Power Cookie

Why wait? Now is the time to make a big batch. I created this recipe for a Power Cookie with a healthy spin on the oatmeal cookie; see the apple sauce and no oil—a definite crowd favorite since I have baked this cookie in the thousands. But you'll have to see for yourself and share with the kids. The true secret is in the quality of the rolled oats. Now, who doesn't like a fresh-baked oatmeal cookie? 

George's Low Fat Oatmeal Cookies

George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook | Makes 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cookies

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series companion cookbook

6 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg whites

1 1/2 rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons pecans, chopped

Preheat oven 350° F. Follow the Recipe Below

Mix the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Sift the flour with salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Fold in the oats, raisins, and nuts.

Make into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges begin to set. 

TIP: Do not overbake! When removed from the oven, the cookies will carry the heat and continue to bake. 

Chef George shares low and slow brisket, pulled pork, ribs, + chicken with plenty of sides!

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Know Your Fire: Sizing it UP!

Fish markets sell shrimp according to size: colossal, large, medium, etc., but a more accurate way to judge the size of shrimp is to buy them by counting them: colossal, less than 10 to the pound; jumbo, 11 to 15 to the pound; extra large, 16 to 20 to the pound; large, 21 to 30 to the pound; medium,  31 to 35 to the pound; small, 36 to 45 to the pound, and miniature, 60 to 100 to the pound. 

Shrimp cooked in the shell has more flavor. If you can find shrimp in the market with the heads on go for it, they are fresh. And, for grilling best to use 21-30s or larger-- such as 16-20 to 11-15s. To make a real statement on the grill use U/15's Colossal, and U/10s Extra Colossal with the heads still on. BTW, U stands for under.

The nice part about today's post recipe is that just about any vegetable will go well with grilled shrimp, so use what you have on hand. Or, if you are heading to the market and you see good looking asparagus, that would be ideal at this time of the season to pair up with grilled shrimp.

Grilled Shrimp & Vegetable Salad

 Makes four servings 

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Marinade for Shrimp:

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

Juice from one lemon

2 teaspoons lite-soy sauce

1 Tablespoon honey

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Mix all ingredients for shrimp marinade and pour over shrimp. Marinate 5 minutes.

For the vegetables:

2 green squash, split and grilled 

2 large tomatoes, split and grilled

1 large sweet onion, cut into 4 pieces and grilled

4 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

juice of one lemon  

pinch sea salt

fresh ground black pepper 

Mix lemon, oil, thyme, pepper and salt with vegetables. 

Pre heat grill to a very high heat.

Grill vegetables on high heat until light brown and vegetables are tender.

Two minutes before vegetables are done place shrimp on grill.

Cook shrimp on hot grill and cook two minutes on each side, turning once. Baste the shrimp with any remaining marinade. Do not over cook.  Pink means done. Remove shrimp from grill and serve with grilled vegetables.

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Coffee Break

Here’s some trivia to share on your next coffee break or around the water cooler talk.

It is said that the first coffee break began in the US around 1880 in Stoughton Wisconsin. Mostly of Norwegian descent, the citizens of Stoughton's Coffee Street hired women because it was so near their homes that they could run home to check on their family and do some odd chores. There, a hot pot of coffee constantly was on the stove, so there was a cup at the ready to have a few minutes to relax and refresh with coffee before jogging back to work. 

I find it very convenient that the name derived from women who took breaks from work, only to go home and do some housework, then to sip coffee, before going back to work on a street named Coffee. Did you get that? I can’t imagine why the home-for-housework-with-the-coffee-thing didn’t stick and only the coffee part of the break did. How many people would actually return to work after the coffee break?

I’m ready for a good cup of coffee now! After 5PM - make it Irish please.
(WARNING: I don't advise drinking this version at work)

Irish Coffee 
recipe by George Hirsch | Makes one serving
From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV Series

1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey
1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream
1/2 cup hot strong coffee
Lemon wedge
Sugar to coat glass
Whipped cream

Prepare a sugar-rimmed glass by rubbing a piece of lemon or orange around the rim of a large wine glass. Dip 1/4 inch of the rim of the glass into a plate of sugar, coating the edge.

Place a teaspoon in glass. The spoon will diffuse the heat when hot coffee is poured into the glass. 

Add whiskey and Baileys. Pour coffee into glass over spoon. Remove spoon. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

National OCD

Why wait for National Oatmeal Cookie Day (OCD) on March 18th. Now is the time to make a big batch. I created this recipe with a healthy spin on the cookie, see the apple sauce and no oil. But you'll just have to see for yourself - oh and share with the kids. The true secret is in the quality of the rolled oats. Now, who doesn't like a fresh-baked oatmeal cookie? 

George's Low Fat Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cookies

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series companion cookbook

6 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg whites

1 1/2 rolled oats (not quick-cooking)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons pecans, chopped

Preheat oven 350° F. Follow Recipe Below

Mix the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Sift the flour with salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, blending well. Fold in the oats, raisins and nuts.

Make into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges begin to set. 

TIP: Do not over bake! The cookies will carry the heat and continue to bake when removed from the oven. 

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Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding

In honor of Mardi Gras, let's wrap this week on Fat Tuesday with a decadent spin on one of my most requested and comforting desserts.

I like to use day-old French Bread in bread pudding because it has more flavor than the gummy white kind. Cinnamon-raisin bread, sweet rolls, even left over Irish soda bread can also be substituted for part of the bread. Puree some seasonal berries for a sauce or serve with a little chocolate sauce, spiked for festive gatherings.

For More Mardi Gras Recipes: 

 Jambalaya 

 Gumbo Time 

Galani 

Chocolate Sauce 

Laissez les bons temps rouler 

Chocolate-Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe

Makes 10-12 servings | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series
chefgeorgehirsch.com 

3-4 cups cubed dry French bread
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberry, raisins, or craisins plumped in 1 cup hot water for 5 minutes
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups milk
8 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vanilla
1 Teaspoon nutmeg 

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, butter, and beat with a whisk until well blended. Slowly pour over the bread, cranberry/raisin, nut and chocolate mixture. Poke the bread so that it’s completely covered with the milk mixture and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  

Place a pan larger than the cake pan or skillet in preheated oven and place the pan holding the bead pudding inside. Immediately fill the outer pan with enough hot water so that it comes up one inch on the sides of the bread-pudding pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the water bath, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 additional minutes.

Remove the bread-pudding and allow to set for two hours before removing it from the pan.

Serve with warm fruit, vanilla or chocolate sauce.

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