Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies/Bars

I've been substitute teaching a lot lately. The school staff are really close-knit and I appreciate the love that floats through the halls of the school. It's actually kind of freaky. I usually take sweets with me to hand out. (It's something that has been ingrained in me. My mother is the best baker and the most giving person I have ever met) Since the school I am referring to is a Parochial school and it is Lent, I decided to make something other than chocolate. It was much appreciated, and the teachers like knowing that these were on the lighter side.

I found this recipe in my new copy of Cooking Light magazine. I believe A) the lack of fat/oils in this recipe made it difficult to form and B) I halved the recipe so there turned out to be even less butter/oil. I ended up making bars instead of cookies. I could've baked these less, they were quite crunchy, but I love the caramel bits within the bars.

Recipe to follow:

Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

• 6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup finely chopped dried apple slices
• 3/4 cup caramel bits or 16 small soft caramel candies, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl; stir well.

3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. Fold in apple and caramel bits.

4. Drop dough by 2 teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten balls slightly with hand. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Bean burritos and Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

So, my boyfriend and I are QUITE into the show Project Runway. Of course, we haven't started watching it until now. I heard they're onto the 7th season. We started with the 4th (the last disc, working backwards) and now we decided to start with the first season.We're a lot less confused now. Ha! Anyways, yesterday we made a marathon of it. I made non-special bean burritos. Easy food to consume for couch sitters.

Because I didn't feel gross enough confining myself to a couch for hours and hours I made Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, just to have around. I didn't have any white chocolate in the house (mainly because I can't stand it) so I began searching for a recipe for Macadamia nut cookies. Found a simple one in my Bon Appetit and just replaced the white chocolate with the dark. I wouldn't use dark next time, it overpowered the other flavors. But really....could butter, sugar and chocolate of any kind be bad?

Recipe to follow:

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6-1/2 oz. white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, halved

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Blend butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla until fluffy, stopping once to scrape down sides of bowl, about 1 minute. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined.

Do not overmix. St lightly greased cookie sheet. space about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375°F until lightly brown around edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then remove to racks and cool completely. Store in air days at room temperature or freeze 3 weeks.

Serving Size: 8