Oatmeal Recipes

Craisin Cinnamon Oatmeal (Lisa Esplin)

2 cups water
1 cup oatmeal (Regular or Instant)
1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins)
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar (Optional)
1-2 teaspoons of Peanut Butter (Optional-I know it sounds wierd but it's so yummy!)

Boil two cups of water. Stir in oatmeal and remaining ingredients. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Cook for less time if using instant oatmeal. I usually add Stonyfield Organic Low Fat French Vanilla Yogurt to Claire and Afton's oatmeal to cool it down and give it flavor. I eat mine with Skim Milk.

Pumpkin Oatmeal (Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious)

1 cup nonfat (skim milk)
1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (I used cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons natural peanut butter (optional, I’d say go with 1 teaspoon)
Dried fruit and nuts (optional)
Pure maple syrup, for serving

1. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and if using, and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in peanut butter, if using.

2. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts, if you like, and serve warm with maple syrup.

*I usually omit the last step and cook with water instead of milk 2 cups water to 1 cup oatmeal. I usually add Stonyfield Organic Low Fat French Vanilla Yogurt to Claire and Afton's oatmeal to cool it down and give it flavor. I eat mine with Skim Milk.

Sweet & Crunchy Granola

3 C rolled oats
1/2 C unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 C flaked coconut
1/2 C wheat germ
1 1/2 chopped nuts ( almonds, pecans, walnuts )
1 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t kosher salt
4 T (1/2 stick ) unsalted butter or canola oil
1/3 C pure maple syrup
1 t vanilla
1 C chopped dried fruit ( cranberries, raisins ) If you use raisins cover them with water and microwave until plump. This way they are soft in the granola not hard. Trick works well.

Preheat over 350*
In a large bowl, mix tog the oats, seeds, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, cinn, and salt.

In a small saucepan melt butter in the maple syrup over low heat. Stir in the vanilla. Add to the oat mixture. Add 2 T water and stir until well combined. Spread the granola evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake for 25 - 30 min. stirring at 10 min intervals ( important )

Remove from oven and cool. When cooled -I like to add peanut butter and chocolate chips or if I use craisins-white chocolate chips.

Rockin' Chocolate Chip Cookies

**These were hard to track down so please appreciate and enjoy them-they are awesome!!

By Amy Snyder


Ingredients:

½ C. (1 Stick) Butter, softened to room temperature
½ C. Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
¾ C. Granulated Sugar
¾ C. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
2 ¼ C. Bread Flour
¾ Package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (approx 8-9 oz)

Instructions:

Blend butter, peanut butter and sugars on med-high speed for 1 minute. Add vanilla and eggs. Continue blending. Add baking soda and salt. Slowly add flour and chocolate chips.
Drop by generous spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet
Bake at 375 degrees for 8-9minutes
Remove cookies to cooling rack
Yields 2-3 dozen cookies

Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries

We love these thick, satisfying cookies as humble as peanut butter cookies but not as crumbly. Dried cranberries provide a slightly tart counterpoint to the macadamia nuts' richness. The dough is somewhat sticky; chilling it briefly makes handling easier.

Yield: 30 servings (serving size: 1 cookie)
Ingredients
2/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

Place nuts in a food processor; process until smooth (about 2 minutes), scraping sides of bowl once. Combine macadamia butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add vanilla and egg; beat well.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until combined (mixture will be very thick). Stir in chopped cranberries. Chill 10 minutes.

Divide chilled dough into 30 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball. Place 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Lightly press each ball into sugar; place each ball, sugar side up, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork. Dip the fork in water; gently press the top of each cookie again to form a crisscross pattern. Place 15 cookies on each of 2 baking sheets.

Bake cookies, 1 baking sheet at a time, at 375° for 9 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies from pan; cool on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
76 (30% from fat)
Fat:
2.5g (sat 0.4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.1g)
Protein:
1g
Carbohydrate:
13.2g
Fiber:
0.6g
Cholesterol:
7mg
Iron:
0.5mg
Sodium:
44mg
Calcium:
7mg

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies - Thin Mints

My husband and I made these Thin Mints Saturday night and they are soooo good! They don't take long and there are only 4 ingredients. The recipe says it makes about 2 dozen, but I guess it depends on what size bag of chocolate chips you get because we went through a sleeve and a quarter of Ritz crackers. It also says 1-2 tsp of peppermint extract - we used 1.5 tsp.

Support the Girl Scouts, but if you're short on cash, this is a great substitute.