December 8  -  Sweet Surprises
The Carefree Gourmet - by Joyce McCombs

Are you ready? Here comes Christmas! Every year I say I am going to cut back just a little. Not so many decorations around the house. A few less baubles on the tree. Fewer shopping trips. Definitely less baking, wrapping, swapping and tasting.

And every year I end up just laughing at myself. Who can resist all the fun Christmas brings into the darkest and coldest part of our Alaskan year? I always end up buying “just a couple” more gifts than I should. I break down and get out every single box of decorations and end up putting them up in every nook and cranny of the house. And recipes, oh my gosh. The supply is endless – books, magazines, television, friends and worst of all, the Internet. It’s so hard to ignore things that show up in my email box with promises of being delicious, easy, simple and yummy!

Today I made a valiant effort to bring you some interesting things that you may not have seen before. I must have dozens of cookie and quick bread recipes that I rely on and love to make, but these all fall into a special category that will be revealed at the end of the column. I will say that all of them freeze very well, so you can go ahead and bake them now when you have a few minutes. That way you’ll have them ready for your cookie exchange, or holiday guests, and especially for your family. I’d like to think I follow my own advice and have things baked and wrapped tucked neatly in the freezer already, but you and I both know I don’t and you can quit laughing at me right now. My annual cookie pals have chosen December 15 as the day we’ll swap our best efforts, and you can bet your last chocolate chip I’ll be up late on December 14th getting my share ready. See you then girls! In the meantime, you all enjoy these ideas and happy baking!

Nana’s Bananas
Simple ingredients, a sweet treat, and so very swift to make. The dough keeps nicely in the fridge, too, so you can make a batch for dessert right after supper. Remember, riper bananas make sweeter cookies, so don’t toss out those bruised brown beauties lurking at the bottom of your fruit bowl. Use your potato masher for smooth results, and try using lightly sprayed kitchen shears to chop the dates. I have it on good authority that kids like to do both of these chores, in case you have someone close by who likes to lend a hand in the kitchen.
Preheat oven to 350 and spray two cookie sheets.
Combine in a large bowl:
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped dates
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix well and allow batter to rest for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto
cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until brown. Makes about 30 cookies.

Holly Day Spice Cookies
These will make your house smell like Christmas in a hurry! Feel free to boost the spices a bit if you want stronger flavor, especially the cinnamon. As much as two full teaspoons isn’t too much, especially for grown up taste buds.
Preheat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets.
1 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine dry ingredients, then add everything else and mix well. Dough will be thin. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets two minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Festive Fruit Bars
Be sure you use a big saucepan to boil the dried fruit because you’ll be mixing all the dough in it later on. These make wonderful holiday gifts and freeze very well.
Preheat oven to 375 and spray an 8 x 8 baking dish.
Boil these things together for five minutes:
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
1/2 cup chopped raisins
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup water
Let mixture cool a bit while you mix together in a separate bowl:
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Add to fruit mixture in saucepan and stir well, then add
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix again, then spread mixture evenly in pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Peanut Butter Dreams
A dream in more ways than one because these have just 32 calories per cookie, no cholesterol; and 1 gram of fat – happy news if you’re on holiday calorie watch.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cookie sheets.
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Mix raisins, dates, banana, peanut butter, egg white, water and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Add oats, flour and baking soda, mixing thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake until just brown around edges, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack; store in airtight container. .

Jello Jewels
These really spark up a basket full of cookies, or try assorted flavors for your cookie exchange and dazzle your friends. Try lime or any red flavored Jello to put you in the Christmas mood in no time.
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup butter (do not use margarine)
1 package (4 serving size) DRY sugar free Jello gelatin mix
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix flour with baking powder and set aside. In separate bowl, cream butter and Jello, beating well. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mix, blending well. Roll out cookie dough and cut out shapes, place on sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees about 8 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

HAWAIIAN NUT BREAD
Quick breads make such a nice gift at holiday time, and a little reminder of the tropics is always in order when the temperature is below zero outside your kitchen window. This makes two nice loaves – one to keep and one to share.
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup oil
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
Combine dry ingredients, stir in nuts. Combine wet ingredients and add to dry. Stir until mixture is evenly moist. If it looks a little too dry, just add some of the reserved pineapple juice. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9"x5"x3" loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes.

ZUCCHINI BREAD
I know you have little zip lock bags full of grated squash in your freezer that you’ve been saving for just such a recipe, so dig around and get a couple out and make a double batch of this tasty bread. It has some texture because of the whole wheat flour, so it doesn’t call for any nuts, but if I were you I’d add at least half a cup of chopped walnuts if you feel so inclined. Oh, and make sure you bake it for the full hour – I always think it’s too long, and trust me it’s not.
Combine and set aside:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Then beat together:
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup of the pineapple juice
Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Then fold in:
2 cups shredded zucchini, drained
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
Spray 9x5 loaf pan with non-stick spray. Bake for an hour at 350 degrees until toothpick comes out clean.
So, are you ready for the big secret? None of the recipes above contain any added sugar, and all are “diabetic friendly”. As long as you don’t eat the entire batch, that is! With Alaska leading the nation in new cases of diabetes, and with last month being Diabetic Awareness month, this seemed a good time and place to share recipes that not only taste good to everyone, but would allow someone on a modified food plan to enjoy a few delights of the season as well. Special thanks to the gentle nudge given by a CG reader to run these recipes, and to the Carefree Spouse, who will always have enough sweetness for me!
  

Index to Carefree Gourmet Articles

Sourdough Sensations June 29, 2007

Kitty Treats June 29, 2007

Dog Treats April 20, 2007

Sandwich Plan March 23, 2007

Carefree Wacky Ingredients March 8, 2007

Homestead Hearth January 25, 2007

Carefree Cooking 101 January 11, 2007

Holiday Punch December 23, 2006

Holiday Treats December 12, 2006

Thanksgiving II November 20, 2006

Standby Favorites October 16, 2006

Cabbage October 11, 2006

Apples September 22, 2006

Kids Cook July 6, 2006

Wacky Tips June 8, 2006

Graduation May 11, 2006

African Cuisine April 13, 2006

A Bit of Irish March 23, 2006

Crazy for Carrots March 9, 2006

February Vacation February 23, 2006

Easy Budget January 12, 2006

Christmas Treats December 22, 2005

Sweet Surprises December 8, 2005

Turkey Times  November 22, 2005

Grand Champions - Part 2 - October 13, 2005

Janet Boyer September 22, 2005

Grand Champions September 5, 2005

Blueberries  August 12, 2005

Halibut and Zukes July 28, 2005

Orange Juice July 14, 2005

Happy Birthday June 30, 2005

Honey June 9, 2005

Picnic Dishes May 26, 2005

Celebration Salads May 12, 2005

Kraft Foods April 21, 2005

Shrimp April 7, 2005

Carry on Airline snacks March 25, 2005

Sandwiches March 10, 2005

Back from Vacation February 24, 2005

Super Bowl Snack Attack  January 14, 2005

Ginger Snaps December 29, 2004

Christmas Memories - December 12, 2004

Thanksgiving November 23, 2004

Glen and Meat  October 29, 2004

Blueberry Pie Champion  September 30, 2004

Fair Winners  September 2, 2004

Glen's Knives June 11, 2004

Aunt Aggie Tells All... May 13, 2004

Crazy About Catsup April 29, 2004

Carefree Clearance Special April 8, 2004

Seattle Adventure March 26, 2004

Vegas, part 2 March 12, 2004

Vegas Wind February 12, 2004

Casserole Bonanza January 11, 2004

No Fuss Dishes  December 19, 2003

Fake and Bake Christmas  December 11, 2003