The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2011

Today is the big day!!!! Cookie Recipe Reveal Day

One of my favorite parts of being a blogger is the amazing people that I get to “meet” and learn new things from. When I stumbled upon a great blogger event that I immediately signed up for and know that other Mom on the Run blogging friends will be probably interested in. The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, was organized by the bloggers behind The Little Kitchen and Love & Olive Oil. Food bloggers from around the globe busily prepared three batches of cookies to exchange with other food bloggers. If you are reading this and would have loved to participate make sure you sign up for notifications for next year. I had so much fun baking and preparing the packages. Here is who I had the pleasure of sending my cookies to: Kisha’s Kitchen, Life’s A Batch, and A Half Baked Life. 

As many of you may know, baking is not my favorite thing to do. I much rather throw unmeasured ingredients in in a pan and create a masterpiece. My cookie recipe vault is not very big and I used Google to help me find a recipe that would travel well and be delicious. I could not decide on just one recipe, so I made two with the help of my trust assistant Daijia. She loves to bake so I found a great partner to pass the time away.

Here are my “borrowed” cookie recipes that I exchanged with my Cookie Swap Friends.

Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookies

By Rheanna Kish and The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/3 cups (325 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) fancy molasses
• 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) ground ginger
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cloves
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt

Preparation:

In large bowl, beat butter with 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar; beat in egg and molasses. In separate bowl, whisk together baking flour, ginger, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and sa< stir into butter mixture to form stiff dough.
Roll dough by level 1 tbsp (15 mL) into balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined baking sheets; press to flatten slightly.
Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until edges are light golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Cranberry-White Chocolate Cookies

Southern Living DECEMBER 2005

Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
• 1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries

Preparation

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; set aside.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in white chocolate morsels and cranberries.

Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Daijia and I had so much fun making our cookies. Our house smelt like heaven.

We also would like to thank the three bakers who sent us cookies: Christy from Life of a Modern Housewife (the Gingerbread White Chocolate Blondies were to die for), Meredith from In Sock Monkey Slippers, and Betsy from Betsy Life. I wish I would have taken pictures right away of these amazing cookies but my family ton into them before I could. They do not get the option of fresh baked goods very options. Especially ones that were this good.

If you did participate I can’t wait to read about your recipes. This exchange was so much fun. I would personally love to thank The Little Kitchen and Love & Olive Oil for all their hard work to make this event possible. Until next year

MOTR Paleo Twice Baked Bacon Acorn Squash

Operation Paleo has been a success this week. Basically I have scoured a ton of resources to find amazing recipes and guidelines to eat more naturally. I am not going to be eating a strict Paleo only diet as this in not realistic for me. What I am going to be doing is making better natural food choices. Instead of tortilla chips, I have my carrot sticks or hard boil eggs. My body responds much better to a low carb high protein diet, with a focus of limiting processed food and refined carbs. I will have to say that I am feeling so much better this week. My focus has been better and I have much more energy. I need both with the amount of things that are on both my work and personal calendar.

This week my kitchen was busy with me creating some great new family friendly meals. I also had some assistance with my new Farberware Restaurant Pro Open Skillet with Teflon® non-stick coating. With all the parties and planning, who has time for the nuisance of cooking and cleaning? Across the board, in the kitchen you can count on cookware with Teflon® nonstick coatings to make your life easier during the holidays.With cookware with Teflon® nonstick coatings, you’ll see that it’s possible to make a hearty, delicious meal for 2 or 20 without spending all day in the kitchen.  The nonstick coating on Teflon® pots and pans make for easy cooking and clean-up every time!

I decided to test the nonstick challenge this week by crisping up some bacon for my kitchen created Twice Baked Bacon Acorn Stuffed Squash. I love the gold Teflon touch of the skillet. Brings out the bacon’s color .

While you begin to drool a little bit here is the recipe that is both sweet and savory. It would be a great addition to any holiday table.

Twice Baked Roasted Bacon Acorn Squash

By : Mom on the Run

Ingredients

• 1 medium acorn squash (1-1/2 pounds each)
• 6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Dash to 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash upside down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until tender. Scoop out squash, leaving a 1/4-in. shell.

• In a large bowl, combine the squash pulp, bacon, cinnamon, nutmeg, green onion, and salt and pepper.

• Spoon into shells. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and top is golden brown. Yield: 2 servings.

This recipe is amazing. It is just enough mix of bacon a squash with a hint of cinnamony goodness. A definite Paleo keeper . I made these to accompany my version of these bacon wrapped lovelies. Great winter dinner. I adore the shape of acorn squash as it makes a great bowl. Thank you so much to Teflon for inspiring Mom on the Run to create this amazing dish.

Do you have a favorite pan that you use to make your kitchen a happier place?

I am going to spend my Sunday catching up with my favorite blog friends. Watch out blog world I am going to be spreading comment love.

Disclosure: This post was made possible by Teflon. I did receive the skillet in exchange for the review but the thoughts are my own. 

Quick and Easy Friday

White Wine Chicken and Vegetable Alfredo

Kids boycotting eating their veggies—This dish will solve all your problems.

Ingredients:

1 pound of Chicken Breast cubed

1 cup of Zucchini sliced thin

1 cup of Yellow Squash sliced thin

1 cup of Carrots sliced thin

1 Jar of Newman’s Alfredo Sauce

1 cup of white cooking wine

Salt and pepper

1 pound of fettuccine

Yields: 6 servings

Instructions:

1. Bring pot of water to boil and cook fettuccine according to package. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, brown cubed chicken and veggies on medium-high heat. Add wine to chicken mixture and reduce heat to low. Let wine cook out about 5 minutes.

3. Add jar of Alfredo sauce to chicken. Let sauce heat through.

4. Place ½ cup of pasta on a plate and top with chicken and sauce. Serve immediately.