Oatmeal Trail Mix Cookies

I got this from some cooking magazine (can't remember which one). The recipe here is as written in the magazine, and below are the changes I use. 




Oatmeal trail mix cookies. 
> 2/3 c all purpose flour
> 1/2 tsp baking soda
> 1/2 tsp salt
> 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
> 1/2 c packed brown sugar
> 1 egg
> 1 Tblsp rum or orange juice
> 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
> 1 1/2 c quick cooking oats
> 3/4 c mixed dried fruit
> 2/3 c chocolate chips
> 1/2 c sweetened flaked coconut
> 1/3 c roasted salted nuts/ seeds


1. Heat oven 375' F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Wisk flour, baking soda, & salt in small bowl.


2. Beat butter & sugar in large bowl until light & fluffy. Beat in egg, rum, & vanilla until smooth. Slowly beat in flour mixture until just wet. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dough will be stiff. 


3. Drop dough by 1 1/2 tablespoons on prepared sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 8-11 minutes or until golden brown & set. Cool completely on wire rack. 


Per cookie: 140 calories, 7.5 g total fat, 17.5 g carbohydrates, 20 mg cholesterol, 105 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber


I always make Double batch (use Huge bowl), use whole wheat flour, cut out half the sugar, cut out the salt but use salted butter, and sub 1/2 c butter for 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce/pear puree (for double batch). 


I've put in a variety of different dried fruits and nuts/seeds and only had two batches I didn't like. I've even used spinach/pea/pear puree and they turned out great! Who knew, a cookie with vegetables. :)  I can tell you prunes do NOT work well in this recipe nor did I like toasted sesame seeds (but this could just be my taste). 


Obviously these substitutes change the nutritional value. :)


Enjoy!

Jessica's Potatoes O'Brien casserole

32 oz. Potatoes O'Brien (thawed)

1 cup plain yogurt/sour cream

1 cup shredded cheese (any flavor)

1 cup milk

4 oz can of chopped chilies
10 oz chopped spinach
1 tsp salt

1 lb browned, seasoned ground meat or finely chopped meat (for me, the spicier the better) 

1 large tomato sliced thinely
Salt to season top of Tomatoes

Preheat oven 350' F

Thoroughly Mix all ingredients except tomatoes. Pour into 9X13 Greased pan. Place sliced tomatoes on top and lightly salt.

Bake 1 hour.

Substitute/add variety of vegetables that you and your family like.  

Jessica's Avocado Salad

2 avocados

1 small tomato finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped cilantro

1 Tbl finely chopped sweet onion

1 Tbl balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Cut fresh avocados in half. Remove pit. Scoop from skin with spoon- try not to break halves. Mix rest of ingredients in small bowl. Divide mixture into the avocado halves (where pit once was).

Enjoy!

other ingredients also taste good in mixture: 2 cloves garlic, green onion (instead of sweet)

Jessica's Aji De Gallina

Traditional Peruvian dish.

Ingredients:
1 whole roaster chicken, pullet or hen (about 5 lb / 2½ kg)
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup vegetable oil
2 cups, finely chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp dried oregano
Pinch of cumin
1 ½-6 Tbsp ají amarillo paste (spicy yellow pepper paste). Add as much as you want the dish to be spicy. Can order on Amazon.com
2 Tbsp ají mirasol/panca paste (can use chili paste/powder if want to). Can order on Amazon.com
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 ½ cups evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Garnish:2-3 hard-boiled eggs, slicedBlack olives

PreparationPreheat oven 475'. Season chicken with salt, pepper.Bake the chicken 475' for 20 mins then at 350' for another 1 1/2 hours (or until done). Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Can save the cooking liquid to use instead of chicken broth if you want. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull meat from the bones and shred meat into bite size pieces, discard skin and bones. Set aside. This can be done the day before.

Put bread and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid/ chicken broth in blender and let soak.

In a large heavy-based pan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add oregano, cumin, ají amarillo paste, ají mirasol paste, salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

Meanwhile blend bread and its soaking liquid to form a thick creamy paste. Add Parmesan cheese and nuts. Blend. Add cooked onion and spice mixture from pan into blender. Blend till smooth.

Add blended bread onion mixture to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. If necessary add more chicken stock to keep the dish moist and juicy. Stir in shredded chicken pieces, Cook for 2 more minutes. Just before serving, add evaporated milk and warm through, taking care to ensure that the mixture does not boil.

Serve hot accompanied by rice and potatoes. Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped nuts, hard-boiled egg slices and black olives.

Amy's Chewy Raspberry Bars

They can be Chewy Raspberry, Cherry or Apricot Bars--depending on your liking!
* I've tried strawberry, but it just didn't turn out well. I've never tried blackberry or plum though.

Chewy Raspberry Bars

Cream together in large bowl: 1 1/2 C Butter (3 sticks--do not use margarine)
2 C Brown Sugar


Add: 2 1/2 Cups Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

Press 3/4ths of the mixture into bottom of 9 X 13 pan
Spread 1 C of jam or preserves over the top
Sprinkle/dot remaining crust on top of jam

Bake at 325' for 25-30 minutes--or (longer depending on the pan) until till brown and puffy.
Cool completely and cut into squares.


ENJOY!

Jessica's Potted Dirt

Crush 24 oz Oreo cookies. In medium size bowl Cream 4 Tblsp softened Butter, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, and 1 cup powdered sugar. In separate bowl Mix 3 cups milk and 7 oz instant vanilla pudding then fold in 12 oz thawed whipped topping. Combine cream mixtures. Layer 1/3 cookies, 1/2 cream mix, 1/3 cookies, 1/2 mix cookies, Top with 1/3 cookies. Refrigerate over night.

For display: put in Flower Pot and add fake flower bouquet.
For fun: Add gummy worms.
For Adult Fun: use 1/2 cup Kahlula and 2 1/2 cups milk (instead of the 3 cups milk).
I like adding raspberries on top of the cream mixture.

Valentina's Sticky fruit oat squares

Makes 16

¾ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

3 tbsp honey

¾ packed raw brown sugar

3 ½ oz smooth peanut butter

2 ¾ cups rolled oats

¼ cup dried apricots, chopped

2 tbsp sunflower seeds

2 tbsp sesame seeds



Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8 ½ -inch square baking pan.

Melt butter, honey, and sugar in a pan over low heat. When the sugar has melted, add the peanut butter, and stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan, then cut into 16 squares.

Tasty Nuts from Kellie

Ingredients:

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons granular sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups mixed nuts (pecans, almonds, macadamias, walnuts)
Directions:

Heat oven to 275 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray.In a large bowl, mix egg white, water, sugar substitute, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Add nuts; mix until evenly coated.Spread nuts in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown. net carbs is 2.5

Amanda's Sweet Potato Casserole

1-3/4 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon margarine
1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1-1/4 cup miniature marshmallows
ground cinnamon to taste
ground nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease baking dish

Boil potatoes until slightly underdone about 25 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel.

In large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, 2 cups marshmallows, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook stirring until marshmallows are melted.

stir potatoes into marshmallow sauce and break them into bite size chunks.

bake in oven for about 15 minutes. remove and cover with remaining marshmallows return to oven and bake until marshmallows are golden brown.

Kellie's Mostacholi

Oven Baked Mostacholi
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 medium green bell pepper
1 large chopped onion
5 cups chopped meatless spaghetti sauce
1 – 16 ounce package mostacholi noodles
4 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, grated


Cook mostacholi according to package directions for firm pasta.

Brown the sausage, onions and green pepper until meat is no longer pink inside.
Stir often to break up the sausage. Drain.

Add sauce, bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Put small amount of sauce into the bottom of baking dish.

Layer one half of the pasta over the sauce and add 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese.

Cover with 2 cups of sauce.

Repeat layers. Top with parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 30-45 minutes.


Recipe Serves: 9 – 12