A new twist on an old favorite

We have a family recipe for Oatmeal Chip Cookies that are well-loved. Today I added what I consider a healthy twist. (I actually consider these cookies as per the recipe not too unhealthy themselves.) First the favorite recipe, then the twist.

4 cups oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar

Mix these together.

4 cups flour (I use whole wheat)

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix flour mixture with the oatmeal.

Combine liquid ingredients:

1 1/2 cup veg. oil

4 eggs (well beaten)

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup milk

Add liquids to all the dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips (or butterscotch) and 2 cups of nuts if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

The twist is this:

Reduce oil to 1/2 and add about 1--1 1/3 cups of milled flaxseed. I also add about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of additional milk. I have used EV Olive oil in this recipe as well.

I am a firm believer in comfort foods, and cookies are my comfort food. Because of that I like to make them as healthy as possible.

We would love your recipes!

Yummy pear sauce

Hi Everyone

How about a yummy way to use your pear sauce you canned this fall (or blend up some pears if you didn't sauce any, would probably work the same way).

In a medium sauce pan

1 pt. pear sauce

2 TB. cider vinegar

2 TB. sugar

1 TB corn starch

scant 3/4 cup water

1 tsp (more or less) ginger powder (use fresh ginger if you have it and add to taste)

5-6 green onions, chopped

Bring to boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile fry pork chops, slices of pork loin, or Elk loin. I used our Elk loin. Just as meat is finished cooking (can be not quite finished cooking actually)add the pear sauce mixture and simmer on really low heat for about 10 minutes, more or less.

The bowl contains the pear sauce prior to being added to the meat, the plate is the meat with the pear sauce.

Enjoy!

Family Activity

Last night for our family activity we ground up our storage of wheat.

It was easy and went fairly fast.

We used our new Wonder Mill grinder.

Here are the things we like about our grinder:

- It is fairly quiet, my blender seems louder

- It doesn't make a mess, no spewing of flour everywhere

- It is fast.  In a matter of a few minutes you go from 8 cups of hard wheat to 12 cups of  ground wheat

- Easy to assemble and easy to clean

- Has three different settings: course, bread, and pastry

- The canister comes with a separate lid, making storage easy

Now we have our bucket full of wheat and I am excited to use it again (we have been out of wheat for a while now).  

If you are looking for a great gift, this grinder is perfect for anyone interested in food storage!

Sunflower 6-Grain Bread

I love the graininess in multigrain breads so I thought I'd try some out. I found a recipe in my copy of Betty Crocker's New Cookbook that called for 7-grain cereal. I had some of the 6-grain rolled cereal (that you can buy at Cole's Livery) so I used that instead. This is what I did:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1 cup very warm water
1 1/2 cups 6-grain rolled cereal
1/4 cup raw sunflower nuts
1 to 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
vegetable oil

1. Mix all-purpose flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons oil, the salt and yeast in large bowl. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently (I just mixed mine by hand).
2. Stir in cereal and nuts. Stir in enough whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
4. Grease bottom and sides of loaf pan with shortening.
5. Shape loaf and place in pan. Brush loaf lightly with oil. Cover and let rise in warm place 45 minutes to 1 hour or until double.
6. Move oven rack to low position so that top of pan will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool.

I love this grainy texture - isn't that beautiful?

** the 6-grain cereal mix has sunflower seeds in it already so you do not need to add more if you don't want - I happen to like sunflower seeds so I added them to mine. it was delicious! also, my two loaves (I doubled the recipe) were given a little extra time to rise and so they fell in the oven. I'm sure if I had done it right they would have turned out perfectly!

***I just might be related to my grandmother since I feel the need to explain every dish I make and point out all its flaws:) Hope you enjoy!!

Blueberry Muffins

This morning we had this for breakfast:

Blueberry muffins and a strawberry shake made with the frozen fruit I bought from Cole's Livery.  I also made the muffins with whole wheat, using the wheat I ground in my own grinder.   I love it because they are tasty and because my son will eat them.  They are made with whole wheat and blueberries, where can you go wrong?  

Blueberry Muffins

*Recipe courtesy of "The I Do Cookbook for the Bride and Groom"

2 Cups frozen blueberries*

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour**

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

* I use less blueberries, a little over one cup

** I use 1 cup wheat and 1 cup white flour

Topping (optional):

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. flour

3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal

1/4 cup butter

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 12 standard size muffin cups with paper liners or grease muffin pan.

2. Place blueberries in colander.  Rinse well and let drain.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour.  Toss gently until berries are coated with flour.  Set aside.

3.  In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar.

4.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in vanilla.

5.  In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Gradually add to butter mixture.  Mix until blended.

6.  Add milk and mix lightly.  Do not beat.

7.  Carefully fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin cups approximately 3/4 full.  

8. Sprinkle with topping.  Bake 25 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

Leftover muffins can be placed in freezer bag and frozen for later use.  To reheat thawed muffins, place under broiler 30 to 60 seconds.  Watch closely.

Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

This recipe is delicious. A friend with Italian roots suggested the pasta so I added pasta tonight. I prefer the original recipe without the pasta.

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of sliced carrots (about 3 small)
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)
2 (14.5 ounce)cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (or plain and add spices)
2 (14.5 ounce)cans chicken broth
grated Parmesan, optional

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered. for 30 minutes. Top each serving with grated Parmesan, if desired.

It works wonderful with your jars of canned chicken (not store bought).

Serve this with homemade cornbread and you are sure to please the family.

Delicious!

We tried the apple pie recipe using our powdered sour cream and it worked wonderfully. I used a whole wheat oil pastry for the crust and had whole wheat flour in the topping. Just one note though on the sour cream powder--my sour cream can said 1 part powder to 4 parts water. That was way off. I googled sourcream powder and came up with 1 cup of powder to 6 TB of water if I remember right. I had to add just a little more water to suit me so I figure to rehydrate the powder it is about 2 parts powder to 1 part water. Anyway I have found a new use for the sour cream powder. I hadn't made the pie because I didn't have sourcream, but thanks to a friend I was reminded about the powder and whala!