The Magician in the Kitchen

THE MAGICIAN IN THE KITCHEN

By guest blogger Cathy Lee Gruhn

Visit Cathy’s blog, A Fridge, An Oven & A Sink

If you’re reading this blog, you love food.  You love to cook and you love to try new recipes. I found a recipe that’s an ideal trifecta: fantastic taste, a great portable breakfast or afternoon treat, and it’s good for you!  Here’s the kicker, the best part of this recipe – it’s low in calories, fat and sugar and has enormous taste!  It’s the Grab N’ Go Oat Bar by Marlene Koch (pronounced Cook) who, if you aren’t familiar with Marlene Koch, quite simply she is “the magician in the kitchen!”

Now to be honest, I’m working on Marlene’s upcoming cookbook Eat More of What You Love which coming in April 2012, so when the early copy landed on my desk, it was my obligation to begin testing some of the recipes and its two thumbs up! 

This was the first recipe tested not only was simple, I used just a large mixing bowl and a medium/large measuring cup for the wet and dry element—my friend was at my apartment when I pulled the pan out of the oven and kept pestering me, “when can I taste them?” .. Always a good sign!   

When I began to assemble my ingredients, I noted Marlene’s use of no-calorie sweetener.  I normally only bake with “the real stuff” but decided to try the Splenda Baking Blend which is Sucralose and Sugar combined and reduced the amount. I could now become a convert for future baking recipes.  Most of us have the ingredients for this recipe on hand; OK, I didn’t have the prune puree baby food (the only baby food I have is sweet potato and that’s for my dog, but that’s another blog post…) but once I made the bars, I began to think wouldn’t it be fun to use peach puree, almonds and dried dates, or apple-pear puree, pistachios and dried cherries?  Of course I was right on target because Marlene encourages you to mix n’ match fruit purees with different nuts and dried fruit.  Wow—who doesn’t like to have some creative fun-time in the kitchen?!   My early copy of this cookbook has dog-eared pages noting the other recipes I can’t wait to try.  I encourage all to make this recipe and of course to buy the book!

Makes 12 Servings

2 cups quick oats

1 cup white whole wheat flour ( I used Whole Wheat Flour)

3 / 4 cup granulated no-calorie sweetener (like Splendid)

3 tablespoons of brown sugar

3 / 4 teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 teaspoon baking powder

1 /4 cup dried cranberries, chopped finely

1 /4 cup chopped walnuts

1 / 4 cup prune puree (or 3.5 ounce package baby food prunes)

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 egg whites

1 tablespoon molasses

1 1 /2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a very large bowl, mix together the first 9 ingredients (oats through walnuts). Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 5 ingredients (prunes through vanilla).  Pour the prune mixture over the dry ingredients.  Mix with a spoon until all the ingredients are combined.  Batter will be sticky.
3. Spread batter into the baking pan and bake for 12-minutes.  Do not overbake.  Set baking pan on rack to cool.  Cut into 12 bars.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

by Cathy Lee Gruhn

From sending out cards to the mad dash to buy the perfect gift; the holidays bring something exciting and personal to each of us.  I was born and raised in New York City, and year after year the excitement for me is seeing the stores up and down Fifth Avenue presenting their windows ushering in the holiday season.  From the red-bowed encrusted Cartier to the Victorian-esque look surrounding Tiffany’s; to the couture delights of Bergdorf Goodman and Saks; and of course the time-honored themed windows of Lord & Taylor; the anchor of it all—the Rockefeller Christmas Tree with its blue and green twinkling lights. 

December equates not only the holidays for me, it also means a plethora of holiday treats and the steady whir of my mixer with the aroma of butter, sugar and vanilla rising through my kitchen.  This is the time I go full throttle baking!  The giddiness takes over as I scour through magazines reviewing the variety of cookie recipes trying to come to a decision on what I will make on my “great cookie baking day.”   

While I’m no Martha Stewart, I can pride myself in some pretty good sweet treats and no matter which cookies I make, there will be one specific cookie that is always included, because this cookie, the buttery thumbprint cookie with its jewel toned fruit jelly filling always brings a smile and brings back wonderful memories of holidays past.  This simple, classic cookie is the one cookie I would make with my mother as a little girl year after year. 

Classically known as “The Butter Ball,” today most of us know it as a “Thumbprint Cookie.” My mother would prepare the classic butter cookie, and then the all-important job of the thumbprint was up to me, as my thumb was always the ideal-size where the preserves would find their place of honor.  This year my gift boxes will likely include my choir of gingerbread boys and girls making their return, as will a great white chocolate-lemon biscotti and some new additions may include a stained glass sugar cookie, a peppermint brownie with white chocolate and even maybe a savory cheese and rosemary palmier…  However, no matter how many cookies I search out or try, my mother’s Butter Ball cookie, a.k.a. The Thumbprint will have its place of honor.  

What’s your favorite holiday cookie recipe or memory?

BUTTER BALLS

Preheat oven to 325º

1/2 lb. butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. vanilla

Tart jelly, preferably currant  

1. Cream 1/2 lb. butter with 2/3 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth.
2. Sift 2 cups flour. Measure and re-sift twice with 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Gradually add to the butter mixture.  Beat again when all the flour has been added, and finally beat in 1 tablespoon vanilla.
3. Grease and flour a cookie sheet.  Scoop out 1/2 teaspoon dough at a time.  Roll between your palms into tiny "butter balls" about the size of a marble.  Give them room to spread by placing on the cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and 1 inch away from the edges.  With tip of a finger, form a depression on top of each "ball." Fill each depression with a small amount of tart jelly and bake in 325º oven.  Watch them carefully and bake them only until sandy-colored.  They are done when slightly browned underneath.  Approximately 12 to 13 minutes is the required time.  This recipe makes about 75 "butter balls."

Note:  These cookies resemble a bowl of cherries in that it is almost impossible for the members of your family to leave them alone.  Use the tip of a knife or the tip of a small spoon to insert the jelly (preferably currant) into the depressions of the cookies.

Recipe courtesy The Perfect Hostess Cook Book © 1950 by Mildred O. Knopf.

Image courtesy of DashRecipes.com.