Favorite Ingredient Friday -- Cookie Edition II

I thought I would participate in Overwhelmed with Joys's Favorite Ingredient Firday -- Cookie Edition this week. (Seeing as how I have been a bag blogger and I have yet to bake any cookies this season !!) But I do plan on doing that -- work and life has just been a tad overwhelming.

For Christmas I plan on making Winkler's Sugar Cookies (in memory of my mom), Molasses Cookies, the normal Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chip, Homemade Snickers Bars, plus Cream Cheese Mints and a new Double Drizzle Pecan Cookies for the hub.

But I am sharing one of my husband's favorite cookies today. Our Pastor's wife made these years ago, and to do this day, I still make them every Christmas. My daughter Sarai loves them too!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Beat butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients and stir until smooth.
Roll into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Drain cherries and reserve juice. Press center of each ball with thumb. Place a cherry in indentation.
In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.)
Bake for 10 minutes.

Calories don't count on Christmas and Birthdays, didn't you know?

Mine never look like this -- but they do taste yummy!

Photo Credit to ChasinRabbits

Menu Plan Monday - March 26th

Welcome to another week of menus -- if you haven't ever planned your meals -- please take it from me -- it is a great help in your day to day life!!

Visit The Organized Junkie for lots of great menus and recipes (and all kinds of cool organizing tips!)

Monday -- Tilipia with Lemon Pepper / Brown Rice / Spinach

Tuesday -- Soft Tacos with Salad (Boys on own tonight!)

Wednesday -- Tuna sandwiches with veggies (Bible Study night)

Thursday-- Slow Cooker Thursday -- going to try something new

Friday -- Hamburgers / oven baked fries / baked beans / veggies

Saturday -- Have wedding in early afternoon and school stuff at night!

Sunday -- Baked Ziti (my mom's recipe) / Salad / Italian Bread

Since I didn't have any recipes to try, I thought I would post my healthy oatmeal raisin cookie recipes courtesy of Sun maid Raisins with a little tweaking!! These are a little lower in fat and calories, while still cutting out preservatives and the yucky stuff. These are yummy!!

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use soft wheat)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (I use Sea Salt)

1 cup packed brown sugar (Sucanat is the better choice) **

1/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

2 Tablespoons canola oil ***

1 large egg (I usually only use the white portion of the egg)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cups uncooked old-fashioned or quick cooking rolled oats

1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins (or organic raisins ...)

HEAT oven to 350 F. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.

COMBINE brown sugar, yogurt, oil, egg and vanilla in a large bowl. Add flour mixture to make a blended dough.

STIR in oats and raisins.

DROP by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

BAKE 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned (I cook longer)

Let cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes then remove and completely cool on wire racks.

Makes 40 cookies

** They are really sweet so I usually use a bit less sugar.

*** I don't have any healthier oil -- and don't think olive would cut it, but think maybe if you use coconut oil that would be a healthy replacement.