King Arthur Flour's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are my all-time favorite and I always like to try new recipes. I came across this one from King Arthur Flour and I don't think I'll be searching for a new recipe anytime soon. :) They're easily the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made/had. It may or may not have something to do with the addition of oatmeal... LOVE THEM.

King Arthur Flour's 2015 Recipe of the Year: 

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray. Beat together butter and sugars until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla one at a time, beating well after each.

Whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the butter mixture in the bowl. Mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Scrap the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 12-17 minutes, until they're golden brown with slightly darker edges.

Recipe will make approximately 50 medium sized cookies.

If you try them, let me know what you think! :)

Honey Wheat Bread

The hot summer days have made their appearance in this northern land and they have me wishing for a juicy tomato sandwich for lunch. I have the tomato, but now bread. So I'm whipping up our favorite Honey Wheat Bread so I can have my sandwich. :)

In a large bowl add:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Dissolve and wait until yeast froths, then add:
1/8 cup butter (melted)
1/8 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups of Whole Wheat Flour (I do part white), add more as needed

Add flour a cup at a time until you have a soft dough, and knead for about 5 minutes. Put into a greased bowl and let rise for an hour (in a warm oven or in front of a window where the sun is shining in).

Knead bread again and place into bread pan to rise for another hour.

Then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown on the top.  Butter the top of the bread and let it cook another 2 minutes. Remove and let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out and cool 10 more minutes before slicing.

This recipe was adapted from Favorite Family Recipes and makes one regular loaf.

Do you have a favorite bread recipe or any tips? I'd love to hear them!

Popovers

If you've never had one, I think you're missing out. To me they replace the need for dinner rolls. Every time. (And I repeatedly tell my husband that so hopefully I don't have to make dinner rolls ever again.)

King Arthur Flour declares these "never-fail popovers" and it's true.

4 large eggs (if they’re straight from the fridge, warm them in a cup of hot tap water for 10 minutes before cracking)
1 ½ cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Scrape sides and mix again until frothy, about 30 seconds using an electric mixer. The mixture should be bubbly. Grease a muffin tin and pour batter into cups, filling 2/3 to 3/4 full. Place pan on lower shelf of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until they're a deep, golden brown. (If the popovers brown too quickly, position an over rack at the top and place a cookie sheet on it to shield the popovers from direct heat.) And enjoy!

Our favorite way to eat them is with honey butter (mix soft butter + honey).

Have a happy weekend!

Apple Flognarde

It's the time of year when we get our annual lot of fresh apples and we try to find all sorts of ways to eat them. This year I found this recipe for Flognarde aux Pommes from Chicho's Kitchen and we fell in love with it. 

Apple Flognarde

3 Apples

3 Large Eggs

1 1/2 cups Milk

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. Flour

2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and core the apples, then cut into chunks.

Grease the tart tins (or baking dish) with butter and sprinkle some flour and place on a baking sheet. Put the apple chunks in tins or baking dish.

Gently heat the milk until warm. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until blended and foamy.  Add sugar, flour, and oil, and whisk until smooth.  Gradually whisk in the warm milk. 

Using a ladle, carefully pour the liquid batter over the apple chunks, filling up to the rim. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the flognarde is puffed and golden.

It makes a perfect lazy Saturday morning breakfast. :) 

Enjoy your weekend!

Pumpkin Cake Bars

If you aren't tired of eating pumpkin stuff yet... here's another recipe to try. :)

This is the only pumpkin recipe I'm sure to make at least once every Fall. --And I'm not the biggest pumpkin fan, so that's saying a lot.

Pumpkin Cake Bars

4 eggs, well beaten
2 cups pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat the eggs and add the pumpkin, sugar, salt, and pumpkin spice, and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 baking pan and sprinkle with dry cake mix. Spread chopped pecans on cake mix and drizzle melted butter on top. Bake for an hour and 20 mins, cover loosely with foil for the first 40 minutes to keep it from getting brown too soon. Cut into squares and serve with whipped topping or ice cream.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat another piece. ;)

Peanut Butter Pie

I often search for easy recipes and this one made me feel like a champ. Not only was it quick and easy to make, but it was one of the best peanut butter pies I've ever made! Win-win. :)

Easy Peanut Butter Pie from A Slob Comes Clean.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups whipped topping
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp. milk
chopped peanuts for garnish
graham cracker crust (I use this recipe)

Mix together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and milk. Add one cup of whipped topping and gently fold in. Spread this mixture in the pie crust and top by spreading remaining cup of whipped topping on top. Garnish with chopped peanuts and enjoy!

Have a fabulous Labor Day Weekend, my friends.