ORANGE OAT COOKIES

~ Sunsweet

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 t. maple extract

2 eggs 

zest of 2 oranges

3 c. rolled oats

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 c. diced prunes

1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper. 

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in vanilla and maple extract, eggs, and zest. 

In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, and salt. Add to butter mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Mix in prunes and pecans. 

Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set in the center.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: I sub chopped pecans with chopped walnuts because they're less expensive and use silicone baking mats instead of greasing or using parchment paper. I get four dozen cookies using Pampered Chef's Medium Scoop, but they have to bake longer than 12 minutes before the centers set. 

SPICE & WALNUT COOKIES

~ one of my variations of Becky Duppenthaler's cherry chip cookies

1 spice cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1 T. maple extract
1 c. walnuts, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients and drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Notes: I chop the nuts almost to a powder before adding them to the dough.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD

~ Minimalist Baker

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
1 t. sea salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 c. pecans
2 T. brown sugar
2 c. baby spinach or arugula, chopped
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 T. balsamic vinegar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and position rack in center of oven. Toss cubed butternut with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast 15-20 minutes or until just tender.

While the butternut is roasting, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add pecans and stir until toasted and fragrant. Remove from skillet.

To the same skillet, add brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir to combine, then add pecans pack in with a pinch of salt and toss until fully coated and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool, spreading out to prevent sticking.

Add greens and cranberries to serving bowl. Once butternut is done roasting, add it and pecans to serving bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Notes: We use walnuts instead of pecans because we always have them on hand, but they're super greasy when we candy them. We'll skip the oil and brown sugar from here on out and just toast them. 

MAPLE PECAN GRANOLA

~ The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dairy-Free Eating, written by Scott H. Sicherer and Liz Scott

2 1/2 c. rolled oats
3 T. sesame seeds
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. brown sugar
pinch salt
1/2 c. roughly chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, mix oats and sesame seeds.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine oil, syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Stir often for 2-3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Pour over oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.

Transfer mixture to rimmed baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden, stirring occasionally.

Remove from oven and stir in pecans. Cool completely.

Notes: Walnuts are less expensive than pecans and I always have them on hand, so that's what I use.

APPLE DIJON KALE SALAD

~ Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half, written by Beth Moncel

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/3 c. olive oil
freshly ground pepper
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 T. Dijon
1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn into small pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1/4 c. raisins
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a blender, combine garlic, vinegar, oil, 10-15 grinds of a pepper mill, salt, and Dijon. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper, if desired.

Place kale pieces in a serving bowl, then add apple, raisins, and walnuts. Pour dressing over top and toss to coat.

Notes: We like to toast the walnuts.

QUINOA, KALE, CRANBERRY, WALNUT, AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD

~ The Costco Connection - January 2016

SALAD
1 1/2 c. quinoa
1/2 t. kosher salt
3 c. water
2 T. olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. dice
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. kale, ribs removed and cut into 1/2-in. ribbons
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

DRESSING
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. Dijon
1 t. raspberry jam
1/4 c. olive oil
kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, bring quinoa, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and place in large serving bowl to cool for 20 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until it's translucent. Stir in the garlic and squash. Cover and cook over medium-low for 10 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Season with salt and pepper, then let cool to room temperature.

To prepare dressing, whisk garlic, vinegar, mustard, and jam in a small bowl. In a slow and steady stream, add olive oil while whisking continuously. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gently mix quinoa, cooked vegetables, kale, cranberries, walnuts, and dressing together. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes about 8 cups.

Notes: The only thing I do differently than directed is to mix all the dressing ingredients together at once in a lidded mason jar or my Pampered Chef Measure, Mix & Pour.

NUTTY GRANOLA

~ All You magazine - 12/17/10

4 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mist a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, and oil, bringing to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour hot liquid over oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Spread on baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool completely before serving.

Notes: I sometimes mix and match the seeds and nuts, using whatever's on hand as long as I have a total of two cups.

FRUIT & NUT GRANOLA BARS

~ All You magazine - 8/26/11

2 c. quick-cooking oats
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. wheat germ
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. finely chopped dried apples
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 egg
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 T. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil and mist with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix oats, brown sugar, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. Add raisins, apples, and walnuts.

In a separate bowl, whisk syrup, egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour syrup mixture into oat mixture and combine well.

Press mixture into pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until just turning golden brown around the edges. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for five minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars in the pan while still warm. Cool a while longer before removing bars in foil from pan to a rack to cool completely.

Notes: I use regular raisins, as we always have them on hand. Sometimes I use chopped almonds instead of walnuts.

SALAD WITH PEARS & CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE

~ dash magazine - November 2010

DRESSING
1/2 c. frozen cranberries
1/4 c. honey
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
salt & pepper, to taste

SALAD
8 cups lettuce
2 ripe pears, chopped or thinly sliced
1 c. toasted chopped walnuts
1 c. crumbled blue cheese

In a small pan over low heat, bring cranberries, honey, and vinegar to a simmer. Cook until cranberry skins break, about 2-3 minutes, then set aside to cool.  

Combine cranberry mixture and mustard in a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the oil, then the water. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Refrigerate vinaigrette if not serving immediately.

Fill serving bowl with lettuce, then scatter pears over the top. Sprinkle with walnuts and blue cheese. Dress salad before serving or place dressing on table for people to dress their own portion.

Notes:  We use chopped almonds instead of walnuts and it's absolutely delicious!  If you can't or won't use blue cheese, then feta's a good alternative. 

RHUBARB CRISP

~ Kitchen Simplicity

4 c. chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 c. water
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 t. cinnamon
pinch salt
5 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place rhubarb in an 8x8-inch pan. 

Place sugar, cornstarch, and water in small pan; stir to mix.  Heat mixture to boiling, then remove from heat and add vanilla.  Pour over rhubarb.

In a small bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts.  Add butter and stir until crumbly.  Sprinkle over rhubarb filling.  Bake 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:  This was the first thing we ever made with rhubarb and it was a hit!  I use unmelted butter and cut it into the flour mixture.  We use an 8x8-inch pan, but you can also divide the recipe into six ramekins.

APPLE CRUNCH

~ allrecipes

6 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 c. sugar

1 c. cold water

1 T. cornstarch

1 t. vanilla

1 c. flour

1 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 c. old-fashioned oats

1/2 c. butter, melted

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1/2 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.  Scatter sliced apples in the greased dish.

Whisk together white sugar, water, cornstarch, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the syrup is clear and all the sugar has dissolved, about five minutes. Pour hot syrup over the apples.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, butter, walnuts, and cinnamon until crumbly.  Sprinkle over fruit mixture.

Bake one hour or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve plain or with ice cream.

CINNAMON BANANA CAKE

~ THE idea ROOM

CAKE
1 c. butter  
1 c. sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
dash of salt
3 c. flour
2 c. sour cream or vanilla yogurt

FILLING
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 c. chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 pan. 

Mix the butter, sugar, bananas, eggs, and vanilla together. Add remaining cake ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine filling ingredients. 

Layer the batter and filling twice in prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Notes: I've made this with both, one, and neither of the optional ingredients and it's good each way, but the topping ingredients don't mix evenly if you include the optional ones. I'd suggest mixing the brown sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on the layers, then scattering the nuts and/or chocolate chips separately. I think it tastes better with vanilla yogurt than sour cream, but that's strictly a matter of preference.

STEAK SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

SALAD
lettuce and/or spinach
grilled steak, cut into bite sized pieces
feta, crumbled
red bell pepper, chopped
walnuts, almonds, or other nut, chopped

DRESSING
orange and/or lemon juice
olive oil
salt & pepper

Use the greens as a base, season the meat however you like before grilling, then sprinkle as much of the toppings as you want over the top.  Use whatever amount of the dressing ingredients suits your tastes.

Notes: We've made this with both seasoned pork and beef steaks and it's delicious, with or without the dressing. 

ORANGE & RAISIN GREEN SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach, chopped
oranges, peeled and chopped
raisins
walnuts, chopped and toasted

Place lettuce and/or spinach in a serving bowl, then layer the remaining ingredients on top.

CREAMY KALE SALAD

~ Making Dough [from scratch]

1 ripe avocado, halved & pit removed
2 T. vinegar
2 t. dijon mustard
3 T. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 beet, cooked, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 apple, cored and cut into thin wedges
1/2 c. toasted nuts

Combine the avocado, vinegar, mustard, and oil in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.

Combine the kale, beets, apple, and nuts in a large bowl. Toss with the avocado dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes: I don't like avocados or beets, but think this salad is actually pretty good. I've made the salad with chopped walnuts and sliced almonds, but I'm sure other nuts would taste fine. I prefer my beets roasted instead of boiled or steamed.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

~ Amy Alonzo

3/4 c. margarine, softened
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 egg
2-3 bananas, mashed
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 c. chocolate chips
2/3 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13-inch pan.

Blend margarine, sugar, brown sugar, and baking powder until creamy. Mix in egg, bananas, and vanilla. Add flour, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Spread in pan and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Notes: This is still moist and sweet if you use whole wheat flour. We've left out the chocolate chips on occasion for a plain banana bar, which is also good. We never add nuts.  

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - whole wheat flour, bananas

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

~ Kristal Davis / Knit1 Kids4

2 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1-2 chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apples
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. plain yogurt
2 T. honey mustard
1 t. lemon juice
1/8 t. salt
raisin bread
leaf lettuce

Combine all ingredients except bread and lettuce in a medium bowl and mix well. Make sandwiches with bread and lettuce. Makes about 5 sandwiches.

Notes: These sandwiches are even better if you toast the raisin bread first, though they're also good on non-raisin bread. We often use chopped almonds instead of walnuts. 

YOGURT STREUSEL MUFFINS

~ All You magazine - 11/19/10

STREUSEL
2/3 c. pecans, almonds or walnuts, finely chopped
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 T. unsalted butter

MUFFINS
2 c. flour

1 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 c. plain low-fat yogurt

In a small bowl, combine first three streusel ingredients. Cut butter into dry ingredients. Place in fridge while preparing muffins.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners or coat with non-stick spray. 

To make muffins, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and yogurt. Stir flour mixture into yogurt mixture until just combined.

Divide batter among muffin cups. Scatter streusel topping over each muffin and press lightly on crumbs to help them stick to batter. Bake 17-20 minutes or until tops are golden. Remove from pan and cool on rack. 

Makes 12 muffins.

Notes: I use whatever plain yogurt I have on hand, whether full-fat, low-fat, regular, or Greek. My experience is that the streusel makes a huge, wasteful mess when made as directed. So I like to double the muffin portion and leave the streusel part as is for a less messy topping, as is the case in the picture. 

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - yogurt & sour cream

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

~ allrecipes
.
1 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 t. milk
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and add to flour mixture. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. 

Makes 3 1/2 - 4 dozen cookies.

Notes: I never add walnuts. Don't panic if you forget to dissolve the baking soda in the milk. The cookies turn out great even if you put those ingredients in the bowl individually or skip the milk entirely.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES & PECANS

~ All You - August 27, 2010

6 c. chopped, cooked chicken
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 c. chopped celery
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 c. red seedless grapes, sliced lengthwise
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c. pecans

In a large bowl, combine chicken, Dijon mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, celery, poppy seeds and grapes. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, fold in pecans.

Notes: This is a good, but very mildly flavored, salad. If you like things with more zip, then you could add your favorite seasonings. We've used brown mustard in place of Dijon, just because we already had it, and it tasted fine. We also use walnuts instead of pecans because they're less expensive.