peanut butter baked oatmeal cups

Are you looking for easy breakfast ideas that go beyond dry cereal? Look no further. In our house, we like to have muffins on hand in the freezer. When the kids wake up, they can grab one and microwave it a bit, and voila! Breakfast is served, and Mom can focus on making her coffee. Or packing school lunches, except the kids aren't going to school these days ... but I digress.

Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal Cups

1 c. quick-cooking oats
2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 1/2 c. milk
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 16 standard muffin cups.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir well.
3. Spoon into muffin tins (I like to use an ice cream scoop), and bake for 25 minutes. Edges should be golden brown.
4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

FREEZE OPTION:
Allow to cool completely, place in gallon bag, and freeze. We like to place one in a bowl and microwave for 30-60 seconds to thaw. They are delicious, but a little crumbly! My favorite way to enjoy them is warm, crumbled up, with a little milk in the bowl.

NOTES:
This recipe is very flexible. I've used almond milk with no problems, and I'm sure you could substitute the peanut butter for a different nut or seed butter, if necessary. You also could use one type of oats, but I like the variety of texture.

ice cream cake for *gasp* one year old

How can she be one year old already?

I had to smile reading back on her birth tale, because we've come so far since then. She's the happiest baby, and C continues to love her. She might not always be gentle with her, but she loves her. And O adores C. We've settled into a nice routine. So nice, in fact, that I'm tempted to mess it all up again with another one. Because what is more fun than all those hormonal changes combined with sleep loss and worry? This is. These days when you realize you survived the first year, and your infant is now turning into a toddler and soon she'll be speaking her first words and running around and it makes you want to do it all over again. For some odd reason, bonding through those difficult times makes the good times sweeter. [though, truly, O was hardly difficult. she was just an infant.] I love my girls so much; it is such a blessing to be their mother.

Having a summer birthday surely requires an ice cream cake, no? And since we're kind of into layer cakes around here, it couldn't be your typical cake. It had to be a quatro-chocolate-threat cake. I just made up that name, but let's run with it.

Quatro Chocolate Threat Ice Cream Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 brownie mix
1 pint cookies and cream ice cream

1/2 batch cookie dough (source)
- 4 T. melted butter
- 1/2 c. + 1 T. flour
- 3 T. sugar
- 3 T. brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
- 1 T. milk
- 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Ganache
- 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 T. butter

DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, pour roughly one third to one half of the batter into the springform pan (so it's about 1/2 inch deep), and divide the rest into muffin tins [brownie cupcakes! it's a win-win!] Bake for less time than package directs, since you split the batter. Mine baked for 30 minutes vs. the 40 minutes called for on the box.
3. Allow brownie layer to cool completely.
4. Let ice cream sit out for about 15 minutes, then spread onto the brownie layer, and place cake in freezer.
5. Prepare cookie dough by mixing all the ingredients together, except the chocolate chips. Add more milk if needed to get the dough to your desired consistency, then add chips.
6. Spread cookie dough on top of ice cream and freeze cake again.
7. Prepare ganache by warming the cream in the microwave and then stirring the chocolate chunks in. If they don't totally melt, heat for 10 more seconds in the microwave. Stir in butter until smooth.
8. Remove cake from freezer and take off the springform pan wall. Place on serving plate, then pour ganache over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.
9. Place inside a freezer-safe container, and put back in the freezer until it's time to serve.
10. Enjoy!

christmas baking 2013

Last year was a bust when it came to my Christmas baking. I tried a saltine English toffee recipe from Pinterest, and the butter separated from the sugar. I tried to make my grandma’s molasses spritz and found out nobody really liked them anyway. Our house was full of sugary confections that nobody wanted to eat...well, nobody except me. Yeesh.

This year I vowed to make at least one recipe my husband would actually like and that I could be proud to add to the selection of Christmas goodies at family gatherings. Armed with new recipes from Pinterest and an old standby, I set out to create treats worthy of a cookie exchange. It was a success.

C “helped” by standing on chairs, banging measuring cups on the counter, watching the mixer, and taking long naps so Mommy could be more efficient. Simultaneously I smile and cringe at the thought of next year perhaps tackling sugar cookies together. Those might not make it to an exchange, but we’ll have some good memories.

If you’re curious, here are the recipes for the Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars [totally taste like Take 5 candy bars, but better] and the Samoas/Caramel Delite Bars. *Note on the Caramel Delite:* The original recipe has you cut the bars and dip them in chocolate. Who has time for that? Instead, bake the shortbread layer, spread the chocolate evenly on top, then stick it in your freezer. While you get the caramel layer ready, the chocolate hardens, so you can flip the whole thing over onto parchment paper and then spread coconut+caramel goodness all over the other side. Also, you can drizzle melted chocolate with a spoon over the whole thing, rather than piping through a plastic bag. *So much easier.*

Easy Coconut Macaroons
⅔ c. flour
5 ½ c. coconut
¼ tsp. salt
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients together until blended well.
3. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake 12-15 min. or until coconut is toasted.
5. Dip cooled macaroons into melted chocolate chips for a tasty finish.

healthy bananas foster ice cream

Happy [post] 4th of July! If your day was a scorcher [ours was plenty warm],  you probably needed ice cream. If you're trying to eat healthy, this is a conundrum. Fortunately for all of us, there are recipes like the following floating around the internet!

The name sounds decadent, but the ingredients are incredibly simple. You ready? One banana, a little milk, and a touch of Biscoff spread. I know, I know, Biscoff is *so* 2012, but it just arrived at our local Target and any day can be made better by savoring a taste of that spread. During one of my savoring sessions, I decided part of its magic is that it tastes like a combination of caramel + shortbread. The ingredients lined up with my tastebuds' suspicions and dreams like this ice cream began to form. How can you go wrong with cookies + brown sugar?

Back to the healthy ice cream. Here's what you do: take a frozen banana [preferably one that you peeled, sliced, and then froze. peeling a frozen banana makes for painfully cold fingers. trust me.], put it in a food processor, add a couple tablespoons of milk [less if you want it thicker], add a heaping teaspoon of Biscoff [more to enhance the "foster" flavor], and turn that processor puppy on. I let it run for about a minute to make sure it's nice and creamy.

It's a great way to satisfy your ice cream craving, cool down, and add a serving of fruit to your day. Have you tried any versions of this trick?

make-ahead baked oatmeal

What does your breakfast routine look like? Mine used to involve measuring some quick cook oatmeal in a bowl, topping it with walnuts, cranberries, chia, maybe even peanut butter, stirring in some boiling water, then eating with milk. I thought I had it made. Quick, easy, healthy: what's not to love?

Then I had a baby. Suddenly, adding multiple things into a bowl seems complex - after all, she's usually in one arm, trying to grab everything from my free hand, or she's [not so] patiently waiting for her own bottle breakfast. So we're back to cold cereal? Or those oatmeal packets? Not so!

Make ahead meals are my new favorite thing in the kitchen. When C is sleeping or happily playing by herself, I measure + mix, then freeze or bake for future enjoyment. Since breakfast is one of my favorite meals [also the most important!], this is my current favorite recipe.

Filled with fiber and protein, [re]heat up a slice of this baked oatmeal, and you'll be set for the rest of your morning. So long cold cereal and packets!

Make-Ahead Baked Oatmeal

4 eggs

2 c. milk

1/2 c. brown sugar (loose, not packed)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 c. old fashioned oatmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. chia seeds

1 c. shredded zucchini

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 7x12 pan [or other 2 quart baking dish]

2. Whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, and vanilla.

3. Stir in oatmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, chia, and zucchini.

4. Pour in prepared pan.

5. Bake for 45 minutes.

6. Cool slightly, cut into 8 rectangles, and enjoy!

Nutrition Info

taken from my fitness pal

Calories: 319, Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 89.8mg, Sodium: 218.5mg, Potassium: 287.1mg, Carbs: 48.9g, Dietary Fiber: 8g, Sugars: 17.5g, Protein: 11.9g, Vitamin A: 37.7%, Vitamin C: 5.9%, Calcium: 18.4%, Iron: 20.4%

christmas cookies

It wasn't so long ago that I would spend a day, maybe more, making Christmas cookies with my mom and siblings. There was a standard list of recipes that appeared only once a year. Oftentimes they required more effort than the usual cookies or bars, so it really took an entire day to make them. Christmas music would be played, the younger generation would lick beaters and spoons before relinquishing them to be washed, and Tupperwares would be filled with various confections, ushered away into cold hiding spaces where they would be preserved until Christmas parties required their presence.

It's a little different these days. To prevent my own waistline demise, I limit myself to 2, maybe 3, types of cookies. But which types? I can't use the cookies from my family's tradition, because it's no fun to bring more of the same to a family gathering. My grandmother no longer bakes, and since one of her signatures was Molasses Spritz cookies in the shape of an S [for the family monogram? for spritz? just an easy shape? I really don't know; I should maybe ask] with powdered sugar icing, I made an attempt at them. Next year hopefully I'm armed with her actual recipe and less water in my icing. One of my favorite treats is toffee, but making it has proved that it is truly my nemesis. The recipe I used this year involved saltine crackers and the oven...shouldn't that be too easy? Evidently not.

As I look at my meager baking, I wonder what our family baking tradition will be. What recipes will I hold dear? What treats will our children feel constitute Christmas? Will I ever be successful at making toffee? How did our parents arrive at their standard recipe lists?

On a completely separate note, I ponder how we will instill the truth of Christmas in our children in the midst of its cultural context. It probably won't happen with flour and sugar, but perhaps it could happen in conversations over a mixing bowl. What a day that will be!

saturday shenanigans

Somewhere along the line, my husband and I decided we really liked donuts [Okay, maybe I always knew that I really liked donuts]. We also really like trying new places. Combine donuts + new places, and you've pretty much uncovered our Saturday morning tradition. Let me tell you, the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area has a *lot* of donut options. We've been to quite a few, and yet there are always more to discover.

Wanna know our favorites? Or at least mine? Please say "yes" because I'm going to tell you anyway.

Granny's Donuts
While this wasn't a hands-down winner, it's definitely on my list of places to re-visit. We stopped in, bought donuts, and drove all the way home before consuming them. Unfortunately, this proved to be a mistake as J's donut was greasy + a little underdone. Mine was heavenly, so I really hope we can give them another chance, despite the distance. My expert knowledge [from making donuts once in high school as a 4-H project ... yeah, I'm cool] tells me that their oil was just not hot enough in that batch. Can we really write them off for one little mistake?

Baker's Wife
This bakery was discovered on our way to Mel-O-Glaze [which I don't recommend] and it. is. awesome. Especially if you like cake donuts. On a whim, I went for the chocolate croissant instead [should've waited for the French bakery, but it looked so good!], however, after tasting a bit of J's and experiencing the perfect crisp crust and incredibly soft crumb, I'm hooked. Not to mention Angry Catfish is two doors down and makes some amazing coffee to go with your donuts. Mmmm. Drooling again.

The Donut Cooperative
Honestly, the decor in this place is right on par with the donuts. They have metallic gold on turquoise wallpaper, a bright red bench in front of that, and plants hanging from the ceiling. Trendy + quirky. The day we went they were only making cake donuts, which were good, but the real key here is the toppings. They have everything from butterscotch + potato chips to chai glaze. It's a little overwhelming to choose from their selection, but in a good way.

The Heights Bakery
Located between a hookah store and Jerusalem Market, I almost hesitate to tell you about this place. It's really small, and it wasn't until Cafe Donuts across the street was torn down that we felt the pull to their bakery. We've never looked back. They have a nice selection, excellent flavor, the donuts are never tough, and if you can't resist the bread, well, don't. It's delicious. It also feels like a secret neighborhood hole-in-the-wall that only the insiders know about. And here I am letting the secret out. But they're so good, I couldn't resist.

What are the favorites on your list? We're always ready for another adventure!

recipe: fall snack mix

If you're ever looking for a snack mix to bring to a fall party, make this. Please. It's so good. But don't invite me or I'll be tempted to eat it all. I can't resist its salty sweet crunchy melt in your mouth goodness.

Because you take this,

break it into bite-size pieces, and combine it with this: 

Which results in an addicting, but filling, snack mix.

One caveat: if you make a pizza before you make the cornflake crunch, your oven might be lying to you when it says 275 degrees. It's probably still 350 and your cornflake crunchies are burning. But you'll still want to eat them. Not that I would know...ahem.


Peanut Butter Candy Corn Snack Mix
adapted from Daydreamer Desserts

4 c. cornflakes
1/2 c. instant non-fat milk powder
3 T. light brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
9 T. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1 c. candy corn
1 c. peanuts
1/2 c. peanut butter chips

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Mix together instant non-fat milk powder, light brown sugar, and salt. Add cornflakes and stir in melted butter until combined. Crushing flakes a bit as you go is fine. Evenly distribute flake mixture over prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
3. While that's baking, line another baking sheet with parchment paper and prepare cookie dough.
4. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Cream butter and both types of sugar in a bowl with a hand-held or stand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, reduce speed to low and beat just until combined.
6. Alternate adding dry ingredients and peanut butter.
7. Heat oven to 375 degrees, and bake cookie for 13-15 minutes.
8. While that's baking, crumble your cornflake crunch into a large container. Add candy corn, peanuts, and peanut butter chips.
9. Allow cookie to cool, then break into bite size pieces and add to the candy + peanut mixture.

autumnal addictions

Lately I've been going a little nuts with fall baking. All summer I was a very good girl, avoiding the oven as far as baking sweet treats goes, instead exploring veggie-filled recipes and sweetening things with fruit rather than sugar. It was good while it lasted. [No, really, it was!] It trained me [at least a little] to seek out healthy snack options. Right now my go-to is Greek yogurt + homemade applesauce - naturally sweet with good protein to boot

However, the minute it started to turn cold all I wanted to do was bake. Since it's fall, I'm all about the pumpkin and squash. This is how I spent much of October and November:

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread. My new fave. Made with whole wheat flour and olive oil, my mouth says it's guilty but my brain tells me it's okay.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. Skipped the baking in oven part and just made it on the stove. Dee.lish.uss. Mmmm.

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread. Typically this is a fave; I put the whole thing in a Bundt pan and bake for 70 min. This year I made it healthier by subbing half the oil for applesauce and reducing the sugar...turns out I like the full fat + sugar version better.

Pumpkin Granola. The oats didn't turn out crispy, but it makes an awesome breakfast when covered in milk and heated in the microwave.

Pumpkin French Toast. This was an epic failure. Evidently the places I strayed from the recipe were crucial, as my final product was more mush than toast. Oops.

Pumpkin Spice Pull Apart Bread. Note to self: next time try to avoid adding too much flour. Hubs assures me it's still really good and was hard-pressed to let me share any, but still, no photo.

Squash Pudding. The recipes contains coconut milk, which is probably one of my favorite ingredients. It's simple, creamy, and slightly sweet. Yum.

Squash Ravioli. This tastes great. But maybe you shouldn't skip the "remove with slotted spoon and dry on paper towel" part at the end. They all stuck together and didn't look very ravioli-ish, however, still yum.

--------------------------

Wow. Listing them all out makes me feel a little more crazy than before. But the first step to recovery is admitting, right?

I have a winter squash addiction. [and maybe an inability to follow recipes] There, I said it. Now...do you have any favorite recipes I need to try? :-)

pantry eats

A typical day in the life of Lisa often begins with a car ride. I throw on a pair of shoes [these are my current favorite wedges, thanks to Kristen for encouraging their purchase!], hop in the car with my driver husband, and end up at work, a donut shop, or church [depending on the day]. Later we come home, eat dinner, and either take it easy or tackle the project list. We're pretty low-key!

One place I've been avoiding lately is the grocery store. As part of the adventure that is budgeting, creativity's been the name of the game as I seek to use only what's in the house. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with using the contents of your pantry!

For instance, for this Moroccan-inspired dish you saute carrots, onions, garlic, and a banana pepper [freshly picked from our garden! :-)]

Add a can of whole tomatoes, a can of chickpeas, some garam masala, and you're done! Serve over couscous for a simple, yet tasty, meal.

While we're eating it, I asked my husband what I should call it. You can thank him for the title [it made me laugh, so I'm sticking with it]. Also, yes, I could have Photoshopped that chip on the plate. Just keepin' it real, folks. :-)

"Call it Bffffff"

1 Vidalia onion, diced

4 carrots, diced

1 banana pepper, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic

28 oz. can whole tomatoes
16 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. garam masala
Salt & pepper to taste

Couscous, prepared according to package directions

Saute the diced vegetables and garlic until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and garam masala. Heat to a simmer, crushing the tomatoes with your spoon in the meantime.  Serve over couscous.

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This post was written as part of the Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop.

assistant for harvest

I'm linking up with Gussy's Inspiration Workshop again this week, using the prompt "green." It's the perfect segue to introduce you to the new thrifted [sort of] member of my gardening team!

For Christmas, my parents gave me a copy of The Beginners Guide to Preserving at Home. It got me more excited than ever to get my garden planted, growing, and process the bounty that was sure to follow. The author listed a Squeezo strainer as a must-have for this endeavor, but new on Amazon it runs $195. Sad face.

Enter craigslist:

 

Purchased from a nice man for $25, this sturdy piece of 1982 vintage has seen very little use, and besides a dried out rubber gasket, it's in perfect condition!

It promises to make my applesauce [using orchard apples + no sugar] and salsa [using homegrown tomatoes + peppers] processing 10x easier to accomplish this year. I love knowing exactly what's going in my food and catering the flavor to our liking.

 

My goal for this year: canned pizza sauce! My husband and I love pizza [especially Papa John's], so what better use for the Squeezo than to puree some fresh tomatoes and make pizza sauce? No blanching, no peeling, no seed-removing. Too easy.

What about you? Are there things you prefer to make from scratch?

my flower friend

photo via MeMeBev

One of my favorite kitchen items isn't a kitchen tool at all. On our first Valentine's Day as a married couple, my husband surprised me by disappearing early in the morning and placing a red Gerber daisy on the kitchen table to greet me when I woke up.

At the time, we didn't get much sunlight for the poor daisy and it got the nickname "Scraggles." At one point, we started to doubt that it was a daisy at all because the leaves looked more like a dandelion! Since then, we've moved and right above the sink is the perfect window for growing a daisy. Sigh. Wonderful.

I love watching it bloom, remembering the history that it represents, and enjoying a little bit of beauty as I peel vegetables or wash dishes. It makes me smile, our little Scraggles, and reminds me that perseverance brings its rewards.

Be it cooking or crafting, given time + effort (+ research won't hurt, either), you will experience success!

fluffs of heaven

The title is a little dramatic, but seriously, if you haven't made your own marshmallows yet, do it! These won't be like your neighborhood Jet Puff variety. Shaped like a cube, soft with a bit of chew, you can feel the love that went into them. The real kicker, though,  is your ability to infuse them with any flavor you want! These white delights are coconut vanilla, but can you imagine almond or peppermint or rum? Can't you just taste it now?

Overall, the process is simple. You cook sugar + water on the stove, then slowly add it to a gelatin mixture, then whip it until it's white + glossy. [Or if you're me, you mix it until you get lost in thought about how beautiful it looks swirling in the bowl and if only you had an extra pair of hands you'd get video of this because readers should get to see this, but wait, what is that noise? My mixer's motor was whirring faster, but the beaters were going slower...marshmallow goo = too powerful. Must mean it's done!]

Then simply cut them into strips, then cubes, dusting as you go, 'cause these guys are sticky. 

They're the perfect treat for this crazy cold/hot/cold again spring we've been having in MN. If it's cold, have them in cocoa! If it's hot, toast them into s'mores! [But you'll have to be fast. They melt quickly. As shown.]


It was Kendra who first inspired me to make my own marshmallows. She posted the recipe along with a tantalizing description on her blog, My First Kitchen. Thankfully, despite the blog being gone now (the domain is for sale, btw), she uses Google Docs to keep her recipes public, so I could still fulfill this item on my bucket list!

Homemade Marshmallows
adapted from myfirstkitchen.net

3 packets of unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
nonstick spray

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, stir together 1/2 cup cold water, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Put the lid on, turn the heat to medium-high, and allow it to bubble for four minutes.
3. Take off the lid, place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan, and cook another 7-8 minutes until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F.
4. Using a whisk attachment, whisk the sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture on low speed. Add the sugar mixture slowly.
5. Once it's combined, add the vanilla. Turn the mixer to high, and beat 15 minutes until the mixture is white, shiny, and gooey.
6. Combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Line a 13x9 pan with soil, and lightly spray it with cooking spray. Sprinkle some of the cornstarch mixture into the bottom of the pan and along the sides.
7. Pour the whisked mixture into the pan. Top with more of the cornstarch mixture. Allow it to sit uncovered for several hours or overnight.
8. Turn the marshmallow square on to a board sprinkled with the cornstarch mixture. Cut the marshmallows into the desired size, coating all sides with the cornstarch mixture.
9. Store in an airtight container.

for your sweet [tooth]

It's no secret that I love cookies ... but the weekend before Valentine's Day just begs for them.

At our wedding, there was an entire table dedicated to cookies lovingly made by family and friends. What made it even better was my talented card maker aunt-in-law, who took it upon herself to collect all the recipes and combine them into a book.

The gerber daisies on the cover were cut out from our invitation, and the photo was from storybooks we had sitting on the tables. I love how each page is geared towards the cookie it features!

This recipe is one of my favorites. It comes from my grandmother, and since three of her daughters are staying with us this weekend, I just *had* to make them. You should, too. They are that good [and easy, to boot!].

Kit Kat Bars

2 sleeves club crackers
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup peanut butter

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, and milk into a heavy bottom pan.
2. Bring it to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Place over layer of crackers in a 9" x 13" pan.
4. Pour 1/2 of the mixture over the top.
5. Put another layer of crackers and a second layer of mixture.
6. Put a final layer of crackers on top and frost with chocolate chips [that have been melted with peanut butter].

london fog cookies

I am linking up with Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop and the prompt this week is Favorite Recipe. This may be an older post, but it's definitely a favorite!

 

These cookies were inspired by a latte. You see, we were at Mariposa Bakery (again on our Boston trip) ordering sandwiches, when I spotted a sign promoting their London Fog - an Earl Grey latte with vanilla syrup. Being a recent Earl Grey lover, and always a vanilla fan, this latte had my name on it. Unfortunately, I hesitated, and the chance to order it was lost. The craving, however, was not.

I started dreaming about this latte, but no longer as a latte, rather as a cookie. Then Twitter started filling up with reports of Earl Grey cookies. My mouth drooled. I started dreaming of what my perfect London Fog cookie would be: soft, full of vanilla, delicately flavored with Earl Grey, syncopated with vanilla chips, filled with smooth frosting to communicate the essence of frothed milk. And so it was.

The photo below shows the process for getting the 4 Tablespoons of concentrated tea. I put 6 teabags' worth of Earl Grey in a mug with 1/4 c. hot water and let it steep. The leaves expand as it steeps, so use a spoon to compress the leaves so the liquid can pour out. I put in 4 T. of this concentrated tea into the cookies, but feel free to use more if you want a less "foggy" Earl Grey flavor. Don't worry if some leaves sneak in with the liquid; they give the cookies their slight speckle.

 

As a side note, do you know what gives Earl Grey its unique flavor? It's oil extracted from the rind of a bergamot orange. This was news to me ... hope it hasn't spoiled the mystery for you! For a more dramatic presentation, you could top the cookies with the cream cheese filling and sprinkle some orange peel shavings on top. It would make a great addition at your next tea party!

That being said, the cream cheese filling is somewhat optional. The cookies are tasty enough to stand on their own, so I left some of them unfilled for when I wanted a lighter treat. Sometimes, though, you need to go all out. I mean, seriously, doesn't everything taste better with cream cheese frosting? 

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for: the recipe.

London Fog Cookies

recipe adapted from allrecipes

COOKIES
6 earl grey tea bags
1/4 T. hot water
2 2/3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. vanilla chips

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Empty 6 tea bags into a mug and stir in 1/4 c. water. Set aside.
3. In a separate small mixing bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt.
4. Beat shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add 4 T. tea, vanilla, and eggs; mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour, soda, and salt. Add to shortening mixture. Fold in vanilla chips.
6. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Roll dough into balls for most even results.
7. Bake for 10 minutes.
8. Frost and enjoy!

a little country

Just a little teaser to let you know I've been baking again! The new recipe will be posted sometime next week - but first I have another artist from our New England trip to introduce to you.

As for this little number, it makes me happy. Not only does it keep my clothes protected from my ever-wiping hands, but it has farm animals. And bonnets. And I took it from my mother's apron collection, which is mostly comprised of hand-me-downs from older generations. A collection that lives in the kitchen of the 1920's farmhouse where I grew up. So it's a little country in more ways than one and I like to think that when I wear it, I'm celebrating the little bit of country in me.

Isn't it perfectly idyllic?

pumpkin surprise cookies

Fortune hath found me.

Despite the current pumpkin shortage (it's a terrible thing to happen to fall baking), my craving for pumpkin-related items cannot be quenched. So when a coworker brought in some pumpkin spice candies, I heard the calling for a cookie.

 

One thing I know for sure is pumpkin + chocolate is amazing. So these cookies had to have a rich chocolate coating.

 

They're really easy to make, too, which is always a nice treat. Make some shortbread (adding fall spices, of course), and roll it into balls.

 

Flatten the balls in preparation of the candy hiding.

 

Place the candies on the now flattened shortbread, and smother bundle them with shortbread. Since shortbread has no eggs, this is the perfect opportunity for snitching...but I digress.  

Bake them, frost them, and you're done! An easy and tasty autumn treat.

Pumpkin Surprise Cookies

adapted from Great American Home Baking

COOKIES

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. brown sugar (I used dark)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour, if you prefer)
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg (about two shakes of the container)
smidgen of cloves (more like one gentle shake)
25 pumpkin candies

FROSTING
6 oz. semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
3 T. cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine butter and brown sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Add vanilla. Combine flour and spices in a separate bowl, then add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix well.
3. Shape dough into 25 1" balls, placed 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Place one candy in the center of each round, then enclose the candy with the dough.
4. Bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. While cookies are cooling, heat cream in microwave for 30 seconds, then pour over finely chopped baking chocolate. Stir until smooth. If lumps will not disappear, heat for 5-10 more seconds and stir again. Put a dollop of chocolate on each cookie, then spread it around. Let chocolate cool before storing.

neapolitan bites: leftover cake delight

Creativity often arrives in the moments you least expect it. For me, it's generally in my moments of waking from a night's sleep, maybe a nap, where I desperately want to catch a few more winks but a certain idea won't leave me alone.

So it was with these delectable bites. Certain planets had aligned themselves in my kitchen, namely Strawberry Sauce and Angel Food Cake, and their moons Cream and Ganache were destined to collide. I just had to make it happen. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, here is the scrumptious solution:

Angel Food: My angel food cake was a gift, but you could try this recipe if you'd like to make it yourself.

Strawberry Sauce: Slice some strawberries, add a little sugar, and cook over medium high heat until the strawberries have mushed and form a nice sauce consistency.

Ganache: Please don't be intimidated by the name. It's easy.

For a small batch, just to test your wits, finely chop 3 oz. baking chocolate (I used semisweet).

Pour 1/4 c. cream into a glass container and microwave for approximately 30 seconds. Watch it carefully, and stop right when you see the cream starting to boil. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. You may have to heat it a bit more if you find some lumps refusing to cooperate, but please microwave it in 5 second increments so the chocolate doesn't get scorched.

Cut your angel food cake into 1 inch cubes. Roll into a ball if you'd like, but this step is purely optional.

Dip your angel food bites into the strawberry sauce, then dip and coat with the ganache. Place coated (now neapolitan!) bites on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

After you've got them all dipped the way you like, place the cookie sheet in the freezer. The consistency is much better in its frozen state, and it makes for a yummy summer treat! I skipped the strawberry sauce step on some. And when the ganache ran low, I only dipped the bottom of the bites in ganache, leaving the upper half as exposed white angel food cake. They were all delicious. I may have quality-tested more than one ... of each ...

Let me know if your planets align and you try this dessert for yourself!