Shabby Shelly

It's been far too long since the last post...who knew being a college student sucked up so much time?! Though I did happen to pick up a tasty tip at the grocery store the other day...

These cookies have a low-fat secret. They’re full of beans! This recipe has been adapted from Idaho State University researchers in Pocatello. This recipe replaces 75 percent of the butter with beans and applesauce to create cookies with fewer calories and fat.

1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 tsp. butter extract
3/4 cup drained and rinsed great Northern white beans
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
2 large eggs

Decorative Piping
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat oven to 375º.
2. Lightly coat 4 baking sheets with cooking spray. You will have to borrow cookie sheets and jelly roll pans from one of the kitchens doing muffins. Remember to return the pans to the correct kitchen.
3. In blender, process oats until finely ground but not powdery. Pour the oats into a separate bowl and combine with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In the blender, puree the beans, ¼ cup applesauce, 1 Tbsp. water, eggs, vanilla and butter extract.
5. In your KitchenAid mixer, cream the sugar, butter, and the above pureed mixture (scrape out your blender thoroughly) and beat well.
6. With mixer on low speed, mix in the oat and flour mixture.
7. Gradually stir in the milk chocolate chips.
8. Using the small spring-loaded cookie scoop, drop dough by spoonfuls on prepared cookie sheets. Using a wet hand, press the dough to the thickness of the chocolate chips.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool slightly before putting on cooling rack. You may need to put the cookies in the freezer in the dispensary so that they will cool on time.

Decorative Piping
11. After the cookies are completely cooled, gradually melt the ½ cup milk chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals in a FREEZER zip-lock bag. The chocolate chips should NOT become warm – only to the warmth of your hand – a total of 1 minute should do it. Massage the chip with your hands between the 30 second intervals.
12. Snip a SMALL corner off (toothpick size) and pipe the melted chocolate in a zig-zag pattern on the tops of the cooled cookies. Place the decorated cookies in a cold place for the chocolate to set.

Honestly, they don't taste strange like you would expect them to. Give it a try!

This is sort of a rough recipe but here it goes...

What you need for the crust:
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 2/3 cup cold lard (or Crisco)
- 4 to 5 Tbsp ice water

What you need for blackberry filling:
- 4 cups of blackberries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger

Directions for crust:
There are two ways this can be done...
Option 1:
1) combine flour and salt in a mixing bowl
2) add the butter and lard (or Crisco) and work it in your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs 3) add the water a little at a time mixing with your hands until the dough rolls up into a ball in your hand-DO NOT over work
4) cover the dough ball with plastic and refridgerate for 30 minutes
Option 2:
1) stick everything in the food processor and mix it up
2) take the mixture out and finish by hand
3) roll it all up in a ball and refridgerate as above


Directions for blackberry filling:
mix it all up! -don't refridgerate

Put it all together:
*Preheat oven to 350
1) roll out the entire dough ball into a thin layer (not TOO thin! I don't stand around the kitchen with a ruler so I can't tell you exactly how thin just use your best judgement!)
2) use a bowl to cut large circles out of the dough (again, no ruler but remember that blackberries are big and you want to be able to fit at least 4 blackberries in the circle FOLDED IN HALF)
3) scoop desired amount onto half of the dough circles (its much less than you think)
4) use your finger and some water (please don't use your own saliva that's grose) to wet the edge of the dough and fold it in half
5) using a fork, press the edges closed
6) place turnovers on greased cookie sheet and bake until just brown (I'm not sure how long I baked them for but I think it was about 30 min...I warned you this was a rough recipe!)


*Extra glaze for fancy people*
- pour some milk in a bowl and stir in powdered sugar (enough to just thicken the milk)
- brush this over the turnovers and sprinkle sugar on top (glaze can be added before or immediately after baking)

This is a dress I made in my intermediate sewing class this past semester. You can get the pattern here. It was fairly easy to make but took a while. One suggestion I might make...there isn't a zipper in it and you might want to put one (I suggest invisible) in one of the side seams.

As I post more of my sewing projects, I will take more pictures of the work in progress. For now, these are all I have.

For my very first recipe, I thought I would share one of my most favorites...Chocolate Pudding Cake...

Stir together:
2 C. flour
1 1/2 C. sugar
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 C. cocoa

Add to above:
1 C. milk
1/4 C. oil
1 C. nuts (optional)

Spread in a greased 9x13 pan

Mix:
2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. cocoa
sprinkle over the batter
pour 2 C. hot water over the top

Bake 45 min. at 350

Enjoy!

As many of you man know, I love to do three things...bake, sew, and blog! So, I combined the three into Shabby Shelly! Here I will share my favorite patterns and recipes for you all to enjoy!