Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening or butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins (I used 1/2 cup... I don't love raisins)
1 cup chopped nuts (I used very finely chopped almonds and pecans)
Try next time: 1/2 cup white chocolate chips with 1/2 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
3. Add and mix shortening until mixture is crumbly.
4. Stir in egg, pumpkin, oats, raisins and nuts.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until done.

Source: random recipe in my recipe folder... I have no idea where it came from

Try #1 - December 30, 2012
This are SOOOOOOOOOO good.  I mean like really good.  Like oatmeal raisin cookies only AMAZING.  Best warm out of the oven.

P.S. I think these would be good with white chocolate chips...

Try #2 - January 15, 2013
So, I wasn't quite as blown away the second time I made these... but they're still good.  I put a few chocolate chips into the last bit of dough.  I still need to try white chocolate chips...

Korean Roast Chicken Thighs

8 chicken thighs, skin on
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup minced green onion (or regular onion)
3 Tbsp sesame oil (or vegetable oil)
3 Tbsp honey
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place chicken skin side down in a large baking dish.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and then pour on top of chicken.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
5. Turn the chicken over in the dish and back for another 15 minutes.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/Korean-Roast-Chicken-Thighs-83203

Honey Garlic Chicken

1 1/2 to 2 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (about 4 or 5)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey

1. Put the chicken into your cooker.  In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
3. Serve with basmati rice and steamed or roasted vegetables.

Note: To prepare ahead, place raw chicken and sauce into a freezer bag, then freeze.  Thaw the bag overnight in the fridge, then put ingredients into slow cooker in the morning.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - December 30, 2012
These were good, and extremely easy.  Not amazing to my mind, but the kids gobbled up seconds and thirds and requested I make it again so that's saying something.  I used 6 frozen chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on), and cooked it on low for about 7 hours.  Probably 6 hours would have been enough.

Roasted Eggplant-Garlic Spread

1 small eggplant
1 tsp coarse salt
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil, plus more for spraying
2 garlic cloves, skin on, wrapped in foil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Peel the eggplant and slice it cross-wise into 1/2-inch slices. Place eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, weigh down with a plate and let drain for about 20 minutes. Rinse off and pat dry.
2. Spray eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet with the garlic. Bake for 10 minutes, flip the eggplant slices and return to oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from oven, let eggplant cool, then chop eggplant coarsely. Set garlic aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and reduce while sauteing for another 2 minutes.
4. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the eggplant, garlic, onion mixture, lemon juice, basil and Parmesan until pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until read to use. Makes 1 cup.

Note: May be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

Source: The Costco Connection, October 2012

Pizza Puffies

1/2 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter

Toppings (suggestions):
Mexican:
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Veggie:
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Leftover Surprise:
1/2 cup cooked veggies
1/2 cup meat
1/2 cup shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix flour, eggs, and milk together. Batter will be a bit lumpy.
3. Melt butter in a 9-inch pie dish. Pour in batter.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown and fluffy.
5. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and other toppings.
6. Pop it back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Source: Sky Nursery Junior Gardener Newsletter, Winter 2012-13

Try #1 and 2 - December 2012
I made this twice in one week... so yeah, we like it.  Really easy, and a relatively healthy lunch (if you're going to have pizza for lunch...). We topped ours with marinara sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese.

Yogurt Pancakes

1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp oil
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Blend together all but flour.  Add white and whole wheat flour, stirring just until moistened.  Cook pancakes on stovetop as usual.  Serves 4 to 6.

Source: MOPS 2008 Cookbook, submitted by Donna Dahlstrom

Try #1 - January 12, 2012
DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-licious.  Another pancake homerun.  We used non-fat Greek yogurt.

Nut and Seed Granola

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cold-pressed vegetable oil (such as canola)
1/2 cup brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1/2 cup apple or orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 300.  In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, seeds, almonds, flour, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
2. In separate bowl, combine oil, syrup, juice, and extracts.  Slowly pour wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet.
3. Spread on cookie sheet or in a shallow pan and bake.  Turn granola every 15 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45-60 minutes). Store in airtight container. Make 8 cups.

Note: Make sure you use whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat flour (or bread flour).  Whole wheat pastry flour is made from soft wheat (instead of hard) and won't make the granola gritty.

Source: MOPS 2008 Cookbook, recipe submitted by Lisa Fligor, adapted from Feeding the Whole Family

Try #1 - January 2013
So... for some reason, I keep insisting on adding these disgusting sunflower seeds to my food.  I've had them for way too long, and I just can't throw things out... but they really are gross.  At least to me.  Maybe it's just me.  Anyway, that totally ruined this granola for me.  I also was mad at myself for using a precious 1/2 cup maple syrup on a granola that turned out just "eh" for me.  I think it was the sunflower seeds' fault.  But I'm not sure I'm going to give this another chance, not when I like my other granola recipe so much.  Sorry nut and seed granola.

Red Lentil Soup (Turkey)

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 lb. red lentils, rinsed
2 qt. beef or chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried mint, crushed
1/2 tsp dried parsley (optional)
1-2 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1. In large soup pot, saute onions in olive oil.  When onions are soft, add lentils.  Stir several minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer until lentils are very soft, about 35 minutes.  Soup may be pureed, if desired, or served as is.

Source: Extending the Table

Try #1 - December 2012
This was a delicious lentil soup... a little different than your traditional lentil soup.  The spices gave it a nice, different flavor, and it was smoother (not as thick) as other lentil soups I've made.  I pureed ours with the immersion blender.

Ginger Spice Cookies

3/4 cup butter or shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Extra granulated sugar (to roll dough in)

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and molasses.
2. Sift flour into mixture, add baking soda and spices. Stir by hand. The dough should be stiff; if not, put into refrigerator to chill.
3. Roll dough into 1 inch diameter balls. Roll the balls in sugar. Put balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, press flat with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Source: My mom!  I have adopted them as my annual Christmas cookie... our December is not complete without them. :)

Crockpot Apple Butter

Apples (about 14 fit in a 6.5 quart crockpot)
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves

1. Quarter the apples and remove the core (no need to peel).  Put the apples in the crockpot.  Add 1 Tbsp vanilla.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. When the cooking is done, mash the apples with a fork.  Stir in the cinnamon and cloves.
3. Cover again and cook on low for 6 hours.  Blend with an immersion blender.  If you prefer a chunky butter, you will have to pick out the peel by hand (or peel at the beginning!).

Source: adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - December 2012
We made this twice this month, with delicious results!  The second time I didn't cook it the full 14 hours (more like 10-12), and it still was fine.  This freezes well too.

Note: If feeding to babies, remove the skins!  Our 7-month old gobbled this up, but paid for it later with a week of constipation...

Apple Raisin Baked Oatmeal

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2 cups fat-free milk
1 medium apple, chopped
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Additional fat-free milk, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine first six ingredients. Whisk eggs and milk; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in apple, raisins, and walnuts.
2. Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and a thermometer reads 160. Serve with additional milk if desired.

Source: Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking, Dec/Jan 2013