Here's a simple recipe that often satisfies my muffin/brownie cravings. Mind you, nothing is as good as a thick, delicious brownie! But these are a good substitute, and a good muffin. I use regular size muffin pans and fill them 1/3 to 1/2 way. The recipe makes around 25 muffins.
Version 1:
3 cups All Bran Cereal
2 1/2 cups water
low fat brownie mix
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Soak cereal in water for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.
Version 2:
3 cups All Bran Cereal
2 1/2 cups water
1 package, No Pudge Fat Free Brownie Mix
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
Soak cereal in water for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.
I like the second version best, but they are both good. I find the No Pudge mix at Safeway, and I hear you can get it from Trader Joe's. My family likes these, I just don't tell them they are super high in fiber and good for them. I wouldn't want to give away my secret!
Oh, and they are 1 point each if you are doing WW.
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Chocolate Chip Cookie Results
Today I tested out chocolate chip cookies with butter and crisco (butter flavored). The cookies were rated on a scale of 1-5 (low to high) for appearance, texture and taste. The very unscientific results, from a panel of 7 test subjects, are as follows: (35 is the most possible)
Appearance:
Butter - 27.5
Crisco - 31.5
Texture:
Butter - 28.5
Crisco - 33.5
Taste:
Butter - 32.5
Crisco - 33
With these results, Crisco cookies are the winner. However, I liked the flavor of the butter ones enough to keep trying to improve the texture and appearance of them. I liked Linda A's suggestion of half butter/half crisco!
Appearance:
Butter - 27.5
Crisco - 31.5
Texture:
Butter - 28.5
Crisco - 33.5
Taste:
Butter - 32.5
Crisco - 33
With these results, Crisco cookies are the winner. However, I liked the flavor of the butter ones enough to keep trying to improve the texture and appearance of them. I liked Linda A's suggestion of half butter/half crisco!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Cookie recipes from friends...
LInda A. passed on this recipe:
"I find the best combination for baking to be 1/2 real butter with 1/2 Crisco.
Try these chocolate chip cookies:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C Crisco
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Mix well till light and fluffy.
Add:
3 C flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
Stir in 1 pkg choc. chips.
Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 min until set, not overly browned.
The lower temp is good for them. :) The Crisco tempers the "crunchy" factor you tend to get will all-butter cookies."
Thank you Linda!
Tammy S. passed on this one:
"It makes the yummiest, chewiest cookies, if you don't over bake them. Sometimes I add different kinds of chips, chopped up Heath bars, and/or nuts for variety:
3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon real vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful of dough 3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies to foil to cool. Makes about 3 dozen."
Can't wait to try them both out....
"I find the best combination for baking to be 1/2 real butter with 1/2 Crisco.
Try these chocolate chip cookies:
1/2 C butter
1/2 C Crisco
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Mix well till light and fluffy.
Add:
3 C flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
Stir in 1 pkg choc. chips.
Bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 min until set, not overly browned.
The lower temp is good for them. :) The Crisco tempers the "crunchy" factor you tend to get will all-butter cookies."
Thank you Linda!
Tammy S. passed on this one:
"It makes the yummiest, chewiest cookies, if you don't over bake them. Sometimes I add different kinds of chips, chopped up Heath bars, and/or nuts for variety:
3/4 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon real vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Heat oven to 375. Combine shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful of dough 3 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies to foil to cool. Makes about 3 dozen."
Can't wait to try them both out....
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Cookies made with butter?
All of my adult life I have been convinced that cookies are better made with butter flavored Crisco....not margarine, or butter, or plain shortening. I realize this is not a life altering question, it will not solve the world's problems to find a definitive answer to this question. However, like many things in life I have come to realize I might be wrong on the subject, or taking too narrow of a view in this area. Life is about learning and growth, right? So, in order to broaden my horizons I've decided to experiment with the cookie issue.
Now, being health conscience, I am also approaching this carefully.....lest I begin to experiment and end up eating the WHOLE batch of cookies. So, true to my nature I am taking a thoughtful and careful approach to my experiment. Also, I am relying on the help of my friends and family. They will be my willing, unwilling, or unsuspecting test subjects on the matter. If cookies suddenly appear on your doorstep do not look a gift horse in the mouth (as my grandmother would say!).
I have enjoyed reading my friend's blog entries. At first I was absolutely convinced that I would never have a personal blog. After all I have a small photography website, and a facebook account to keep in touch with friend's and spouses from my husband's job. But, the idea has become more alluring to me.....who knows, it could end up being fun!
Also, I would love to put on here some fun or interesting recipes along with my posts. So, if you have a recipe to share, cookie, dinner or otherwise, I'd love to have it and share it.
Now, being health conscience, I am also approaching this carefully.....lest I begin to experiment and end up eating the WHOLE batch of cookies. So, true to my nature I am taking a thoughtful and careful approach to my experiment. Also, I am relying on the help of my friends and family. They will be my willing, unwilling, or unsuspecting test subjects on the matter. If cookies suddenly appear on your doorstep do not look a gift horse in the mouth (as my grandmother would say!).
I have enjoyed reading my friend's blog entries. At first I was absolutely convinced that I would never have a personal blog. After all I have a small photography website, and a facebook account to keep in touch with friend's and spouses from my husband's job. But, the idea has become more alluring to me.....who knows, it could end up being fun!
Also, I would love to put on here some fun or interesting recipes along with my posts. So, if you have a recipe to share, cookie, dinner or otherwise, I'd love to have it and share it.
Oatmeal cookies are better with butter...
Experiment #1: My favorite oatmeal cookie recipe. Tested only by myself and random children at home that day....
New original recipe using butter, please feel free to copy this recipe. I found that butter had a better flavor in these cookies and as long as I didn't overbake them, they remained soft! (With only few exceptions, my first rule for cookies!)
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. imitation vanilla, or 1 tsp. real vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 cup ground oats
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins (which my kids hate so substitute choc. chips if you like)
1 cup chopped nuts, almonds or walnuts, I've even used pecans
Oven to 350F
Mix butter and sugars until creamy, do not over mix. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until mixture starts to become fluffy, be careful not to add too much air. Add in flour, salt, soda, and spices and blend well. Add in ground oats, oats, raisins and nuts. Mix together until well blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to let the oats soak up the liquid. (A great tip from my sister-in-law!). The mixture should hold it's shape well, but not be sticky or dry and crumbly. If it seems a bit dry, add a tablespoon of milk (or 1/2 and 1/2) at a time. I prefer a stiffer dough than some people might. But butter made a softer dough than shortening so it was no problem!
Drop by tablespoons or small scoop and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let rest on cookie sheet while next batch bakes then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in airtight container. I love to make these giant by using 1/4 cup of dough and baking 15 or so minutes. Makes great gifts for friends, teachers, etc....
New original recipe using butter, please feel free to copy this recipe. I found that butter had a better flavor in these cookies and as long as I didn't overbake them, they remained soft! (With only few exceptions, my first rule for cookies!)
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. imitation vanilla, or 1 tsp. real vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 cup ground oats
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins (which my kids hate so substitute choc. chips if you like)
1 cup chopped nuts, almonds or walnuts, I've even used pecans
Oven to 350F
Mix butter and sugars until creamy, do not over mix. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until mixture starts to become fluffy, be careful not to add too much air. Add in flour, salt, soda, and spices and blend well. Add in ground oats, oats, raisins and nuts. Mix together until well blended. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to let the oats soak up the liquid. (A great tip from my sister-in-law!). The mixture should hold it's shape well, but not be sticky or dry and crumbly. If it seems a bit dry, add a tablespoon of milk (or 1/2 and 1/2) at a time. I prefer a stiffer dough than some people might. But butter made a softer dough than shortening so it was no problem!
Drop by tablespoons or small scoop and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let rest on cookie sheet while next batch bakes then transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in airtight container. I love to make these giant by using 1/4 cup of dough and baking 15 or so minutes. Makes great gifts for friends, teachers, etc....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)