Double Oat Breakfast Cookies (Untried) Potentially healthy with changes

1/2 c butter, softened

1/2 c smooth peanut butter

1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/4 c water

1 egg

1 T vanilla

1 1/2 c flour

1 c rolled oats

1 c golden raisins (or chocolate chips)

3 c Cheerios

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat butter & peanut butter for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking soda & salt, beat until combined.  Add water, egg and vanilla until combined.  Beat in flour just until combined.  Beat in oats as much as possible.  Stir in raisins and cereal.

Drop large spoons fulls about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Flatten a bit and bake 10-12 minutes.  Cool on sheet for a few minutes before transferring to wire rack.  Can be frozen up to 3 months.  Last only 5 days if left out.

Try maple syrup instead of sugar.  Would whole wheat flour work instead of white flour?  How about canola oil versus the butter??  Add some flax seed?  Maybe almonds?

 

Original idea from Better Homes & Gardens

 

Banana Quick Bread (untried)

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups mashed bananas*
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped nuts or seeds (optional)

Sift together dry ingredients. In separate bowl, beat eggs; add oil and sugar; cream together. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix well. (Stir in nuts, if using.) Spoon into two well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Fasting Bread, Black Beans & Rice, Ash Wednesday

There is a great website I’ve been visiting now for sometime, but have not cooked any of her dishes.  I’m going to try two of them soon though.  She has a recipe for a fasting bread and a Black Bean & Rice recipe that look good.

On Ash Wednesday, fasting in this household means 2 small meals that together do not equal a normal meal and one regular sized meal (for us that is our dinner).  I think I’ll make the fasting bread on Tuesday so that we can have that for breakfast and lunch on Ash Wednesday.  Then fix the black beans & rice for dinner and serve along with some fasting bread.

Time for Lenten Food Thinking

Lent is quickly coming and I need to give some thought to our Lenten menu.  For five years, I’ve been such a slacker in regards to making Lent special and making it more of what it should be.  But this year I am bound and determined to put some thought into our menus and plans!

Creamy Mac N Cheese

Ingredients:

16 ounces elbow macaroni or small shell pasta
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed*
20 cranks of black pepper (or 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
12 ounces (3 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

8 oz (2 cups) gruyere cheese
Additional cheddar, parmesan, or bread crumbs** for topping

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Place pasta in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan, combine cayenne, garlic, crushed mustard, black pepper, and butter over medium heat. When butter starts to sizzle, add the flour and stir until mixed and bubbly.

3. Add 2 cups of the milk and whisk with the butter mixture over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Whisk constantly to avoid lumps or scorching.

4. Turn off heat and whisk in remaining 1 cup of milk and the cup of cream, along with the parsley and salt.

5. Crack eggs into a separate mixing bowl and whisk briskly, until they are no longer very “stringy”. Whisking constantly, pour a half cup of the hot creamy sauce in with the eggs. Continue whisking and adding sauce to the eggs, until you’ve added about 2 cups of the sauce in with the eggs. Then pour the eggs into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce, whisking to incorporate.

6. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in shredded cheeses. Spread into a lightly greased baking dish.

This recipe makes a very full 9×13-inch dish, so you can also divide it between a couple dishes for a thinner layer (I like to do a 9×13 dish and an 8×8 dish).

7. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, or bread crumbs. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

This casserole can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for a couple days before baking. If it’s been in the fridge a couple days, however, you may need to drizzle about 1/2 cup of additional milk over top before baking, as the pasta tends to absorb more liquid as it sits.

Maple Cookies

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup real maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies in before cooking

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, syrup and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir into mixture until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly.
  3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool on wire rack.

Black Beans and Sausage

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium carrots, diced small
2 shallots, diced small
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
1/4 cup plain yogurt, for serving

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add carrots and shallots to skillet and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add black beans and broth and bring mixture to a boil. Add sausage, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until carrots are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve with more parsley and a dollop of yogurt.

Homemade Pancakes

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Glazed Winter Squash

5 cups butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
2T fresh parsley, minced
1T fresh chives, minced
1/2t salt
1t black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Butter 2 quart baking dish

In a large bowl, add squash. In small pan over medium heat melt butter. Once melted whisk in syrup, garlic, parsley and chives. Add squash and season with salt and pepper, toss to coat. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake for another 30 minutes or until squash is tender.