Chocolate Chip Dried Cherry Sea Salt Cookie

Ingredients:
8 oz. unsalted butter, at room temperature1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or extract)
3 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
12 oz. milk chocolate (I used TCHO 39% baking discs and kept them whole but use the best quality chocolate you can afford.)
6 oz. dried cherries
1/2 teaspoon good quality salt, for sprinkling on top before baking

Directions:
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and the sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium high.

Scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at time. Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.

Add the vanilla bean paste and scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

In a small bowl combine the flour, soda and salt and mix to combine.

With the machine on low, slowly add the flour. Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix. With a spatula fold in the chocolate and dried cherries.

Sprinkle a very fine dusting of good quality sea salt. If you are not a fan of sea salt in your baked goods then feel free to skip.

Bake at 360* for 12 minutes. They should be lightly golden on the outside but still look gooey on the inside.

*Please note that yes that reads 360 and not 350. If you oven does not go to that I would stay with 350 and bake an extra minute.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies

Bake some for your nursing mommy friends as a gift!

I made these cookies while Cameron was a month old just as an extra measure to keep my milk supply up for him. They're delicious and taste like ordinary oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I also added a cup of dried cherries because we love them in our house. I'd take out the brewer's yeast to make them non-lactation cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups flour
• 2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups oats
• 2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
3. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
4. Add eggs and mix well.
5. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
6. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.
7. Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
8. Stir in oats and chips.
9. Scoop onto baking sheet.
10. Bake for 12 minutes.
11. Let set for 5 minutes then remove from tray.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Who doesn't like breakfast sausages.  Unfortunately, the prepared breakfast sausages usually found at the supermarkets contain chemicals and preservatives that I can not even pronounce.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/4 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme 
• 2 tsp whole fennel seeds 
• 1 tsp rubbed sage 
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes 
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 
• 1 1/4 lb ground turkey
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, fennel, sage, salt, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and nutmeg. 
2. Place the pork in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the spices and maple syrup to the pork and mix to combine.
4. Saute patties over medium heat until the patties are completely cooked through and are golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes per side.