Very warm Temps and a fantastic cookie recipe

Good Morning Augusta

This morning our cloudy skies will become partly cloudy for this afternoon. High around 45ºF. Winds will be light and variable.

Tonight we’ll have some clouds with areas of dense fog. Lows will drop to 28ºF. Winds light and variable.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Humidity is 84%, the dew point is 31ºF, outside it’s 3.3ºC and 38.4ºF.

The wind direction is West between 0.4 MPH and 1.3 MPH, generating a wind chill of 38.4ºF.

The Barometric pressure is 30.01 / HPA 1017.2 and falling with a weather graphic indicating rain.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is at 6:27 a.m. Sunset is 5:18 P.M. Moon rise is at 3:42 a.m., Moon set is 1:26 p.m. and the moon phase is waning crescent.   

The RAW METAR reading from the airport in Augusta, Maine is:

METAR KAUG 221153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC033 01/M03 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP160 T00061028 10011 21006 58002

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with overcast to 3,300 ft / 1,005 m.

We didn’t receive any rain or snow here over the past 24 hours.

Space Weather for this morning is:

Today’s Solar flux is 82, the solar wind speed is 441  Kilometers per second and the chance of a solar storm is 1%.

In an effort to make up for that low fat, low everything, artificial recipe from yesterday, let’s try a batch of:

CHOCOLATE-MINT CRÈME COOKIES

Serves:  24—1 sandwich cookies

 

1½ cups packed brown sugar

¾ cups butter, cubed (reduced calorie butter)

2 tbsp. water

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs (½ cup egg substitute)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1¼ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

FILLING

1/3 cup butter, softened (reduced calorie butter)

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 to 4 tbsp. milk

1/8 tsp. peppermint extract

Dash salt

·         In a small saucepan, combine the 1½ cups brown sugar, ¾ cup butter, and 2 tbsp. water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

·         Remove from the heat; stir in 12 oz. chocolate chips until melted and smooth.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl; cool slightly.

·         Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the 3 cups flour, 1¼ baking soda and 1 tsp. salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture.

·         Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.  Bake 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. 

·         Remove to wire racks; flatten slightly.  Cool completely.

·         Combine 1/3 cup butter, 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, 3 to 4 tbsp. milk, 1/8 tsp. peppermint extract and a dash salt.  Spread on the bottom of half of the cookies.  Top with remaining cookies. 

 

Exchanges:  23 carbohydrates, 2 fat

Calories:  197; fat:  9 g; protein:  2 g; carbohydrate:  30 g; fiber:  1 g; cholesterol:  20 mg; sodium:  160 mg