The Eli Cookie: Oatmeal White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Anyone watch the Bachelorette?  I cringe with embarrassment to admit that I occasionally catch an episode, but I do.  Usually, I think the show is utterly ridiculous, and I laugh the whole way through, but this last episode, Emily totally stole one of my dating techniques!  Cookie making!  I make killer chocolate chip cookies. So, once a guy has tried them and gotten hooked, I (if interested) casually invite him to make cookies with me if he wants the recipe.  Then, I can evaluate if he is kitchen-competent, able to follow instruction, and simply if he's fun to be with.  It's a perfect scenario.  Except then a certain boy came along, experienced my chocolate chip cookies, and instead of deciding they were the greatest cookie ever and wanting the recipe, he brought up these cookies his mom used to make.  And what did I do?  Get offended  I made those cookies for him.  ALL BY MYSELF.  I now coin them "The Eli Cookie", because never before have I baked a boy one of his family recipes.  I knew there was something different about this boy.

Chocolate Banana Bran Muffins

These tasty treats are pleasantly healthy- I like to smear on a bit of homemade peanut butter for an excellent breakfast on the go!

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups bran cereal
• 3/4 cup almond milk (or regular)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbs unsweetened applesauce (or oil)
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

1. In medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix together cereal and milk. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cereal is softened.
3. Stir in eggs and applesauce; beat well. Stir in bananas. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. (Mixture will be thick.)
4. Spoon batter into 12 large muffin tins, coated with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until browned and firm to the touch.

Notes:

• Chocolate chips make a lovely addition
• Beware of using paper liners, using applesauce instead of oil tends to make the muffin stickier
• I use my food processor- toss in the bananas, then eggs, and then moistened bran cereal and applesauce.  Then mix that mush with all the dry ingredients.

Yields 12 muffins

Berry Trifle

This dessert is ALWAYS a hit, and it consists of only a few store bought components.  I feel like Semi-Homemade Sandra Lee or something, guh she scares me a little.  She's like PTO mom, meets Martha Stewart, meets Stepford wife.  AND HAVE YOU NOTICED HER KITCHEN CHANGES TO MATCH THE THEME OF EVERY EPISODE?!  It's borderline ridiculous.  Plus I always scoff at her tablescapes...  and clearly I have watched far too much of her on television despite my mild fear of her.  I should probably spend my time doing more productive things, like making trifles. 
Because they're delicious.

oh and don't judge my cheesy smile,  this is the best photo of this dessert I had lying around.

Pear Berry Crumble

Ingredients:

• 2 pears
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ground walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbs butter or margarine, melted

1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Cut the pears into thin slices, and in a bowl mix with sugar, lemon juice, raspberries, blueberries, and a pinch of cinnamon.
3. In a separate bowl add nuts, oats, brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon.  With a fork mix melted butter with ingredients until a coarse meal forms.
4. Fill 4 ramekins with fruit mixture, and top with crumble mixture.  Bake 12-15 minutes, or until fruit is soft and the top is toasty.  Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip. 

Notes:

• Apples can be subbed for pears, or a mix can be used, whatever is on hand.

Yields 4 servings

Mango Ginger Dipping Sauce

In a blender add:

• 1 mango, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger root
• 1 Tbs rice vinegar (regular vinegar works as well, but add only 1 tsp)
• 1/2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs orange juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. Blend until smooth. Can be refrigerated and used up to about 3 days after.

Yields 4-6 servings

Banana Crumble Muffins

Ingredients:
Muffin

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cake flour (or all purpose flour if that's all you have on hand)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup agave syrup*
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (can substitute with oil or melted butter)
• 3 very ripe, mashed bananas
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Crumble topping

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tbs whole wheat flour

1. Heat the oven to 375F.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix mashed bananas, applesauce, egg, white and brown sugar, vanilla and agave.
3. Sift in flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add salt, and stir until incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter, until the crumble resembles a coarse meal.
5. Butter and flour muffin tin, and fill each cavity about 2/3 full and top with about a Tbs of crumble mixture.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes:

• If you don't have agave you can use all white sugar
• Basically any flour will do the job, but I like using some cake flour with whole wheat because it lightens up the texture a bit.
• You can use muffin papers, but I have found with using applesauce that the muffin tends to stick to the paper.  So if you are subbing oil or butter for the applesauce, go after those muffin liners.

Yields about 16 muffins

Cheater's Apple Pie

• 3 lbs apples (peeled and sliced)
• 2 Tbs minute tapioca
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 Tbs lemon juice
• Dash of salt
• 1 Package pie crust (feel free to make your own... I am no pastry connoisseur..)

1. Heat the oven to 400°F
2. Combine apples, tapioca, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl.  Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
3. Line a 9-inch pie pan with first crust and fill with apple mixture.  Cover with the top crust, seal, and flute the edges (curl them in and make them look pretty).  Cut a few slits in the top crust.
4. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until oozy bubbles are forming that pop slowly, and crust is golden brown.

Yields 8-12 servings

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Healthy? No.

Delicious?  Yes. 

We all deserve a splurge every now and then =)

4 eggs

2 cups white sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sour cream

2 cups blueberries

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  Line your muffin tin with papers.
2. In large bowl beat eggs, gradually adding sugar. Continue beating while slowly pouring in oil. Stir in vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
3. Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. 

Notes:

• Fresh blueberries are better, but frozen can be used.  Simply add them in still frozen and follow directions accordingly.
• Unsweetened applesauce (not chunky) can be subbed for half the oil without destroying the integrity of the muffin.  If you desire to replace all the oil, this probably isn't the recipe for you.
• Reduced fat or fat-free sour cream can be used.

Yields 24 muffins.

Loaded Banana Cookies

This recipe makes a chewy, delicious cookie that is almost more like a muffin top than a cookie. They aren't too sweet, and are very satisfying.

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (may also use shortening or butter)
  
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp banana extract (optional)
• 3 mashed very ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (walnuts may also be used)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• ~12 oz chocolate chips (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350°F
   
2. Cream coconut oil and sugar together. Add mashed bananas, vanilla extract, banana extract, and eggs, mix well. Add pecans, peanuts, coconut, chocolate chips, flour, and baking powder, stir until incorporated.
3. Using a large cookie scoop (~1/4 cup) scoop dough onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving plenty of space between each cookie (I only put 6 on each cookie sheet) and bake for 15 minutes.

Notes:

• White chocolate chips can be used instead of chocolate
• A small scoop makes perfect mini cookies
• I leave out the chocolate chips and drizzle chocolate over the cookies to make them more attractive
  

Yields ~16 large cookies

Orange-Glazed Asparagus

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Orange zest (optional)
  

1. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus.
2. In an approximately 12" skillet (with a lid) add the asparagus, orange juice, and oil, and turn the heat on high.
3. Once the asparagus begins to steam, cook it for about 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
   
4. Remove asparagus, and if desired add orange zest.
   
5. Allow the juice to reduce another 2-3 minutes, or until volume has reduced by about half. Drizzle the sauce over the asparagus, and serve.

Notes:

• If you find the orange flavor to be too strong, use half orange juice, half chicken stock.
• If your asparagus is particularly woody, use a vegetable peeler on the lower stem, and peel the harder outside down.
  

Yields 4 servings.