Flu-Fighter Cookie

Friday night I decided to bake a type of breakfast cookie to take to Saturday's breakfast tailgate and opted for the Flu-Fighter Cookie recipe I found in this month's Food Network magazine. The flavor of the cookies is quite good and they look great, but were a little on the dry side. I think next time I might add a little more butter, molasses and Greek yogurt.

This recipe includes five key immunity-boosting ingredients.

Ginger - People in China, Japan and India have used ginger medicinally since the 1500's. The herb has some antiviral compounds and its antihistamine properties help combat congestion.

Cranberries - You have been told to eat an apple a day, but a cup of cranberries a day provides twice as many antioxidants, which help your body fight off cell-damaging molecules (free radicals).

Oats - Old-fashioned oats are rich in selenium, a nutrient that helps your body fend off harmful free radicals including the ones your body produces when you are sick.

Walnuts - A 1-ounce serving of walnuts has 1 mg zinc and zinc helps keep viruses from reproducing in your body.

Yogurt - Active cultures from yogurt help balance the bacteria in your digestive tract, boosting your ability to absorb healthful vitamins and minerals.

Flu-Fighter Cookies

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cup golden raisins
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups roughly chopped toasted walnuts

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a medium bowl.

2. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the molasses, yogurt, ginger and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture to make a sticky batter. Do not overmix. Fold in the oats and half the raisins, cranberries and walnuts. Mix the remaining dried fruit and nuts in a bowl and set aside.

3. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Top each with some of the reserved dried fruit and nut mixture and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F.

4. Bake the cookies until dark golden, but still soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Many hugs and fewer sniffles,

Kathy