Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

Okay, I admit I didn't invent this recipe- I got it from the oatmeal canister. I just made a few minor adjustments. It's the cinnamon and chocolate chips together that makes this great!

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt (optional)
2 1/2 c Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 1/2 c chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate chips; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen. Bar Cookies: Bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-inch metal baking pan.

Magnolia's Raspberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Buns

I made these this past weekend at the Tingey family reunion- I thought they tasted dang good! Enjoy!

P.S. In case you've been wondering- Magnolia is a small bakery in New York City run by a woman named Allysa Torey. She must be a baking genius as all her recipes are pretty amazing!

Makes 9 buns (I used the smaller muffin tins and each batch will make 14-16 muffins.)

BUN:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (one 8-ounce package) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

TOPPING:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Garnish
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and lightly flour 9 large muffin cups.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Drop 3 small dollops (about a teaspoonful each) of raspberry preserves onto the top of each bun and, using the tip of a sharp knife, swirl the preserves into the batter, forming a decorative pattern. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the bun comes out clean.
Allow the buns to cool for about 30 minutes before sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar and serving.

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe come from the Amish Cookbook (although I got it from a mission companion). It combines three of my favorite things found in cookies: peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal. When I saw the recipe I knew I would love them and have now been loving them for about 4 years!!!

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

1 c sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1 c margarine, softened
1 c peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 c quick oats
2 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350. Beat sugars, margarine, peanut butter, vanilla, and eggs until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Stir in chips. Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.

Chocolate Cake "A Al Francaise"

Some friends wanted this recipe so I am posting it here. My friend Elodie makes this and it is wonderful~ as is everything she bakes!

8 oz butter
6 eggs, separated
1 Tbls flour
1 c sugar
5 Tbls cocoa "perfect for baking" 100% cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9" cake tin with wax paper. Melt the butter over a small flame. Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Fold in the chocolate, butter and flour. Beat the egg whites until frothy. Fold in softly the beaten egg whites.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

Gooey Apple Cake

This recipe has become on of my favorites because it's a perfect one when you want a Sunday dessert, but don't really have any ingredients to make something yummy. I've had to improvise on a few things and love it everytime. (ps-- it is also very similar to my mom’s apple cake that I put in the family cookbook, but is a little easier and serves a smaller crowd.)

8 T. butter, divided
1 ½ c. sugar, divided
1 egg
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
2 large apples, cored and chopped (I've always only had one apple in my fridge whenever I want to make this and it's still good)
1 c. walnuts (I don't keep these on hand that often, so they get left out)
2 tsp. cornstarch
¼ c. evaporated milk (I think it tastes great with just plain milk)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-in. square pan with cooking spray. Cream 5 T. of butter and 1 c. sugar. Add egg and beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, apples, and walnuts. Batter will be stiff. Spoon into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake about 35 minutes.

Combine remaining 3 T. butter, ½ c. sugar, cornstarch, and evaporated milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour over hot cake. Serve warm.

Cheater Chicken and Pesto Rolls

I made these last night and they were really yummy... a definite recipe worthy of posting. I was scrambling for something for dinner and had everything except buttermilk biscuits, so I took the long approach and made some homemade buttermilk biscuits and everything combined was dang good!

2 tubes of buttermilk biscuits (10 count each)
3 Tbs of your favorite pesto (I went heavy on this)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded (I just used a frozen chicken breast and boiled it in a little lemon pepper and lawrys)
3 Tbs roasted red peppers, chopped
2 Tbs Black olives, chopped
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Marinara sauce
Alfredo Sauce

Lay biscuits on floured countertop to form a 9 x 11-in rectangle (4 biscuits down, 5 across.) Using flour as needed, press biscuits together well.

Blend pesto into the cream cheese and spread mixture over entire surface of dough. Distribute chicken evenly over pesto cream. Sprinkle chopped peppers and olives over chicken. Carefully roll up from the long end and gently compact as you go. With seam side down, slice into 12 equal sections (it's easier to do this with a piece of floss rather than a knife). Place slices on their sides into greased 10-inch round pan or cast iron skillet. Drizzle lightly with alfredo sauce and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 375 deg. For 20-25min. Serve with warm marinara for dipping.

Looking For Recipes!!

I am looking for recipes where one doesn't have to use the oven. With this summer heat and cost of running the AC we need some new ideas. Julie, you might have a few. I will also research some on line and post when found. Thanks!

Barefoot Contessa Turkey Lasagna

Turkey Lasagna

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (Costco has this)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound lasagna noodles
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced (I just use reg mozzarella)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough for one 2-layer 9-inch cake or 2 dozen cupcakes*

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

*Note: If you are icing a 3-layer cake, use the following recipe proportions: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter 8 to 10 cups confectioners’ sugar 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

I made these for Vinnie's Birthday. I loved the cupcakes but thought the frosting recipe I used was a bit, okay, way to sweet. You don't need as much as I put on the cupcakes. I thought the cupcakes were wonderful plain!!! I doubled the vanilla and recommend you do the same.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins)

CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ICING:
Vanilla Buttercream (recipe also listed in blog) or Chocolate Buttercream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.
Note: If you would like to make a layer cake instead of cupcakes, divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake the layers for 30-40 minutes.