well hello, dolly

I made a few of my favorite cookies for Cali’s baptism. As I tested each kind I thought to myself, “This is my favorite cookie.” I came to the realization that my favorite cookie is probably whatever cookie I am putting in my mouth.

This one is an easy bar cookie that goes by the name Hello Dolly Bars or 7 Layer Bars or Magic Layer bars or a few other names and with varying ingredients. It’s gooey, chewy, and scrumptious.

And it’s pretty much 100% bad for you indulgent. Just wanted to throw in that disclaimer.

Hello Dolly Bars

(recipe from The Essential Mormon Cookbook)

1/3 butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans (okay to leave out)

1 cup flaked coconut

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free)

Mix butter and graham crackers.

Press into a 9x13 inch pan.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, pecans, and coconut.

Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the top.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Cut into bars when cool.

Makes 20 bars.

healthier peanut butter cookies

Peanut butter cookies were one treat I could pass up as a child. I wish I was still that way now.

This was actually my first time making peanut butter cookies because of the peanut allergy in our house, but I really, really wanted some cookies.

I found this much lower-fat version with some whole wheat flour in there in my Eating Well Dessert Cookbook.

I thought they were very yummy.

They are best right out of the oven when they are still soft, but they were still good when they cooled down and went mostly crisp.

It did make a lot of cookies though, (4 dozen) so I will probably half the recipe next time.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (from Eating Well Dessert Cookbook)

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose white flour

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped peanuts (i left this out)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, oil, eggs and vanilla; add 5 teaspoons water and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. In a small bowl, stir together white and whole-wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients in to the brown-sugar mixture just until combined.

3. Roll the dough between your palms into 1-inch-balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten the cookies with a fork, (I think peanut butter cookies without the identifying criss-cross should be illegal as Cali has been given them at school before with bad results) Sprinkle with peanuts, pressing them lightly into the dough with your fingers

4. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. (Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days)

95 calories per cookie; 2 grams protein, 3 grams fat (0 grams saturated), 15 grams carbohydrates; 65 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol

cinnamon caramel corn

This recipe originally came from the blog Our Best Bites.

I kind of wish I hadn’t found it because its so addictive, but it is super easy because you make the caramel in the microwave and there is no candy thermometer involved. I have been making it to give away as Christmas gifts.

The original recipe had pecans in it and was drizzled with white chocolate.

I just added cashews and left the chocolate off.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)

1 C cashews

1 C brown sugar

3/4 t cinnamon

1/4 C karo syrup

1 stick real butter (1/2 cup)

1 t vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and cashews in a LARGE bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to the microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

(at all times resist the temptation to lick the hot caramel. IT IS HOT.)

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and cashews and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil. Break into chunks and enjoy.

Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread

I bought a bag of cranberries with nothing in mind, so I had to go searching for recipes.

Scott told me this is the best quick bread I have ever made, so I’m glad I found this recipe.

I wasn’t sure what the cranberries would do just folded into the bread batter, but they made pretty cooked berries that give you a tart little burst of flavor in this yummy sweet and spicy bread.

(This is a different recipe than the one mom used to make)

Pumpkin-Cranberry Quick Bread

Recipe taken from food.com #329550

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

5 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 cups sugar

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

4 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil (I used half applesauce to cut down on some fat)

1/2 cup orange juice or 1/2 cup apple juice

1 1/2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees F

2. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans (I did 1, 9x5 and 3, mini loaves)

3. In a large bowl combine flour with pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

4. In another bowl combine sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, vanilla, oil, and juice. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.

5. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just moistened (do not beat)

6. Gently fold in cranberries

7. Spoon/divide batter between the pans

8. bake for 60-65 minutes or until the loaves test done

9. Cool in pans for 10-12 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely

easy as pie

Once a month we have a “PIE” night. I’ll explain that in my blog sometime.

This recipe is for our family’s favorite pie I’ve made so far.

RAZZLEBERRY PIE:

Go to the store. (I like Smith’s; they have good sales.)

Buy a Razzleberry Pie (you could substitute another pie at this step)

Take the pie home and put it in your freezer

Bake it according to the box when you want it.

Enjoy!

Turkey Noodle Soup

This is a fabulous post-Thanksgiving recipe. You can combine several of your leftovers, including the gravy (what do you do what leftover gravy?)! I altered the recipe just slightly to accommodate what we had in our fridge, but you get the general idea.

Oh, and yes, it tastes delicious.

Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth (I made 30 ozs of broth using bullion)
3 cups water
1 3/4 cups slices carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 (12 ounce) package frozen egg noodles (I used Country Pasta from the pantry)
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas
2 (1 ounce) packages instant chicken gravy mix (I just poured in what I had left over)

Directions
1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth, water, carrots, onion and celery to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the noodles. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes or until noodles are tender.
2. Stir in turkey and peas. Combine gravy mixes and cold water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

kid-friendly cranberry sauce

This stuff isn’t pretty but it sure tastes good.

Was I a weird kid to love cranberry sauce?

Am I still weird because I take cranberry sauce to Thanksgiving dinner and am the only one who eats any?

I had a complete can, minus one serving, of cranberry sauce to use up and looked for some recipes.

After finding a few that said kids would eat it I adapted them to use stuff I already had.

I thought it turned out really yummy and actually has kind of a pudding texture.

With some whipped cream on top it would make a nice light dessert.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

1 can of jellied cranberry sauce

1 small box of orange jello (sugar free worked great)

1 cup of sour cream or yogurt (I used Dannon Light and Fit Vanilla Yogurt)

1 cup boiling water

(I used my immersion blender to mix everything together and it worked like a charm.)

Blend orange jello mix with boiling water.

Blend in cranberry sauce.

Blend in sour cream or yogurt.

Pour into bowl and refrigerate until set. (5 hours or overnight.)