.  Flour your rolling pin too.  Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick.

Spread butter to cover entire surface of dough, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top of this.  Start at one end and begin to roll until you have a long tube.  Cut into 1 inch slices.  Put on greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that I've come across, the one I've been making for over twenty years.  It's the Original Chipits cookie recipe from the back of the Hershey Chipits package.

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar,  1/2 cup white sugar,  2 cups of flour,  1 tsp. baking soda,  1 tsp. salt,  1 cup butter,  2 eggs,  2 tsp. vanilla,  2 cups Hershey Chipits,  1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat open to 350F. Cream together 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.  Beat in 2 eggs and 2 tsp. vanilla.  In another bowl combine 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt.  Gradually blend into creamed mixture.  Stir in 2 cups of chipits and nuts if so desired.

Drop from a small spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Makes about 6 dozen.

Shortbread Cookies

These are the most simple cookie I know of. . . four ingredients and always more than yummy.

Ingredients

1 cup flour,         1/2 cup cornstarch,          1/2 cup icing sugar,          3/4 cup butter          parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Sift all dry ingredients together first  then add to softened butter, mix well, you should end up with a dough.

Roll into 1 inch balls, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten with a fork.  You can also roll out dough to cut shapes if you like.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen.  This is a good recipe to double and these cookies freeze really well.

Cherry Dessert

Here's a favourite I have enjoyed since I was a little girl.  Not sure where my Mom found this one but I'm sure glad she did and it's no bake...you got to like that.

Ingredients

Crust:  2 cups of graham wafer crumbs              4 Tbsp. white sugar              1/2 cup butter            9x12 pan
Filling:  1 pkg. Dream Whip,       1/2 cup of milk,    1/2 tsp. vanilla,    1 cup icing sugar,    1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese.
Topping:  1 can cherry pie filling.

Assembling

Combine graham crumbs and sugar in a bowl.  Melt butter and add to crumbs, stir until mixed well.  With a fork press crumb mixture into the pan until evenly distributed.  Set in fridge.

Mix Dream Whip as directed on package.  Add icing sugar and creamed cheese until blended well.  Pour over crumb crust evenly.

Top with cherry pie filling, cover and set back in fridge until ready to serve.