Cookies Without Butter

A few months ago, we found out that one of our children is allergic to a ton of things. Nuts, of course. Dairy also. When I heard the dairy/lactose bit, my mind went racing for days. Do you realize how dairy is in nearly everything? I never realized how much butter I used! And cheese! I don't think there was a meal or snack without it. Oh, cheese. I'm still in remorse over the cheese ban...

Most processed/packaged foods are out, but that was no biggie because we never really had much of them around anyway. But, my kids love their homemade cookies. We went a few months before I got brave enough to experiment. Or maybe desperate enough to experiment.We finally tackled an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that really is a winner. My allergic child was over-the-moon excited.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Set your oven to 400

Combine:
6 TBSP unsweetened applesauce
6 TBSP canola oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

To that, add:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
3/4 cups white flour
2 TBSP ground flax seeds
2 1/2 cups instant oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips OR raisins (if you have allergy issues, look for semisweet chocolate chips without milk or lactose added)

Bake about 9 minutes. They will not brown the way a cookie does with butter in it, so be careful to not overbake.

In part because L keeps saying that when he grows up he will be marrying M, or me, we will be focusing on our family tree this week. Never hurts to see where everyone fits in so that you don't try to marry your cousin. Or your sister.

Bryan's side of the family, sugar cookie version.

"A real mother"

A few weeks ago (before becoming mother of three, but already mother of two) Bryan declared that I had become a real mother. I asked him why and his reasoning was because I can sew (although only pretty simply), make cheesecake, and finally had mastered cinnamon rolls. (Thanks to Vanessa's recipe). So here they are, the recipes that made me a real mother.

By the way, Bryan generally hates cheesecake, so to have made one that he not only will eat, but actually enjoys should tell you it's the best. I made one on mothers day and I think literally that is all he ate while I was in the hospital.

Best cinnamon rolls ever. Seriously. I've tried LOTS of recipes over the years. This is the best.

Very best cheesecake ever recipe.

Jello Dough

My kids played with this for a really, really long time yesterday. It's Jello Playdough and it smells really good while you play with it. Like limes.

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
2 T. Vegetable oil
1 c. warm water
1 three oz. pkg. jello (any flavor)

Directions:

Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull. * Note: it burns easily so don't put over too high a heat and keep stirring. Mold and knead until cool enough to touch. Store in a closed plastic bag.

Beware Martha Stewart

I'm not the biggest fan of Martha Stewart, but occasionally I see something she's done and simply must try it. (Not immediately - more like 3 years later). In her March 2004 Living issue, She had some really cool spring cakes. I also don't so much care for cake decorating (having tried to make an elmo cake for Pumpkin once and leaving us and all the guests with red stained teeth for two days). However, I've really REALLY wanted to try to make these cakes!

Anyhow, I asked for a cake decorating kit (in Dec. 2004). I finally got around to making a cake - the Martha Stewart cake I have been dreaming of all this time - tonight. Someone at church was saying they needed cakes for an activity so I volunteered, knowing that this was the only way that cake decorating kit was every going to be used.

I say beware Martha Stewart because this project took me 5 HOURS to complete. It's 1 a.m. and I have to get up in 4 hours and go to work. (and YES, Martha's was much better than mine, but still, I'm pretty happy with it). Through the process I only got more addicted, and will definately be cracking out the decorating kit more often. I don't mind the time investment because it's a little theraputic. And it's kind of edible artwork....so I can still tell people I'm "doing my art....".