EATS: Oatmeal Rum Crasin Cookies

2 sticks butter Softened
1/4 Cup Splenda for baking (Or 1/2 Cup White Sugar)
3/4 Cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 Cup plus 2 TBS Rum (I like Myers Dark)
1/4 Cup boiling water
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 Cups rolled oats
1 Cup Crasins ( I use two handfuls or so, so this is a guess)


Place Crasins in a heat poof bowl, cover with 1/4 cup rum and 1/4 cup boiling water - cover bowl and allow to steep for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat butter and sugar and Splenda (if using) together until smooth and fluffy and there are no lumps of butter

Add eggs and beat until combined.

Add 2 TBS rum and beat.

Sift together flour and baking soda and mix until well combined.

Drain crasins, add crasins and oats and mix until combined.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet. (I use a small ice cream style scoop) Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned all around.

Move to cooling rack to cool.

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Note - Sometimes I make the dough the night before.  Then what I do is make the dough balls and put them into a plastic storage container overnight.  Then leave on counter for about an hour before baking.  This way it warms up faster and it's already measured out and you are not fightign with a big mass of hard dough.

These would probably be excellent with Walnuts - I'll have to try a version that way.

EATS: Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons

I altered my regular recipe because a friend has celiac and I wanted them to be able to enjoy at least one of my cookies.  These are a bit stickier than my regular recipe, but I have been told they are delicious.

7oz (half a can) Low fat Condensed Milk

1 egg white ( or 1/4 cup liquid egg whites)

1/4 cup Flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 - 14oz package Coconut (5 1/3 cups)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Line a baking sheet with parchment

In a medium bowl whisk together with a fork Condensed Milk and Egg whites.  When combined add flour, baking powder and vanilla, whisk until smooth.  Scrape down side and be sure it is well combined.

Add Coconut and with a fork, mix until well combine, use the fork to break up any coconut lumps.

I use a 1/2 oz scooper, but basically drop by rounded tablespoon fulls onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown around the edges.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

READS: The Sweet Life in Paris

Author: David Lebovitz

In many ways this is a case of Lost in Translation, where Davidthrows caution to the wind and embarks on a journey to do that which he has always wanted - live and work in Paris.  He arrives and has to learn not only the joie de vivre, but also the basic rules of living in Paris.

We follow this renown chef through his trials and tribulations of trying to cook in a Paris postage stamp sized flat (he has to wash his pots in the bathtub) and navigate the rules for French society.  Who new you had shave and get dressed just to take out the garbage?

This is another memoir cum cookbook, interlaced with all kinds of yummy delicacies you will be itching to try out.  David includes not only variations on the recipes, but also a fine list of shops at the end at which one can purchase the required ingredients or equipment (provided you can remember to greet the shop keeper and navigate the complex French shopping culture.

I personally enjoyed his attempts to muddle through the healthcare system.

C'est la vie et Bon Appetite!

EATS: Easy Coconut Macaroons

Honestly, I don't eat coconut - it's a texture thing - but I have been told that these are yummy by many, many people who like Coconut Macaroons (including my mother)  Enjoy!

7oz (half a can) Low fat Condensed Milk
1 egg white ( or 1/4 cup liquid egg whites)
1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 - 14oz package Coconut (5 1/3 cups)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Line a baking sheet with parchment

In a medium bowl whisk together with a fork Condensed Milk and Egg whites.  When combined add flour, baking powder and vanilla, whisk until smooth.  Scrape down side and be sure it is well combined.

Add Coconut and with a fork, mix until well combine, use the fork to break up any coconut lumps.

I use a 1/2 oz scooper, but basically drop by rounded tablespoon fulls onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown around the edges.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 24 macaroons.

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Disclaimer: I do not actually measure the condensed milk or the vanilla, I have always eyeballed it, but you make it your way experimentation can be a good learning experience.

EATS: Lower Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Met me preface this with I am a crunchy cookie girl.  In general I do not like soft cookies.  The memories I have of childhood include nice crunchy cookies - which is probably why I need lower fat cookies today.

These have a great taste and a nice texture.

This was a bit of a gamble when I tried them, but they were yummy (although soft) this is your basic Nestle (tm)   Toll-house Cookie recipe with a couple of substitutions.

1 stick butter, softened
4oz Fage 0% Yogurt
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1 tsp vanilla (although I tend to just eyeball it - you can use a bit more to balance the yogurt)
1 egg
1 egg white
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup bittersweet Chocolate Chips (I use Nestle)

With an electric mixer blend butter, yogurt, sugar and Splenda until you have no lumps of butter.  add egg, egg white and vanilla and blend.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.

Add flour mixture to wet mixture in thirds stirring completely between additions.  When fully combined, stir in chocolate chips.

Using a 1/2 oz ice cream scoop, drop measured scoopfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 11-14 minutes until golden brown.  If not using a convection oven, rotate tray after first 6 minutes.

Makes about 40, 3 WW-PP cookies.