Applesauce Cookies Version 2.0

Update – the “secret” project has been unveiled. Please have a look.

Friends help each other out, right? Actually, I think that might even be the first rule of friendship. So when I was asked recently to lend a hand for a great cause AND it involved cookies, the answer every single time is going to be “YES!”

I can’t get into the specifics of the project, but it involves cookies, so already you know it’s going to be fun. As for the cookie selection, well, that was easy. Ever since I baked my grandmother’s applesauce cookies, I have been wondering what it would be like to add chocolate chips to the original recipe. I know, applesauce and chocolate chips don’t necessarily sound as if they go hand-in-hand, but the applesauce is really just a way to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe while making the cookies extra soft.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, this cookie is like a muffin top and I don’t know about you, but I love the top of a muffin, especially filled with chocolate chips!

While we wait a few more days (I think) for the special project to be completed by some VERY (hint) talented people. Let’s enjoy Version 2.0 of the Applesauce cookie…Chocolate Chip & Raisin Muffin Top Cookies.

Applesauce Cookies V2.0 – Chocolate Chip & Raisin Muffin Top Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of applesauce (
• 1 tsp. of baking soda
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cream shortening and sugar, then add applesauce, blending in.
3. Sift flour with baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
4. Add sifted ingredients to applesauce mixture and stir until smooth.
5. Add chocolate chips, raisins and nuts and stir until combined.
6. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 to 3 inches apart.
7. Bake about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Happy Chanukah with a latke!

We had a holiday office potluck the other day and I thought i’d introduce my friends and colleagues to the Jewish holiday of Chanukah and latkes. Now, just a quick tutorial, Chanukah translates into “The Festival of Lights”  and a latke is a potato pancake that is fried in oil.  I’ve watched my parents make them, but hadn’t actually made them myself, so why not give it a try, right?

Latke and applesauce

So as is normally the case, you tend to get better with practice. After letting the grated potatoes drain for a while and then mixing it all together, I still found them pretty wet and not ideal for frying. I decided to make my patties a little smaller and really squeezed the liquid out and then they really started turning out well and the kitchen was soon smelling oh so good of fried goodness! And for the record, they were a big hit at the potluck!

Normally they are accompanied with sour cream or applesauce, so I decided to give the homemade applesauce a try. No real recipe, just threw some stuff together. I left the skin of the apple on, I was going for the rustic style, but next time, I might add some more sugar to get it a little sweeter.

Latke and applesauce

Recipe and Directions

Latkes

• 6 potatoes
• 1 small onion, grated
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 teaspoon of baking powder
• oil for frying (you don’t need a lot of oil, just enough to cover the frying pan, you don’t need to submerge the latke in oil)

Grate potatoes and drain well. Blend in remaining ingredients. Drop from a spoon into hot oil and brown on both sides, turning only once. Makes about 2 dozen. Taken from Second Helpings, Please!

***After speaking with my sister, she suggested actually squeezing the grated potatoes by hand before letting them drain. I did that when I made them again and it was an incredible difference!  They fried up much better without as much liquid!

Homemade Applesauce

• 6 apples
• Enough water to cover the bottom of the saucepan
• Sugar
• Honey

Bring the water and apples to a boil and turn it down to simmer for 15 minutes, until it becomes fork tender. I then threw it on a sheet pan, sprinkled some more sugar and baked it for another 15 minutes or so. I then took a potoato masher and mixed it all up.