Sunday in the Kitchen

There's just something that is perfect about having Monday off.  It makes a Sunday so much more enjoyable.  We're off tomorrow to observe Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday.  Because I don't have to worry about my usual Sunday chores, I decided to spend the afternoon experimenting in the kitchen with a recipe I found online.  The recipes that I've been posting the past 2 weeks are all created by me.  However, today's cookie recipe was found on the food.com website.  You can find the recipe here. 

I did alter a few things though, so scroll down to see the deliciousness!!! The fiance wanted me to add chocolate chips, but I decided to skip that this time around! The recipe is super easy to follow and doesn't require any crazy ingredients that you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen.  One reviewer on the website said she used 1 whole egg instead of 2 egg whites, but like I said, I pretty much followed the entire recipe.  Oh yeah, and I used Multi-Grain Oatmeal instead of regular oatmeal. 

The cookies turned out delicious!  I'm loving the fact that I can cure my 24/7 craving for sweets with a healthy cookie!  The website states that the cookies are around 82 calories each.  The cookies are pretty dense due to the whole wheat flour and the Multi-Grain Oatmeal. I used the calorie-calculator website and with the alterations I made, the cookies are around 70 calories a piece ~ perfect!!!

First you'll want to mix the brown sugar, egg whites, applesauce, and vanilla.  I used a spoon - no need for the mixer at this point!

Ugh, I so need a manicure!!!

Then in another bowl, mix your flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  I did not add salt, but you could.  

I suppose you could add it right to the wet ingredients, but I always like to pour it in slowly, so why not mix it in a separate bowl first! 

Are you ready for my secret ingredient!?!?!

ORANGE ZEST!  :)  I know that cranberry and orange are a wonderful pair of tastiness, so I figured why not throw in a tablespoon of orange zest! 

Looks good! :)

I added the flour mixture slowly to the wet ingredients and used a hand-held mixer to make everything part of one big happy family!  

 

Then I chopped up some dried craisins and threw that in a bowl with the oatmeal! 

You could add anything really - chocolate chips, walnuts, raisins, etc...

Drop by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet (I covered mine with parchment paper) and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes! :)  

 Looks like it's ready to go! :)

Don't they look scrumptious!?!?!

They are the perfect size... I immediately split one with Shaun for a little Quality Assurance and then quickly snagged another one because it was so yummy!

Be sure to go to this website to get the recipe - remember, it's not mine! :) I just made it slightly different! :)

I'll be back in a little bit with tonight's amazing soup recipe - but here's a bit of a tease...

Steaming hot soup on a chilly January evening... perfect!

Now I'm off to relax for a little bit.  Okay, relax a lot.  There's NO SCHOOL tomorrow plus the Golden Globes are on! Can't wait for the red carpet! 

Catch ya later! 

Sweet Hugs,

Lauren