Rain, Sleet, Snow (or lack there of) Cookie Exchange 2009

Cookie Exchange Table

I want to thank all my lovely friends who came out tonight for the 3rd annual Mom on the Run cookie exchange. It was touch and go all day with the snowy weather heading to Connecticut. I just looked out the window and there is no snow. Maybe it has decided to stay away.

As always the cookie exchange was a great time with lots of great cookies. Here are some highlights…

Amanda’s Ragula and Pinwheels

 

Anne’s Christmas Sugar Cookies

Kris’s Nutella Sandwich Cookies

Kris’s Thumbprint Cookies

Julie’s Minty Sugar Cookies

Kristine’s Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

and the feature cookie…

Mom on the Run’s Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls aka Buckeyes.

Remember how I posted about eating a cleaner lifestyle yesterday. Warning—These cookies do not fit that lifestyle but oh are they sooo good They have been a hit at the cookie exchange for the last few years and of course I made them again. If you are looking for a crowd pleaser at a holiday party these are it.

BUCKEYE BALLS

Adapted from www.cooks.com

The buckeye, or horse chestnut tree, is the state tree of Ohio. These candies, which are delicious edible, resemble the buckeye’s dark brown, glossy but inedible fruit that children love to play with.

1 1/2 lb. jar smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 lb. butter

Cream powdered sugar and butter together, then add peanut butter. Mix well.

May knead like dough.

Shape into balls about 1-inch in diameter.

Put in an airtight container. Freeze Overnight.

Covering:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate semi-sweet morsels
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 stick paraffin

Melt chocolate morsels and paraffin in double boiler or sturdy sauce pan on low heat.

 

Swirl candy ball by toothpick(I used a whisk) in chocolate.

 

Dry on cookie sheet and serve immediately. I usually refreeze if I don’t plan on eating them right away.

I was a good detox girl and did not even have one. My daughters however had a might fine dessert tonight

I would love to thank all the ladies (Kristine, Kristen, Julie, and Ann)who ventured out on the “stormy” night to exchange a bit of your friendship and kitchen to Mom on the Run. If you have never taken part in a cookie exchange before I encourage you too. It is a great way to have a large variety of Christmas cookies on your holiday table.

Back to Clean Eating tomorrow..LOL…and maybe some snow.

How to Eat and Live Clean

Don’t forget to enter my great Rudi’s Organic Bakery Giveaway!!

Today has been a crazy day. All my fellow teachers can relate to me when I say this is a rough time of year to do any teaching. I am keeping up my routine but all I can say is ugh!!

This is why I need to focus on the last days of my detox and start to plan to keep up my healthy eating and not let holiday stress get to me. As I was reading this month’s Clean Eating Magazine I stumbled across a great article that reminds me of how I can live a cleaner eating lifestyle. I am clipping this out and posting it on my fridge as a constant reminder.

Here are the highlights:

• Eat five to six times a day- Three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, fruits and veggies, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal.

• Drink at least 2 liters of water a day.- Drink water with a lemons slice.

• Get label savvy- Clean foods contain just one or two ingredients.

• Avoid processed and refined foods.

• Know the enemies- Steer clear of anything high in saturated and trans fat, anything fried or anything high in sugar.

• Shop with a conscience-Consume humanely raised and local meats.

• Consume healthy fats.

• Learn about portion sizes.

• Reduce your carbon footprint.

• Slow Down and Savor.

• Take it to go- Bring your lunch and snacks to work. Be prepared with healthy snacks.

• Make it a family affair.

Tonight I concentrated on making dinner a family affair. I found a great recipe for stuffed turkey breasts that I thought the whole family could enjoy. It was simple to make and did not involve a lot of ingredients. Best of all it was delicious.

Turkey Breast with Leek and Rice Stuffing

Adapted from The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small leek, well rinsed and cleaned
• 1/4 cup of cooked brown rice
• 1/2 tsp of sage
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 4 turkey cutlets sliced thin

Preparation:

In a medium skillet coated with olive oil, sauté onion and leek until soft. Be careful not to burn.

Add rice, herbs, spices, salt and pepper, and stir. Let stuffing mixture cool slightly.

Lay out each turkey cutlet. Fill each cutlet with a little bit stuffing.

Roll each cutlet and place a toothpick to secure each roll.

Place cutlets in a shallow roasting pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, depending on size of cutlets. Serve immediately.

I served each cutlet with green beans and black beans and rice. Super yummy

The news of the snow storm coming toward Connecticut may put a damper on my cookie exchange plans. I am going full force and finishing my cookie exchange cookies. Tomorrow I will post the results and recipes.

Is that Martha Stewart in my Kitchen?

Yes, that is a picture of my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. It is making its yearly appearance in Mom on the Run’s kitchen. I know that is pretty sad, but baking is not really “my thing” as many of you know. My parents bought me the mixer for my birthday a few years ago and it does make a pretty decoration piece for my kitchen. What is the special occasion for pulling the mixer out of hibernation?

Here is the conversation that was had in my kitchen as the mixer was doing its thing and answer to the mystery.

Daijia (oldest daughter) “Are you sick?”

Me “No, why do you ask.”

Daijia “ Ummmm, you are baking. You never bake. I thought baking makes you angry. Wait, Are you having that cookie party thing again?”

Me “ You guessed it. It is your favorite party of the year and yes I am making your favorite peanut butter balls.”

So yes fellow blog friends Mom on the Run is baking for the 3rd Annual Cookie Exchange hosted at my house. I had always wanted to host a party like this and found a few friends who also shared my interest for for good food, company, and of course Christmas Cookies. Everyone brings 5 dozen cookies of their choice to the party and returns home with 5 dozen of all the different types of cookies. Can you go wrong?

This was last years spread. My house smelled glorious. There was a huge assortment and lots of full bellies.

I always make peanut butter balls (I think some people call them buckeyes) because everyone loves them but hates to make them. I also bake 2 other recipes that change every year. This year I wanted to do something with dried cherries as I had a few bags left in the pantry from the Bare Fruit Company.

If you have never tried this baked dried fruit it is a must. I love that this are baked and not freeze dried. It takes like fruit leather which I love. These are make great additions to baked items.

I searched for a recipe that could incorporate this ingredient and would be simple to make. Here is what I found from a personal favorite of mine, Martha Stewart. She did not actually create these but they are a personal favorite of hers. I thought I could trust her opinion…lol!

Torie’s Cherry Chocolate-Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup toffee pieces

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking soda.

 

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing.

• Add the egg; mix on high speed to combine. Add the vanilla; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

 

• Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and mix on low speed until well combined. Add the oats, cherries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine after each addition.

• Spoon a heaping
  tablespoon of dough onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat, spacing 2 inches apart.

 

• Bake cookies until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

The kids said these were delicious. I let them have a sample to make sure they were cookie exchange ready. Also I could not personally sample as I am being extremely good on my detox/gluten free diet.

And there you have Mom on the Run’s Yearly baking experience and may I say it was a success!

Do you like to bake or would you rather cook a meal?

Don’t forget to enter Rudi’s Bakery Great Holiday Giveaway!

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