The Cowboy Cookies

Would you like a recipe of my own? Ok, here they are. I credit my mother for the idea with the captain crunch. It's genius! So good!

Cowboy Cookies

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 egg
• ½ C white sugar
• ½ C brown sugar, packed
• 2 t. vanilla

Cream these together in a bowl

• 1 1/3 C white flour
• ½ t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 C quick oats
• ¼ t salt

Blend these together in another bowl. Combine the two until just combined.

Then add the “cowboys”… a total of about 2 cups of the following:

· Chopped nuts (walnuts are great)
· Coconut
· Chocolate chips
· Crushed cereal (Captain Crunch, slightly crushed =delish!!)

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

Falafels

I don't know why they're "Friday" falafels, but it makes the name unique, which I like. I love love love these! I make them to stick in pita bread, top on salads, or just sub it for chicken when I want to go meatless. Feel free to add more spices as you please, especially some extra SPICE! I add added garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, Old Bay seasoning... you know... basically the whole spice cabinet (this is pure evidence that I was raised by and grew up watching Steve Sumsion, my father, in the kitchen (Some successes, and some/many failures).

This picture includes the chicken I made with the falafels, because
I knew Mark wouldn't want a falafel pita. haha

My pita, stuffed with falafels and tons of veggies. YUM.

Friday Falafels
Serves: 2-3 (easily can be doubled)

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup dry Italian breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3-4 t minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil (for frying)

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor and process until smooth. Now, form whatever sized patties you like. I usually get about eight out of this recipe. Heat tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat, and fry the patties.

Serve with lettuce, hummus and whatever other veggies you might like!

http://www.lighterandlocal.com/2011/01/friday-falafels-and-north-shore-picks.html

Dilly Cucumber Salad

I LOOOVE this dish! I make it about once a week. I really love the dill in it too.

Dilly Cucumber Salad

Makes 2 large servings or at least 4 small servings

• 1 large long English Cucumber, cut into ribbons with a mandolin or vegetable peeler(or you can cut it into thin rounds)
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2-3/4 tsp sugar or honey(to taste)
• 1/4 C chopped fresh dill(or you can substitute 1+ tbsp of dried dill)

In a small bowl mix together the dressing ingredients and leave them while you cut your cucumber. Cut your cucumber however you like. This time I did long noodle like pieces, but the last time I made it I took a veggie peeler and sliced 2″ long “noodles” all the way around the cucumber till I got to the end. Or you can just slice the end to get thin rounds. Just before serving mix the cucumber with the dressing. If you can, try to drain the cucumber before adding the dressing as there’s a lot of juice in the bottom of the bowl usually and you don’t want it to be too watery.

http://fooddoodles.com/2011/04/18/dilly-cucumber-salad/

Sweet Potato Parmesan Chips

I brought this recipe to our girls retreat back in April. It was a hit! These would make a great salad topper if you did little tiny strips of potato. Maren and I had a dish at a restaurant earlier this week that was topped with fried sweet potato strips. They were good, but too greasy because they were fried. These are a great solution! They're baked and perfect. Make sure to bake them on wax paper or a baking sheet, or you'll have some nasty clean up!

Sweet Potato and Parmesan Chips

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1/4 cup Shaved Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the skin off the sweet potato with a vegetable peeler and discard. Continue to peel the sweet potato so you have lots of thin strips of the sweet potato fresh. Put these strips onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and top with the half of the parmesan cheese, garlic salt, paprika, salt and pepper. Using your fingers, mix the toppings into the strips of sweet potato until evenly coated. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are just slightly turning light brown and the strips are crisp. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a touch of sea salt and a little more shaved Parmesan.

http://whatsgabycooking.com/sweet-potato-and-parmesan-chips/

BUTTER-LESS Chocolate Chippers (that are delicious!)

This recipe is from heaven, I swear! It has no butter in it. You honestly don't even miss it! It has passed 8 out of 8 people. (They even passed with approval from my husband Mark, the self acclaimed King of chocolate chippers!) I know it's scary to try something like this, but you should try it. This recipe is already halved and will only make about 25 cookies, so just try it to try it.

Low Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

· 1 large egg

· ½ C Brown Sugar

· ¼ C white Sugar

· 1 t Vanilla

· 1 T Milk

· ½ C Whole Wheat Flour

· ½ C White Flour

· ½ t Baking Soda

· ½ t Salt

· 6 oz Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven 375. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Beat together egg, sugar, vanilla, and milk until thick and uniformly mixed. Add flours, baking soda, and salt, and beat again until well combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until chips are distributed throughout. Drop dough on cookie sheet and bake for only 7-8 minutes, or until they are only lightly browned and barely wet when touched they will become hard if overcooked, so be careful with the time. Remove from cookie sheets and cool. Makes 25 cookies.

1 cookie = 65 calories, 2 grams fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 26% calories from fat.