Double-Post Thursday - Cookies

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday.

Today's double post deals with cookies! Yum! Is there anyone who doesn't like/love homemade cookies? Here are six cookie recipes to get you through the day, including Glazed Pineapple Cookies and S'mores Blossom Cookies. Enjoy!

GLAZED PINEAPPLE COOKIES

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

Cookies:

1 can 8 3/4 ozs. crushed pineapple

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

3 to 4 tbsps. liquid from pineapple

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease cookie sheets and set aside. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, with wooden spoon, or portable electric mixer at medium speed, cream shortening with sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add drained pineapple; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well combined.

On a prepared cookie sheet drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove to wire rack; cool partially.

Meanwhile, make Glaze:

In a medium bowl, combine sugar with pineapple liquid; stir until smooth. Spread tops of cookies with glaze while they are still slightly warm.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

LEMON OATMEAL COOKIES

Servings: 36

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=31

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/31.shtml

Ingredients

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup egg whites

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated fresh, or finely chopped, dried lemon rind

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cup crispy rice cereal

Directions

Place oil and brown sugar in a mixer bowl in a mixer bowl and mix at medium speed until creamy.

Add egg whites, lemon juice, rind and flavoring, and mix at medium speed until well blended.

Stir flour, oatmeal, baking powder, and baking soda together to blend well; add to creamy mixture while beating at medium speed.

Stir in cereal.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto cookie sheets left ungreased, or lined with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.

Remove cookies to a wire rack and cool.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 87; Protein: 1 g; Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Exchanges: 2/3 Bread and 1 Fat

CHOCOLATE CHIP ICEBOX COOKIES

This comes from Diana Rattray, About.com's Southern Food expert. She writes, “These icebox cookies are filled with ground chocolate chips. Use a small food processor or chopper to grind or chop the chocolate chips for these cookies. The dough is chilled slightly and then it's rolled into logs and thoroughly chilled until it's very firm. Plant to let the dough logs chill for at least four hours, or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.” Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 11 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Yield: About 3 dozen

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup butter (8 ounces)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour, 13 1/2 ounces

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, ground or finely chopped

Preparation

In large mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter and sugars together until light; add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour. Stir in the ground chocolate chips.

Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until firm enough to shape.

Divide dough into 2 portions; form each portion into a log and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Refrigerate the dough logs for at least 4 hours, or until very firm.

Heat the oven to 350° F (180° C/Gas 4). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or lightly grease the pan.

Cut a log into 1/4-inch slices and place on the prepared baking sheet about an inch apart.

Bake for 9 to 12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.





1/2 C butter

1/2 C peanut butter

1/2 C sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1 1/4 C flour

3/4 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES



Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking

1 C flour

1 C brown sugar

3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)

1 C butter or margarine

1/4 C boiling water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking



Then cut down the center, like so:



Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling



S’MORES BLOSSOM COOKIES

This comes from The Food Network, and begins, “Toasted, gooey marshmallows found their way into your peanut butter-chocolate blossom cookies and life couldn't be any better. Enjoy these treats warm or at room temperature -- and be thankful you didn't have to build a campfire.”

Total: 1 hr 45 min; Active: 30 min;Yield: about 2 dozen cookies; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

12 marshmallows, cut in half crosswise

24 milk chocolate candies, such as Hershey's Kisses

Directions

Position the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

Beat the peanut butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and salt, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and egg.

Put some granulated sugar in a small bowl. Shape scant tablespoons of the dough into balls and roll each ball in the sugar to coat. Evenly space the balls on the prepared baking sheets. Press each ball down with the tines of a fork to flatten it slightly.

Bake until the bottoms are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the broiler on.

Top each cookie with a marshmallow, sticky-side-down, and put 1 baking sheet at a time under the broiler until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. While the marshmallow is still hot, press a chocolate candy into it. Repeat with the remaining baking sheet. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double Post Tuesday. Enjoy!

GREEN TEA, BLUEBERRY, AND BANANA SMOOTHIE

This recipe and the next (Very Berry Breakfast Smoothie) are from “20 Super Healthy Smoothie Recipes” on the Runner’s World website. They’re originally from The Editors of Prevention.

This recipes begins, “Antioxidant-rich green tea makes this healthy smoothie a nutritional powerhouse.”

Servings: 1

3 Tbsp water

1 green tea bag

2 tsp honey

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/2 medium banana

3/4 cups vanilla soy milk

Boil water and pour in a small bowl. Add tea bag and allow to brew 3 minutes. Remove tea bag. Stir honey into tea until it dissolves.

Combine berries, banana, and milk in a blender with ice crushing ability.

Add tea to blender. Blend ingredients on ice crush or highest setting until smooth. (Some blenders may require additional water to process the mixture.) Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 269; Protein: 3.5 g; Carbs: 63 g; Fiber: 8 g; Sugar: 38.5 g; Total fat: 2.5 g; Saturated fat: 0.2 g; Sodium: 52 mg

VERY BERRY BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

This begins, “Start your day off with a bang with this fruit-packed smoothie recipe.”

Servings: 2

1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries

3/4 cup chilled unsweetened almond or rice milk

1/4 cup frozen pitted unsweetened cherries or raspberries

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tsp ground flaxseed

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in blender, adding lemon juice to taste. Puree until smooth. Pour into 2 chilled glasses.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 112; Protein: 1 g; Carbs: 25.5 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 20 g; Total fat: 1.5 g; Saturated fat: 0 g; Sodium: 56 mg

CHICKEN JAMBALAYA

Makes 6 servings.

Source: AICR

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/232.shtml

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in 3/4-inch pieces

1 can (14.5 oz.) whole plum tomatoes in juice

1 rib celery, cut in 1/2-inch slices

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1 pinch ground cloves

1 cup hot long-grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions

Directions

In 3-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute, stirring frequently, until onion is tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until pieces are white on all sides.

Add tomatoes with liquid, breaking up with spoon. Mix in celery, bell pepper, scallion and tomato paste. Stir in bay leaf, thyme, pepper flakes and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked and sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Stir rice into chicken mixture until well combined.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 235; Protein: 17 g; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 203 mg; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Exchanges: 2 Low-Fat Meat, 2 Bread/Starch. 1 Vegetable

SPAGHETTINI WITH MUSHROOMS, GARLIC & OIL

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “Regular white mushrooms are excellent here; portobellos or wild mushrooms would be great, too.”

Serves: 4; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 9 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound spaghettini

3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms exude liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghettini until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain and toss with the mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the pepper.

PEACH PIE

This comes from my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking, available from Amazon.com.

4 C peaches, cut up

dash salt

1 – 1 1/4 C sugar

2 T butter

3 T unbleached flour

1 unbaked pie shell & lattice top

Arrange peaches in unbaked pie shell. Mix sugar, flour & salt. Sprinkle over peaches. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice top. Bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

GRILLED CHICKEN

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network show The Pioneer Woman.

Total: 24 hr 15 min; Active: 15 min; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

Olive oil

Juice of 4 lemons

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

A dash of salt

4 whole chicken breasts

Directions

Mix together some olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, honey and a dash of salt. Pound the chicken breasts until they are uniform thickness, then marinate them for about 24 hours in the fridge.

Grill 'em up ... they should take 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked all the way through ... turn them halfway through so they cook evenly on both sides, then set 'em aside and keep 'em warm.