Old-Fashioned Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

Makes 36 Cookies (1 cookie per serving)

1. Place the oven rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk together pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger in a medium bowl. Whisk together the oil, molasses, egg, and fresh ginger in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in 1 cup of the sugar. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Let the dough rest about 10 minutes.  
3. Spread the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar on a small plate. Roll scant tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch ball, making a total of 36 balls. Dip the tops of the balls in the sugar and place, sugar side up, on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are cracked, soft in the center, and firm along the edges, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets on racks about 2 minutes. With a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. If you love gingerbread cookies, these treats are for you. These cookies are tasty and addictive. I had to make adjustments to this recipe to make the dough more doughy. I cut the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup, added 1 egg to make it 2 eggs and I added 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to make the cookies more flavorful. If you don't have canola oil on hand, use olive oil instead and the cookies will be just as tasty. 

Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 wine barrel stave or cedar plank for roasting salmon
• 1 lb. salmon fillet, boneless, skinless, cut into 4 oz. portions
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• nonstick spray

Makes 4 Servings

1. Soak plank in cold water for 2 hours. Drain.
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Combine soy sauce, mustard, molasses, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Brush on fish.
4. Preheat oven to 450 F.
5. Place plank in oven for 5 minutes to heat through. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Lay seasoned fish on top of plank, return to oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until cooked through.
6. Serve with Salsa Verde (optional)

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Don't be intimidated by this recipe. It's easy to prepare and it tastes delicious. The salmon is succulent, juicy and flavorful with the marinade. I highly recommend adding a touch of minced garlic to the marinade because garlic always makes everything taste better. Cedar planks were originally used by Native Americans to roast salmon where it was tacked to the plank and held next to the fire to be roasted. You can use lemon and variations of your favorite herbs if you don't have the ingredients listed above. You can also use any variety if fish in this recipe and your dish will still be good.

Chocolate Gingerbread

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup light molasses
• 1 large egg

Makes 12 (1 piece) Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with foil or parchment paper allowing foil to overhang rim by 2 inches on two opposite sides. Spray with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together buckwheat flour, tapioca starch, cocoa, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together brown sugar, buttermilk, applesauce, oil, molasses, and egg in a large bowl. Stir buckwheat-flour mixture into applesauce mixture until combined well.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top. bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few moist crumbs clinging, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Use foil as handles, lift cake from pan. Cut gingerbread into 4  strips then cut each strip crosswise into thirds, making a total of 12 pieces.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. You can have your chocolate and gingerbread too at the holidays. This treat is the perfect combination and it's gluten free too. If you don't have applesauce on hand, use 1/2 cup shredded Granny Smith apple and it will taste just as good.

Apple Cider Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp. granular brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 16 Servings (2 cups total, 2 tbsp. per serving)

 

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar. Do not boil or reduce.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 0 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. If you are desperate for a delicious barbecue sauce, this sauce is for you. This sauce can be made in 20 minutes or less and can sit in your refrigerator for 3 months. I highly recommend using this barbecue sauce on chicken or pork for a succulent and juicy meal. The sauce literally melts in your mouth and it's absolutely delicious.

Gingerbread People

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 3 1/1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. grated orange or lemon zest

Icing:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tbsp. hot water
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla, orange, or lemon extract
• 1-2 drops food coloring (optional)

Makes 48 Servings (1 cookie per serving)

1. To prepare the cookies, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the brown sugar, oil and butter until fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, egg, and zest. Gradually add in the flour mixture until combined.
3. Divide the dough into 3 sections; flatten each into a disc. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
5. Working one disk at a time and keeping the remaining dough in the refrigerator, roll the disk on a lightly floured counter t o1/4-inch thickness. Cut the dough with a 3-inch gingerbread man cutter into 16-inch cookies. Place on prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart, and back until just barely dark, about 8 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 2 disks of dough. Cool on a rack.
6. To prepare the icing, in a medium bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar, hot water, and flavored extract until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add, a few more drops of water. Tint with the food coloring, if desired. Decorate the thoroughly cooled gingerbread people with the icing.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. The holidays are here and you can have your gingerbread cookie and eat them too. Don't be intimidated by all the ingredients. When you follow the directions, the cookies turn out delicious. The longer you refrigerate or freeze the dough, the more flavorful the cookies will taste. The cookies will taste just as delicious without the icing. You can make this cookie any time of the year but use a different cookie cutter and they'll taste just as delicious. You can leave these cookies in a storage container in the refrigerator for up to a week and freeze them up to a month.

Slow-Braised Pot Roast with Molasses & Mustard

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. dried paprika
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lbs. top round or top sirloin roast
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups onions, diced
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup low-sodium beef stock
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 8 servings

1. Combine garlic, paprika, mustard, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, and pepper. Season meat with salt and pepper; rub with spice mixture. Marinate in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.
2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and meat; brown lightly on all sides. Remove meat from pan and place in a crockpot. Add onions to the sauté pan and cook until translucent. Add garlic; cook until aromatic. Add molasses, mustard, soy sauce, and beef stock; bring to a simmer. Pour into crockpot with meat. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender when poked with a fork. Remove meat from crockpot; let rest in a warm spot.
3. Degrease the liquid and puree until smooth in a blender. Adjust seasoning.
4. Slice the meat 1/4-inch thick; serve with the sauce.

WW PONTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This dish deserves to be cooked low and slow. The herbs and garlic give this dish a nice aromatic flavor when it's cooking in the crockpot. This dish can be salty so adjust the salt to your own likening. Also, I highly recommend adding vegetables such as celery and carrots to make it more filling and a touch of tomato pasted for more flavor. These additions may add point value but they are worth it. I also recommend serving mashed potatoes alongside this meal because who doesn't love meat and potatoes? 

Barbecue Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin, fat removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp. barbeque spice rub
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 8 Servings

1.  Season the meat with salt and pepper. Sprinkle all over with spice rub. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Place in crockpot. Add pork. Cook over low heat for 4-5 hours until the meat is tender, but not falling apart.
3. Remove from sauce. Degrease sauce and return meat to sauce to store.
4. To serve: cut meat across the grain in thin pieces. Toss with some of the sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This is a great meal to make on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week. Who says you have to go to your local barbecue joint to enjoy barbecue? The key to good barbecue is slow cooking time and the sweet or spicy barbecue flavors. If you have a crockpot, fire it up and cook this dish. I highly recommend using Cajun Spice or Southwestern Spice in this recipe for a kick of heat. I also highly recommend using South Beach Ketchup in this recipe because it's so good. If you don't have molasses, ketchup and cider vinegar, use barbecue sauce mixed with 1/4 cup chicken broth. I also highly recommend adding a touch of garlic in this dish because garlic always makes everything taste better.

Molasses Spice & Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tbsp. low-fat milk

Makes 30 Servings ( 1 cookie per serving)

1. Preheat to the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, pastry flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder & soda and salt in medium bowl. With electric mixer on low speed, beat brown sugar, molasses, oil, applesauce and egg in a large bowl until well blended. Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in raisins. Let batter stand for 10 minutes.
3. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets, about 2 1/2 inches apart, making a total of 30 cookies. Bake one sheet at a time, until cookies spring back when pressed, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before transferring with spatula to rack to cool completely.
4. Stir together confectioners' sugar and milk in a small bowl. Place sheet of wax paper under rack. Frost cookies with glaze. Let stand  until glaze sets, about 30 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. These cookies are ridiculously good. I never thought I'd enjoy molasses cookies but I did. If you've ever heard of the term sugar and spice, that term certainly describes these cookies. I highly recommend adding a touch of ground nutmeg because the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger is a sweet and heavenly taste. The applesauce and the canola oil give the cookies the chewiness they so richly deserve. I highly recommend serving these cookies at any holiday or selling them at any bake sale because one bite of these and you'll be hooked.

 



Red Wine Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced and chopped
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 1 cup, 8 Servings (2 tbsp. per serving)

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions. Saute until onions are caramelized and tender. Add garlic until aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in red wine and mustard. Bring to a simmer and reduce by three quarters.
2. Stir in ketchup, soy sauce, and molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Blend with a handheld blender or in a blender until smooth.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Who doesn't love a good barbecue sauce once in a while? You can make your own sophisticated barbecue sauce at home  in 30 minutes and it's better than what you would get at the grocery store. Barbecue is an American staple and each region takes great pride in their own. What makes this barbecue sauce stand out are the red wine and Dijon mustard. Reducing the wine removes the alcohol and eliminates the raw wine flavor so it is safe to serve to people under 21. I highly recommend using this barbecue sauce on chicken, turkey, pork, steak and even fish for your next sophisticated barbecue because it will stand out.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp. light molasses

 Frosting:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsalted stick butter
• 2 tbsp. low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

 Makes 12 Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners
2. To make the cupcakes, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, and molasses in a large bowl. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on rack.
3. To make frosting, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in small saucepan over medium heat, Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to boil. Boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
4. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla to brown sugar mixture. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until smooth. Spread thin layer of frosting on cooled cupcakes.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts (1 cupcake per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. These cupcakes are perfect for this time of year with the holidays and all. Don't worry if they don't look like the elegant desserts you find at a bake shop or fancy restaurant. These fall treats are to die for and will quickly warm your kitchen and soul. I really love how the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and homemade caramel blend so well together. These are not your typical cupcakes because they're not loaded with as much sugar and other additives like other cupcakes. They are fluffy and moist and you won't miss the buttercream frosting. You can also use coconut oil or Butter Infused Olive Oil from The Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. You can visit www.TheImperialOlive.com for more information. These cupcakes are perfect for dessert or as a take-home treat for your dinner guests. 

Barbecue Pork with Mop Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 pork tenderloins (1 1/2 lbs.), trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Makes 6 Servings

1. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill for indirect heating.
2. To prepare the spice rub, combine the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub half of the mixture all over the pork and let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare the sauce, combine the ketchup, vinegar, molasses and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.
4. Rub the pork with the remaining spice rub. Place over the indirect heat section of the grill. Grill 15 minutes. Turn the pork and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 160 F, 12-15 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting each tenderloin into 12 slices. Serve with the sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. (4 slices pork with about 2 tablespoons sauce)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. My mother and I were craving meat and she asked me to do a simple pork dinner with a side of green beans. I wanted to do a Mexican pork dish so I scrambled to find a pork dinner we'd both enjoy. I came across this one and I always wanted to try this recipe. This dish was SOO delicious. If you love barbecue, you will love this dish, I guarantee. It's called Mop sauce because it comes from North Carolina. North Carolinians marinate their barbecued meats with a dry spice rub and then serve their meats in a vinegary and spicy sauce that gets "mopped up" with a piece of bread. We really love this mop sauce because it was packed with so much flavor and was thick and gooey. It tasted better than the barbecue sauce you would get at the grocery store. I highly recommend making extra sauce because people will be going back for seconds after one taste. You can all use the spice rub and sauce on chicken, beef, turkey, salmon, catfish and even some vegetables when you're in the mood for barbecue.

Smoky Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups ketchup
• 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp cayenne

Make 8 Servings

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the ketchup, dark brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, chili powder, dry mustard, paprika, ginger, and cayenne; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until thickened, 10-12 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (1/4 cup per serving)

Note: This recipe appears in The WW New Complete Cookbook. This is the second time I've made barbeque sauce this month and I loved this recipe. This barbeque sauce TASTES like a barbeque sauce you'd get at a restaurant. I used the South Beach Ketchup in this recipe and it was a good move. The South Beach Ketchup is so nice and thick it gives this barbeque sauce more thickness and what barbeque sauce is suposed to taste like. The sauces rich taste comes from the sweet smoked paprika. Even though the recipe says not to puree the sauce, I highly recommend putting the sauce in a blender or food processsor and pureeing it to make it more thick and rich in taste. You can use this sauce over chicken, pork, salmon, beef and maybe some beans if you want.