Jiffy Cookies

Growing up, one of the most often made cookies in our household was the Jiffy Cookie.  I have no idea where the recipe came from, I just know that it was easy enough that my brothers could make it.  

1 /2 Sugar

1/2 cup Corn Syrup

1 cup Peanut Butter

3 cups rice krispies

You boil the sugar and corn syrup together, mix in the peanut butter, and then the rise krispies.  Easy, and quick (hence the “jiffy”) but definitely not healthy.

I tried swapping out maple syrup for the corn syrup, but the mixture seized up (the variety of sugar molecules in the corn syrup prevents this seizing, which I had forgotten, obviously).  I decided to try it without the sugar or corn syrup, and just use honey.  

Surprisingly, it worked perfectly.

Jiffy Cookies (Sugar-free)
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup honey
  2. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  3. pinch salt
  4. 1/2 cup peanut butter (or sunflower butter)
  5. 2 cups crispy brown rice cereal (I use Nature's Path brand)
Instructions
  1. Place crispy brown rice in medium bowl; set aside. Put honey in small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Boil until bubbles are large, and go an inch high up the pan (technical, I know, but that's the easiest way to tell it's ready). Whisk in cinnamon and salt. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over crispy brown rice and stir until combined. Use a cookie scoop to scoop onto parchment or wax paper. Let cool completely.
Notes
  1. Depending on the type of crispy rice you use, you may need to use more or less cereal.
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 The only remotely tricky part is boiling the honey, but here are some pictures to assist.

IMG_3608
No, not ready yet
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Okay, now we’re ready to stir in the peanut butter

 

Sweet Potato Mac and ‘Cheese’

Both my grandmothers clipped recipes and subscribed to cooking magazines (usually the Taste of Home ones).  Every Sunday my family would go and visit my grandparents, and more often than not I would spend my time looking through those magazines.  One of the things I picked to keep of each of my grandmas after their passings was either a cookbook or a compilation of the Taste of Home magazines.  

I don’t really subscribe to any magazines for recipes like my grandmothers, but I do have a lot of bookmarked websites that I like to visit regularly.   One of those websites is Chef Chloe.  As I was perusing through her recipes, I was intrigued by one for Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese and that inspired the following recipe.

Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds brown rice elbow macaroni or spirals (or just use one pound and freeze half of the sauce)
  2. 3 tablespoons olive oil (you need this amount for the roux to make the sauce)
  3. 1 medium onion, diced
  4. 1/3 cup sweet rice flour
  5. 1 garlic clove, minced
  6. 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  7. 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  8. 2-1/2 cups dairy-free milk (I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk)
  9. 2 teaspoons salt
  10. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  11. 1 teaspoon tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
  12. 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  13. 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package instructions, be sure have heavily salted the water.
  2. Meanwhile, and the medium sauce pan heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until translucent. Sprinkle in thyme, and rice flour, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk and dairy free milk. Add sweet potatoes, mustard, soy sauce, salt, and vinegar. Bring to boil whisking frequently. Reduce heat to simmer until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to blender, and blend until smooth. Pour over pasta and stir to combine.
Notes
  1. The recipe makes enough sauce for 2 pounds of pasta. Now I know that is a lot of pasta, so I typically do just 1 pound and use half the sauce, and freeze the rest for another night. You could just halve the sauce recipe, but I always find it ridiculous when a recipe calls for just half sweet potato, or half an onion. What am I supposed to do with the other half?
Adapted from Chef Chloe
Adapted from Chef Chloe
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/

I have a few ‘cheese’ sauce recipes in my arsenal, but the thing that I like about this one is how light it tastes, and it is simple.  The sauce actually freezes well which, of course, makes it even more simple.