Today's baking

Our friend, Leslie Blain of Balquhidder, Scotland, one of the best cooks whose table I've ever sat at, gave us her wonderful shortbread recipe (below mine). Alas, with my lung transplant, and the drugs I'm on, I have a sugar, salt and calorie-restricted diet. So I modified the recipe, adding the vanilla, oats and pecans.

Bob's Healthier Scottish Short Bread

1 cup granulated Splenda

1 15-oz. tub of Light Butter

3.5 cups flour

1 cup quick cook oats

1 cup of chopped pecans. (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix and kneed into dough—takes a while. Roll out in log. Slice ¼ to ½ inch thick Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for about 25 minutes, or until edges are brown. Dough may also be placed flat in shallow pan, and cut into fingers while still warm, in which case backing will take considerably longer.

Leslie Blain’s 1-2-3 Scottish Short Bread

1 cup sugar (Caster/Baking sugar (very fine) is best

2 cup (1 lb.) butter

3 cups flour

Mix and kneed into dough—takes a while. Roll out in log. Slice ¼ to ½ inch thick. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for about 12 minutes, or until edges are brown.

Dough may also be placed flat in shallow pan, and cookies cut into strips while still warm. Will require longer baking.

Cranberry Nut Pound Cake

1.5 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)

3/4 cup sugar free maple-flavored syrup

1 cup chopped pecans

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2.5 cups Splenda

1 cup light butter

1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese or low fat sour cream

1.5 cups egg beaters

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup fresh/frozen blueberries (optional. Chopped apples work well too.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour a 8x4 inch loaf pan.

Wash and sort fresh cranberries, eliminating any soft ones. Put in microwave safe bowl with syrup and boil until cranberries have burst (8-10 minutes)

In a large bowl, cream butter and Splenda until light and fluffy. Add Ricotta/sour cream, vanilla and eggbeaters. Add flour, baking powder and baking soda, mix well. Pour into a 8x4 inch loaf pan. If too thick, add some skim/1% milk.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into center of cake comes out clean.