Nerd joke. But honestly, my blood sugar may be about 100 mg/dl too high right now. But I left my meter at work (note: I am not a diabetic, just a curious diabetes dietitian!). Let’s just say it’s been a productive morning in the kitchen, baking away. It’s a really good thing I’ve got 2 hockey games this afternoon to burn off all these unnecessary calorie! Even last night, I was munching on Amish fudge while watching my Red Box impulse rent: The Ugly Truth (very cute movie, by the way!).
Before I share with you my tantilizing treats, a huge thanks to everyone for their support. I was worried I would lose some of my “regulars” in the transition to WordPress, but you seem to have all found me…and then lots of new-comers to Prevention RD. Thrilled! Thank you for your support! 🙂
I entered into Steph’s Cookie Exchange and got paired up with Shannon of Tri to Cook. Shannon didn’t list any food allergies or preferences, so I decided to try a new recipe: Chocolate and Peppermint Bark Cookies (from Cookin’ Canuck’s blog), and the favorite cookie from my co-workers after my cookie taste-test: Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies.
First up: Chocolate and Peppermint Bark Cookies. I found this recipe on Cookin’ Canuck and knew I HAD to try them. Cookin’ provides great step-by-step directions (they’re easy!). The hardest part was getting the candy canes into fine pieces. I first tried this method:
- The bag kept getting little holes in it…needed another idea.
Blender? Ahh, yes, blender!
JACKPOT! That was the hardest part.
- Chocolate & Peppermind Bark Cookies
Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies
From: Cookin’ Canuck — www.cookincanuck.com
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.
Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.
Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes. Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.
Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.
Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.
Next up:
Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 c butter, softened
2/3 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ c old fashioned oats
1 ½ c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 (6 oz) package dried cranberries
2/3 c white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl.
Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 2 ½ dozen cookies.
I packed up my cookies with a few tips from here on how to package cookies for a trip through the mail, and I’m planning to send them off to Shannon tomorrow!
This dietitian needs to LAY OFF THE SWEETS!!!
(and the Amish cheese curds, coughcough)
Question: How many times a week do you run your dishwasher? What do you wash by hand?
I feel like I am SOOOOOOOO lazy when it comes to dishes, I feel like I run my dishwasher at least every other day!
p.s. There are now 60 recipes in the Prevention Cookbook! Yayy! Don’t you want a copy? Thought so. Details here and prize details here! Don’t delay, you only have til January 1st!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, all!
They all look and sound scrumptious. How much would I be allowed to eat once baked without my blood sugar going sky high?
DeAnna
Thanks for the comments on my blog – I appreciate it.
Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies – Mmmmm! That sounds like something I could eat entirely too much of. 🙂
I wash some with the dishwasher, some by hand. It just depends on what it is. I do tend to favor the dishwasher though.
Oh my! I love those cookies – perfect! I must make them! And yes The Ugly Truth was cute wasn’t it?! I just seen ‘Four Christmases’ which I actually thought was good too (and I didn’t expect it to be) – Vince Vaughn makes it :)…Do you actually write for Prevention the magazine??…uh – if so, can you get a job?! ;)…sorry- lame I know, but yeah for real?! I sooo want to write and have tried so many numerous ins/outs and to no avail. Oye – I suck :(. Thanks for keeping up on my blog !
Mmmm…that peppermint bark looks amazing! Good to see a dietitian eating sweets just like the rest of us 🙂
ooh, i can’t wait 😉 i hear you on the hyperglycemia… i went a little cookie crazy this year! cheese curds, so yummy!
i’ve read multiple times that it’s more efficient (water-wise) to run the dishwater than wash by hand, so i put everything except certain pots/pans in the dishwasher. I probably run it 1-2x a week, depending on how much i cook!
The cookies look amazing!!!
We run the dishwasher quite a bit (I mainly blame the teenager; he seems to be constantly eating and drinking something and always takes a new dish….). I wash my pots and pants as well as my “nice” glasses by hand. And I also wash the toddler’s things by hand…
Enjoy the hockey games! 🙂 Have a great week!
Those sweet treats look yum! I totally have a meter around too. Actually at one point I had a few roaming in my house and office.
As for the dishwasher we do everything by hand. My hubby did it that way and I did the dishwasher but it was so confusing when he moved in with me so we wash by hand and place in dishwasher to dry. Hence we call the dishwasher a dish dryer. In fact my best friend stayed at our place while we were on out honey moon and when I came home she said that the glasses were in the dishdryer. I had to laugh that she totally knew our lingo.
Can you send me a batch? LOL
Both recipes look amazing. I love peppermint bark! I have never tried to make it myself though.
I am so excited about the cookbook.
Your treats look delcious! Oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are my families favorite cookies.
well someone was quite busy!
both of those look amazing! so pretty, too 😉
I love peppermint bark!! The cookies look amazing too!!
We only run our dishwasher about once a week. I wash a lot of things by hand, BUT that could explain why my hands are always so chapped and dry!
Oh holy cow, now I understand the hyperglycemia!! Do you really take your blood sugar sometimes? That’s a good idea! I’ve actually wanted to try that, but I’m terrified of needles (and yes, I know it’s not even a real needle…I’m such a baby, I hate blood!). Those oatmeal cranberry white chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, and I want one right now, please 🙂
Regarding your comment on my blog, I have been thinking about a blog makeover, but probably no time soon. I just like seeing new designs to help me out.
hey girl!! WOW those cookies are TO DIE FOR!! that would be so hard to not eat the entire batch.
i feel like we run our dishwasher all the time..seriously
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Those peppermint bark cookies look delicious! I may have to make those soon. I made a white chocolate-cranberry-macadamia nut cookie for an exchange and they were a huge hit. Yours look awesome!
As for your question, we run our dishwasher every day or two. I live with my fiance and we both like to cook so we run through dishes a lot! I hand wash pots, pans, knives, wine glasses and usually big mixing bowls. Everything else…well, I’m lazy and they get dishwashed.
Hooray for your own domain!!! I have been thinking about peppermint bark lately and I just found some old candy canes in the pantry–yes!
Hi
I love the cookies that is so great !
Thank you so much for the comments on my blog – I really really really appreciate them. I hope you add me to your blogroll – i hope to keep reading yours!
WOw, I love writing…know of any freelance jobs I can do ? 🙂
We run the dishwasher A LOT. I can’t stand it. Since we use a lot of tupperware instead of plastic bags for our lunch, it fills up so quickly. We run it once per day. Before I was married it was maybe 1-2 times per week.
WOW what a beautiful display of desserts! Those both look sooo good! I love the new site as well! 🙂
Love the new site! You are quite the baker 🙂
YUMS that looks amazing! send me some asap lol
I’m sure my blood sugar is off the charts as well! I’ve been eating sooo many cookies in the past few days and it’s not even Christmas yet! Your desserts def. look worthy of a few bites though!
I found you! I was a little late because I have been a slacker blogger lately, but I updated my reader.
The new site looks great! 🙂
Love how your bark turned out! 😀
I usually do my dish washer every other day, although my daughter always seems to be the one putting the dishes away!
Ooo yummy cookies! I’m still not tired of cookies yet 🙂
Too bad I didn’t get paired with you for the cookie swap–the oatmeal ones are calling my name for sure!