Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Jessie's Brownie Cookies

(image from googleimages)

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a brownie-a-holic. I LOVE brownies, brownie mix, brownie batter, brownie anything.......

Well, the other day I was asked to make something "brownie-ish" but since I knew someone else was going to bring brownies, I decided to come up with a brownie COOKIE. Of course I had to make them a little "healthy" otherwise I wouldn't feel justified in eating them...all.......

Here's what I came up with:

CREAM TOGETHER:
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder

ADD IN:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour

STIR IN:
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts/pecans (optional)

Batter should feel much like cookie dough but look like brownie batter

Spoon onto cookie sheets like cookie dough
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes

Since making them this weekend (its Wednesday today) I've been asked to make these twice again already by my family. They are a hit---at least I know they are when the hubby says, "Write that one down! Its a keeper!" Yay!

Let me know what you think?!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars

(image found from googling PB Bars..though recipe is different)

JESSIE'S OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BARS
(we rip through these like they are going out of style every time I make them...)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream Together:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

Add & mix together until its at a cookie dough consistency :
1/2 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup white flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2-3/4 tsp salt (depending if you salted butter or not)
1 1/2 cup steel cut oats (I use a mixture of oat, barley, rye, wheat, and kamut flakes)

Lightly grease (I use pam) a 9 x 9 pan
Press peanut butter dough into pan until smooth on top
Poor a thick layer of semi sweet chocolate chips over the dough

Bake for 15-17 minutes
Spread the melted chocolate chips out so they are smooth like frosting
Cool, then cut into bars and EAT UP!
Enjoy!

Stroganoff Casserole

I Loooooooove Stroganoff
but sometimes its hard to make in advance
or for a crowd that might be coming and going

So I decided to make it into a casserole.
And it was SCRUMPTIOUS.
Here's how I did it:

Saute' 1 yellow onion (chopped) w/ about 1 Tbsp olive oil until clear
add about 2 cups chopped broccoli and/or mushrooms
add 1 whole green bell pepper chopped
add 1/2-1 cup white wine
simmer until vegetables are softened

add about 1 lb ground beef and brown it in same pan as veggies
add 1-2 tsp minced garlic
1-2 tsp season salt
1-2 tsps salt & pepper (or how much taste good to you)
1 Tbsp dried Taragon
1-2 tsp ground Coriander
then add 1-2 cups frozen corn

When all is cooked together, add
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup plain yogurt

Meanwhile, boil water and cook about 3-4 cups egg noodles

Prepare a 9x13 pan by sprinkling about
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs on the bottom
then scoop out and cover crumbs with a thin layer of meat/veggies
followed by a thin layer of noodles
layer back and forth until all of the ingredients have been used
and then cover with a good sheet of italian bread crumbs again
(You can add cheddar cheese on the top if you want, too...we just don't eat cheese here)

Place in the oven (400 degrees)
or cover and place in refridgerator

And cook for 20-30 minutes when you're ready for dinner
Super yummy
Super easy
Enjoy!