Cowboy cookies for my 6yo (HM quart jar mix)

I am doing a fun project with each of the children and my 6yo ds and I are going to make up a bunch of these :).He can make his special cookies for the family and he will feel So proud! :)


Cowboy Cookies (In a jar mix)

1 1/3 cups rolled oats


1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart jar in the order given. Press each layer firmly in place before adding the next layer.

2.Include a card with the following instructions: Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. 2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Stir in the entire contents of the jar. You may need to use your hands to finish mixing. Shape into walnut sized balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. 3. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven. Transfer from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Snickerdoodles

Everyone is crazy about these cookies and they are cheap and easy to make! My little ones were thrilled today to have them with some fresh,raw milk and my dh is going to love having some with his coffee when he gets home! :)

Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter (or 2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Beat butter,sugar and vanilla.Add eggs and beat.If you are a cook like me,don't mix the dry ingredients in another bowl.....Just put the flour on top of the butter mixture and then the cream of tartar,soda and salt on top of the flour.Stir with a spoon.It mixes together FINE! :) I do it all the time with all of my cookies.

Make large balls of dough and roll in the below mixture.

14/ cup sugar
4 tsp cinnamon

No need to grease the pan :)

Bake at 350 for 8-11 minutes or until light brown around the edges.

Don't overbake or they will be crispy! They are still good but not NEAR as good as the crinkly chewy ones! :)

Give them plenty of space as they will spread.

Pears! Pear Pandowdy......

I was able to get 2 bushels of pears this year! I have frozen a bunch,will dry a bunch and also tried this new recipe which we LOVED! We had it for breakfast last weekend served with fresh cream that was flavored with maple syrup and vanilla.DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

Pear pandowdy......


12 pears peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sweetener of choice (we used sucanat)
1/2 cup butter
2 TB lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

TOPPING

3 cups flour
3/4 cup sweetener
1 TB baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup water

In saucepan,combine first 6 ingredients.Cook and stir over medium heat until for 5 minutes or until pear slices are tender.Pour into 9x13 baking pan or other large oven proof dish.In a bowl,combine flour,sweetener,b powder and salt.Cut in butter then stir in water.Sprinkle over pear mixture.Sprinkle with sugar if you want to make it extra pretty :). Bake at 375 for aprox 1/2 hour....Maybe longer :) Check before removing from oven to make sure center is done.....Serve with sweetened cream or ice cream for extra goodness! :)

Cream cheese,Cranberry muffins

                                                                

These muffins have the flavor of CHEESECAKE and they are one of my favorites!!!!!

8 oz cream cheese
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups cranberries
1-2 cups nuts

Beat cream cheese and butter together.Add sugar,vanilla and eggs....Beat....Measure flour onto butter mixture and put the baking powder and salt right on top and just stir right in! Stir in cranberries and nuts ....Bake at 350 for oh about 25-30 min? Or till done :). Delicious! I used half wheat,half sucanat and no nuts today.They are delicious! I LOVE nuts better but I  didn't have any.All white flour is of course, delicious but the wheat is almost just as good! :) These are really easy too! :)

Apple bars with peanut butter,cream cheese frosting....

I served my husband a plate with these with his coffee this evening when he got home from work.....I held my breath as I asked him "Welllllll? How do you like them?" SO many of the healthy "desserts" I make he thinks are just "alright".....I get so excited when he actually LOVES something...! He said that he loves them! HE thought they were excellent! I am so happy :) Another keeper.....

Anyhow,I made this recipe up today when my children wanted me to pack them a picnic.They *love* going on picnics....I know how much we love apples w/ peanut butter as a snack so I thought I would try to combine the flavors in a "bar".....Whole wheat,wholesome sweetener,lots of good fat and protein too!They are delicious.....

BARS:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup apple sauce
1 cup maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 -1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 TB baking powder
3 apples diced up

FROSTING:

1/4 cup maple syrup
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

For bars......Beat together first the first eight ingredients......Add flour and then baking powder right on top on beaten ingredients.Stir.....You can seperate the dry ingredients first and mix them seperately and THEN add them if you want to but this is an unnecessary step and I never do it! My baked goods always turn out great.....Anyhow,then add the apples and stir them in...Grease pan....I baked this in a large sheet pan but you could use a 9x13 if you wanted more of a cake....If you use a sheet pan,bake at 425 for 15-20 min.....IF a cake pan.....probably closer to 30 minutes....

For frosting....Beat everything but the syrup together until fluffy....slowly add syrup.....Frost bars when cool! Enjoy!

Pumpkin pie.....

I decided to mess with my normal pumpkin pie recipe this weekend and substitute maple syrup for the sweetener....They turned out perfect.....Texture and everything.You would never know that you weren't eating "regular" pumpkin pie!

This recipe makes three pumpkin pies.....

1 1/2 cups maple syrup
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
3 eggs
30 0z pumpkin (2- 15 oz cans)
2 cups cream

Mix all together and pour into an unbaked crust....You can use your regular crust or if you want to use a healthier crust you could try the hazelnut crust posted with my cheesecake recipe....
Bake at 425 for 30 minutes or until you see tiny cracks around the edge of the filling.....

Top with lots of whipped cream!

Hazelnut caramel cheesecake.....

We had this today and it was absolutely delicious! It was the first time we tried the crust and we will definitely be using it again.....The filling I have made one time before....It is 100% as good as cheesecake using regular sugar.The topping I made up today and was SOOOO happy to find that it was just as delicious as my normal caramel topping made with brown sugar!

CRUST:

1 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/4 cup maple sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla

FILLING:

4-8 oz packages cream cheese(softened)
4 eggs
1 cup maple sugar
1 TB vanilla

TOPPING:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp vanilla


For crust.....In food processor,process hazelnuts until finely ground.....add the rest of the crust ingredients and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.Remove from oven and top with filling.....

For filling.....Beat cream cheese until smooth.Add sugar and beat until well combined.Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.Beat in vanilla.Spoon into crust and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.....

For topping......Combine maple sugar and butter in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.....Add cream and bring to a boil again....Boil for about a minute and then remove from heat....Add vanilla.Pour over cheesecake!

This is delicious warm but well chilled cheesecake (chilled for several hours) is the BEST!!

Enjoy your HEALTHY cheesecake!

I use fresh cream,homeade butter,real salt,organic eggs,real vanilla and our own maple sugar.I will be much happier when we have our own free ranged eggs (we buy organic from the neighbor but the are not free ranged) and my own homeade cream cheese! I have not made my own cream cheese yet...