Chocolate Dream Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Makes about 40 cookies
Calories: 80 calories
Source: Chocolate Sensations (Reader's Digest)


Ingredients

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350; grease a baking sheet.
• Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler.
• Beat the sugar and chocolate mixture together.
• Beat in the egg and vanilla.
• Add the flour and baking powder; stir until well-combined.
• Shape the dough into balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter; place on baking sheet.
• Bake 12-14 minutes or until just firm on the outside.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheets.

We were finally getting around to having a chocolate party and I borrowed a book from the library that was nothing but chocolate.  These cookies looked good and easy to make - and they were!  The recipe in the book also lists 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to be added after the flour and baking powder, but we're purists when it comes to chocolate...  We did press an M&M into the top of some of the cookies, just for fun.  This is a double recipe, so can easily be halved if you don't need or want 40 cookies.  They are good for up to a week in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to three months.  Thaw for two hours before serving.

Breakfast Fruit Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 cups
Calories: 316 calories
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries or raspberries
• 1 tsp liquid honey
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp. wheat germ

Directions

• In a blender, process milk and fruit until very smooth.
• Add honey, yogurt and wheat germ; process till smooth.
• Pour into glasses and serve.

I didn't add the wheat germ.  I'm just not that healthy.

Be-Mine Chocolate Pots

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 19 minutes
Serves 8 people
Calories: 407 per serving
Source: Parents Quick and Easy Kid-Friendly Meals


Ingredients

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• icing sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease 8 six-ounce ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
3. In a double-boiler, combine chocolate and butter and stir over simmering water until melted.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.
5. In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes.
6. Lightly whisk in the chocolate mixture.
7. Fold in the flour until combined.
8. Divide mixture among ramekins.
9. Place baking sheet in oven and bake 18-22 minutes or until edges are firm and centre is slightly soft.
10. Allow to cool completely.
11. Place a heart-shaped stencil on top of each ramekin; sprinkle with icing sugar and remove carefully.

The book from which this recipe was taken is amazing!  Usually I'm lucky to take one or two recipes from each book I check out, but this book was chock full of delicious recipes.  These chocolate pots are not hard to make at all, but they are absolutely decadent.  The soft spot in the middle makes them to-die-for.  Not exactly cake, not exactly brownies - these can only be called chocolate pots!

Angel Sugar Cookies

Prep Time:10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 13 minutes
Makes 18 cookies
Calories: 375 per cookie
Source: "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl" by Ree Drummond.


Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for the tops
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream together the eggs, oil, butter, granulated and icing sugars and vanilla.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Smear a dab of butter on the bottom of a glass, then dip in granulated sugar.
• Use the glass to flatten the balls of dough, dipping back into the sugar each time.
• Bake 12-13 minutes until the cookies are just barely turning brown around the edges.
• Allow to cool before eating.

I have been looking for a good, simple sugar cookie recipe for a while.  I tried a couple of highly-rated recipes that I found online, but I didn't think they were that great.  I borrowed Ree Drummond's book from the library as I have occasionally come across her blog posts and enjoyed them - and I found this recipe at the very back of the book.  I gave it a try - and had success!  These cookies are delicious and easy to make.  The only downside to them is that they come out really, really white - I wish they had a bit more of a golden tinge to them.  But the cookies please my tummy if not my eye, and that's all I care about!

Gummy Bear Popsicles

Prep time: 5 minutes
Freeze time: 5 hours
Source: www.diy-queen.com


Ingredients

• Sprite
• Gummy bears

Directions:

1. Fill popsicle molds 3/4 full of Sprite.
2. Drop in gummy bears.
3. Freeze.

So this recipe doesn't really deserve to be called a recipe at all.  Two ingredients.  Freeze 'em together.  Not a healthy popsicle, but SO delicious!

Palak Paneer

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes 6 servings
Calories: 177 per serving (excluding rice)
Source: www.indian.food.com


Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp fenugreek seed
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 500 grams spinach
• 180 mL cream
• 200 grams paneer, cut into 2-cm cubes

Directions

• Heat oil in a large frying pan; cook spices, onion and garlic, stirring often until onion is softened.
• Add lemon juice and spinach; cook, stirring until spinach wilts.
• Blend spinach mixture until smooth.
• Stir in cream; add paneer and cook 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Serve over rice.

I had palak paneer for lunch one day in the food court at Richmond Centre.  It was so delicious and I figured it couldn't be too hard to make, so I tracked down this recipe online.  I was buying paneer in a specialty Indian food store at first, but then discovered that the Superstore carries it.  Charlotte was about a year old when I first made this and she tucked right into it.  She's gone off it a bit over time - it comes out a very bright green - but I still persevere with it because it's just so good - and good for us too.

Lemon (or Lime) Shortbread

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Makes 24 servings
Calories: 240 per serving

• 1.5 cups butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• zest and juice of 1 large lemon or 1.5 large limes
• 2 cups icing sugar
• food colouring, if desired

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla.
• Mix in flour and salt.
• Press into a small baking pan.
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until the edges begin to brown; allow to cool completely.
• Combine zest and juice of the lemon or limes with the icing sugar and food colouring, if using; pour on top.
• Refrigerate.

These are my new favourite things to make!  I combined three different recipe ideas together to come up with my very own creation.  I took some to work and they were a hit and then took both lemon and lime shortbread to Theo's geocaching event, where they were also very well-received.  I had to post the recipe on the event page, so many people asked for it!  It's not necessary to use food colouring, but they are quite pale without it.

These are the epitome of what I'm all about in the kitchen - they are impressive without requiring a whole lot of effort!  I learned from my co-worker how to choose great lemons too - the rounder, the better.  A lemon-shaped lemon is not as juicy as a plump, round one.  These are very tangy and may not appeal to kids.

Rush-Hour Chili

Prep Time:  30 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Calories: 450 per serving
Source: Weeknight Wonders: Delicious Healthy Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less


Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 15-ounce cans red, kidney, black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• sour cream
• cilantro

Directions

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; add garlic, beef and onion, cooking about 4 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
• Stir in the chili powder and cayenne.
• Add the tomatoes; lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the beans and simmer 5 minutes more.
• Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro.

Unlike most chili recipes, this one is super-quick to make and is perfect for a weeknight dinner (or two).  We like to dunk thick slices of French bread in ours.