Posts filed under 'Cookies'
Can something as simple - and tasty - as coconut help sufferers of IBS? (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) This is what I’d heard, and a quick google search confirmed - that some people with IBS have found that eating just two Archway macaroon cookies each day helps control their symptoms (diarrhea).
We had to put this to the test, and - by golly - it really does seem to help. Some folks say it is the coconut oil, others claim it is the soluble fiber. Who cares - coconut is yummy and I think it’s not a hardship to eat a couple of coconut cookies every day.
This morning, my ten-year-old tried the recipe for macaroons that is printed on the back of the coconut package. I’ve decided to call them meringues, since they really are a meringue cookie with coconut added. Macaroons, I believe, have flour, eggs, etc., like a sugar cookie. These were so easy for her to make, all I did was separate the eggs. She probably could have done that, too, but they were my last two eggs, so we didn’t take any chances. 
Coconut Meringues
makes 2 dozen or so
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
2/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. sweetened coconut flakes
Heat your oven to 325.
Whip the egg whites, vanilla, and salt until stiff, white peaks form. This takes awhile, as any experienced meringue-maker knows — be patient, it WILL happen. Next, slowly add the sugar - a little at a time, while still beating. The mixture will remain stiff and become glossy. When all the sugar has been added, turn off the mixer and gently fold in the coconut.
Grease a cookie sheet and plop spoonfuls of your mixture on it. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Let cool before removing from cookie sheet.
Enjoy!
July 21st, 2007
After checking out a few recipes for homemade granola bars and comparing them against what I had in my pantry, I came up with my own recipe for chewy snack bars. I’m hoping the hubby and kids will enjoy them in their packed lunches or just as a snack.
By the way, folks, I have to apologize for taking several days off of writing posts. I have just been plain-old busy and besides that my computer monitor is on the brink and, although, I can use it, it is rather giving me a headache. (Picture a cartoon character that has been clobbered on the head and has swirly eyes.) Anyway, I will try to tough it out today and we will be looking for a new monitor very soon.
Back to the granola bars… I’ve been making more of these types of treats lately because buying the ingredients is SO much less expensive than buying the treats themselves. They are probably better for you, too, although I am not fooling myself because they are still loaded with sugar and corn syrup. We are getting a whole grain, but I’m not sure it is worth it with all of that sugar. But then again, how else is a person supposed to make granola bars chewy?
So, here we go, people — homemade chewy granola bars. Feel free to add your own creativeness to this recipe. I had chopped dates on hand — you might have raisins, mini chocolate chips, cranberries or some kind of nuts.
Golden Chewy Granola Bars
makes about 18-24
3 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. white or wheat flour
1 1/2 c. crisped rice cereal
1 t. baking soda
dash of salt
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. butter, room temperature or slightly warmed in the microwave
3/4 c. corn syrup
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped dates
Assembly is simple: you need two bowls, a large one for the dry ingredients, and a smaller one for the wet ingredients. Into the large bowl goes the oats, flour, cereal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and the dates (or whatever yummy add-ins you like). Into the smaller bowl goes the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar.
Heat your oven to 325 degrees.
Toss the dry ingredients together until they are well combined, then tackle the wet ingredients. Use a mixer and cream the butter with the corn syrup and brown sugar, as if you were making cookies. When it is a delicious-looking, pale yellow, fluffy mixture, fold it into the dry ingredients. It will take a little elbow grease to get it worked in, but no one said this was going to be a walk in the park.
Once it is all combined, grease a jelly-roll pan or a 9×13 pan, and flop this sloppy granola into it. Spread and press it down firmly. I tried a spatula, then waxed paper, then finally settled on spreading it with my bare hands — it is pretty sticky!
Finally, place it in your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, give or take a couple of minutes. It will turn golden brown and when you give it a little shake, it will be set on the edges and just a little soft in the middle.
Resist the temptation to taste them right away! Let them cool completely before cutting and serving, otherwise you will have a big, sticky mess on your hands.
ENJOY!
June 20th, 2007
My daughters and I made these cookies yesterday and boy did they turn out well! I mean, WOW!
Sarah was hungry for molasses cookies (she has the most unique tastes in this family and is always interested in something offbeat - she eats the peelings when I peel an apple for Peter)
Anyway, we had to stop for some other things at the grocery so I picked up some molasses and we got busy on this. I’m not sure I have ever had a batch of cookies turn out so beautifully and perfectly. The three of us must make quite a team. Actually, I should say the four of us, as Peter helped roll the balls of dough in sugar.
I always like to give credit where it is due — I have a note on this handwritten recipe card that says “Taste of Home adaptation.” In my world, that means either I or someone else made a small change or two to a recipe we saw in Taste of Home magazine. If you don’t get Taste of Home, give it a try - lots of great tips and recipes in every issue.
Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies
makes — (about 3 dozen?) not enough for us — consider doubling this recipe!
3/4 c. butter, room temperature
1/4 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. dark molasses
2 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/3 c. flour
white sugar
First of all, understand that this is one of those doughs that needs to be chilled, so don’t expect to be eating cookies ten minutes after you begin. Plan on mixing the dough in the morning and baking in the afternoon.
Start off by creaming the butter, shortening, and brown sugar together with your mixer. Add the egg and mix it in. Next add the molasses and milk and work it all together.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients; the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour. You can add a 1/2 teaspoon of cloves if you like. I didn’t have any and don’t care for cloves, so I left them out.
Now combine the two — the wet mixture and the dry mixture until all of the flour is incorporated. Cover and refrigerate.
After at least a couple of hours, get ready to bake — Set your oven to 375. Place some white sugar in a shallow bowl, and get a helper to start rolling the dough into balls. Use about a Tablespoon or so of dough for each cookie. In the palm of your hand, work into a ball and then toss in the white sugar. Place this on the cookie sheet or baking stone. (There is no need to press these down, they will flatten and spread out perfectly on their own.)
Bake for 7 minutes, take them out when they are just starting to brown but still look a little underdone.
This recipe makes lovely, soft cookies that are perfect for dipping in milk. Forget the Oreos!
Enjoy…
June 1st, 2007
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