Cooking with the ABC's

On the letter 'A's "special day", the kids and I ate Angel food cake topped with delicious sauteed Apples. The angel food cake came out of a Betty Crocker box.  But here's the recipe for the sauteed apples; it's out of the book Apples Everything. 

• 3 tart apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 3 Tablespoons lowfat margarine
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In medium skillet over medium heat, melt margarine until it foams.  Add apples; cook 2 minutes, tossing occasionally.  Add honey.  Sprinkle spices over apples.  Toss gently to combine; cook until apples are tender, about 3 minutes.

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On 'B-Day' we made Banana Bread. But our Banana Bread was way too Bland to Bother typing up the recipe. Since then, my friend, Jane Griswold who works at Hoard's Dairyman, gave me this recipe to try. The kids and I made it and loved it! We baked two loaves, one strictly according to Jane's instructions, and to the other one we folded in a 1/2 cup of mini-morsel chocolate chips. Both Banana Bread loaves were terrific!

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Add sugar to melted butter, gradually, and blend well. Blend in eggs and mashed bananas. Add lemon juice or vinegar to milk before adding to mixture. Fold in nuts (optional). Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to other ingredients. Pour into a well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes. Cool before slicing. Enjoy!

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On 'C-Day' we made heart-healthy Oat Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies. The kids Love them!

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• 1 egg
• 2/3 scant cup loose brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup mini-morsel chocolate chips OR 1 oz. (1 square) Baker's chocolate, semi-sweet, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 cup dried apricots

(If you don't want to use the cranberries, just increase the apricots to 2/3 of a cup and omit the lemon extract.)

Whip the egg, sugar, and vanilla together until the sugar has dissolved. Beat in the butter and then add both flours and the baking powder. Mix in the salt and oats. Add the milk and lemon extract. With a wooden spoon, mix in the cranberries and apricots. (It doesn't matter too much what order you mix these ingredients in. I'm never very conscientious about mixing everything in the right order. This neglect distresses Lauren, but I assure her that all will probably turn out OK. - And it usually does.)

With lightly-moistened hands (or a tablespoon) shape the dough into walnut-sized balls and put them, well-spaced, on a greased baking sheet. Flatten them a bit so they look like mini-hamburger patties.

Bake for 15 minutes in a pre-heated, 300 degree oven until the edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 25 cookies.