Baking Day

Well it's cold outside again,  and I'd like it to be warm for more than a day at a time.  So what do I do?  Make it warm inside, I bake.  Yes, this is probably one of the worst ideas, especially when I am trying to eat healthy.  Oh well, today's dinner will be a salad.  Just because I am eating healthy and losing those last few pounds doesn't mean I can't eat treats in moderation.
But really I do have other reasons for baking.  1- I have to go visiting teaching tonight and I haven't given any treats for quite awhile.  2- We are going to Moab on Thursday, and buying cookies and snacks is ridiculous.   Why would I buy cookies that aren't very good and definitely aren't very good for you, when I can make them cheaper and better.
So here you go.  A few new recipes:


Chip Cookies
Cream together:
  1/2 C Butter/Margarine
  1/2 C Shortening
  1/2 C Sugar
  1 C Brown sugar       
Add:
  1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  2 Eggs
  1 tsp Vanilla
Gradually add:
  3 C Flour
Stir in with spoon:
  2 C Chocolate chips or chunks
  1 C Nuts
(my favorite- white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts- but you decide)

Roll dough in balls, place on baking sheet.
Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes.


Peanut Butter Cookies
Cream together:
  1 C Sugar
  1 C Brown sugar
  1 C Shortening (not margarine)
Add 1 at a time:
  2 Eggs
Then add:
  1 C Peanut butter
  2 tsp Baking soda
  1 tsp Salt
  3 C Flour

Roll dough in balls, roll in sugar, place on baking sheet, flatten with fork (don't flatten if using kisses).
Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Once you pull them out of the oven you can place a single Hershey kiss in the center- MMM!
* Do not double- if you need more cookies- make a second batch.


Snickerdoodles
Cream together:
  1 C Butter/margarine
  2 C Sugar
Add:
  2 Eggs
  1 tsp Baking soda
  1 tsp Cream of tartar
  1 tsp Vanilla
Gradually add:
  3- 31/2 C Flour

Roll into balls, roll in 1 tsp cinnamon and 2 T sugar mix, place on baking sheet.
Bake 375 for 7-9 minutes.


I wanted to make some trail mix or granola for out Moab trip and it seems like every recipe I found, they all defeated the purpose of eating oats, nuts and fruit, by adding a bunch of stuff.  I'm sure it would be delicious, but I'm trying to eat healthy remember. So here is what I came up with.
Granola
Combine:
  5 C Oats
  1 C Slivered almonds
  1 1/2 C Coconut
  2 C Corn Chex- because I felt like adding something else.
In a saucepan, combine:
  1 C Honey
  3/4 C Oil
  1/4 C Brown sugar
  2 tsp Cinnamon
  1 tsp Nutmeg
then add:
  1 tsp vanilla
Pour over dry ingredients- toss together.
Spread out on 2 baking sheets.  Bake 325 for 15 minutes- stir one time during baking.
Once cooled, add:
  2 C raisins
  1 C Craisins
Enjoy alone, with milk, or on yogurt. MMM.