Honey Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies

I have a cookie obsession. I admit it openly and honestly...having thus admitted that, I feel the need to insert that I have begun trying to take a more healthy/wholesome spin on my cookie making. One very positive outcome of these attempts was the discovery of this cookie recipe, which was so soft and chewy I loved it as a cookie, but included so many healthy ingredients I justified it as being nearly a granola bar. In short; tasty. Unfortunately I don't remember where I found this recipe so I cannot give full credit where it is due, I am sorry! I think it was out of a Taste of Home cookbook? Perhaps?

Whole Wheat Honey Oatmeal Cookies

1 c butter (softened)
1/2 c molasses
1 1/2 c honey**
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. milk
2 c whole wheat flower
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 c oats (the recipe notes that it is best with "old fashioned" oats...I used quick
oats and it turned out fine)
Whip the butter with the honey and molasses. Add eggs and mix well. Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients. Bake for 10-13 minutes at 350.

**If you are using regular honey (vs granulated honey) let the dough stand for 2 hours before baking.

Fun additions: I tried 3 different variations of these cookies and liked all of them! I'll go through them now.

The recipe recommends 2 cups of chocolate chips, and it was good, but not my favorite. I really liked taking some of those wrapped caramels you get at the store and chopping them up and throwing it in with some chopped almonds, and in some of them I put white chocolate chips and in some of them I put regular chocolate chips and in some I only did the caramel and almonds. I think the ones with just caramel and almonds were my favorite. So go crazy! Have fun! Throw in some other things you think will be tasty.

So have your cookie and eat it too!

-Cayenne

Merry Christmas with Pomegranates on Top

Well, we hope everybody had a great Christmas. We sure did! Here's a picture of the carnage.

One new dish that we tried out was a lovely fruit salad (even if the pictures don't look so lovely, it tasted lovely). Cayenne found the recipe in the grocery store. We varied it slightly and this is our take on the recipe. Please note, the pictures don't do it justice.

Pomegranate Apple Salad

2 pomegranates seeds only (we had about 4 small pomegranates)

1 cup dried cherries

1 1/2 cups chopped roasted almonds

4 small apples cored and chopped

6 oz vanilla yogurt (about 3/4 cups)

1-2 tsp vanilla

1-2 cups cool whip

Mix the yogurt, vanilla and cool whip together. (Next time I'm going to try straight yogurt, but we didn't have enough to do that this time around.)

Mix together everything else. Fold in cool whip and yogurt mixture. Chill until service.

The original recipe called for raisins (ours were too hard and the cherries went very well with the salad), pecans, and instead of yogurt and cool whip it called for whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. 

Rosemary