When eating these cookies later, we were surprised how yummy they were and wished we had bought more.  We were headed to Springfield, Missouri, and figured we might could buy more there but were disappointed to find out the cookies are sold only in the St. Louis area.  Sometime after we got back home, I researched Dad’s Original Scotch Oatmeal Cookies and found out their interesting history. I searched and searched for the recipe but didn’t find one that sounded suitable until one day I found this Whole Grain Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe (minus the walnuts) that sounds like it’s very close to Dad’s cookies.

My dear husband suggested ordering some of the cookies from Dad’s website recently, but I would rather wait since I’m trying to lose weight.   If I need to bake a batch of cookies to take somewhere, though, I just might try the recipe I found online!

Photo courtesy of our son!

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup unbleached flour (or whole wheat flour)
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (can use instant)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar  (or 3/8 cup brown sugar & 2 KAL spoonfuls of  KAL Stevia Powder)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Cream together the olive oil, butter and brown sugar.  Blend in the egg and applesauce.  In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture.  Blend well.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the oats, raisins, and walnuts.  Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1  14.5 ounce can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 – 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 medium size zucchini, chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can great northern beans, drained & rinsed
• 1  4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
• Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
• Tortilla chips, crumbled

Cook the turkey, onion, and garlic for a few minutes.  Stir several times until the turkey is done.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese and tortilla chips.  Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Top with cheese and crumbled chips before serving.

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INGREDIENTS:

• Gouda Cheese, 8 oz or so

• 1 can Crescent Rolls

• 1 can sliced pears with syrup

• 1/4 – 1/3 cup brown sugar

Unroll crescent roll pieces and place in a pinwheel fashion around the pie plate with the thin piece of the roll in the middle of the plate.  Place cheese in the center of the plate and then fold up the pieces of the rolls to cover the cheese.  Pinch the seams together, pour the whole can of sliced pears over the rolls and then sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is starting to ooze out a little.  Serve warm.  Crackers are optional, however, we didn’t eat crackers with it.

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Crock Pot Turkey Breast:

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-pound boneless turkey breast
• Can of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or minced garlic)
• 1/4 teaspoon of minced onion flakes (or onion slices)
• Optional:  your favorite herbs can be added such as fresh rosemary in place of the garlic

In the sink or a large dish, cut the plastic bag off the turkey breast with kitchen shears and also cut off the netting.   There will be a lot of juices in the bag that will make a mess, so be sure to have something to catch the juices.  Then place the turkey with the above ingredients in the crock pot.   Cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 6-8 hours, or cook it on low for 10-12 hours if you need to start cooking before you leave for work.  If you’re short on time, cook for 4 – 4 1/2 hours on high.  Make sure it’s tender and done in the middle.

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Cooking the turkey breast in the crock pot makes it so moist and tender, and I think maybe it’s the best we’ve ever had. And the great thing is that it’s so easy.

Meatloaf (serves 3-4)

INGREDIENTS:

• McCormick Meatloaf dry mix

• 1 lb ground chuck

• 1 egg

• 1 slice white bread, crumbled (let bread sit on counter to dry out for a few minutes- easier to crumble)

• Diced bell pepper (might only use half, depending on your preference)

• Diced  small onion

• Brown sugar (approx 1 ½ cups)

• Ketchup ( a few squirts)

• 3 strips raw bacon, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except brown sugar and ketchup.  I use my hands, so that all ingredients really mix and there’s no meat that doesn’t have the dry mix on it.

In a square pyrex dish, place the 3 strips of bacon.  Then add the meat and form into a loaf.  My loaf is fairly flat (probably about 1 ½- 2 inches tall) because I want it to cook thoroughly in the center with no pink.

In a separate small bowl mix, with a fork,  brown sugar and ketchup.  The goal is for the ketchup to wet the brown sugar and turn it into a glaze.  The glaze should not taste ketchup-y.  spread glaze over meatloaf and bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins or so.

Serve with mashed potatoes and English peas!!  Enjoy!!

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• Holiday Sweet Potatoes
• Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole  Calories 160; Fat 4 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 25 mg; Sodium 180 mg;  Carbohydrate 31 g; Fiber 3 g;      Protein 3 g

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• Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie  from Food Network  (might be better with graham cracker crust).    Calories 279; Total Fat 8.5 g (Sat Fat 2.7g, Mono Fat 1.7g, Poly Fat 1.7g) ; Protein 7g; Carb 44g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 43mg; Sodium 158mg
• Double Chocolate Pudding Pie  from Food Network.   Just a small dollop of real whipped cream on top will still give a taste of richness.
• Healthified Pumpkin Pie  from Eat Better America  (Cholesterol-free)
• Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake  from Eat Better America.    Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 4 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 17g); Protein 5g, Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices.