Low Fat Gingersnap Recipe

These cookies are so yummy and full of flavor. It's hard to believe they have virtually no fat! I like to bake them the minimum amount of time so they are soft and chewy. But, if you prefer, you can bake them longer for a crisp cookie. I baked them Sunday afternoon and made a double batch, one for now and one to freeze for later.

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. ground ginger
1 1/2 t. ground allspice
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 T. butter
3/4 cup applesauce
4 T. molasses
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
2. Sift together the flour, ginger, allspice and baking soda, set aside. In a medium bowl, cram together the butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Stir in the applesauce and molasses. Add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture and mix until just blended.
3. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and roll the balls in the remaining sugar. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet, flatten slightly. Bake for 6-8 minutes in the preheated oven for chewy cookies, 12-15 for crisp cookies. Cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Information:
Servings Per Recipe: 48
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 63
Total Fat: 0.3 g
Cholesterol: less than 1 mg
Sodium: 30 mg
Total Carbs: 14.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 0.8 g
1 point per Weight Watchers.

Great Weight Watchers Recipe for White Chicken Chili

I'm making this today in the crockpot. It was so simple to prepare and smells great cooking! It's also a core recipe from Weight Watchers, so it's very healthy. I'm thinking about serving it with some type of homemade bread or muffins.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili (Core)

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

2 cans (15-16 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) white shoepeg corn, drained

3 T lime juice

2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Place the first eight ingredients (through red pepper sauce) in crockpot for 4-5 hours on low, or until chicken is done. Remove and shred chicken. Return chicken to crockpot. Add remaining ingredients to crockpot; cover and cook on low for 15-20 minutes, or until beans and corn are hot.

Optional condiments could include, chopped black olives, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa.

Calories: 265, Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 30 mg, Sodium: 530 mg, Carbohydrates: 39 g, Fiber: 8 g, and Protein: 24 g.

Doctors Warn That Energy Drinks May Be Harmful To Kids

Have you noticed the big variety of energy drinks that are available in the supermarket? If you or your kids partake of them, even occasionally, then listen up! Doctors report that the energy drinks could potentially cause a stroke, or even a heart attack in a child or teen with an undiagnosed heart problem. This is very scary news, as I know the drinks popularity has grown by leaps and bounds, just the in the past couple of years. Due to the significant amount of caffeine in the beverages, they can also cause severe dehydration, something parents and coaches should by aware of if their kids are using the drink as a "energy booster" before sports practices or games.

For more on this, please click here.

My New Favorite Quote

I found the following quote the other day while browsing through a copy of Real Simple magazine that my Mom gave me. I love inspirational quotes and I think this might be my new favorite. Let me know what you think:

"In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways."

The quote is from Edith Wharton, one of my favorite authors. She penned The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth.

THE BEST New England Clam Chowder Courtesy the Food Network (and My Husband and Kids!)

As a soup lover, I find myself drawn to soup recipes and trying all sorts of soups. It's so comforting on a cold winter's night! When David (my husband) offered to cook dinner this weekend, I immediately said okay, because it was a welcome break from cooking all week. (I love to cook, but a girl needs a break every once in a while.) I had recorded an episode of Good Deal with Dave Lieberman on the Food Network. David watched it and decided he and the kids would make the New England Clam Chowder with Pan Toasted Croutons and I was so glad they did! The soup makes enough for an army. Even in our family of 6, after we each had multiple servings, we had 2 medium sized Tupperware containers left for another night. The chowder is rich and creamy. The potatoes were perfect, tender, but not mushy and the crisp croutons were the perfect complement to the creamy soup. In addition to being delicious, it was very economical and cost around $10 to make the entire pot. I think we can probably get at least one or maybe 2 more meals out of the leftovers!

Here's the recipe:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks (reserve tender leaves) trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams in juice

1 cup heavy cream

2 bay leaves

1 pound Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/2- inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pan Toasted Croutons:

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes.

For the Pan Toasted Croutons: Melt the butter in a large skillet and toss the bread cubes in the butter until browned and toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.

All of our kids, ages 4 to 10 loved it and asked for more! This has definitely become a family favorite for us.

The 10 Commandments of Cooking With Kids

Here are some great tips for sharing the kitchen with kids. Let me know what you think about them and feel free to add to the list.

10 Commandments of Cooking With Kids
1. Cook with supervision. Consider the age and maturity of your kids and adjust the cooking accordingly.
2. Be clean. Wash and dry hands. Also, make sure cutting boards and all utensils used in food preparation are clean. I have found that my 2 daughters love washing dishes more than anything!
3. Protect yourself. Make sure long hair is pulled back and that loose sleeves or clothing are out of the way while cooking.
4. Use caution when dealing with water. Boiling water can cause burns. Also, when using electrical appliances, ensure that the counter is free of spills that might pose an electric shock risk.
5. Use knives properly and carefully. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.
6. Practice food-handling safety. Avoid cross-contamination.
7. Keep safety items handy (i.e. fire extinguishers and a first aid kit).
8. Use common sense. Parents, always carry heavy or hot things for your child.
9. Don't spill the pot. Always keep handles turned in to avoid being bumped off the stove.
10. Enjoy yourself. I think this is the most important consideration when cooking with your kids. Make it fun and try to relax and create a positive experience for them.

A New Year. . . A New Perspective

Happy New Year to everyone! It seems like the New Year rolls around faster with each passing year. I love New Year's Day for a couple of reasons. For one, like many others, I try to make a fresh start in life every January 1. My New Year's Resolutions might not be as lofty as some, but I try to make them attainable, so I can more easily stick with them throughout the course of the year. (Am I saying, "year" a lot, because it seems like it?) I like the idea of wiping the slate clean, getting a fresh start, and looking forward to the future.

The other reason for my affinity to New Year's is that David (my husband) and I were married on January 1, fourteen years ago. I remember when we chose the day for our wedding. It seemed like the perfect anniversary date. We would be starting the year off right celebrating our anniversary at the start of a New Year. I also loved the date because it was the also the wedding anniversary of my beloved grandmother, "Nanny" and grandfather, "Papaw". Although they have since then passed on, I think of them often, and especially on our anniversary.

I look forward to celebrating another anniversary with my sweetie and am thankful for all the precious times we have shared together.

Cheers to a Happy New Year! And remember these words from Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."