Norwegian Butter Cookies

I'm on a kick to not make any sweets that have more than half a cup of sugar. This one fits that goal and has an additional benefit - it's made with hard-boiled egg yolks. A great way to use up those Easter eggs!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup unsalted, softened butter (1 stick)

2 mashed hard-boiled egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar (or substitute equivalent)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

1 cup all-purpose flour

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, hard-boiled egg yolks, and sugar. Beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla extract, grated orange zest, salt, and, if using, cardamom. Fold in flour. Using a teaspoon measure, drop cookie dough mixture 1-inch apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden around edges and set. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes: These are soft and buttery. They looked a little blah, so I put some left-over cinnamon roll icing on them, though they were very good without it!!! Can't have them be too nutritious!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

INGREDIENTS
1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese

sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: dot the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serves 6.

Notes: I used my whole wheat crepes instead of tortillas. I also diced up some jarred roasted red peppers that I had instead of using fresh bell pepper.

Slow Cooker Stew w/Homemade Beef Stew Seasoning Mix

This is my all-time favorite stew recipe. It's in the little recipe booklet that came with my slow-cooker and I've been making it for years, and years, and years, and years...so I KNOW it's good!! I had to make it one last time before it gets too hot out.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat

1 medium onion, chopped (I use dried onion flakes)

4 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (or whole baby carrots)

2 ribs celery, cut into bite-size pieces (I never use)

4 medium potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into bite-size pieces

1 28oz can whole tomatoes, undrained (I use 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes so it's not quite as soupy)

1 10-1/2oz can beef broth (or a couple of Tbs of granules and a cup of water)

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbs parsley flakes

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbs quick cooking tapioca (for thickening)

1 pkg dry stew seasoning (optional) or homemade (see recipe below)

1 cup fresh or frozen corn (optional)

1 cup fresh or frozen peas (optional)

1 cup canned green beans (optional)

Brown beef cubes in skillet on range unit over medium heat. Drain fat and transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except corn, peas and green beans (if using), stirring to blend. Cover and slow cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. During the last 1/2 hour, add corn, peas, and green beans if using. Makes 6 servings.

HOMEMADE BEEF STEW SEASONING MIX

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons oregano

2 tablespoons basil

4 1/4 tablespoons salt

4 1/4 tablespoons black pepper

4 1/4 tablespoons garlic powder

4 1/4 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons celery seed

4 1/4 tablespoons onion powder

2 teaspoons rosemary

Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. To use, add 2 to 3 tablespoons per 2 pounds of meat.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup olive oil

2 large eggs

2/3 cup fat free milk

3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup white sugar

2 1/2 cups blueberries

1 ripe banana, diced

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently, being careful not to over-mix. Stir only enough to wet all the ingredients; do not use an electric mixer. Pour into greased muffin tins and fill to the top! This recipe yields 12 over-sized (delicious) muffins. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 -25 minutes.

Notes: I used all wheat flour, 2 cups no-sugar-added applesauce in place of the oil, whole milk, no honey, and dark chocolate chips instead of blueberries. They were still very tasty and moist. It made 6 jumbo muffins, still baking for 25 minutes.

Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders w/Honey Mustard Dip

INGREDIENTS

Canola oil cooking spray

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1-1/2 tsps paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1-1/2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil

4 egg whites

1 pound chicken tenders

Preheat oven to 475°F. Set a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Place almonds, flour, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the almonds are finely chopped and the paprika is mixed throughout, about 1 minute. With the motor running, drizzle in oil; process until combined. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.

Whisk egg whites in a second shallow dish. Add chicken tenders and turn to coat. Transfer each tender to the almond mixture; turn to coat evenly. (Discard any remaining egg white and almond mixture.) Place the tenders on the prepared rack and coat with cooking spray; turn and spray the other side.

Bake the chicken fingers until golden brown, crispy and no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tsp prepared mustard (or 1 tsp dry mustard)

4 tsp honey

pinch of paprika

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

Fudge Popcicles

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

In the bottom of a medium saucepan over very low heat, gently melt the chocolate chips, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, milk and salt and raise heat to medium. Cook mixture, stirring frequently until it thickens, anywhere between 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter and stir until combined.

Set aside to cool slightly then pour into popsicle molds. Freeze 30 minutes, then insert popsicle sticks. Freeze the rest of the way before serving.

Makes 4 standard-sized 3oz popcicles.

Notes: I doubled the recipe and don't own any popcicle molds. As you can see, I got creative. Doubling the recipe filled 4 6oz yogurt cups. I also had just thrown away a bunch of popcicle sticks that Matt was going to use to build something with Kayleigh about two years ago, so dug out some bigger craft sticks. It worked. The 6oz fudgecicles seemed kind of big, so next time I'll probably try to find a smaller container to use.

Grilled Corn Guacamole (Chili's Knock-Off)

INGREDIENTS

3 ears corn, shucked

6 whole avocados, diced

1 whole large tomato, diced

1/3 cup onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tablespoons seeded, diced fresh jalapeno

juice from 1 whole lime

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup cilantro

Grill corn until nice and golden, with good grill marks on the kernels. Allow to cool a bit, then cut the kernels off the cobs. Set aside.

Halve avocados and remove pit. Cut avocado into a dice inside the skin, then scoop out with a spoon.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients.

Notes: I halved the recipe and it was still a lot for the two of us. We have a lot left over. Next time I'll only make 1/4th. Also, I was nervous about grilling corn on the cob, so I just put frozen corn on a cookie sheet and roasted it on 400F for 30 minutes.