Well-wishers

When my daughter went home from the hospitals, our friends and relatives dropped by to see her twins. Some brought things for the babies, others brought flowers and fruits. A couple of her friends brought cookie bouquets which were so scrumptious. It’s been a couple of weeks now since she gave birth. Well-wishers are still dropping by to take a peek at the twins. Having newborns in the faily is exciting, having twins doubles the fun.

Eat Raisins

Another way to strengthen your bones is to eat a handful of raisins.  They are loaded with boron, a mineral that shuttles calcium into bone tissue.  Studies suggest eating a quarter of a cup daily could slow calcium loss to 50 percent, and trigger new bone growth in as little as three months.  Don’t like raisins?  Try dates, they’re loaded with boron, too.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

For this recipe you will need:

• 4  tablespoons (1/2 stick) margarine, softened
• 2  tablespoons heat-stable sugar substitute equal to 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4  cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 3/4  cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4  cup frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate (thawed)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1-1/2  cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1/3  cup raisins, chopped

Directions:

1)  Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

2)  In large bowl, beat margarine and sweetener or sugar until creamy. Add egg substitute; beat well. Add applesauce, apple juice concentrate and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

3)  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

4)  Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until firm to the touch and light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Macarons

If you’re familiar with Bizu Patisserie, then I’m sure you’ve heard of their yummy macarons.  I’m featuring macarons today, but with a twist.  Ketchup may sound weird but believe me, it’s delicious.

For the cookie you will need:

• 150g powdered almonds
• 150g powdered sugar
• 55g egg whites
• 15g red food coloring

For the meringue you will need:

• 150g granulated sugar
• 40g water
• 55g egg whites

Directions:

1. Sift together the powdered almonds with powdered sugar. Add the 55g egg whites and food coloring, but do not stir them together.

2. In a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, cook the granulated sugar and water to 115C. In the bowl of an electric mixer, begin whipping the whites until they form soft peaks. Once the syrup is 118C, pour the syrup over the remaining 55g egg whites while they’re whipping.

3. Continue to whip the whites until the temperature drops to 50C.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the powdered almond mixture.

5. Using a pastry bag with a plain tip, pipe 3.5cm rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Once piped, let the rounds sit for 30 minutes to develop a crust.

6. Heat the oven the 180C.

7. Bake the macarons for 12 minutes, during which time rapidly open the door twice.

8. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, remove from baking sheet. Then make the filling.

For the filling you will need:

• 40g cornichons (gherkin cucumbers)
• 6g sheet gelatin
• 350g Heinz ketchup
• 4-5 drops hot sauce

Directions:

1. Rinse and pat the cornichons dry very with a paper towel. Dice cornichons into miniscule cubes (1mm).

2. Soak the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the gelatin and melt it in a saucepan or microwave over lower heat, just until melted. Mix in one-quarter of the ketchup, the add rest. Stir in the cornichons and a few drops of hot sauce, to taste.

4. Pipe filling between two halves of macarons and sandwich them together. Chill for an hour, until the filling is set.

Choco Orange Drops Cookies

Got this yummy recipe from Paula Deen.  Easy to make and simply delicious. 

For this recipe you will need:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sifted all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix together in large mixing bowl butter, cream cheese, sugar, egg, orange zest and vanilla flavoring.  Blend well.  In a medium bowl, whisk salt into flour. Add flour mixture ¼ cup at a time into wet ingredients until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Lightly grease baking sheet and using a teaspoon drop mix on baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Bake 12 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This one’s from Martha Stewart.

For this recipe you will need:

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions:

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in raisins.

2)  Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.

3)  Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

* Makes about 5 dozen simply delicious oatmeal raisin cookies.