Reduced-Sugar Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 ¼ cups + 2 tbs all purpose flour

1 ½ tsps salt

1 ½ tsps baking soda

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup brown sugar splenda

¾ cup splenda sugar blend (white)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 ½ tbsps vanilla

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups Hershey’s sugar-free chocolate chips

1 ½ cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375-°F

Use parchment paper on baking sheet, or grease sheet with spray, etc. (I use parchment)

In one bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda.

In another (or stand mixer) cream butter & sugars.  Add eggs, vanilla, & cocoa.

Gradually add in flour mixture, mix until combined.  Then add in chocolate chips and walnuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment. (not huge spoonfuls)

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  10 minutes makes nice chewy cookies, more for crispier cookies.

Cool on wire rack for about 5-10 minutes.

Makes about 6-7 dozen cookies.
These are about 3.5 grams of sugar per cookie if you stick to my sizing.

RJ's Pan Style Crepes

Ingredients

·         4 large eggs

·         1 cup low-fat milk (any will do)

·         ½ cup water

·         1 ¼ cups flour

·         Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp)

·         2 tablespoons splenda granulated (not the blend)

·         3 tablespoons butter

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         Butter flavored cooking spray, or butter to coat pan

·         10” non-stick skillet

Directions

·         In a blender or food processor add all ingredients.  Pulse for 15 seconds or so to blend well. (there will be teeny bits of butter in the batter)

·         Spray skillet with cooking spray or coat with a small amount of butter and heat up skillet a bit above medium (you can adjust heat using first crepe as a tester)

·         Pour approx 1/3 cup batter into pan (between 1/4 and 1/3 cup) and quickly move pan around at an angle to coat bottom evenly. 

·         Cook on first side for about 30 seconds, when you lift the edge to peek there should be a few light streaks of golden brown beginning.  Turn over using a fairly good size spatula and cook on other side about 10 seconds.

·         Use a tablespoon or so of your favorite jam, peanut butter, or really anything and roll up loosely like an enchilada.

*Note* If first crepe falls apart…you didn’t pour in enough batter.  If crepe is too thick use less batter for next one.  Be sure to swirl batter around in the pan!!

RJ’s Oatmeal Spice Muffins

Preheat oven to 400°

Ingredients

·         3 cups old fashioned oats

·         2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·         ½ cup packed splenda brown sugar

·         2 teaspoons baking powder

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         2 cups unsweetened applesauce

·         1 cup low-fat milk (any kind will do)

·         1 tablespoon orange zest

·         6 tablespoons canola oil

·         2 large egg whites

TOPPING:

·         1 ½ cups old fashioned oats

·         1 tablespoon splenda brown sugar

·         ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

·         In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, orange zest, oil and egg whites. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray almost full.

·         Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 16-18 muffins.

Beef Stroganoff RJ style

1 lb. beef steak (any kind really will do, I use London broil) sliced VERY thin (more or less meat according to your likes)

2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp flour
12 oz crimini or button mushrooms, quartered or sliced (your choice) also more or less to your likes
1 clove garlic, minced or grated (or if you used the jar stuff a tablespoon of that)

1 tsp onion powder (you can use a small onion diced instead)
sea salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
2 cups beef broth
½ cup red wine
1 ½ cups (12 oz) sour cream the containers are 16 oz, save the extra for a spoonful on top of served plate for a garnish
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1.   Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed, deep sided sauté pan or Dutch oven.

2.   Lightly season sliced beef with salt & pepper.  Brown in oil with garlic & onion for 2-3 minutes.  Then toss in sliced mushrooms.

3.   Slowly add in flour and stir to combine, will be super thick. Pour in broth a little at a time, stirring to ensure there are no lumps.  Then add Worcestershire & wine & simmer for about 5 minutes on low or until thickened. (if you’re a taster like me, at this point it should taste like beef gravy that has a light to moderate sour note to it.)

4.   Turn off heat and stir in sour cream.

5.   Serve over fresh pasta or store bought egg noodles cooked to package directions (al dente). (I always use durum wheat pasta) but you can use any kind.

Note:  This is really good if you have a pressure cooker you can do it in.  If you do..once you get all the ingredients in (minus sour cream) then pressure cook for 10 minutes at 15lbs.  Then run cold water over cooker to cool and release lock.  Add sour cream.  Yummy.

Play with the amounts to make ur version of perfect.

Boneless Braised Beef Short Ribs - RJ style

Now I made these in a pressure cooker.  If you don't have one you can cook them for about 3 hours in a large pot, put foil over the top of the pot and the lid on top, and simmer on low.

6  large boneless beef short ribs (or more if u desire, they're pretty big)
I used ribs very low in fat.  They come out yummy and very little grease in sauce
1  tablespoon olive oil
1  14oz can organic ready-cut diced tomatoes (or 1 3/4 cup fresh tomatoes diced, remove seeds)
1  6oz can tomato paste
1  tbsp chopped garlic (I use the stuff in the jar) or a couple cloves instead
1  tsp onion powder
2  tbsp flour
1/2 tsp ground Thyme
4-5 cups beef broth (I make my own with Minor's mix so it's not so strong, Swanson's will work)
1  cup Red wine (any sweet table wine will work)
5-6 large carrots cut in 1 or 1 1/2" pieces
Sea Salt & pepper


Take a paper towel and blot the meat to remove excess moisture, and then sprinkle each rib with Sea Salt (don't use a ton!!) and pepper.
In a non-stick pan heat up the oil and brown the ribs on all 4 sides until nice and browned. 
(if not using pressure  cooker you can do this directly in the pot you will simmer in)
While browning, heat up pressure cooker and add in tomatoes, paste, garlic, onion, thyme, wine, and half of the broth.  
Don't forget to scrape the meaty bits and liquid from your browning pan into the pot.  It's important to flavor.
If you browned in the pot you are using, scrape up the bits from the bottom when you add liquid and mix in.
In a small cup add flour and SLOWLY mix in a small amount of the broth until it's creamy and pours well.
Add this to the pressure cooker.
Add your browned ribs and pour the rest of the broth until the ribs are just covered with liquid.
Toss in your chopped carrots.
Seal the cooker and bring up to 15 lbs of pressure (most standard cookers are 15 lbs if they don't have a gauge)
Cook (while listening to it sing) for 45 minutes.
Then remove from heat and let cool down.  Remove safety lid and serve!

Penne Portabella...for Nay

Ingredients:      1 large portabella mushroom, sliced
3-4 good sized white mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
¾ cup dry white wine
1 cup half & half (originally heavy cream)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb cooked penne or bow tie pasta
¾ ounce porcini mushroom, dried
¾ cup hot water, only as needed (or more)
2 cups baby spinach leaves (or arugula)

Optional

▪ 2-3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded

▪ salt and pepper (optional)

Directions

1.   Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the hot water (about 10 minutes), then squeeze the liquid out of the mushrooms and chop up. Be sure to reserve the tasty soaking water for the sauce!

2.   Brown the sausage and drain.

3.   Cook the pasta according to package directions as well, less 1-2 minutes to finish "cooking" in the sauce. Meanwhile start the sauce:.

4.   Heat up a large pan add olive oil, saute garlic just until fragrant, add in cooked sausage, & all mushrooms, and the porcini soaking water as well as the wine. Let this cook for a few minutes. Cook until the portabella is browned and tender.

5.   Add cream and heat through, stirring to incorporate the flavors together. Next add the cooked pasta & spinach leaves, cook for a minute or two to let the pasta soak up the sauce and wilt the arugula or spinach.

6.   Taste and adjust seasoning, adding romano cheese then salt and pepper if desired. 

Dinner Rolls..or Filled-Buns

Large size Dinner Roll

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup shortening

¼ cup white sugar (or 1/8 cup Splenda Sugar Blend)

2 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ tablespoons active dry yeast (I use 2 packets rapid rise yeast to shorten time)

1 ½ cups cold water from tap

1 tbsp oil (I use olive oil)

1 egg (beaten in a sep bowl for basting)

PREHEAT oven to 400˚.

If using a stand mixer, use your dough hook for this from the start.  If mixing by hand you will have to knead dough for 20 minutes.

•    Mix together flour, sugar, salt, & instant yeast.  Then mix in shortening.  Then mix in water slowly while mixer is going.

•    Once dough begins to form wait for it to begin to pull away from mixing bowl (a min or so) then let it knead in the mixer on low for about 15 minutes. Then turn mixer off and remove hook.

•    Use oil to coat the dough. Move it around in the bowl to coat the whole ball.  Cover with kitchen towel and proof for one hour. (if rapid rise yeast this is only 10 minutes)

•    Roll dough by hand into a log about 12” long. Cut in half, then half again and keep going until you have 16 pieces for rolls/ 8 pieces for filled-buns.

•    If making rolls: form rolls with pieces and set on greased baking sheet.  Allow to proof for 45 minutes more (if rapid rise: 10 minutes), then baste with egg & bake for 12-14 minutes.

•    If making filled buns: Roll each piece out to about ¼” thick (I kinda rolled into an oval shape) Put your filling near the center but closer to you.  Fold over once, fold in sides, then fold over again.  Us a bit of the egg to seal the edge together & place on greased baking sheet.  Allow to proof for 45 minutes more (10 minutes for rapid rise yeast). Baste with egg & bake for 12-14 minutes.

**The quantity/size is approximate.  You may find that you want your rolls or filled-buns larger or smaller.

If you are filling with cheese…I suggest you use chunks that are the length you plan to roll.  Shredded tends to disappear into the dough while cooking**