Hot Toddy's 44th Birthday/The Perils of Trusting so-called "Healthy" Versions of Recipes...

Let's start off with the GREAT!  My wonderful husband turned 44 today and doesn't look or act a day over 32 (I think one of our summer students told him that...).  In celebration, I copied the recipe for Grilled Steak with Cucumber and Daikon Salad from the July 2011 Food and Wine Magazine - a delight!  The gremolata on the steak was the best thing ever - so happy it turned out even though I still think I am the WORST at grilling steaks!  (PS the reason steaks taste so amazing in restaurants is because there is like a million lbs of butter on them).

My version of the recipe - try Wasabi Arugula - deeeelish!

Now for the not-so-great.  You know its summer when: Big Brother starts taking over my life, the weather keeps letting me down, and I can actually start baking with nuts again (schools have all out bans on nuts due to allergies).  SO tonight I wanted to try a healthy version of peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.  I got to googling and came across a site that promised such a thing... the recipe looked okay, but the results were only just okay - if you like a very UNsweet cookie, and one with a dense consistency, you are going to love this recipe, if you like your pb cookies melty and chewy - dont bother baking this recipe bc you will hate it. (btw - I hit a strange lock key on this keyboard and am now getting strange punctuation, so I am opting OUT of punctuation... ie Ièm = Im è is supposed to be a question mark, etc....)

Healthy But Strange Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 tsp water
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350degrees.  Mix all your dry ingredients in a bowl.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in another bowl and beat with an electric beater until well mixed and even.  Slowly add your dry ingredients in the usual way, add the chocolate chips... btw - this is one tough dough!  Maybe its a healthier version bc its such a major arm work-out.... and probably also bc there is so little saturated fat.




Do 3 sets of 12 reps for your bicep curls!

Anyways, bake for about 13 mins and voila - a cookie that some people will love, but most will probably hate (BTW Im also not giving a link to this recipe bc I dont want to embarrass this person for a recipe that is not that awesome).   Todd says they are really tasty, but hes also one of those people who actually doesnt like sweet things!

My fave part of this picture is the Caddyshack bday card in the background!

Yield: 4 dozen cookies - blarg