Everything but the kitchen sink...

 
   I have a cupboard in my kitchen that is designated for baking supplies.  My children know that anything in there is strictly off limits to them. They know that no matter how much they plead or give me those sad puss n' boots eyes that I will not relent. Each and every item in my stash; the Snickers bars,  the Reeses' peanut butter cups and the Oreo cookies, are all destined to be baked into something delectable... one of these days.
 
   It's no surprise that since I've started working in a bakery, I have been baking less often at home.  My kids are noticing that the treat plate is not filled as often as it once was. Their arrival home from school is not met with fresh baked cookies Monday through Friday. While it may be a good thing that I'm not spoiling them, my cupboard overfloweth.
 
    In order to make way for the Valentine treats I've been stocking up on, I had to deplete my stash.  Thankfully I was able to come up with a cookie recipe that incorporated much of what I had on hand.  Not only did I bake up a tasty batch of homemade cookies for my poor, deprived family, I was also able to make room in my cache. A job well done if I do say so myself!
 
 
Kitchen Sink Cookies
 



You will need:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toffee baking bits
• 1 cup pecans, chopped 

Directions:

~ Preheat oven to 350*
~ In a large bowl combine sugars and butter; beat until creamy
~ Add vanilla and eggs; blend well
~ In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to combine
~ Add dry mixture to wet mixture
~ Stir in chocolate & peanut butter chips, toffee bits and pecans
~ Roll into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet
~ Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown
~ Allow cookies to set 1 minute on cookie sheets before moving to wire racks to cool

 

 

 

*Note: there are no chocolate bars in this recipe because... well, it's hard to resist those eyes!

 

They're Real and They're Spectacular...

    

   Last week my kids returned to school after an extended winter break.  Greeting them when they returned home was a plateful of fresh baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  At first they were delighted... then they became skeptical. 

 

"Why don't they look like regular oatmeal cookies?" my oldest asked.  

 

That one time I put spinach in a batch of brownies has scarred him for life.  He now lives in fear that I am trying to sneak something healthy into my kitchen creations.

 

   My easy going middle child didn't think twice about digging in, but he too, questioned the look of my 'oatmeal' cookies.  My daughter, the baking prodigy that she is, wanted to know what I did to the oatmeal to make them look like 'regular' chocolate chip cookies.  My kids, I love them to death, but honestly... THEY ARE COOKIES!

 

     Yesterday, in my ongoing attempt to be Mother of the Year (my friends know that I qualify for this honour regularly, but most often in the sarcastic sense), I decided to bake up a batch of 'real' oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  Just your standard, mainstream recipe. Blender not required.  No fancy culinary tricks involved.  Unlike my other batch, this one is your classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.  They are real and they are spectacular. You're welcome.

 

 

 

"Real" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

*This recipe makes approx. 2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips (*you may also substitute raisins if you prefer)

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• In a medium sized bowl, blend together both sugars and butter until light and fluffy
• Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
• Stir dry mixture into wet mixture
• Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until combined
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
• Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before moving to wire cooling racks

Welcome Home!

 

No more pencils, no more books!  My kids are home for summer vacation and I couldn't be happier.  I look forward to long summer days lounging by the pool, hearing their laughter (and their squabbles!), enjoying 'Happy Hour' where we all get junk (for the significance of that phrase you'll have to read one of my previous posts!), and not having to make lunches and pester my kids to do their homework.  The lazy days of summer are just what I need right now.  Give me a good recipe or a good book, kids in my yard and cupcakes in my oven and I am in my glory.  Throw in a baseball game or two and that is a blissful recipe that defines summer.

 

These cookies are my daughter's favourite. Since she had a rough go this year in grade five I decided to surprise her, and her brothers, with this after school snack. There is nothing like coming home on the last day of school to a batch of fresh baked cookies! 

 

 

 

Last Day of School

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

You will need:

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips (add more if you like!)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• In a medium sized bowl, blend together sugars and butter until light and fluffy
• Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly
• In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
• Stir into wet mixture 
• Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until combined
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets
• Bake 10-12 minutes and let cool 1 minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Keep calm and have a cookie...

  

      Read, review, reflect, discuss, study... can't I just bake instead? Seriously, because sometimes all you can do is bake.  Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.  We all know this, yet we still allow stress to creep in and take over our lives.

     I've been really stressed lately ~ just ask my family!  Not only do I have my own classes to attend, homework to do, papers to write and assignments to complete; but as a wife and mom of three I also get to come home to making lunches, dinner, doing laundry, going to sporting events, extracurricular activities and helping the kids with their homework.  It's never ending!

     As stressed as I feel, a phone call earlier today allowed me to put things into perspective.  My stresses are just ordinary ~ they aren't life threatening.  I wish I could say the same thing for my brother's stresses.  He's battling cancer and he's giving it everything he's got.  I am amazed and in awe of his positive outlook.  He's not wallowing in all he has to deal with, instead, he wants to know how I'm doing.  Suddenly all of my complaints seem inconsequential.  

      After talking with him I felt foolish for letting my trivial worries consume me.  He inspired me to put aside my 'to do' list and spend some time doing what gives me pleasure and calms my soul ~ baking.

      This is my go to cookie recipe. It combines a profusion of delectable ingredients and bakes up wonderfully.

Enjoy!

Me And My Cookies Are Not Stressed Out

You will need:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee baking bits

1 cup almonds, chopped
*put almonds in a plastic freezer bag and gently smash with the back of a large spoon.
If you are really stressed you can use a hammer ~ this is a great way to work out your frustration!

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large bowl combine sugars and butter and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla and eggs and blend well.
• Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Stir in chocolate chips, almonds and toffee baking bits.
• Drop by rounded tablespoons on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes  until golden brown.
• Cool on wire baking racks.

 

 

Back to School Blues

This week marked the beginning of a new school year at our house. What's different about this back to school season is that for the first time in a long time I too am going back to school.  After much soul searching (and emotional baking) I decided to apply to the Faculty of Education at our local University.  Throwing my hat in the ring was one thing, being accepted was another!


Many sleepless nights were spent trying to decide if this was to be my next chapter. Should we invest all of that money in tuition? Can we afford for me to take yet another year off of work? What if I can't find a job in this dire market at the end of all of this? How am I going to manage being in school with 3 busy kids and a household to run?  Suffice it to say, many of these questions were pondered while sifting, mixing and wearing an apron. The thought did cross my mind at one point to abandon the idea of going back to school altogether. Instead of spending all of that money on books and tuition I had the notion to throw caution to the wind and open up my own bakery. 


While the bake shop is still in the back of my mind, I made the decision to go back to school.  For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a teacher. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to work in an elementary school and that solidified what I already knew; I love working with kids in a learning environment.  Despite what my practical, overwrought brain told me, I knew in my heart that going back to school was the right decision for me.


That said, this is going to be a tough year; one spent juggling my duties as a wife, mom and student. Fortunately, I have a very supportive husband, great kids and wonderful friends to see me through this. One of my professors said that this year will be the equivalent of trying to drink from a fire hydrant. With all the information that was given to us in the first week, I think that is a sound analogy.  Let's hope that I can be a sponge and soak it all up while still finding time to bake. I also hope that my new found student colleagues will enjoy my baked goods as much as my family does!

Back to School Banana Muffins

 

 

Ingredients:

 

3 bananas, mashed

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

To make:

Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add the egg and all other ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. Line your muffin pan with paper liners or spray them with cooking spray. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way and sprinkle the tops with some extra cinnamon if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the muffins.

 

 

*You may also add chocolate chips to this recipe.  Once you have incorporated all ingredients add as many as you like and stir until combined.

 

 

 

 

Food For Thought

Exam time. That stressful time in your life when everything comes down to how hard you studied and how well you retained what you learned all semester (or in the case of some, how well you can BS your way through it and make yourself look like you know what you are talking about). My son is in his first year of high school. He is now writing his final set of exams for this year. Funny thing though, he doesn't seem as stressed about it as I do! I am a worrier, always have been and most likely always will be. When I had to write exams I often lost sleep over them. To this day I still have dreams/nightmares about not waking up in time for an exam. The alarm clock didn't go off, I couldn't find a parking spot, I went to the wrong room; insert any variation of the theme of my not being able to put pen to paper and regurgitate all that I had learned.

So now, as I watch my son casually take his books up to his room, along with a copy of the latest Sports Illustrated and his iPod, I have to wonder... how can the apple fall so far from the tree? Who am I kidding; he is his father's son after all. Perhaps that is where he gets his fly by the seat of his pants confidence. It could also be that he is of the male gender. Males tend to take things more in stride than their female counterparts. Either theory doesn't seem to reduce my stress and I find myself restless and agitated.

Since I can't really help him, nor motivate him, to study, I decided to go to my happy place and bake him some good, old fashioned study food. At least this way I can keep myself busy and concentrate on a recipe rather than what his study notes look like.

Cookies never seem to go wrong, so I made a big batch of brain boosting chocolate chip cookies. Nothing makes studying better than some lovin' from the oven. Good luck Ethan, may your marks turn out to be as good as these cookies. 


When The Chips Are Down Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips

~Set oven to 375 degrees

~Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
~Cream butter and both sugars together.
~Add eggs and vanilla.
~Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
~Add chocolate chips and fold in.

~Roll into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
~Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown.

~Cool on wire baking racks.

Take two and hit the books!

Going Bananas...



Literally and figuratively! I have a love hate relationship with bananas. I love them when they are not quite ripe, still firm and a little on the green side. I hate them when they become too ripe, soft and have brown spots. Since I am the only member of our family who seems to eat the bananas that magically (!) appear in our fruit bowl each week, I am left holding the peel when it comes to making the inevitable decision of what to do with them when they become too ripe. To eat or not to eat, that is the question.

Fortunatley for me, over ripe bananas make wonderful quick breads and muffins. I came across this recipe while shooing away fruit flies and it's a hit with everyone in my family (even those who claim they don't like bananas!).  The secret ingredient makes this recipe very moist and delicious. Who knew that Miracle Whip makes more than just your sandwich taste good?!



When Life Gives You Bananas....



Here's what you'll need:

1 cupMiracle Whip Dressing

1 cup mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3)

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp.baking soda

 

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COMBINE Miracle Whip and bananas in large bowl. Mix flour, sugar and baking soda. Add to Miracle Whip mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.)     

POUR into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.     

BAKE 55 min. to 1 hour or until wooden toothpick inserted in centre comes clean. Cool in pan 10 min.; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.  For easier slicing, wrap bread and store overnight before serving.

VARIATIONS:

 To make muffins, line a muffin tin with paper liners and fill 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 min @ 350.

For a healthier version, add some ground flax seed, and use 1/2 all purpose flour with 1/2 whole wheat flour with same great results!  

For a kid friendly version, add some chocolate chips or chopped walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Enjoy!