0 Healthier Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

just a little "HEALTHY"...

and a bunch of  good-for-ya "DELICIOUS"...

sometimes "healthy" and "delicious" don't fit in the same sentence.  these little pea-nutty, oatie, cranberry nuggets are just right...breakfast, snack, late nibble...whenever.  

they're just not as dangerous as the full-phat version...sure peanut butter is full of fat, and brown sugar really isn't better for you than white sugar...but the oats are there to make you feel good about it...right?...

COME ON...YOU'RE EATING FRUIT AND NUTS, OATS AND FLAX.

it's like a P B & J packed with good-for-ya OATS and FLAX.  you have to feel a little righteous nibbling on a cookie that you know won't kill ya if you happen to have more than a few.

SEMI HEALTHY PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES

check out the original recipe with comments at Taste of Home by Marilyn Blankshien

adapted with a few extra goodies

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 and 1/4 cups quick oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tbsp flax seed

dash of cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

NOTE...some said they weren't sweet enough, so go ahead....taste your dough or bake one and check it out.  remember....it's supposed to be a little healthy!

in a small bowl, cream peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  beat in the egg and vanilla.

add the oats, flax, cinnamon and baking soda to the creamed mixture.  mix well.  theow in your cranberries and mix a little more.

drop by large tablespoons 2 in. apart onto greased (or parchment) baking sheets.  flatten slightly... use a fork dipped in flour for the peanut butter cookie effect.  bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes.   remove to wire rack to cool.  store in airtight container.  they keep for quite a while in the fridge in a ziploc.  

0 Padma's Indian Ground Beef and Veal comfort food.

if you're up early like me (5 am !),  you should really try and catch "The Melting Pot" on the new Cooking Channel.  it's quite raw because most of the shows are dated 2000.  i like it because there's no showmanship...it's all about the food and the recipes.  sometimes it's Rocco and Cat Cora, but i've seen Padma on a few times.  i happened upon it a few weeks ago and caught the beautiful Padma Lakshimi cooking some of her childhood favorites.  her mother used to throw this recipe together for an easy kid friendly comfort meal. Padma referred to it as...

INDIAN SLOPPY JOEs.

i knew i had to give it a try.  i've made it 3 times since then...DELICIOUS !!! and it IS pure comfort food.  the kind you can't stop eating right out of the pan.  the recipe makes a good amount and reheats really well.  right now i have some in the freezer and i'll test that out next week to see how well it takes to freezer storage...not that you WILL have any left to freeze.

this is a great recipe to introduce kids or "simple eaters" to new flavors.  some people shy away from Indian food due to the major spices going on, but this one is quite tame.  as you'll see in my notes i added quite a bit more Garam Masala.  i find all Garam Masalas to be different, so use your own discretion.

KEEMA...INDIAN SPICED GROUND VEAL AND BEEF WITH PEAS

from Padma Lakshimi's Mom

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion minced

8 oz ground veal

8 oz. ground lean beef

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 firm ripe tomatoes, diced

1 Tbsp minced ginger root...or more if you like it

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 tsp minced fresh green chilis, or to taste

3 cups frozen peas

1 lemon, juiced, or to taste

2-3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro, or more to taste

Indian flatbreads or tortillas, as an accompaniment

NOTES...i used about 1 full Tbsp Garam Masala

more ginger root

jalapeno pepper...about 1/2 diced

3 cups of peas is ALOT !...i used 1 full cup

Directions

In a nonstick skillet set over moderately high heat, warm the oil until hot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add the veal, beef, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring, until no longer pink. Add the garlic, tomatoes, ginger root, Garam Masala, and chilies, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes more, or until flavors blend. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro and correct seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Either transfer to a bowl and serve with warm rotis or tortillas or spoon Keema down center of bread and roll up like a burrito

0 ON-THE-GO...Breakfast Cookies

a fun way to catch breakfast if you're always in a hurry to get out the door.  these babies are quite tasty and they really DO fill you up.  they have all the right "good-for-you" breakfast ingredients ...

CEREAL, BACON AND EGGS

as you know, i'm always on the hunt for fun breakfast ideas.  i came across this idea while aimlessly googling around and found a site called Mr. Breakfast...which then led me to the original recipe from Jennifer at her blog Cookin' in the 'Cuse.   i knew these sounded right up my alley...being that there is bacon involved... so i took her recipe and added a few more healthy goodies.

ON-THE-GO BREAKFAST COOKIES

slightly adapted form Cookin' in the 'Cuse 

1/2 lb bacon...6-10 strips

1/2 cup butter...i used 5 Tsp butter and 3 Tsp bacon fat

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup soft packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup white whole wheat flour...AP flour ok

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 cups multi-grain cereal...i used Fiber One Flakes

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp flax

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp maple extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook bacon until very crisp, drain well (reserve bacon fat if using) and break into 1/2 inch pieces.  Beat together butter, bacon fat (if using) and both sugars till light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and the extracts  Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda; mix into butter mixture.  Stir in bacon, flax-optional, multi-grain flakes and cranberries. 

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Space 2 inches apart.  Bake for 15-18 minutes.  Remove to rack to cool--about 2 minutes, then remove from rack.

0 Bacon Fat Spice Cookies

these BACON FAT SPICE COOKIES are from...

"fat"

an appreciation of a misunderstood ingredient, with recipes   

by Jennifer McLagan

if you don't have this book BUY IT !...

if you've never heard of this book...PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.

it needs top billing on your holiday wish list...

this book deserves a spot on your shelves.  i don't know about you, but i just don't buy to many cook books anymore.  i seem to look up everything on the internet...sad, but true.  i really feel this one is worth the purchase and deserves it's place in the kitchen.

i DO believe FAT is a misunderstood ingredient.  i was afraid of it for years...then i saw the light.  PORK FAT RULES!...and 

everything IS better with butter...grandma wasn't messin' around.

these cookies are delicious AND they're a  really good conversation piece at a party.  mine turned out extra BACON-ie flavor with a real sweet savory punch.  my adventurous foodie friends really liked these alot and wanted the recipe, but i must say the powerful flavors scared a few people off...once again, i have to stop hanging around those "PANSY PALETTE PEOPLE".

right out of the oven these are crisp around the edges and a little soft in the center...even a few days later they were still delicious.  i reeeeeally enjoyed them and i think the maple icing helped the general population understand the cookie a little better.

BACON FAT SPICE COOKIES

 by Jennifer McLagan

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup bacon fat (from about 1 lb. bacon)

2 Tbsp molasses

1 egg

NOTE...i used fat from applewood smoked bacon and i thought it gave a REALLY bacon-ie good flavor...i mean reeeeally bacon-ie.

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt and spices in a food processor and pulse to mix.  add BACON FAT, molasses, and egg and pulse until the mixture forms a soft dough.

take level Tbsp of the dough and roll into balls.  place the balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  using a fork, flatten the balls slightly, and sprinkle them with the remaining Tbsp of sugar.

bake the cookies until they are beginning to brown around the edges, 10 - 12 minutes.  let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack.

store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

NOTE...i also used a little swoosh of maple icing. 

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk or cream

2 tsp corn syrup

1/4 tsp maple extract

mix milk and sugar until smooth then add corn syrup and extract.  if it's too thick ad a little corn syrup at a time.  i put in a ziploc and cut the tip for quick and easy no-fuss icing jobs.

0 Betty Crocker's Peanut Butter Cookies

good ol'Betty...sometimes you just have to refer to that big old Betty Crocker red 3 ring binder that some might consider an eye sore in your beautiful repertoire of cook books.  Pages are missing and out of order, but some how you can always find just what you need.....come on...every kitchen has one, or at least every kitchen SHOULD have one.

last weekend i got  a quiet hint from the cookie monster in the house, "hmmmm.....a simple peanut butter cookie would be nice...".  well, i got the hint.  so off i went looking for the best peanut butter cookie recipe i could find.  there are sooooo many peanut butter cookie recipes out there that i got dizzy looking at them all.  i walked away and almost put off the idea all together....a light bulb went off !...i went to the kitchen and grabbed for Betty.  i knew she would have THE classic recipe and she wouldn't fail or fall short...i was right...

THESE ARE CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES ALL THE WAY !

BETTY CROCKER'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

out of her "old school" 3-ring recipe book

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter...i like chunky

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 margarine or butter...softened

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour...i used white whole wheat

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt


optional...1/2-3/4 cup MILK chocolate chips...LARGE Ghirardelli are great

mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, margarine and egg.  stir in remaining ingredients.  cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

heat oven to 375 degrees.  shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls...NOTE-i rolled them in sugar YUM!...place about 3 inches apart on ungreased (or parchment covered) cookie sheet.  flatten in criss cross pattern with fork dipped in flour (or sugar).  bake until lightly brown 9-12 minutes.  cool 2 minutes, remove from cookie sheet...i cooled on rack

makes about 2 1/2 to 3 dozen depending on how big you roll.

0 West African Chicken Stew

this is by far one of the most delicious recipes i have come across lately.  not only is it one of my new favorites, it's an instant winner with everyone else.  first thought for most is...chicken and peanut butter?  some "pansy palettes" are not so ready to try as others, BUT once they try that first curious bite...it's all over...

actually IT'S ALL GONE !!!

no kidding...my sister-in-law was here (for 24 hours) and i had a fresh batch in the fridge.  i didn't tell her what was in it, i just said it was interesting and "West African"... she was game for a bite...it was ALL GONE by the next morning.  my mother, the namesake of "pansy palette", couldn't keep her fork out of the pot.  now every time we come home from Cost-co with a roast chicken she asks if i would whip up "that yummy chicken pea-nutty thing"...i've even eaten it cold because i couldn't wait for it to be warmed...really you must try this one.

i came across this by luck.  i was on the hunt for some "lo-carb" recipes and found a great blog.

Kalyn's Kitchen.  she has some delicious lo-carb, lo-glycemic, South Beach friendly recipes...AND she introduced me to this wonderful WEST AFRICAN STEW.  (she adapted it from a recipe by  Tony Rosenfield with his 150 ways to use a roast chicken) 

i have copied the recipe for your convenience, but please visit her blog and get her info on this recipe and i'm sure you'll find other great guilt-free goodies.

West African Chicken and Peanut Stew with Chiles, Ginger, and Green Onions
(Makes 4-6 servings, recipe adapted from 150 Things to Make with Roast Chicken and 50 Ways to Roast It by Tony Rosenfield.)

1-2 T olive or canola oil (the recipe called for 2 T, but I think you could use less)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion (could also use regular onion)
1 T finely minced ginger root (I wouldn't use ginger from a jar for this dish)
2 tsp. finely minced jalapeno (I used pickled jalapenos which worked fine. Increase if you want it spicy.)
salt to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp. sea salt)
1 tsp. chile powder
1 cup chicken stock (chicken broth from a can is fine)
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter (use natural peanut butter without added sugar for South Beach Diet)
2 T tomato paste
1 T cider vinegar
3 cups diced, cooked chicken (use white meat or carefully remove fat from dark meat for South Beach Diet)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3-4 green onions (scallions) thinly sliced

Finely chop the red onion, ginger, and jalapeno, and roughly chop the chicken. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add finely diced onion, ginger, and jalapenos, season with salt, and saute about 2 minutes. Add the chile powder, stir into other ingredients, and saute about 1 minute more.

Add chicken stock, peanut butter, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar, stir, and bring to a slight boil. As soon as it starts to boil, lower heat to a very gentle simmer, add roughly chopped chicken, gently stir to combine, and let simmer 10-15 minutes. (Resist the urge to stir it very much, or the chicken will shred apart, which you don't want here.)

While mixture simmers, wash, dry, and slice green onions. After 10-15 minutes, gently stir again if the oil from the peanut butter has separated. Serve hot, with a generous handful of green onion slices on each serving.

0 Double Chocolate-Espresso Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Filling

so now i'm way into this sandwich cookie thing.  maybe i'm a little late, but it seems i've rediscovered a gold mine.  how to make someone happy?...how to turn a frown upside down?...how to win friends and influence people ???...

just give them a delicious perfectly moist, yet crunchy cookie with a soft butter cream filling and you'll see the change happen before your eyes.  all the sudden no worries, the world stops, everything is beautiful, care-free thoughts, you have done no wrong...EVER !...

why, how could you if you, yourself,  have created heaven in one delectable bite...?

this one is a crowd favorite...well ALL of them are crowd favorites, but these flavors are familiar to most...CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER.  you really can't go wrong.....you do, however, have the opportunity to make a good thing BETTER. 

Double Chocolate Cookie by Sweet Melissa Patisserie...i think these are the best i've ever had so i started there with her base recipe. i adapted the recipe a little using white wheat flour, milk choc. chips instead of semi sweet and added some instant espresso for a little kick.  i have also, in the past, made these with a little cayenne pepper...yum !  the filling started with a Martha Stewart recipe, but...can you believe Martha's didn't work so well as written????!!!!...so i had to add a little milk.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SANDWICH COOKIES W/PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

original recipe from Sweet Melissa's Patisserie and slightly adapted

1 cup flour (i used white whole wheat flour)

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup MILK CHOCOLATE LARGE SIZE chips
1 tsp instant espresso powder

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, mixing well. Stir in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in three batches, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and cherries. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Refrigerate the dough for a few hours until firm. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Roll out into 2 uniform logs about 12 inches long. Refrigerate it until firm enough to slice, about 1 hour.  my logs were NOT 12 inches, make them however short and stubby you want...i think these cookies are best LARGE

Position a rack in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Cut the logs into 1 inch slices and place 1 ½ inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the dough looks just baked. The cookies should be tender, so do not over bake.  i suggest doing a tester.

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

2 cups powdered sugar

6 Tbsp softened unsalted butter

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

might need...2 Tbsp milk or cream

mine didn't come together and become spreadable until i added the milk

blend in mixer until it comes together and looks creamy

use right away or cover with plastic wrap.  can be refrigerated and brought back to room temp to use later.