Healthy Cookies

 Healthy cookies - is there such a thing?  That's debatable.  But with that said, these are pretty healthy.  It's not exactly love at first bite, but they grow on you.  I really liked them and didn't feel so blah after eating 3 at a time.  They are a fun, healthy snack and would be great for after school.  I got the recipe from Trainer Momma.

Healthy Cookies

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together.  Spoon onto cookie sheets sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Other mix-in options:  raisins, craisins, flax seed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, walnuts, anything really.

This batch made 53 cookies.  That makes it 88 calories each.

Butter Dips

Anything with butter in its name has to be good right? This is a quick bread recipe that is full of flavor. You can whip these little delights up in under 20 min (including baking time) and they will add so much to a meal.

Butter dips

¼ cup butter

2 cup flour

2 t sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t salt

2/3 cup milk

garlic salt

parmesan cheese

Turn oven on 450 9x9 pan. Put butter in pan and melt. Combine dry ingredients, add milk stir until forms. Roll dough into 9x9 square and cut into bread stick shape. Dip them into the melted butter (make sure and get both sides. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 min.

I made them to go with this soup.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

4 cups cubed potatoes

1 chopped onion

3 cups chicken broth

Cook until potatoes are almost done.

3-5 cups fresh or frozen chopped broccoli (steam just a little bit till tender)

1 cup butter

1 cup flour

4 cups cream, or half and half or milk (you may need more).

2 cups graded cheese

In big pan melt 1 cup butter and 1 cup flour, mix with wire whip until bubbly. Add 4 cups cream, or half and half or milk. Cook until desired consistency. Then add 2 cups graded cheese. When melted add veggie mixture and serve.

Pasta Spinach Salad

A couple of weeks ago, our nephew got baptized and Brett's mom brought this salad to the luncheon afterwards.

It was love at first sight and then love again at first bite.

It's one of the best pasta/spinach/chicken salads that I've ever had.

I got the recipe and made it for the Super Bowl gathering at Ryan and Jen's house.

4-5 chicken breasts, grilled and cubed
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 can black olives (I left those out)
1/2 cup Craisins
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 package baby spinach

*Toss together and add this dressing:

1 cup oil
1 1/2 Tbs. red onion
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1 Tbs. poppy seeds

*Blend in blender for 2 minutes.

*Refrigerate salad and dressing separately until ready to serve.  Add dressing right before serving.  After adding dressing (you might not need all of it) sprinkle sugared pecans or walnuts on the top.  You can make them yourself or just buy some honey-roasted pecans or walnuts in the baking aisle.

SLOW COOKER STICKY WINGS

I got this recipe from my daughter-in-law, Becky. Just in time for the Super Bowl. My little 2 year old granddaughter, Sadie can eat more of these than her 3 brothers put together. You can adjust the "heat" with the addition or subtraction of the cayenne pepper.

Slow-Cooker Sticky Wings

Serves 12 as an appetizer
In step 3, the oven rack should be 10 to 12 inches from the broiler element. Don’t wander off while the wings are in the oven.
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 pounds chicken wings, halved at joint and wingtips removed (or just buy the already-cut pack in the freezer section)
¼ cup water
¼ cup tomato paste

MAKE RUB Pulse ginger, garlic, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper in food processor until finely ground. Add mixture to slow cooker insert. Add chicken and toss until combined.
COOK AND COOL Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Using slotted spoon, remove wings from slow cooker and transfer to clean large bowl (discard liquid in slow cooker). Let wings cool 20 minutes (or cool briefly and refrigerate up to 24 hours).
SAUCE AND BROIL Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broiler. The oven rack should be 10 to 12 inches from the broiler element. Don’t wander off while the wings are in the oven. Set wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and spray rack with baking spray. Whisk water, tomato paste, remaining sugar, remaining soy sauce, and remaining cayenne in bowl. Add half of sauce to bowl with cooled wings and toss gently to coat. Arrange wings, skin side up, on prepared baking rack. Broil until wings are lightly charred and crisp around edges, 10 to 15 minutes. Flip wings, brush with remaining sauce, and continue to broil until well caramelized, about 3 minutes. Serve with ranch!

Sweet Potato Casserole

I am definitely not the president of the sweet potato fan club, but when Brett's mom made this for Christmas dinner, I had to give it a try.  I was surprised at how much I liked it and decided that sweet potatoes weren't so bad after all.  Better late than never.

The crust on top was my favorite part, but really, the whole dish was delicious.

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar (no wonder I liked it)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

*Mix together sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, milk, salt, butter and vanilla.  Pour into a 9X13 pan and set aside.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup chopped pecans

*In a separate bowl, mix all four ingredients and crumble over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

*My mother-in-law said that she would probably use half the sugar next time (in the sweet potato mixture) and it would still taste really good.

White Chicken Chili

I got this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  She has fabulous recipes with practical ingredients.  Anyways, if you haven't heard, it's been snowing like crazy in our neck of the woods.  We haven't left the house for a few days.  We are itchin' to get out!  In the meantime, I made some soup to warm our buns and take the edge off.  Melanie calls it, "The Best White Chicken Chili."  I totally agree.

White Chicken Chili

*Serves 6
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream


Put all ingredients into crockpot except sour cream and whipping cream.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  30 minutes before serving, add sour cream and whipping cream to soup.  Mix well.  Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.

Easy Rice

Image courtesy of thatsfit.com

This isn't really a recipe, more of an idea.  The box of chicken broth that I buy recommends using broth to make rice instead of water.  I've always wanted to try it and I finally did.  I love it!  Just make rice according to directions and replace water with chicken broth.  So easy.  I added a little butter too.  I don't think I'll ever go back to plain water!