Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

We have the best neighbors. When Jon and I moved into the neighborhood we were showered with gifts. We later found out the the neighbors surrounding us are the original owners of their homes...19 years folks! The retired couple next to us is fabulous. The gentlemen happens to love Raisin Oatmeal Cookies. He is my inspiration for this fabulous find.

Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

ingredients:

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

3 cups of quick cook oats

1 cup of raisins

 

directions:

Cream together the butter and sugars. Next, mix in one egg at a time. Add the vanilla.

 

 

In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

 

Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Once blended stir in the oats and the raisins. Cover and chill for one hour.

 

 

Preheat oven to 375F. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet (easy clean-up). Roll dough into walnut size balls and space 2 inches apart. Cook cookies for 10 minutes and allow to cool.

 

* You can also omit raisins altogether or add a cup of walnuts or if you life both walnuts and raisins add a half cup of each. This recipe is very versatile and easy.

 

 

Check out the original recipe at Allrecipes.

Mini Lemon Tarts

 

I made these last year as a snacky dessert for a Christmas Eve party. They were an instant hit. They weren't easy, but they were so enjoyed it made the time they took all worth it. I think I'm getting an itch for something lemony!

 

 

Mini Lemon Tarts

serving size: 24

 

lemon curd:

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 5 lemons)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 large eggs plus 1 large yolk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size slices

 

Whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt and eggs in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan (off the stove). Once the mixture is blended, place over medium heat and cook while stirring, until the curd is thick. This will take about 8 minutes. Whisk in the butter piece by piece; it will loosen up slightly. Pour curd into a large measuring cup and refrigerate to allow to thicken.

 

tart crust:

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fine granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cold

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 teaspoons cold water

 

Sift flour, sugar and salt into mixing bowl. Cut chilled butter into pieces into the bowl. Using your fingertips, quickly rub the butter and dry ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse meal. You can also use a pastry knife as I hate having sticky fingers...uck!

 

Stir egg yolks, vanilla and water together and add to the flour-butter mixture and blend in using a fork. Shape dough into a ball.

 

Place the ball of dough on a pastry board. Knead. Or as Mama put it so eloquently "With the heel of your hand, smear about 1/4 cup of dough away from you into a 6-8 inch smear; repeat until all the dough has been dealt with." Scrape dough together; reform into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray well so the crusts will not stick to the pan. Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of wax paper. Taking a small portion of the dough create a small 2" disc and tuck the dough into muffin cups, pressing with your fingertips so that the dough comes up the sides of the cup.

 

Using a fork prick the bottoms of each dough cup. Then cut 3″ squares of foil and press them into the inside of the dough cups. Use pie weights, beans or rice or even pennies to weigh down the foil (I did not do this the first time and I wish I did). 

 

Bake the crusts for about 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and take out the foil and pie weights and then return the crusts to the oven for another 5-9 minutes until the crusts are lightly golden on the edges. Everyone’s oven is different so you really have to keep an eye on the crusts. Too much and it will be dry and crumbly.

 

put it together:

 Remove the crusts from the oven  and allow to cool  and remove and place on serving tray. Now, carefully add the lemon curd. Use a spoon to guide the curd from the measuring cup and into the crusts. Fill tarts. (Some people opt to bake @350f for 10 minutes, if so, fill below the brim)

 

For a garnish I used raspberries, mint leaves and candied lemon slices. They were a hit!

 

 

For the original recipe for this lemon curd go to Food Network w/ Jamie Deen

For the original recipe for the lemon tart crust go to Mama's Gotta Bake

Candied Lemon Slices

This post is crucial for tomorrows "Mini Lemon Tarts" because these fabulously decadent candied lemon slices are the garnish for our tarts. They're beautiful, semi simple, somewhat time consuming and a great go-to dessert garnish if your creative juices are experiencing a drought.

So, here we go...

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

 

Ingredients:

1 lemon

sugar

ice water

1. Fill a medium bowl with water and ice cubes. We will use this later for the sliced lemons.

2. Cut lemons into thin slices using a sharp knife or mandolin ( I used a knife..I had a mandolin I would of much preferred to use it because the slices come out evenly). Discard the ends of the lemon and seeds.

3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add sliced lemons. Stir until soft (this should take about 1 minute). Drain. Immediately put lemons into ice water. Remove lemons slices.

4. Bring 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to boil in a skillet. When sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear lower temperature to medium-low. Add lemons in one layer being sure they do not overlap one another. Simmer for one hour (do not boil).

5. Rinds should be translucent when they are finished. Transfer lemons to parchment paper and let stand until ready for use.

For the original of this recipe please go HERE.

Yumm Sauce Recipe

I was first introduced to this by my best friend Megan while we lived post college in our small two bedroom apartment, single, broke and hungry. Megan went to college in Eugene, Oregon where they had a joint called Cafe Yumm, which served a variety of vegan meals (and meat if you dared), her favorite being the chicken Yumm bowl.

After a year of marriage I visited my cousin in Eugene, Oregon and had the sheer joy to step into one.  Angels sang as I purchased my first jar of Yumm sauce. I brought it back to hubby for him to enjoy his first bowl of Yumm! He says now after two years of marriage this is one of his favorite meals. Thus, I had to find a recipe for the sauce because driving to Oregon to purchase twelve dollar Yumm sauce was out of the question.

This is the closest recipe to the real thing I've ever found.

 

Yumm Sauce:

(kudos to this website)

 

½  cup canola oil

½ cup slivered almonds (whole are fine too)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast
½ cup cooked garbanzo beans
¼ cup cooked soybeans
½ cup water
½ c lemon juice
2-3 garlic cloves
½ tsp salt
1 tsp   curry  powder
½ tsp dried basil
1/8    tsp ascorbic acid
Dashes of Paprika

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blender until smooth. Mine was pretty thick so I added a little more water to make it easier to pour. It was the consistency of peanut butter, but after adding water it resembled ranch dressing.

This sauce is ideally used in a Yumm bowl but it can be used on salad, meat, etc. And yes, those are my paw prints in the sauce!

What is in a Yumm bowl you might ask? Well, a variety of things. The base of the bowl is brown or white rice. Then you can add any off the following to your bowl and top it with Yumm sauce or mix it in the rice beforehand.

black beans
kidney beans
avocados
tomatoes
salsa
black olives
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
chicken
tofu
cilantro

My favorite combination is white rice, black beans, tomatoes, grilled chicken, sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, avocados topped with some Yumm sauce and cracked pepper and sometimes a dash of kosher salt. Pardon the expression...Yum ;)
 

 

 

Christmas Decor for Dollars

I love Christmas! I love the colors, the cookies, the parties, the people, the crafts, the cards and the reason for the season. I LOVE IT ALL! Well, almost all of it. Maybe the one thing that can be hard to swallow is the effect it has on my budget. Christmas can be expensive. But, after rekindling an old fling that had been long forgotten I am boldly stepping forth and confessing my new passion for an old love, yes, the Dollar Store.

Decorate your house for less than 25 dollars! Are you kidding? It can be done! Have faith friends! Here's how...

Festive front door wreath: This project was cake. I bought two fake floral arrangements. I formed one stem into a loop in order to hang it from the door. The other one I hung a little lower than the first and bent it's stem around the bottom of the first ones loop. I then attached red glitter bulbs to the arrangement by tying them to the arrangement stem using the string that came with the bulbs (see pictures below). Lastly, I attached a nice bow to the top of the arrangement (compliment of Micheal's ribbon sale)  and you're done!

TOTAL COST: $3.00



House wreaths: I bought green garland and created a wreath by looping it twice to give it more thickness and then added a Dollar Store bow. Attach to your house using scrap booking foam tape  (also purchased at the Dollar Store ).

 

Eave decor: I love lights, but I have a hard time buying things when I know they are going to be discounted disturbingly low in the matter of weeks, so, I'm waiting. But, I found a beautiful way to decorate the house so that it shines bright even in daylight. With a few sparkly ornaments and some green garland I made the place sparkle!

 

 

 

All this with just some of this...

 

 

and of course a special thanks to my little helper...

 

 

Miss Juliet Love!

 



Peanut Butter Balls

These are Jon's favorite! Last year I had to make two batches, one to give away to neighbors, family and friends and one batch just for his personal consumption. I have to admit they are pretty good. Enjoy this traditional favorite.

Peanut Butter Balls

2 cups of powdered sugar

1/4 cup of butter

1 cup of chunky peanut butter

1 cup of chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 package of semi sweet chocolate chips

 

Mix all the above ingredients together except the chocolate chips. It may appear to be slightly crumbly. This is normal.

 

Melt chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave (probably don't want it to be metal). I did increments of 1 minute stirring in between. It took a total of 3 minutes to melt. You can also use a double boiler if you would like to be fancy about it. Also, if you would like to add paraffin to your chocolate this will help them set up (harden) faster.

 

 

Now roll you peanut butter mixture into little balls. Roll them to be about the size of a small bouncy ball ( I know, odd reference). Then dip the balls using a spoon into the melted chocolate. Roll the peanut butter ball against the side of the bowl with the spoon ensuring the entire thing is coated with chocolate. Now, remove the ball from the chocolate bowl and place on wax or parchment paper. If you would like, feel free to top them with something fun. To half the batch I added some white chocolate peppermint candies. Now that they're pretty let them sit for an hour to become hardened. Then, eat your heart out!

 

 

Like this recipe? Try my other holiday favorites :) like SANTA THUMBPRINTS, BETTY CROCKER LEMON BARS, or BRE'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!

 

Santa Thumprints

We meet again for my favorite holiday cookie of  them all...the Santa Thumbprints! I love these guys. They are like an oatmeal cookies (my favorite kind) rolled in chopped walnuts (I like those too) and filled with jam (what a combination).

Santa Thumbprints

 

1 1/2 cups of butter Crisco (I used 3/4 cup of butter and 3/4 cup of shortening)

1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon of vanilla

2 1/2 cups of uncooked oats

2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

2/3 cup of fruit preserve

 

Heat oven to 350f. In a large bowl cream together the Crisco and brown sugar.

 

 

Then add the egg, vanilla and salt.

 

 

 Once combined add the flour and oatmeal. It will be easier if you add it in parts instead of adding it all and trying to stir it all at once. It can get a little messy.

 

 

Roll into small balls. They rise a little, but not much. Put the chopped walnuts in bowl. Roll the balls into the chopped walnuts and place on a cookie sheet . Put a piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet. This will save you some scrubbing and speed up your time between batches. Once cookies are on the sheet press down with your thumb in the middle of each ball making a crater (I should of took a photo). Now fill the crater with fruit preserve.

 

 

Bake for 12-15 minutes (mine took 14 minutes)

As a little girl we would go blackberry picking every summer. Our freezer would be full of bags of frozen blackberries and on special occasions we would even make blackberry jam. If you would really like to make these special try using some homemade jam. Those years we used homemade blackberry jam I couldn't keep my paws away from them.

Love these? Try some other holiday goodies like Bre's chocolate chip cookies, Betty Crocker lemon bars or peanut butter balls.

Betty Crocker Lemon Bars

I had to call my mom for backup on this one. When I originally wrote the recipe I did it shorthand so I wouldn't have to write so much. The only problem is now I don't understand half of it, but after a simple phone call we are back in business.

Betty Crocker Lemon Bars (twist)

 

1 egg

1/3 cup butter

1 package of lemon cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 cup of granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 tsp of grated lemon peel

1/2 cup of lemon juice

* and of course a little bit of love :)

 

 

Heat oven to 350f. Mix together 1 egg, butter and lemon cake mix until crumbly. Pour half into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Lightly pat down and put into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Reserve the other half for later :)

 

Beat together 2 eggs, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon peel and juice until fluffy. Once the first mixture is done cooking remove from the oven and pour the wet batter into the pan. Then, top with the crumble mixture we reserved in the beginning. Now place back into the oven and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes.

 

Once done sift with powdered sugar and cut into cubes. These will be very soft and chewy. These are from the kitchen of my mom, Lacy McBride who got the recipe from her mom, Elain Gibbins.

Bre's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is our wild card folks! This recipe is from Bre's kitchen, a dear friend from college. I have to be honest. It has been over a year since I have talked to her. Have you ever noticed whenever someone seems to cross your mind you somehow connect with them. Just today I recieved a facebook from her. What a joy it was to receive. Without further explantion, here it is, Bre's best!

Bre's Chocolate Chip Cookies:

 

2 sticks of butter

3/4 cups of brown sugar

3/4 cups of white sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp of vanilla

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 bag of chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 375 F (if you have stoneware to cook with put it in the oven now)

Cream together butter, vanilla, eggs and sugars. Sift together salt, soda and flour. Add to wet ingredients in three parts. It will make the stirring process a whole lot easier and a lot less messy. Once well combined add chips and stir.

Drop (2 tablespoon sized) balls onto the cookie sheet using your hands or a spoon. These will spread so make sure they are two inches apart. They will take 8-10 minutes to cook. Mine were perfect at 9 minutes. They will be thin. If you prefer them to be thicker you can add more flour.

Enjoy!

A Cookie a Day Keeps the Sweet Tooth at Bay

Stay faithful yee warriors of wee ones! I had to keep reminding myself of this daily during the month of November. Poor baby girl is teething once again and her sleep is very disrupted which means Momma Bear's (yes, Megan and Ashley I did say it this time) sleep is very disrupted. I feel like I've been transported back into college and lived the dreaded finals week over 4 times in a row.

But, I have my fingers crossed that things are getting better. I'm encouraged to be here again with you and find refuge in sharing the things in life that make me tick like good food, crafty projects, great people and Jesus.

The theme for this week, " A cookie a day keeps the sweet tooth at bay" or at least some of us would like to think so :) This week I will be drummin' up some of my families Christmas favorites. Fond memories flood my senses when I smell any one of these tasty treats brewin'. For kicks I threw in one wild card, a recipe I received from a dear friend in college. Her mom was a fabulous baker and she definitely passed down the talent to her sweet daughter.

Betty Crocker Lemon Bars
Santa Thumbprints
Peanut Butter Balls
Bre's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stick with me. This week will be fabulous as we get ready for the holiday season and I share a treat a day from my families kitchen a bestow it upon yours.

Biscuits and Gravy

My Gpa loves biscuits and gravy! In fact, he now has serious health problems partly because of it. The doctor has even had to limit his biscuits and gravy consumption. But, after making this delectable dish for over 50+ my Grandma has become one mean biscuit and gravy makin' machine.

I've rarely eaten a bad biscuit. So, simplicity is best. Buy the Grands biscuits if you like or feel free to make them from a Bisquick box, either way I think they're great. The real magic is in the gravy :)

Biscuits and Gravy:

serving: up to you

 

ingredients:

milk

flour

bacon

pepper

salt

directions:

Start by cooking bacon in a skillet. Once bacon has been cooked crispy set aside on a plate lined with napkins. Allow to cool and then roughly chop.

 

 

Leave grease in the pan and set to medium heat, add about a 1/4 cup of milk and whisk continuously. While whisking attempt to scrap all those bacon morsels off the bottom of the pan.

 

Once milk has become and brownish color and looks like it's thickening take a spoonful of flour and sprinkle over the milk mixture, continuing to whisk (if you don't have a whisk my grandmother always used a fork). Continue adding flour one spoonful at a time until you've contributed 3-4 spoonfuls. Stir and allow to thicken.

 

 

Sprinkle in some pepper and salt (personally I don't add salt because I think the bacon is salty enough). Once it begins to thicken like gravy add some more milk, 1/4-1/2 cup is fine. Milk may seem to boil when added to mixture. This is normal. Keep stirring.

 

 

You want to continue alternating milk and flour until you have the desired amount of gravy. Make sure you give each step time to brown. By this I mean allow milk to brown on the bottom of the pan for a few seconds and then whisk or turn heat up higher so that it bubbles and cooks quickly. The browning is what allows for the great flavor.

 

 

 

Now, turn off heat and add bacon to mixture. Stir and serve with biscuits, but don't forget the butter, jam and honey.

 

 

My challenge is for you to try biscuits and gravy with jam. My favorite is blackberry. It's so good. Just like Gpa has it!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's such a disappointment when you labor in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies and they come out like hard, brown, chocolate chunk Frisbees. Here's a fool proof recipe for chocolate chip cookies that won't leave you down, depressed, and defeated, face first in leftover cookie batter.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

serves: 7 dozen 2 inch cookies

 

ingredients:

2 3/4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 cup butter, softened (not melted)

3/4 cups of granulated sugar

3/4 cups of packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of chocolate chips (this usually means 1 bag)

optional:

1 cup of chopped walnuts (I split the dough in half and added 1/4 cups to one half for variety)

directions:

 

Preheat oven to 375 F

In a small bowl add flour, baking soda, salt. Now, set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.

 

 

Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until combined. Stir in chips...

 

 

 and walnuts (if desired)

 

 

Roll into small balls and lay on a cookies sheet, spaced apart. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Mine took exactly 9 minutes.

 

 

Cool then enjoy!

 

 

*If you would like to save some cookies for later pull out some wax paper and a one gallon bag. Roll the cookie dough into logs on the wax paper (short enough to fit into the one gallon bag). On the outside of the bag write the contents, cook temp and time needed to cook. Throw the bag in the freezer for later. When you're ready for another snack cut the logs like you would store bought cookies an enjoy! (This was a great idea passed down from a friend of a friend)

 

This recipe was adapted from the one on the Ghiradelli's Chocolate Chip bag