Molasses Crinkles

I have to put this recipe on here, because I've been digging it out of my recipe folder forever and we've made 5 batches in the last 2 days and it's getting pretty trashed...adn I can't find it online....honestly, the best holiday cookies EVER....I've had a FEW people tell me that....and the dough is so yummy too!  and the way your house smells when you make them....and they look lovely...and they are just freaking appealing to ALL the senses...make them!

(be sure to double, or even triple this...you won't regret it)

1/2C unsalted butter
1 C brown sugar (we always cut sugar by 1/4 in recipes, so 3/4 C will do)
2T vegetable oil (of coarse, we use coconut)
1/3 C molasses
1 egg

Ok, mix all of that together til it's light and fluffy, then slowly add the following....
1/2 t ground cloves
1t cinnamon
1 1/4 t ground ginger
1/2 t salt
2t baking soda
2C all purpose flour

Scrap the edges and mix it up well.

The dough is kinda sticky, so I just scoop it out with the rubber spatula and splat it down onto some plastic wrap, wrap it up and stick it in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight....or if you forget that this step is part of the recipe like I do every time, you can put it in the freezer for an hour and that'll be fine.

Get the dough out, and you have to be quick with it because it gets so sticky as it warms back to room temperature, but roll it into little balls (whatever size you want works) then roll the ball in regular sugar and bake them at 375 for 9minutes.  When you get them out, leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes...the middles are soft and the outsides have a slight crispness.  You'll think they aren't done, but after they cool all the way, they are FREAKING FANTASTIC!




you're welcome.

Moderation...right?

Ok, so I made this recipe a couple of years ago for father's day for my dad.  Haven't made it since...til last week, when I remembered about an hour beforehand that I was in charge of treats for the kid's ball game!  So I made a bunch of little bags of it, and lots of people were asking for the recipe...I feel bad giving it out...and you'll see why.  It has EVERYTHING bad in it...plus, the kicker...you use your  microwave a lot!  My kids call the microwave the egg holder, it's where we keep our eggs...we don't microwave, but it's a must for this...ok it's really not, but it helps with the crunchiness....

• 6 cups popped popcorn 
• 3/4 cup salted peanuts 
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (HORRIBLE, I know, I'm sorry, just do it)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 
  

Directions

1. Place popcorn and peanuts in a large microwave-safe bowl; set aside. In another microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt. Cover and microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 2 minutes longer.
2. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn mixture. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes, stirring several times. Spread on greased baking sheets to cool. Store in an airtight container.

I'm sorry everyone..just make it, eat it and be happy!

Fresh Raspberry Bars

In no way are these healthy, or even low cal or low fat.  I cut this recipe out of a magazine a few months ago and have wanted to make them forever but have been waiting for raspberries to be on sale...FINALLY!  So we made them to take to the coolest lady in town as a thank you for an awesome backyard dinner she had us to....which itself was straight out of BHG magazine!

• cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4
  cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2
  tsp. kosher salt
• 2
  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• Softened butter (for brushing sides of foil)
• 3/4
  cup seedless raspberry jam or preserves
• 1
  pint (2 cups) fresh raspberries
• 1/2
  of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 4
  oz. goat cheese (chévre) or 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2
  cup granulated sugar
• 1
  Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1
  large egg
• 1
  large egg yolk
• 2
  Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel (zest)
• 2
  Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2
  tsp. pure vanilla
• Powdered sugar
  
  
  
  
  
  

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with a 24-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil, leaving extra foil extending over ends (use these later to lift bars from pan); set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until it just begins to blend and soften slightly, about 30 seconds.

  2.Add brown sugar and salt, beat on low speed until incorporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. You're not trying to cream it, you're just mixing it in, Scott says. With mixer off, add the 2 cups flour. Beat on low speed until flour is incorporated. Increase speed to medium, mix until ingredients form an even, cohesive dough (photo 1). "People tend to undermix shortbread, which makes it too crumbly," Scott says. "It's tough to overmix because of the amount of butter we use."

  3.Break dough into small chunks and distribute in prepared pan; with your fingers press dough into an even layer (photo 2). Bake 20 minutes or until dough has begun to puff and is just set. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes.

  4.Lightly brush exposed sides of foil with softened butter to keep filling from sticking (photo 3). Spread jam evenly over crust (photo 4).

  5.Sprinkle evenly with raspberries (photo 5).

  6.With a lemon zester, remove peel from lemon, making sure to avoid bitter white pith (photo 6). "For the most flavor, you want to do this right before baking," Scott says.

  7.In a large bowl beat cream cheese and goat cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Mix in granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon flour until blended. With mixer running, add egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

  8.Pour custard batter evenly over berries (photo 7). Tilt pan back and forth to distribute evenly (photo 8). Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until barely set. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool, about 1 hour; cover and transfer to refrigerator. Chill 2 hours. Top will crack slightly as it cools.

  9.Use foil to lift the bars from pan. With a knife or metal spatula, support the sides of the bars while you gently peel the foil downward and away from sides of the bars (photo 9).

  10.Cut into long bars (photo 10), peel foil from bottom, and transfer to cutting boars using side of a long knife or spatula (photo 11). "Cutting first on the foil results in cleaner edges," Scott says. Cut into 24 squares
  Sprinkle very lightly with powdered sugar (photos 12 and 13). "It's much more interesting with just the rumor of sugar on top," Scott says. Makes 24 bars.

NO sugar PB cookies

Ok, this recipe is easy.  It was given to me by a friend here in town, and I took the sugar out and used other things and we love it.

 ‎4 egg whites - beat to stiff peaks.
In another bowl mix 2c peanut butter and 1/2 C honey, 1/2 C pure maple syrup and 1/2 C agave.....or you can use 1 and 1/2 of any of those 3. 
 - fold in egg whites - 
bake 15 to 20 min at 325. That is it!!


It doesn't have the regular PB cookie look or texture, but they're soo good, and they didn't last 2 hours in our house.


the nourishingapron.com has a great PB cookie recipe...it has the regular PB cookie texture, but it's kinda dry and kinda not as tastey.  But still good and I'm ok giving them to my kids everyday.


Sorry, no pics.

Apple Turnovers

Jaden made a menu plan for us for the week for scouts, today we didn't have all of the stuff to make the "omlits" that he had planned, but we did have tons of apples (of coarse) and some phyllo dough that needed to be used, so I made turnovers

5 apples (we always  have fugi or gala on hand),diced small

2T coconut oil

2 tsp lemon/orange peel

1/3 C honey or agave

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBS cornstarch or arrowroot powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

You will also need:

1/2 pack of phyllo sheets

1/2 stick of butter (more or less), melted

In a sauce pan mix and heat the first 8 things for about 5 minutes until the apples are a little soft, then take it off of the heat.

Get your phyllo sheets, and get one at a time, fold it vertically twice, so it'll be a long strip.  Place about 2T of the apple mixture at the top, and fold it in a triangle, all the way down...like you were folding a flag.

Do this with all of them.  We were able to make 7. you could probably do 8.

Get the melted butter and a pastry brush and brush all sides of them, and use it to hold down the open end.

Pop em in the oven at 375 for about 13-16 minutes, then bam!  Eat em.  You could probably put raisins or nuts in it too. 

Mulder Family favorite movie treat

We probably eat this shiz too often...probably once a weekish, but it's soo good, and there's no sugar, and it's soo good.  It's just soo good.

Just get a few cups of air popped popcorn. I don't know how much, probably about 5 or 6 cups popped.
Then in a smalls sauce pan melt together 1/2C of peanut butter and 1/2C of honey or agave.  Mix it together until it's smooth and then pour it over the popcorn and stir it up.  Oh my gosh it's soo good!!!!!

This is the PB we have cases and cases of...I LOVE IT!

honey cookies....

These are great....sadly this batch didn't turn out how they usually look, but they were still good. This was my bunco gift....mostly the plate...which I hated to part with, but I put some cookies on it.

1 cup soft butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 and 1/4 cup honey

2 eggs

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix it all, and put teaspoons of it on the sprayed cookie sheet and pop it in the fridge for a few minuts, then in the oven. 375 for 7 minutes.