Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies in a Jar (Healthier Version) *WP

This was originally a high calorie "Cookie Mix in a Jar" which I modified for a healthier alternative.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup Splenda
3/4 cup raisins
2 cups oats, rolled (raw)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Smart Balance Buttery Spread, very soft, not melted
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
1 tablespoon honey, optional

Directions:
If this is not a gift, use your hands to thoroughly mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

* If this is a gift, see the instructions at the end of the recipe.

Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed and mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

Shape into balls the size of large walnuts. Place 2" apart on a sprayed baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.

Store cooled cookies in a air tight container. The cookies don't contain sufficient natural preservatives to keep them fresh for much more than a day or two. They can be wrapped tightly and frozen to preserve them longer. They are delicious and crispy cold from the freezer.

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* If this is for a "Cookie Mix in a Jar" gift, mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt with the flour. Then, layer all the dry ingredients in the order given in a 1 quart "wide mouth" canning jar. It will be a tight fit. Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.

Create a label for the jar with the following instructions:

1. Empty jar of cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly blend mix.

2. Add the following:

• - 3/4 cup of very soft Smart Balanced buttery spread.
• - 1 egg, slightly beaten
• - 1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
• - 1 tbsp. honey (optional)

3. Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

4. Shape into balls the size of large walnuts. Place 2" apart on a sprayed baking sheets.

5. Bake at 350 for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling.

6. Store cooled cookies in a air tight container. The cookies don't contain sufficient natural preservatives to keep them fresh for more than a day or two. They can wrapped tightly and frozen to preserve them longer. They are delicious and crispy cold from the freezer.

Yield: 2 dozen

Nutritional Info:
* Fat: 7.1g
* Carbohydrates: 18.5g
* Calories: 138.5
* Protein: 2.2g

WP

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Chicken Alfredo *WP*

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat vermicelli spaghetti
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon course ground pepper
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, etc.)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup chicken stock (cold)
1 - 1½ tablespoons corn starch
6 ounces low-fat sour cream

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite-sized squares. Saute in small amount of olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Dice onion and add to chicken. Add garlic, Italian seasonings and pepper. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done.

Add the corn starch to the chicken stock, mix well, and add it to the chicken. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Fold in the sour cream and shredded Parmesan cheese and remove it from heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and top individual servings with Chicken Alfredo. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves: 6

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 358 Calories; 8g Fat (19.6% calories from fat); 37g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 617mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

WP

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Gallo Pinto

"Gallo Pinto" is a typical Costa Rican breakfast dish. It is generally accompanied by fried eggs, meat and sometimes with a side of fried ripe plantain (Platano Maduro).

Ingredients:
2 cups Rice (pre-cooked/leftovers)
1 cup Black Beans (pre-cooked/leftovers)
2 cloves Garlic minced
½ cup Onion diced
¼ cup Sweet Peppers diced
¼ cup Celery diced
Cilantro
Salsa Lizano
Tabasco

Saute garlic, onion, sweet peppers and celery in a large skillet. Add cooked rice and stir until throughly heated. Add beans (with or without broth) and stir until throughly heated. Add Salsa Lizano and Tabasco to taste and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro just before serving.

Serves: 4

Rice

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Chipotle Mustard Sauce

My sister-in-law, Cheryl, served this delicious sauce with a grilled pork tenderloin.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chipotle or southwestern style mustard
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup cream

Directions:
Heat mustard and wine, add cream. These measurements aren't exact, so adjust to taste.

Sauce

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Fast Rising Bread/Cinnamon Twist

This bread recipe fell out of an old Betty Crocker cookbook my grandmother gave me more than 40 years ago. The recipe was given to me by an elderly American Woman when I lived in Costa Rica during the early 70's. I remember telling her (I think her name was Louise) about the things I missed from the States, one of which was the Van de Kamp bakery and the "Swedish Twist" coffee cake we frequently enjoyed as kids. She offered to teach me how to bake bread and attempt to re-create the "Swedish Twist". We have used her recipe to make delicious loaves of bread, dinner rolls and cinnamon twists. I have transcribed the recipe below, just as she wrote it out on what is now a torn sheet of paper, yellowed with age, with fading ink.

Enjoy!

(This recipe makes enough dough for 2 loaves of bread.)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water

2 teaspoons sugar

2 packages of yeast (1½ TBS)

2 cups of milk (or 1 cup water & 1 cup milk)

3 tablespoons shortening

1 teaspoon salt

6 to 7 cups of flour

2 or 3 eggs

Directions:

Mix 3/4 cup of warm water, sugar and yeast, set it aside and let it stand for 10 minutes. Heat 2 cups of milk and in a large bowl mix in the shortening and gradually add 2 cups of flour until you have a smooth batter and add in the salt. Add the eggs and yeast mixture gradually adding more flour and beat to a smooth batter. Keep adding flour until you have a soft dough that is well mixed and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Cover and let it rise to double in size. Punch it down and let it rise again. Form into bread loaves, buns, or roll it out for cinnamon rolls. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. You can baste the tops with butter after they come out of the oven.

If you want to make a cinnamon twist, flatten out part of the dough into a oblong about 15" x 6" x 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Cut into 3 strips lengthwise from one end almost to the other end. Leave about one inch at what will become the top of the braid. Liberally cover with cinnamon sugar and start braiding, adding pecans and raisins into each fold. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. You can baste the twist with butter, or a sugar glaze, when it comes out of the oven.

Rolls

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Chipotle Lime Mustard Sauce

(Makes about 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, or more to taste
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Grated zest and juice of 4 key limes (about 1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
In the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine chiles, Dijon mustard, dry mustard, lime zest and juice, honey, vinegar, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Blend for about 1 minute, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until you have a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or another chipotle (I use 3 for a nice kick) if desired. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. This sauce will thicken after it has been refrigerated. Thin it with a bit of lime juice or vinegar if needed.

For a delicious twist, use only two limes and 1/4 cup of orange juice.

Sauce

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Taco Soup

This soup is always a big hit for supper in the colder months. It can be thrown together in a matter of minutes and it's yummy with some corn bread or tortillas. Even though you may find an ingredient you don't normally like, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good this tastes when everything is combined.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground hamburger meat or ground turkey
1 can Pinto or Black Beans (I use one can of each)
1 can Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans
1 can Whole Kernal Corn
1 can Hominy (I know what you're thinking, but trust me for the tortilla taste)
2 cans diced Tomatoes with Chiles (Ro-Tel)
1 package Taco Seasoning
1 package dry Ranch Dressing Mix

Optional:
Sauté 1 cup diced onions and 1 cup diced sweet peppers in a tablespoon of olive oil before you add the meat.

Directions:
Brown ground meat; add ingredients from each can including liquid; add taco mix and ranch dressing mix; stir all ingredients until well combined and simmer about 20 minutes until hot through and through. You can add water to taste - not required but it will make a more soupy dish.

Serving suggestion: Try topping with a dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, a little diced onion and some chopped cilantro just before serving.

Turkey

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BBQ Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

Beef brisket, 1-1½# per adult, but don’t try less than a 7 pounder (however much yer want -- 15-16# makes a feast)
1-3 c. Texas Universal BBQ Sauce/Marinade (depending on how much meat there is)
Adolph’s meat tenderizer or similar brand using the ingredient papain

Trim off any really disgusting looking fat, but remember, we’s lookin for flavor, not the arteries of some 16 year old stud-muffin kid. Turn the meat fat-side up and cut score lines1/2”-3/4” apart, diagonally across the whole brisket through the fat, down to the meat. Similarly, slit through any membrane (eeeoooo!). Generously rub BBQ sauce into the slits and all over the surface. Turn ‘er over and place fat side down in a glass cake pan or porcelained roaster. Cover the lean side generously with the sauce. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 12 hours (this stuff eats foil).

After this marinating period wipe the residual sauce from the meat into the pan (try yer hand, but resist lickin it -- un fricasseed meat juices an all, ya know; and don’t pour it back into the bottle.). Save the sauce in the refrigerator for later. Lay the meat out on a board and sprinkle the surface very copiously (Reader’s Digest, October ‘83) with meat tenderizer. Stab the entire surface with a regular dinner fork, spacing the stabs 1/4”-1/2” apart, tryin to penetrate the full depth of the fork. Flip ‘er over and repeat the tenderizer & stabbin routine on the other side. Knock the old crud offin yer smoker & build a real serious mesquite fire (or, fer you yankees, that’s probly gonna havta be Kingsford charcoal, about 10#, in the (gag) Weber). Damp down the firebox (and push the coals all to the outside, Weber-heads) and put a loaf pan of water in the center no-coals area, or fill the smoker’s water pan. Cover the grill area with heavy foil in the area that the meat will cover. Grease, oil or Pam the foil. Put the meat, fat side down onto the foil & close the cooker. Iffin you has a cooker thermometer, we’s lookin fer 180-225 F as the stable cookin temperature. Smoke for about 4 hours, watchin & replenishin the water & coals as required. After them 4 hours, open the cooker & slather the meat with the sauce saved from the marinadin, adding fresh sauce iffin yer need it to cover all the meat. Keep that temperature down & let’er go to fork tender, about another 4-20 hours, depending on the size of the cow. You will have to do a bunch of coal & water restockin, re-saucin and maybe a bit of foil covering on thinner sections that are goin to crunchy before the thick end gets there. The meat should be fairly smoke-black all over, pull apart with a fork, and sample slices (its allowed ... blame it on the dog) should be tender in the middle, completely rimmed with a 1/8”-1/4” red “rind” (soaked through sauce & smoke) and knock-ya-down juicy & tasty.

Remove from smoker and slice across the grain (start at the pointed, thinner “tip” end, cutting so the tip is a little triangle, informing the crowd that it’s important that the chef sample this tip for edibility). Other than that tip, cut thin slices, no more than 1/8” thick. Your slicin angle will change as you move up the brisket and the grain orientation changes. Serve with heated Universal Sauce on the side (or over, under, sideways, down). This should yield the yummiest, fork-tender eating orgy yer ever chompped. Traditional other meal fare is potato salad, cole slaw, white bread, ranch-style beans, whole jalpeños & iced tea. Go nuts.

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Meat

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Texas BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1 liquid gallon (128 fluid ounces, not by weight) Kraft Regular BBQ Sauce
1 (28 liquid ounces) bottle Kraft Hickory Smoked BBQ Sauce
1 (15-1/2 oz.) jar banana peppers (hot, unless yer chicken)
1/2 cup ‘o them light virgin’s olive oil
1 T. ground black pepper
1 T. ground cayenne pepper
2 med. onions (white, red, yeller -- no difference)
1 T. salt
1 (4oz.) bottle liquid smoke
2 cloves garlic
1 (12oz.) can beer (Gilley’s if yer can git it)
1 (1lb.) box dark brown sugar

Save the jars.

Directions
Open them winders & turn on the fan so that you can make the neighbors jealous. Drain the banana peppers, remove stem & pips. Peel & chunk garlic & onion. Chuk that whole mess into a blender or high speed food grinder, with a little BBQ sauce fer some gitter-started juice. Smoosh that stuff up til its just this side of puree. Some folks like a little chunk left -- some don’t -- suit yerself. Now pour everything together in a large enameled, porcelained or stainless kettle. Get the stove burner fire a-blastin and heat up the whole caboodle, stirrin the entire time to blend everthin and keep it from stickin. Once it reaches a rolling boil, turn down the heat to low & commence to snorten them fabulous fumes. Cook down, uncovered, for about two hours, at a low simmer, stirrin frequently. Tastin whilst cookin is only permitted if ya don’t git caught. Cool in the kettle some & then pour into the saved, cleaned commercial jars. Refrigerate until used.

This stuff is the greatest. Works sooome magic on beef brisket, on beans & rice or as a topping for yer favorite Ben & Jerry’s Low Fat Yogurt (just checking to see if ya read this far).

Sauce

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Pop's Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons dry yeast (approximately 1 1/3 packets)

3 cups flour, plus extra for board

2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cookie sheet

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Then mix everything together in a large bowl. Turn dough out on a heavily floured board and knead at least 5 minutes. (Direct blows with a clenched fist into the middle of the dough, accompanied by primal screams makes this dish better than a shot-and-a-beer for tension relief!)

Place kneaded dough in a large lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (try your oven preheated to "warm" and then turned off for the "warm place".)

When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven the 450° F and place the oven rack in the lowest position.

If using a cookie sheet: 

Thoroughly oil a 10x15 inch raised edge cookie sheet. Place dough in center of cookie sheet and commence to "pressin and stretchin" until the pan is covered and you've raised a nice rim of dough all around the sides. Prick the crust surface in several places with a fork.

If using a pizza stone:
This recipe should make about 4 individual sized pizzas. Place 1/4 of the dough on a flour covered surface and strectch the dough to the desired shape and thickness. Cover the pizza stone with corn meal (polenta) and place the shaped dough on it.

Top with your favorite sauce and other toppings.  Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until deep golden brown on the crust edges.

You can also pre-bake the crust for 6-8 minutes until the crust shows light tanning, and freeze for later.

Pizza Crust

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Cream of Green Chili Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 lb.(2 medium) baking potatoes, peeled and chunked
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups grated Monterey Jack, or mozzarelle cheese, or combination of both
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
6 long green chiles (1 cup or canned chopped green chiles can be substituted)
3 1/2 cups chicken broth homemade or canned

Directions:
In a 4 qt. saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, garlic, oregano and bay leaves and cook, covered stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, potatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring twice, until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool soup slightly, discard bay leaves, and puree in food processor. (This is really messy, but careful not to do too much at a time). Return soup to pan, stir in green chiles and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring frequently until the soup has thickened, about 15 minutes (Don't worry that it is not really thick). Stir in the cream and adjust seasoning if desired. (This can all be done up to 3 days ahead and rewarmed over low heat, stirring frequently.) Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with cheese (and crumbled tortilla chips if desired).

Soup

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Pineapple Cheese Ball

Ingredients:
16 oz cream cheese, softened
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoons season salt
½ pecans, finely chopped (set this aside)

Directions:
Mix above ingredients together (use only 1/4 cup of the pecans) and shape into ball. Refrigerate for a couple of hours and then roll in remaining 1/4 cup of pecans until completely covered. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Tastes best when made 24 hours in advance.

Fruit

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Key Lime Pie

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:3 large egg yolks
14 oz can condensed milk, sweetened
1/2 cup Key lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon lime zest, grated
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Graham Cracker Crust

Directions:Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Filling: Beat the egg yolks with electric beaters until thick, about 4 minutes. Beat in the condensed milk, lime juice and grated lime zest. In a separate bowl, beat one egg white until stiff. Fold the egg white into the mixture of egg yolks, juice and milk until throughly mixed and pour into cooled pie shell. Bake for 8 minutes and let it cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff (do not sweeten it) and spoon it over the pie. You can substitute with a ready made pie crust and Cool Whip if desired.

Pie

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Oriental Cole Slaw

Servings: 12

Start to Finish Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pound coleslaw, shredded
2 packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
2/3 cup salad oil
1/3 cup sugar (I use 8 packets of Splenda as a sugar substitute)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup almond, sliced
1 cup sunflower seeds

Prepare dressing by mixing oil, sugar, vinegar and ramen noodles seasoning packets together and set aside. Just before serving, mix the almonds and sunflower seeds with the coleslaw and crumble the ramen noodles on top Toss with the dressing and serve. (You may not need all of the dressing, start with about half and add more according to taste.)

Salad

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Tres Leches

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 1 hours
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour, sifted
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups milk, 2% lowfat
11 ozs condensed milk, sweetened, canned
11 ozs evaporated milk, canned

Directions:
Preheat oven 350. Prepare & bake cake: Sift flour, baking powder, salt & set aside. Mix sugar & butter until fluffy, blend in eggs, 1 cup of milk & vanilla, then add flour mixture. Pour into 9" square pan & bake 40-45 min. When cake is cook, mix remaining 3 milks & pour over cake. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve with fresh fruit & Cool Whip.

Dessert

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Chayote Squash & Corn Soup

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

This soup is a traditional Costa Rican recipe given to me by my sons' Grandmother in 1969 before her Grandsons were born. They both loved this soup as children.

Ingredients:
1 chayote squash, diced small
1 can corn, drained
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
5 ozs evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sweet green peppers, diced fine
1/8 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground salt, to taste
3 tbsp cilantro, minced fine

Directions:
Bring chayote, water & chicken buillion to a boil and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except for the cilantro) and bring to a boil. If the soup appears too thick, add more water. Simmer on low for 15 minutes. Add cilantro just before serving.

Options:
You may substitute sweet red peppers, or combine with green peppers for color. Lawry's Seasoning Salt may be substituded for regular salt.

Vegetable

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Arroz Tita (Costa Rican Rice Casserole)

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 medium Onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup celery stalk, diced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound kielbasa sausage* (see NOTE below about chicken or shrimp)
1/2 teaspoon paprika, ground
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fine
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning Salt
1/8 teaspoon oregano, crushed
10 ounces RoTel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, canned (If Ro-Tel is not available, use a finely diced large tomato with all it's juice and dice up a couple of mild to medium hot chili peppers.)
2 1/3 cups water
2 cups long-grain white rice

Directions:
Using a heavy 4 quart pot, saute garlic onion, peppers, celery and carrots in olive oil until onions and celery are clear. In a separate container bring the water and RoTel diced tomatoes & green chiles together to boil. ( I use a large, one quart, measuring cup in the microwave, set on high for 5 minutes.)

Add rice to sauteed vegetables and continue to saute on medium heat until the rice is very hot and crackling. About 2-3 minutes. DO NOT LET THE RICE TOAST

Add the meat, seasoning salt, oregano and cilantro and liquid. Quickly bring pot to a full boil and cover tightly for 25 minutes on low simmer. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID AT ANY TIME.

Turn off the heat, leave the pot stand on the burner for 15-20 minutes. DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER.

NOTE: Kielbasa needs to be sliced about a 1/4" thick. The Kielbasa sausage can be subsituted for a pound of cooked chicken or cooked shrimp. Chicken needs to be cubed in bite size chunks and added with the liquid. Shrimp must be headed peeled and precooked. The stock from the shrimp can be substituted for the water. You can keep the shimp tender by not adding it until the rice has completely finished cooking and cooled for 20 minutes.There should be enough liquid to come up about 1/2" to 3/4" over the level rice when it begins to boil. All of the vegetables and meats are optional. If you leave the them out, use a little less water.

"This Recipe evolved from several different rice & meat casseroles I used to make while living in Costa Rica"

Sausage

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