Cookies and Veggies

Yesterday R and I made cookies. I decided that I wanted to try to make the Chocolate Chickpea Cookies that my friend A had made before and enjoyed. Getting veggies and protein into the little people gets harder all the time. R really wanted "Black cookies" though, so I knew I would have to put cocoa or chocolate into the batter to change the color. They turned out really well- I am enjoying them so much (too much, maybe? :) The only regret I have is not getting a picture of R and I in process and afterward he didn't feel like eating any. The girls enjoyed them a lot though and we got some great pics of them eating their cookies.

"What choo talkin' 'bout, Mama?" (Love this face- think I'm going to REALLY love it in about 12 years!)

Always a smile from K-Bear!

K decided her cookie wasn't enough, let's eat R's that he didn't finish. Then, she thought it looked better ON than it tasted! :)In case you were wanting to try this recipe yourself, here it is. The cookies are SO delicious and very moist. I actually gave half a dozen to the neighbour girl when she stopped by today, because I was afraid of them going bad before we finished them.

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies

Makes 24-26 cookies
Jessica warns: If using a standing mixer, partially cover the bowl with a dish towel to keep the chickpeas from flying out. I used a Tupperware measuring cup that has a splatter guard, so there was no problem.

• 1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup trans fat free soft tub margarine spread or butter
• 2 large egg whites (I used 1 egg)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 15oz/450g can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 2 cups (12 Oz) semisweet chocolate chips (I used a mixture of chocolate and butterscotch chips as I was low on chocolate ones)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (I used quick oats)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (I halved this)
• (I added one melted chocolate square to get the darker color)
  

1. Preheat oven to 350f/180c. Line 2 baking trays with non stick parchment

2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon or on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg whites or egg and vanilla, then the chickpeas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.

3. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake for 11-13 minutes, do not over bake. Leave on cookie sheet to cool and then transfer onto wire rack until completely cool. Do try one in the process of cooling as the gooey chocolate is wonderful in the cookie.

4. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

By Jessica Seinfeld from Deceptively Delicious

Banana Butterscotch Chip Muffins

When we were in BC, we went to a new cafe that opened up in the business area of Pender Harbour. It is called Copper Sky Gallery and is a great little place and they have amazing muffins. I particularly LOVED the Banana Butterscotch Chip Muffins and since being home tried to find a recipe that I could make them here at home. I have found Banana Chocolate Chip recipes, so I picked an easy one and then substituted butterscotch chips for chocolate chips. They are SO good, I thought I would share. Enjoy!

Banana Butterscotch Chip Muffins

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• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve 1/3-cup muffin cups with foil muffin liners.
2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Mix mashed bananas, egg, melted butter and milk in medium bowl.
3. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix). Stir in butterscotch chips.
4. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
5. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out with some melted chocolate attached but no crumbs, about 32 minutes.
6. Transfer muffins to rack; cool.

The Big Cook

So I used to do"Once a Month Cooking" when we lived in Brandon and once we moved here to Calgary I got involved in a group of ladies who did cooking every 6 weeks or so with a company here that I don't remember the name of. (Oops.)
It's been awhile since I did this stuff though. And I am beginning to think that I need to do something like it again. Jobina is inspiring with her cooking ahead and Angela had written about it about a month ago, I need to get back into this, especially with my Tupperware making me more busy and life getting a little more hectic. I am trying to be more organised, because after ten years my disorganisation is driving my husband nuts and with a kid it is no longer OK to "fly by the seat of one's pants."
So, the other day I had HelpTV on for some reason - I don't know why - and they were doing a show on Organization (it was December 4th). The thing that caught my eye is that they were featuring three ladies from Medicine Hat who wrote a book called "The Big Cook". These ladies have 11 children altogether and are busy moms. They have tested these recipes over the years and refined the process and now have put it together in a book, with each recipe having columns for different amounts of meals and shopping lists etc. They are recipes that you can make in one day with your friends. Check out their website here. Apparently they are for sale at Costco, so the next time I am there I am going to look for one.
Now I just have to find some people who want to do this with me because it is so much easier to do and stick to when you have some friends and accountability.

BBQ Recipes Galore!

I just signed up with www.kraftcanada.com because I was looking for some easy BBQ recipes for this summer. People keep on mentioning that they find quick and easy recipes there and I finally checked it out myself. Oh, so good! I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes out and will let you know when I find some good ones. Check out the site yourself and let me know which ones are your favorite!

I did it!

So I did enter some recipes for the recipe swap blog of Amber's, one a receipe that I got from my boss 9 years ago and my mother-in-law's spaghetti recipe. Check them out!

Copycat... Again

OK, thanks to Jobina, I have a new button on my sidebar. She had it on hers and I checked it out and I am looking forward to trying out some of the recipes. I am also thinking about what I can submit of my own. Problem is that a lot of my recipes I have fudged and "made my own" over the past 10 years and I tend to just throw things in the pan that I think would taste good. Either that or I have gotten them from other people. Like Jobina's amazing sweet potatoes! I am sure that I will find something though... eventually!