Kickin' Craisen Cookies

The recipe for these super yummy cookies came from a series of murder mystery books that toss in a few recipes every chapter.  Josi S. Kilpack books are quick and easy reads.  I recommend the books and seriously, all the recipes I've tried out of these books are awesome.

Ingredients

• 1 c. Butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 c. Sugar
• 1 c. Brown Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 c. Flour (I use 1/2 white 1/2 wheat flour)
• 2 1/2 c. quick oats
• 1/2 tsp salt, cloves, and ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon
• dash (1/8 tsp or so) cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 c. craisens
• 1 c. white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cream butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time.  Mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla, mix well.
3. Combine flour and oats in a separate medium mixing bowl.  In a small dish combing salt, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper.  mix well.  add to flour mixture. Mix well.
4. Add 1/2 dry mixture to butter mixture mixing well.  Add the rest of the dry mixture.  Mix well.  add white chocolate chips and craisens and mix with a wooden spoon.  Drop by the tablespoon, 2 inches apart, onto an un-greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 for 6-9 minutes.  remove from oven.  Cool on pan for 2-4 minutes and continue cooling on cooling rack.  

Makes a little over 3 dozen.  

*Beware.  These cookies ARE addictive.  You WILL eat the entire three dozen if you're not careful.

Peach-Glazed Pork Chops

I like pork chops.  I like pork chops a lot.  I found this recipe in Cooking Light and it's my favorite.  This recipe is easy and packs in tons of flavor.  

Prep time: 25 minutes        Cook:40-45 total                Marinate: 30 minutes to 4 hours (longer is better)

serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped peeled peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds, but I used two cans of peaches, juice drained)
• 1 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar because I didn't have any white wine vinegar and it tasted good)
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 6 (6oz) bone-in center-cut pork chops

 Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.  Uncover and simmer 5 additional minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. Place peach mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Add pepper mixture, molasses, and vinegar.  Pulse to combine.
4. Pour half the  mixture into a zip-lock baggie, add the pork chops and let set in the fridge for 4 hours.
5. Reserve the other half of the mixture in the fridge for basting the pork chops while grilling. 
6. Prepare grill.
7. remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Coat grill with nonstick cooking spray, place pork on the grill.
8. Grill 10 minutes or until pork is done; turning once.  Baste pork every 2 minutes for the first six minutes of grilling.

Maple-glazed Salmon

I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.  I didn't have all of the ingredients so I improvised, and it actually turned out amazing.  I LOVE it when that happens. This is the best salmon I've had in a long time!

I bought the skinless boneless, pre-portioned, Atlantic salmon from the frozen section at Costco a while back and I think it tastes really good.  I used it for this recipe.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 TB pure organic maple syrup
• 1 1/2 TB apple juice
• juice of one lemon
• 2 Tsp hoisen sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp canned minced ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard (the pretty chunky kind)
• 1/4 tsp (or round about that) allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 (6oz) salmon fillets

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients but the salmon and mix well.  Add salmon and let marinade in the fridge for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. 
2. Meanwhile heat the broiler.  
3. Remove fish from marinade and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Reserve marinade for basting.
4. Cook fish for 12 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork, basting every 3 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Check for doneness starting around 8 minutes.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Super good, super easy.  Nuf said.

serves 12

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 C. mashed potatoes (6-7 large baking potatoes)
• 1/2 C. Milk
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese softened
• 1 C. sour cream
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 slices bacon cooked til crispy and crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Peel, quarter, and boil potatoes for 15-20  minutes or until soft.
3. Drain and mash potatoes with a mixer until smooth.
4. Add milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley, garlic salt, and nutmeg.  Beat at a medium high speed until nice and creamy, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Mix in 1/2 the bacon.
5. Spoon into a 9X13 baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with cheese and remaining bacon.
6. Cover and bake 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 additional minutes or until cheese melts.

*you can make this ahead of time and put in the fridge.  Just be sure to add about 20-30 minutes to the cooking time.

Better then Sex.... Sweet Potatoes

It isn't cake, but its just about as good.  This sweet potato casserole tops them all.  It is a thanksgiving tradition that has spread from Tyson's family, to my family, to my extended relatives, and to many friends.  It is a must try.  Even people who don't like sweet potatoes love this recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 C. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (the orange kind)
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1/4 C. Butter melted
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
• 1/3 C. evaporated milk
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 1/4 C. flour
• 2 1/2 T. butter, melted
• 1/2 pecan pieces 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl mix the first six ingredients and place into a 2-quart casserole dish.
3. Combine the last four ingredients and sprinkle on top of sweet potatoes. 
4. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until top is crispy.

Low-fat, Low-Calorie, Blueberry Muffins

Don't skip this recipe just because it has "Low-fat and Low-calorie" in the title.  These Blueberry muffins are moist, sweet, and delicious, but totally healthy for you at the same time.  These muffins will allow you to indulge in a sweet treat without blowing up your waistline.  At only 80 calories per muffin, how could you not try it?  This recipe is one I adapted from a regular old blueberry muffin recipe found on allrecipes.com.


Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c whole grain rolled oats
• 1 c  lite coconut milk
• 1/2 c unsweetened, natural applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract (optional, but the extra lemony flavor makes these really tasty)
• 1 tsp lemon zest (again, optional)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blue berries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Grease muffin tins or line with paper liners.
2. Mix oats, coconut milk, applesauce, egg, honey, vanilla, and lemon.  Let stand for about ten minutes.
3. Mix all remaining dry ingredients and gradually add to wet ingredients.  
4. Fold in blueberries and drop by the spoonful into prepared muffin tins. 
5. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.  Remove to cooling rack and enjoy :)