Sugar Cookie

These are a delicate, crispy and melt in your mouth sugar cookie! Pure indulgence :).

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1/4 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
5 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together powdered sugar, granulated sugar and butter. Add oil, vanilla and eggs to creamed ingredients and mix. Scrape sides of mixing bowl and add flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes (the batter will be light and fluffy). Scoop cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Press cookie with plastic cup dipped in sugar or cookie sprinkles. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (lightly brown around the edges). Enjoy!

Herbed Oatmeal Bread

Compliments of: realmomkitchen.com

2 cups of water
1 cup of oats (I like to use extra thick rolled oats)
3 tablespoons butter
4- 4 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons of yeast
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons melted butter

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add oatmeal and 3 tablespoons of butter. Cover and let cool to about 130 degrees (warm to touch). Place cooled oatmeal mixture, 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and egg into a mixer. Use a dough hook. Knead on low speed for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour (you made need up to 1/2 cup more until you have formed a stiff dough, or until all the dough is formed into a ball and not sticking to the sides of the mixer). Knead on low speed for another 5 minutes. Cover with a towel and let sit 15 minutes. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Press the dough into the greased pan. Using a sharp knife cut diagonal lines 1 1/2 inch a part, cutting completely through the dough. Repeat in opposite direction creating diamond pattern. Let rise until doubled (about 45 minutes). Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush over bread. Place in oven and cook
for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder. Place bake in oven and bake 15 - 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and cover with a towel for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Applesauce Spice Muffins

I am sorry the picture is out of focus, but I had to post these muffins. They are very, very good. A bit high in sugar, but I suggest using raw sugar (it makes me feel a little better when indulging in a recipe like this one ;)).

2 eggs
1 cup raw sugar
3/4 cup safflower oil (or your choice of cooking oil)
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of raisins or walnuts (or half and half) (optional)

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and applesauce. Add all dry ingredients and mix just until blended. Stir in raisins and/or nuts. Fill muffin tins. If you like you can sprinkle 1 teaspoon of brown sugar on top of each muffin. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Cabbage and Ham Hash

Complements of: Better Homes and Gardens, "New Dieter's Cook Book".

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped cabbage
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 - 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped ham (leave out for vegetarian option)
2 cups chopped cooked potatoes (great way to use up left over baked potatoes)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste

In a skillet cook onion, cabbage and carrot in hot butter till vegetables are tender. Stir in ham, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Spread mixture evenly in skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally with spatula. (Try adding a fresh diced tomato after you have removed from heat!). Serve. Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon oil
3/4 pounds boneless organic chicken breasts, cubed
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup organic chicken broth
2 cans great northern beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
corn tortilla chips (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
sour cream

Heat oil over med-high heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook until tender. Place chicken, onion and garlic in crockpot. Add wine, chicken broth, beans, dried mustard, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on low 5-6 hours (I have also cooked in a pot over the stove and let it simmer 1 1/2 hours, but either cooking methods turn out great). Place in serving bowls and top with cheese and sour cream (optional) and eat with tortilla chips (optional). Enjoy!

Honey Sweetened Brownie Bites

1 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa

Beat the butter with mixer until creamy. Add the salt and honey and beat until well combined. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and cocoa. Add the flours. Mix well. Place in greased mini muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. You could also bake in a 9X13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

This is a wonderful alternative to an unbleached white flour peanut butter cookie. It uses sorgum flour which you can find fairly inexpensive at any health food store (or Fred Meyer). Sorgum is a grass that is harvested similar to the way you would harvest wheat. I don't use it very often, but in a cookie like this it is an excellent alternative to wheat and our bodies will thank us for the change! This recipe does use white sugar and brown sugar so maybe I should put it under my "pure indulgence" section ;).

1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oatmeal, but quinoa flakes are a wonderful alternative and highly nutritious)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla rice milk (sorgum flour tends to be dry so adding an extra liquid helps)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a mixer add oil, peanut butter, cane sugar, brown sugar, vanilla rice milk and vanilla. Blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. To make them a nice giant size (like the picture) scoop 1/3 cup of dough and roll into a ball. Then use a fork to flatten out. You can fit about 6 on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or until brown on the tops). Enjoy!