Valentine's Day Cornmeal Cookies

MGG has a little bit of a sweet tooth...okay, okay...a bit more than a little bit!  So I try and make him something every once in a while to satisfy that craving.

Since Valentine's Day is coming up what better time to indulge that sweet tooth with some delectable cookies?

This is a lower carb variation of a cookie by Martha Stewart.  The cornmeal in the cookie adds texture, and a bit more grain so it's comes out wonderfully soft and delicious!

I've substituted most of the sugar for Splenda, however you can put the sugar back in (cup for cup) if you want the full carb version.

MGG is gonna LOVE these!

Here's how they go...

You will need, flour, yellow cornmeal, salt, butter, Splenda (or sugar), eggs, vanilla, confectioners sugar, and food coloring (pink or red).

First, in a medium bowl mix your flour, cornmeal, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine your butter and Splenda and cream with a mixer until smooth.  Add your vanilla and the egg and mix until blended. 

Add the flour mixture gradually, mixing as you go until all incorporated.

Get in there with your hands and mold the mixture in to a dough. (Don't you love playing with your food?!)

Pinch enough dough to make 1 - 1 1/2" balls.  Roll in more Splenda (about 1/4 cup or extra Splenda is used) and place on a non-stick cookie sheet.

With the bottom of a glass flatten down the cookies on the sheet.

Take a 1" heart cookie cutter and make an impression in the center of the cookies.  Don't cut all the way through!

Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 10 min. until golden brown.

Place cooked cookies on a wire rack to completely cool.

Mix confectioner's sugar, water, vanilla, and food coloring in a small bowl to create an icing.

Using a spoon, fill the heart cut-out portion of the cookie with icing.

Aren't these cute!!!!

Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Cornmeal Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food : Heart-Glazed Cornmeal Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Splenda

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup Splenda for coating cookies

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 drops red or pink food coloring

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a medium bowl mix together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowls cream butter and 1/2 cup Splenda until creamy.  Add in egg and 1 1/4 tsp vanilla and mix until combined.

Gradually add the flour using the mixer to incorporate all ingredients together. Using your hands pull the dough together in to a ball.

Pull enough dough off to make 1” balls.  Roll in 1/4 cup of splenda and place on a non-stick cookie sheet. 

Flatten balls with the bottom of a glass.  Take a 1” heart shaped cookie cutter and make an impression in the center of the cookie.  Be careful not to cut all the way through the dough.    

Bake until they have golden edges, 10 to 12 minutes.

Let cookies cool on wire rack.

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and 1 3/4 tsp cold water. Add 1 - 2 drops of food coloring. Glaze cookies and let cool.

Mom’s Famous Pot Roast

Here's a short recipe for Mom's pot roast.   She made this meal all my life and it is still a family favorite!  Such comfort food.  You know how every family has that dish that says "home", well this is that dish! 

I have very happy memories of making and eating this dish.  You can certainly change up the vegetables as you like, anything goes as this is a basic recipe.  Hope you enjoy it as much as my family always has!

Mom’s Famous Pot Roast

Ingredients:

3 lb Chuck Roast

2 T. Canola Oil

1/3 c. Flour

Salt and pepper

3 T. Kitchen Bouquet

1 Medium Onion, cut in to large chunks

4 Carrots, sliced in half and cut in to thirds

5-6 Russet potatoes, peeled and cut in to halves or quarters

Directions:

Salt and pepper roast.  Dredge in flour.  In a hot large skillet heat oil.  Place seasoned and floured roast in skillet and cook each side 2-3 minutes, until brown.  Turn it on its sides to brown that as well.

Place browned roast in a dutch oven or roasting pan.  Add water to the pan so that it comes up to about half the height of the roast.  Add onion along the side of the roast.

Cover and cook in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile, peel carrots and potatoes.  Cut in pieces.  Add to around the roast getting the vegetables down in the broth.  Continue to cook about 1 hour, or until meet is very tender. 

Serve with pan gravy.  You can also add flour or make a slurry, which is cornstarch stirred into a small amount of cold water, then whisked into the simmering sauce, to thicken the gravy if desired.

A Walk in the Country...

I just got back from a much needed week long vacation visiting my mom, sister, and her family in Franklin, TN (just south of Nashville).



I travel there several times a year to visit and as usual my mom had her "Fabulous Pot Roast" ready and waiting for me when I got there.  She greets me with this dish every time...and it's a favorite of mine.  See, doesn't it look YUMMY?!

I'll give you a quick recipe on this tomorrow.



I have to say we cooked up a storm this time.  Made some old favorites, and some new ones too.  I'm excited to share these recipes with you over the next several days.  I think you'll like them.



I'm such a city girl...being from Southern CA anything that is less than 70 degrees, is cold.  It was COLD in Franklin!  I mean super cold....freezing...it didn't really get above 40 degrees all week...I'm frost bit!



And boy did I feel out of my element.  My mom and I were driving down this pretty country road, and all of a sudden..."EEK! what was that?"  Mom said, "It's hugh, and ugly".  I looked again and there were FOUR, count 'em FOUR VULTURES, as big as a springer spaniel, sitting next to the road, right next to my car!!!  "EEK!"



Such a city girl....



I didn't get a pic of the vultures, but I did get one of a red cardinal eating bird food in my sister's backyard!  Sorry, I couldn't get the head in the shot!  We don't have pretty birds like this in LA so this was really cool.

And then the snow...what is that white stuff?  It's pretty...kinda ethereal...it's COLD...and all over my car right before I had to leave for the airport!  Man, I had to do a quick tutorial on how to drive in snow!!! hehe!  such a city girl....!

I
t was a great week but I'm glad to be home, in sunny, warm LA. 

I'm jet-lagged...