cookies, muffins

Orange Cranberry Nut Muffins
2 c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. shortening.
1 c. orange juice
1 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. orange zest (show zester)
1 egg (beaten)
1 to 1 ½ c. chopped nuts
1 c. dry cranberries (coarsely chopped)

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix them together.
2. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the shortening is about the size of un-popped popcorn kernels.
3. Combine and orange juice, sugar, orange zest and beaten egg.
4. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. DO NOT over mix.
5. Fold the chopped nuts and the cranberries into the batter.
6. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Allow muffins to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and BEAN Cookies

These cookies have a low-fat secret. They’re full of beans! This recipe has been adapted from Idaho State University researchers in Pocatello. This recipe replaces 75 percent of the butter with beans and applesauce to create cookies with fewer calories and fat.

1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
¾ cup drained and rinsed great Northern white beans
¼ cup applesauce
1 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. butter extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cup milk chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 375º.
2. Lightly coat 4 baking sheets with cooking spray. You will have to borrow cookie sheets and jelly roll pans from one of the kitchens doing muffins. Remember to return the pans to the correct kitchen.
3. In blender, process oats until finely ground but not powdery. Pour the oats into a separate bowl and combine with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In the blender, puree the beans, ¼ cup applesauce, 1 Tbsp. water, eggs, vanilla and butter extract.
5. In your KitchenAid mixer, cream the sugar, butter, and the above pureed mixture (scrape out your blender thoroughly) and beat well.
6. With mixer on low speed, mix in the oat and flour mixture.
7. Gradually stir in the milk chocolate chips.
8. Using the small spring-loaded cookie scoop, drop dough by spoonfuls on prepared cookie sheets. Using a wet hand, press the dough to the thickness of the chocolate chips.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool slightly before putting on cooling rack.


Streusel Raspberry Muffins (2 dozen)

Pecan Streusel Topping (below) 1 C. milk
3 C. flour 1 C. butter or margarine, melted
1 C. sugar 2 eggs, beaten
4 tsp. baking powder 2 C. fresh or individually frozen raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and grease muffin pans. For lab, you will use regular-sized muffin tins. Use the insulated, shiny muffin tins from the front of the room.
2. Prepare the streusel topping and set aside (recipe below).
3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Combine milk butter, and egg in a small bowl.
5. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture, and stir just enough to combine.
6. Spoon half the batter into the muffin cups.
7. Put 4 raspberries in each cup.
8. Spoon the rest of the batter over the raspberries, leaving enough room for streusel topping.
9. Sprinkle topping onto batter.
10. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Remove from pan and cool on a rack.

Pecan Streusel Topping

½ C. chopped pecans ½ cup packed brown sugar
½ C. flour ¼ cup melted butter

1. Combine pecans, brown sugar and flour in a small bowl.
2. Add melted butter, and stir until it resembles crumbs.
3. Sprinkle over muffins before baking.


Pineapple Muffins
(24-30 muffins)

For this recipe, you will use muffin liners. For lab, you will use regular-sized muffin tins. You may have to go to other kitchens to borrow muffin tins or from the front of the room on the counter. Make sure to return them after use. Your kitchen should only have one 6-muffin tin.

3/4 C. sliced almonds. Divide in half.
1 ½ cans (30 oz. total) crushed pineapple. Drain and reserve juice for glaze.

3 C. flour 4 oz. cream cheese
1 ½ tsp. baking soda 1 ½ C. sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt 1 Tbsp vanilla
¾ C. sour cream 1 ½ egg

1. Measure and combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Cream sugar, vanilla and cream cheese.
3. Add egg and beat.
4. Add flour to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.
5. Fold in drained pineapple.
6. Prepare muffin tin by inserting paper liners. Spray paper liners with cooking spray. Distribute half of sliced almonds in the bottom of the cups.
7. Spoon muffin batter over the almonds.
8. Sprinkle the remaining almonds on top of the batter.
9. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden.

Glaze 2 C. powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. soft margarine

1. Beat until smooth. Drizzle over warm muffins.


Buttermilk Bran Muffins
(1 ½ doz.) – For lab, make mini muffins using the mini muffin liners.

½ C. 100% Bran Flake cereal 1 ¼ C. flour
1 C. All Bran cereal ¼ tsp. salt
½ C. boiling water 1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ C. shortening 1 C. buttermilk
1 egg ½ C. sugar
1 C. raisins, dates or other dry fruit, if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare muffin tins.
2. Combine cereals and hot water. Let stand.
3. Beat shortening, egg, buttermilk and sugar in a separate bowl.
4. Add softened cereal to the egg mixture and beat to combine.
5. Combine dry ingredients and raisins in the food processor and process until raisins are chopped. Stir with wet mixture ingredients until just mixed.
6. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. (If making mini muffins, bake 10-12 minutes) Remove from pan. Cool on rack.
7. The batter can be put in the refrigerator and used for several weeks.


Cherry Jam Tarts
(makes 24)

2 ½ C. flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg
1/2 C. sugar 2 Tbsp. milk 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2/3 C. butter, softened 1 tsp. almond extract 3/4 C. cherry preserves

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except cherry preserves.
3. Beat at low speed, scraping the bowl often, until well mixed (3 to 4 minutes).
4. On a well floured surface, roll half of the dough to 1/8” thick. Cut out 24 rounds with a 2 ½” cookie cutter.
5. Place the cookies on two un-greased cookie sheets.
6. Place a level teaspoon of cherry preserves in the center of each.
7. Roll out the second half of the dough. Cut out 24 rounds, then cut an X, or cut a shape from the center of each cookie with a tiny cookie cutter.
8. Place these cookie rounds on top of the first cookies, centering the cut out over the preserves.
9. Seal the two cookies together by pressing around the edges with a fork. Sprinkle with sugar.
10. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove immediately. Cool.


Gingersnaps
(adapted from www.cooks.com)
Yield: 2 ½ dozen

¾ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ginger
granulated sugar for dipping

1. Cream shortening and sugar; beat in egg, then add molasses.
2. Add dry ingredients to shortening and mix well.
3. Roll mixture into 1" balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Place on slightly greased cookie sheet 2" apart and bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. You will use three cookie sheets, so you will need to borrow and return one from a kitchen that is preparing muffins for lab.
4. Cool slightly before removing from cookie sheet.


Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from Betty Crocker)

1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup margarine
¼ cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups oats
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. Mix brown sugar, shortening, margarine buttermilk and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
6. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.