Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I needed to bake something today.  Preferably something that included the ability to eat raw dough.  Do you ever have days like that?  I tried to find something that was low in points.  I spent about 30 minutes looking at websites, and every time I found something that looked interesting I saw "unsweetened applesauce" on the ingredient list and I moved on by.  I have no problem with unsweetened applesauce as a general rule.  I actually use it on a semi-regular basis.  But today was not a day where unsweetened applesauce needed to be in my life.  So I gave in, softened two sticks of butter, and threw these babies together.  Try them.  You'll like them.

Ingredients

1 cup butter softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.  (I thought it was less messy to use parchment paper, but it's not necessary.)

Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE:  Aaron isn't a big fan of nuts, so I left them out and used an entire bag of chocolate chips instead.

Source:  AllRecipes.com

Points+ per serving:  Don't ask

Honey Crunch Pecan Pie

This year I will be making three of these pies for family Thanksgiving.  I am hoping there will be leftovers, because I have serious intentions of sitting in the recliner on Black Friday with a blanket, a book, and a slab of pie.  You can have the amazing sales and crazy traffic - just give me leftover pecan pie! 

I get asked for the recipe every year, and I always forget to give it to people, so here it is once and for all.  I took at recipe from allrecipes.com and made my own little tweaks to it.  This recipe makes one deep dish pie.

Bakerella (Pumpkin Pecan Butter Dessert Squares)

Bakerella is an agent of the devil.  No really.  She was sent from the dark underworld to sabotage my weight loss efforts and make me feel incredibly inadequate in the creativity department. 

Okay, maybe she's not the devil.  I actually think she is a very sweet lady who has a fabulous blog and a super cute cookbook and really really great hair.  If you've never looked at the Cake Pops Section of Bakerella's website you should stop by.  Even if you hate to bake and are utterly uncreative you have to appreciate the amazing things she does. 

I seriously want to make the turkey cake pops for Thanksgiving, but alas, I am not talented in the food presentation department.  Pretty on a plate is not my strong suit.  I'll leave that up to people like Bakerella.

But wait, what's this...could it be a Thanksgiving worthy dessert that even us creatively-challenged chefs can whip up?  Indeed it is.  And it's from Bakerella.  The woman knows no limits. 

After her recent cookbook tour where she stopped at several Williams-Sonoma stores she was kind enough to share this recipe on her website - Pumpkin Pecan Butter Dessert Squares.  I love desserts that are a little unexpected.  (Ask me about White Chocolate Orange cookies...).  And these little squares made me supremely happy.  The secret ingredient is this Pumpkin Pecan Butter. 

You can buy it at Williams-Sonoma stores or online at http://www.williams-sonoma.com/. 

Make these bars for your next holiday festivity and prepare yourself for what happens next.  You're about to become very very popular.

Williams-Sonoma Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dessert Squares

18.25 oz. package yellow cake mix, set aside one cup
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 large eggs
13.5 oz. jar of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.
Divide cake mix, placing all but one cup in a mixing bowl.
Stir the melted butter and one egg into the cake mix until combined.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
In another bowl, mix pumpkin butter with two eggs and milk until combined.
Spread pumpkin mixture over pressed cake mix.
Stir the reserved 1 cup of cake mix with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
Then add the softened butter and mix together until crumbly.
Sprinkle over the top of the pumpkin layer.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and cut into 2 ” squares. Serves 24.

Printable Recipe

Peach Crunch Cake

WARNING: If you're looking for a Weight Watchers friendly recipe you should look somewhere else on this site. I've posted lots of low point recipes, but this is not it. This is one of Aaron's favorites. And since he's working on a Saturday outdoors on the 14th straight day of triple-degree heat here in DFW I figured he'd appreciate having a yummy dessert tonight.

Berry Crumb Bars

I made these little goodies for yesterday's Fourth of July party, and they were a big hit. Not quite as big as the pillow cookies that Kristi made, but that's understandable. Seriously, take a look at the recipe for those things. Heaven! Or hell. It all depends on your current diet situation.

Anyway, eating these berry crumb bars is not necessary the best way to stay on track with Weight Watchers, but as a splurge they are totally worth it in my opinion. And hey, there's fruit in there. Which counts for something. Right?

Here's what you need for the crust:
1 cup white sugar
1 Tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened but not melted
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 Tsp vanilla
Here's what you need for the berries:
5 cups frozen mixed berries (Do not thaw)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Here's what you do:
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 13x9 pan.
2) Mix together the sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a large fork cut in the butter, shortening, egg, and vanilla. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Pat half of the dough into the bottom of the pan to form a crust and set the other half aside.
3) Mix together the sugar and cornstarch. Then sprinkle it over the berries. Stir gently until the berries are evenly coated. Spread the berries evenly over the crust, and sprinkle the remaining dough on top of the berries.
4) Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool completely, and cut into small squares.

This makes about 30 cookies. If you want to really push your luck you could heat one or two up a little bit and top it with some vanilla ice cream. I didn't do this because that would have translated to an hour on the treadmill or immense guilt, and I wasn't really prepared to deal with either. So now you know what I'll be dreaming about tonight.

Enjoy!



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Nutritional Information
1 serving = 1 small square = 4 WW Points