Wordless Wednesday: Spare a Rose, Save a Child

A quick reminder: buy one less rose this Valentine's Day, and donate the value of that rose to the Life for a Child program.

Spare a Rose, Save a Child

In case you haven't already heard, there is a pretty amazing initiative spreading through the DOC and around the world this week, called Spare a Rose, Save a Child. Put together by DOC advocates Kerri Sparling, Kelli Close, Manni Hernandez, Jeff Hitchcock, and Bennet Dunlap, with the help of some folks at Johnson & Johnson, the super simple idea is to buy one less rose this Valentine's Day and share the value of that rose with a child with diabetes in the developing world. How do you do that? Easy peezy lemon-squeezy. Simply click here and make a donation to Life for a Child.

So instead of buying that dozen roses for your sweetie this Valentine's Day, buy 11 instead and donate the value of the twelfth to a child in need. It's a simple, caring, but life-changing message.

Wordless Wednesday ~ NHBPM!

National Health Blog Post Month starts tomorrow. 30 days, 30 health posts. I'm in, are you? Click the image above to sign up!

...and Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Just in time for Halloween and the holiday season, this festive bundt cake was a huge hit with my family. Personally, pumpkin flavored foods are not my cup of tea, but I found myself drawn to idea of doing some pumpkin baking and giving the gourd another try. I'm so glad I did! I used the recipe below, which I adapted slightly from a recipe that appeared in Epicurious in October 2007. I also added a light glaze consisting of icing sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and milk, to the cooled cake.

Ingredients

3 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or mace

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup canola or light olive oil

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin

2/3 cup orange juice, milk, or buttermilk (I used milk)

Procedure

Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the pan as directed. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder (if using), baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

Add the granulated sugar to the large bowl of an electric mixer and crumble in the dark brown sugar, breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Add the oil and 2 eggs and beat until blended, then beat in the remaining eggs and the pumpkin. Scrape down the bowl and beater. With the mixer on the lowest speed, alternately add the juice or milk (or buttermilk if using) and the dry ingredients. When everything is blended, scrape down the bowl, then beat a few seconds longer until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes (or for the time indicated for your altitude in the chart) or until the cake has risen, is springy to the touch and is cracked on top, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out dry. Cool the cake in its pan on a rack for 20 to 25 minutes. Slide a knife around the pan sides and the top of the tube to release the cake. Top the cake with a foil-covered cardboard cake disk or a flat plate, invert, and lift off the pan. Cool the cake completely. Makes approximately 16 servings.

Nutritional Information (Approximate, Per Serving)

Calories 383, Fat 19.5g, Sodium 380mg, Cholesterol 26.4mg, Carbohydrates 50.2g, Dietary Fiber 2.1g, Protein 3.9g

Happy Valentine's Day!

As a mushy romantic at heart, Valentine's Day is one of my favorite days of the year. But as the parent of a child with diabetes, Valentine's Day ranks third on my list of worst carb days of the year (after Halloween and Easter). The colossal amount of candy passed between classmates is enough to send me into carb counting overload, so I've researched the carb counts of some of the most common Valentine's treats to make today more about love and friendship, and less about diabetes.

Candy hearts ~ 12 pieces = 15 carbs

Candy corn ~ 11 pieces = 15 carbs

Cinnamon hearts ~ 30 pieces = 15 carbs

Hershey's kisses ~ 9 hearts = 25 carbs

And when all else fails, moderation is key. Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy New Year!

2011 ~ Goodbye and Good Riddance

I have to say I am NOT sad to see 2011 come to an end. In fact, I am ecstatic, eager, and excited to usher in 2012. Why? Quite frankly, 2011 sucked, and while the number on the calendar cannot be held responsible for one's personal level of happiness or satisfaction with life, there is something therapeutic about moving forward into a new year. New beginnings, new starts, new opportunities; a chance to put the past in its place and live in the present.

And no, 2011 wasn't all bad. It certainly had its share of memorable moments. But too much of it was overshadowed by the black cloud that seemed to park itself over my household, particularly for the latter half of the year. Too much stress, custody battles, career changes, a rebellious teen, a strained marriage, and day to day life with diabetes, has left me feeling exhausted in every possible sense of the word.

So I say goodbye 2011, you will not be missed. You may have pushed me down, but you did not beat me. I am still here, stronger than ever, and ready to make 2012 the best year yet.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family all the best

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 12: Frozen White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Torte

This elegant dessert is an absolute show stopper. It's light, yet sophisticated and refreshing; perfect after a holiday meal. I chose to cover the entire surface of the torte with shaved chocolate and fresh raspberries.

The original recipe photo

My version

Ingredients

Crust
1 (9-ounce) box chocolate wafer cookies, broken into pieces
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Mousse
1/3 cup

Chambord

(black raspberry-flavored liqueur)
1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 (12-ounce) packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed, drained, juices reserved
1/2 cup sugar
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

2 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 1/2-pint basket raspberries
Chocolate Leaves

Procedure

Finely grind cookie pieces in processor. Add butter; blend until crumbs are moist. Press mixture onto bottom and halfway up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Freeze while preparing mousse.

Place liqueur in heavy medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over liqueur; let stand until gelatin softens, about 20 minutes. Press raspberries firmly through sieve into large measuring cup. Add enough reserved juices to puree in cup to measure 1 2/3 cups berry mixture. Add berry mixture and 1/2 cup sugar to gelatin mixture. Stir over medium-low heat just until sugar and gelatin dissolve, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; stir until melted. Transfer raspberry mixture to large bowl. Chill until thick but not set, stirring often, about 2 hours. Beat cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into raspberry mixture in 3 additions. Transfer mousse to crust; smooth top. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Cover; freeze.) Cut around pan sides; release pan sides. Place torte on platter. Arrange raspberries around top edge of torte. Decorate with Chocolate Leaves.

Source Bon Appetit Magazine, December 1999

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 11: Linzer Sandwich Cookies

Wow, only 2 more days in the holiday goodie countdown. Today's recipe will be the last cookie recipe and it's a yummy one! These linzer cookies are a bit time consuming to make, but the results are well worth the effort.

Ingredients
5 ounces unblanched hazelnuts (1 cup)

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon table salt

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

2/3 cup raspberry or cherry jam

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately transfer nuts to a clean towel. Vigorously rub the nuts in the towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. Set nuts aside until completely cool. Place nuts in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Set aside.

With electric mixer beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.Whisk together reserved hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to butter mixture; beat on low until combined, about 2 minutes. Form dough into two flattened disks, wrap each with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have ready two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Also have ready one 2 1/2-inch round fluted cookie cutter and one 3/4-inch cookie cutter. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using the 3-inch fluted cutter, cut out cookies. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Using the smaller cutter, cut the centers out of half of the cookies. Repeat rolling and cutting with the other half of the dough. Combine the scraps from both batches, reroll and cut. Bake until the edges are golden, 12 to 16 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove from oven; place on wire racks until completely cool.

Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the decorative tops; set aside. Spread a scant tablespoon of jam on the bottoms of each cookie, and sandwich with the sugar-dusted tops. Makes 16 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 170, Fat 9g, Sodium 150mg, Cholesterol 25mg, Carbohydrates 18g, Protein 2g.

Source Martha Stewart

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 10: Chai-Spiced Cookies

Holiday cookies with the aromatic spices of Indian Chai Tea. Delicious.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons vanilla

2 egg yolks

(Coating)

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Procedure

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Stir in remaining cookie ingredients. Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack; cool 5 minutes. In medium bowl, mix coating ingredients. Working in batches, gently roll warm cookies in coating mixture. Cool on cooling rack 5 minutes. Roll in mixture again. Makes 48 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 80, Fat 4g, Cholesterol 20mg, Carbohydrates 9g, Sodium 50mg, Protein 0g.

Source Pillsbury Holiday Cookies, December 2007/January 2008

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 9: Sugar Cookies

It wouldn't be Christmas without some homemade sugar cookies decorated by my children. These are one of our favorite cookies to make because everyone can get involved with the rolling, cutting, icing, and decorating!! This is basic recipe we use:

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt


Procedure
Line rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or grease; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture in 3 additions. Divide in half; flatten into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes as desired. Place, 1 inch apart, on prepared pans.

Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350°F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until light golden on bottoms and edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool completely. Decorate with icing and candies if desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. Makes 40 cookies.


Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 122, Fat 4g, Carbohydrates 21g, Cholesterol 16mg, Sodium 43mg, Protein 1g.


Source Canadian Living

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 8: White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake for a big family Christmas Eve dinner last year and it was amazing! The combination of flavors is succulent and refreshing and the candy cane texture is a fun and festive addition. My guests adored it and there was not even a sliver left over. I will definitely be making this one again and again. And an added bonus? It needs to be made a day in advance, freeing up your time on the day of to focus on the rest of the meal. Simply pull it out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to serving for best results.

Ingredients

8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped, or 1-1/3 cups white baking pieces

2 cups finely crushed graham crackers

½ cup butter, melted

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 8 ounce carton mascarpone cheese

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

3 eggs

¾ cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies (such as candy canes or striped round peppermint candies)

2 ounces white baking chocolate, or 1/3 cup white baking pieces

Crushed hard peppermint candies

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a heavy small saucepan, heat and stir 8 ounces white chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat; set aside. For crust, in a medium bowl, stir together graham crackers and melted butter until combined. Press crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (do not go up the sides of pan.) Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in melted chocolate and peppermint extract until smooth and combined, scraping bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in 3/4 cup candy. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a 2-1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken. The middle will appear not cooked, but it is. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a sharp small knife, loosen cake from pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan and cool completely. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

To serve, cut cheesecake into wedges using a sharp knife dipped in warm water. In a heavy small saucepan, melt 2 ounces white chocolate over low heat. Spoon melted chocolate over cheesecake slices. Sprinkle top with additional candy. To store any remaining cheesecake, cover and chill in refrigerator up to 2 days. Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information (per slice) Calories 629, Fat 43g, Carbohydrates 54g, Cholesterol 151mg, Sodium 400mg, Protein 11g.

Source Better Homes and Gardens

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 7: Orange Slice Cookies

These little orange flavored cookies are light and delicate, plus they contain only 4 grams of carbs per cookie! We made them for the first time last year and they immediately became a holiday favorite!

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted  butter
1/2 cup each icing sugar and granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp finely grated orange rind
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp each baking soda and cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
orange paste food colouring or red and yellow liquid food colouring
1/3 cup pine nuts

(Icing)
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp orange juice 

Procedure

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside. In large bowl, beat butter with icing and granulated sugars until fluffy; beat in egg, orange rind and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into butter mixture in 3 additions. Tint dough with food colouring to desired shade. Divide in half; shape into discs. Wrap each and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Dust each disc with flour. Between waxed paper, roll out to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-1/2-inch round fluted cutter, cut out shapes, rerolling scraps. Place on prepared pans. Cut cookies in half; press 3 pine nuts into each to resemble orange seeds. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper or grease. Transfer cookies to prepared pans, arranging 1 inch apart. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350°F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until lightly colored on bottom and edge, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks; let cool.

Icing: In small bowl combine icing sugar with orange juice, adding up to 2 tsp water to thin if necessary. Using paper cone or plastic bag with corner snipped off, pipe thin lines to resemble citrus segments on each cookie. Let dry completely. Store layered between waxed paper in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 weeks. Makes 110 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 33, Fat 2g, Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 12mg, Carbohydrates 4g, Protein trace.

Source Canadian Living Magazine Holiday Edition, 2007

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 6: Sweet Empanaditas

We tested these little pockets of sweetness last Christmas and they were a surprise hit. Now they are a regular on our holiday baking list. They are basically mini sweet versions of the Mexican classic empanadas. And the best part about these? You can fill them with whatever flavor you want!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

2 3 ounce packages cream cheese, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup desired jam filling (tropical fruit, strawberry, raspberry, peach, etc)

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Procedure

In a large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until fluffy and light in color. Gradually add flour, beating on low speed until combined. Gather mixture into a ball. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the dough portions to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round 3-to-3-1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place about 1 teaspoon of the jam in the center of each round. Moisten edges of dough with water. Fold the dough in half to enclose the jam; press edges together with the tines of a fork to seal. Place empanaditas 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. While warm, carefully roll cookies in cinnamon-sugar. Place on a wire rack; let cool. Repeat with the remaining dough portion, the remaining jam, and the remaining cinnamon-sugar. Can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. Makes about 36 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie): Calories 79, Fat 3.4g, Sodium 28mg, Carbohydrates 12g, Protein 1g

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 5: Festive Cupcakes

I had planned to make these festive little treats a couple of days ago, on National Cupcake Day, but never had the time, so my daughter and I made them this evening after a great day of Christmas sightseeing and ice skating. A red velvet base, with a peppermint buttercream frosting, these cupcakes are filled with holiday joy and taste divine.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 (1 ounce) bottle red food coloring

2 tsp vanilla

(Frosting)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3-4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla

up to 4 tbsp milk

1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or to taste)

green food coloring (few drops)

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food coloring, and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined or lightly greased muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with peppermint buttercream icing.

To prepare frosting, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Slowly add 3 cups of confectioner's sugar and beat on low until mixed. Increase speed to medium, add vanilla, salt, and 2 tbsp milk, beat for 3 minutes. To increase consistency, slowly add more sugar, or to decrease consistency, slowly add more milk. Beat in peppermint extract and a few drops of green food coloring. Adjust mint and/or coloring to suit your taste. 

Nutritional Information (per cupcake) *May vary depending on amount of frosting used. Calories 276, Fat 13.1g, Cholesterol 60.9mg, Sodium 173.6mg, Carbohydrates 37.8g, Protein 3.2g

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 4: Traditional Shortbread With a Twist

It's not really Christmas baking until the sweet aroma of shortbread fills the air, is it? The melt on your tongue cookie is the ultimate traditional holiday delicacy. Well, sadly I'm not a huge fan of shortbread myself, so I created this recipe to satisfy my taste, while still pleasing those who prefer the classic version.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt

½ cup cornstarch

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Procedure

In bowl and using wooden spoon, cream together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until light; stir in cornstarch until smooth. Stir in flour just until combined. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Roll into 1 tablespoon sized balls; place, about 1 inch  apart, on parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Dip fork in more flour; lightly press into cookies and drag across to make decorative indent.

Bake cookies in 300°F oven until bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan on rack. Melt chocolate over stove. Carefully dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and cool on parchment paper until chocolate is hardened. (Make-ahead: Store layered between waxed paper in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month.) Makes 24 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 115, Fat 8g, Sodium 25mg, Cholesterol 20mg, Carbohydrates 9g, Protein 1g

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 3: Gingerbread Boys and Girls

We had so much fun making these traditional gingerbread boys and girls last weekend! I made the cookies and then we set up a little assembly line to decorate. My 8 year old daughter coated each gingerbread boy and girl with a white buttercream icing, my 15 year old son drew faces and other designs on them using red and blue decorative fondant writers, and my 11 year old added some candies to each one. They looked terrific! I wish I had taken a quick picture because they didn't last long. We'll definitely be making these ones again.

And an extra bonus with these cookies? They are made with Splenda, so only 12 carbs per cookie (pre decorated)!

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp ginger

1-1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup shortening

2 eggs

2 tbsp molasses

2 tbsp milk

2/3 cup Splenda®, Granular

Procedure

Mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat shortening with mixer until creamy. Add eggs, molasses and milk and beat 1 minute. Blend in SPLENDA®. Gradually add flour mixture until blended. (If necessary blend in 1/4 cup (50 mL) flour by hand for form stiff dough). Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Divide dough in half. Between sheets of waxed paper, roll out each half to 1/8' thickness. Remove waxed paper and cut dough out with a gingerbread man cutter. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and firm to touch. Cool on rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 20 cookies.

Nutritional Information (per cookie). Calories 123, Fat 7g, Carbohydrates 12g, Protein 2g.

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 2: Chocolate Crinkles

Day 2 of my Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies countdown is all about chocolate. These classic cookies are the most popular holiday treat in our house every year. In fact, I made this recipe last week, it made 82 cookies, and they're already gone! My husband and kids could not keep their hands off them.

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
½ cup cooking oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar


Procedure
In a large bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar, melted chocolate, oil, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Gradually beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet; set aside. Place confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1/2-inch balls. Roll balls in confectioner’s sugar to coat generously. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Press down lightly with fork dipped in flour. Bake in the preheated oven about 8 minutes or until edges are set and tops are dry. Do not over bake cookies. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Cookies will deflate slightly upon cooling. Makes about about 72 small cookies.


Nutritional Information (per cookie) Calories 70, Total Fat 3g, Cholesterol 10mg, Sodium 35mg, Carbohydrates 10g, Protein 1g.

Source Betty Crocker

Twelve Days of Christmas Goodies ~ Day 1: Chocolate Peanut Toffee

In our house, Christmas baking is one of the telltale signs that Christmas is just around the corner, and this year is no exception. I absolutely love to bake, and my children are awesome helpers, so we produce a lot of yummy treats during the holidays. But treats are meant to be shared, so over the next 12 days I will be highlighting some of our favorite holiday recipes. 

I strongly believe that everyone, diabetic or not, should be able to enjoy a treat once in a while, especially during the holidays. I have always encouraged Dylan to eat anything he wants, in moderation of course, and we simply bolus for the carbs, so I will try to include nutritional information for each recipe, or at least the carbohydrate amount for each serving size. 

Our first recipe is for Chocolate Peanut Toffee. I made this for the first time last week and it was a huge hit! Not only is it super easy to make, you can easily vary it to suit different tastes by changing the type of nuts or chocolate.

Ingredients

4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups whole cocktail peanuts plus 1 cup chopped (1 pound 10 ounces)
8 ounces 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Equipment

15"x10"x1" baking pan (cookie sheet)

a candy thermometer (I used a digital meat thermometer and it worked fine)

Preparation

Butter baking pan and put on a heatproof surface. Bring butter, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 4-to-5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat, whisking until smooth, then boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture is deep golden and registers 300°F (hard-crack stage) on thermometer, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately stir in whole peanuts, then carefully pour hot toffee into center of baking pan. Spread with spatula, smoothing top, and let stand 1 minute, then immediately sprinkle chocolate on top. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes, then spread over toffee with cleaned spatula. Sprinkle evenly with chopped peanuts, then freeze until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break into pieces. 

Toffee keeps, layered between sheets of parchment paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 weeks. Makes 3 pounds.

Nutritional Information (Per 1-oz piece): Calories 157, Fat 9g, Carbohydrates 18g, Sodium 38mg, Protein 0g. 
Source: Gourmet Magazine, December 2007