Sugar Cookies.!

I couldn't be happier that the holidays are rolling around again! :)
It is so much fun to shop, bake, and decorate for the season! This holiday is going to be a *bit* different for us, as we are moving just five days before Christmas. I know...we're crazy like that. Even in the hustle of moving, we will still be able to enjoy our Christmas! We will, like every year, go to my Uncle's house on Christmas eve and celebrate Christ's birth with our family. God has blessed my family and me so richly. His grace is abounding!

Now, as for recipes! :)Here is my absolute FAVORITE sugar cookie recipe. Really, the are PERFECT for decorating with royal icing, and they taste good too!


Best Rolled Sugar cookies:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely


-Sarah :)

Pears

A friend of ours gave me a half bushel of pears today. I`m so happy she did! After seeing her posts on facebook telling about all the differant pear dishes she was making my mouth has been drooling... She made pear cranberry butter, pear relish, pear scones a chedder pear pie and told me she was about to go home to maybe make pear bbq sauce! Now I need to figure out what all I want to make..:)Do you have any favorite pear recipes or for that matter a favorite fall dish you crave this time of year?

Pumpkin muffins

We had a cold rainy fall day a couple of days ago. So I decided to make some fall treats. I made crumb topped pumpkin cream cheese muffins, chocolate fudge scones and a roasted pumpkin caramelized onion and Gorgonzola quiche. Everything was soooo good! Today I`ll be sharing the muffins with you, but I`m sure I will share the scones and quiche with you all soon!


Crumb topped pumpkin cream cheese muffins
p.s The ingredients in parentheses are the ways I adapted the recipe to make them healthier.

Muffins
3 cups flour ( 2c. flour and 1c. whole wheat flour)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of cardamom (I left this out, I did not have any)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar( 1 1/2 c. honey)
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil ( 3/4 c. applesauce and 1/2 coconut oil)

Cream Cheese Filling
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crumb Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. To make the cream cheese filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter, then pinch the mixture until it forms pea-size clumps. Set aside.
Mix muffin ingredients together except cream cheese filling. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) 3/4 full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese filling in each muffin and lightly swirl (I used a plastic bag snipped as a pastry bag). Top with 1 generous tablespoon of topping.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Makes 24 muffins.

skillet cornbread to go with it.

Here is her cornbread as well! I used butter instead of shortening and it turned out great!Enjoy!

Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 whole Egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 cup Shortening
• 2 Tablespoons Shortening

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir together.

Measure the buttermilk and milk in a measuring cup and add the egg. Stir together with a fork. Add the baking soda and stir.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until combined.

In a small bowl, melt 1/4 shortening. Slowly add melted shortening to the batter, stirring until just combined. In an iron skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons shortening over medium heat. Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Spread to even out the surface. (Batter should sizzle.)

Cook on stovetop for 1 minute, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Edges should be crispy!

Supper for a fall day

Last night I made pioneer women`s beef stew and skillet cornbread. Man were they good.:)
I think the only changes I made to the stew was I added a couple more carrots and used 3 russet potatoes instead of 4 red. Eventually I will buy myself a camera and take my own pictures but for now I guess I will have to satisfy you with hers.

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 2 pounds Stew Meat
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
• 4 cups Beef Stock (or 4 Cups Water + 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes)
• 2 cups Water (additional, If Needed)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• 4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
• 4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
• Minced Parsley (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.

Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

*UPDATE: The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.

Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.

Life, and Chocolate Cupcakes

Wow. We have been so busy lately, and I am sorry we haven't posted in so long! Last week we moved! (sure we only moved 15 minutes away...) It's been crazy around here, needless to say! We seem to have been packing and packing and packing for weeks now! Finally, I think we are at a point were we can sit back and enjoy our new house! It was hard to say goodbye to our old house though, we had lived in it for 7 plus years! But, it is nice to have a larger home, and for that I am so very thankful! God really has blessed us!
Also, my sister Lauren had her birthday yesterday! We ate out with all the family, and then did some shopping! Also, we went to see "Car's 2"! I enjoyed the movie, but It definitely was not the quality story line of the first. *sigh* I am still a huge Pixar fan though!

Alright, now for the recipe! These cupcakes are AWESOME! I found the recipe off of "My Baking addiction". I love that blog! It's the best place to go if you need a good dessert or other baked treat! The only thing I changed for the cupcake was I added just a tiny bit of cherry flavoring to the frosting! It was soooo good. The cake was very moist, and how can you go wrong with creamcheese frosting??

Here is a link to the recipe!

Strawberry sherbert

Hey Y'all! Sorry I haven't written recently! We have been busy lately! A couple of weeks ago we went to Silver Dollar City; and we had a BLAST! Lots of great music from the Clark's, and Bankester Family! We definitely had an awesome time!

Anyways, this is an awesome recipe for sherbert! It is super easy and super yummy! Perfect for these hot summer like days!

~Sarah

Recipe:

1/3 cup (800 ml) water

1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar

2 1/2 cups or 1 pound (454 grams) fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, over low heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Boil the mixture for one minute then remove from heat. Pour the sugar syrup into a heatproof container, and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled (about an hour or so).

Meanwhile, thaw the frozen strawberries and then place the thawed strawberries in a food processor and process until the strawberries are pureed. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and liqueur (if using), and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. (If using fresh strawberries, puree the berries in the food processor, transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice, and place in the refrigerator until chilled.)

Once the simple syrup and pureed strawberries are completely chilled, combine the simple syrup with the pureed strawberries. Transfer the mixture to the chilled container of your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once made, transfer the sorbet to a chilled container and store in the freezer.

picture from Joyofbaking.com

Celebration of the Resurrection

Hi everyone,

I'm selling Hot Cross Buns and Challah bread for your celebrations of the Resurrection.

1 Dozen Hot Cross Buns $8.00
Challah $3.50 regular or $7.00 large

Order by noon Thursday for Friday delivery / pickup
Order by 8:00am Saturday for Saturday afternoon delivery / pickup

Lent traditions

As we having been celebrating the season of lent and Easter Sunday is this upcoming Sunday,
and wanted to share this article. It tells a little bit about the history of lent and some of it`s traditions.


by Mary Ann Castronovo Fusco

In Christian communities the world over, the penitential period of Lent is known as a time of fasting and abstinence from favorite foods. But the days leading up to Lent and even the 40-day Lenten period itself are also noted for special foods whose origins reflect the spirituality of the season. right: from a painting by Jan van Bijlert, 18th century

Sugared, fatty, and meant to be consumed in copious quantities, the fried ribbons of dough typically eaten to celebrate the pre-Lenten carnival season include the Italian galani, cenci, bugie, and chiacchiere, and the Polish and Hungarian chruschiki. All descend from frictilia, sweets fried in lard used to celebrate festivals in ancient Roman times. In the Middle Ages when Lenten regulations were more stringent than they are now, they also served a practical purpose. In those days, Christians were called on to abstain not only from meat during Lent, but also from foods containing fat and eggs. In the weeks preceding Ash Wednesday, the people would literally fritter away their store of fats and dairy products.

In France, it’s customary to use up those forbidden ingredients to make all manner of crepes during the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. And in England, Mardi Gras is known not only as Shrove Tuesday, but also Pancake Day.

According to tradition, in 1445 when church bells calling parishioners to the shriving service (confession) began to ring in the town of Olney in Buckinghamshire, a townswoman was in the process of making pancakes. Grabbing a head covering, which was required to enter church, she ran off to make her confession, still wearing her apron and holding her skillet with pancake in hand. In the years that followed, her neighbors followed her hasty lead, racing with hotcake still in the pan to the church each Shrove Tuesday to collect a prize — a kiss of peace from the church’s bell ringer.

In 1950, Pancake Race rules were formalized, and the event was copied in Liberal, Kansas. Women from the two cities have been competing in a Pancake Race on Shrove Tuesday ever since. Each contestant, who must wear a head covering, a dress or skirt, and an apron, runs a 415-yard-long winding course, skillet in hand, flipping her pancake at the starting signal, and again after crossing the finish line.

Pancake races aside, the main ingredients used to make these flat cakes are believed to symbolize four crucial elements at Lent: eggs for creation; flour for life; salt for wholesomeness; and milk for purity. According to one superstition, if you eat pancakes before 8:00 p.m. on Shrove Tuesday, you will not go without food during the coming year.

In Newfoundland, which also celebrates Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday, pancakes are served with molasses, and trinkets are sometimes mixed into the batter to foretell the future of those who eat them. Tradition dictates that if a boy finds an item representing a particular trade, he will enter that profession; if a girl finds it, she will marry a person from that trade. The tokens might include a piece of string to symbolize a fisherman’s net; a piece of wood for a carpenter (watch out for splinters!), a wedding ring for marriage; a button for bachelorhood; a penny for poverty; a nickel for wealth.

Pancake Pointers

Always cook pancakes on a hot preheated surface. Test the heat by adding a drop of water; if it sizzles for a second and then evaporates, the surface is hot enough.

Use the right amount of the right fat. Brush a pan with a thin layer of vegetable oil once the pan is hot. Whichever fat is chosen, it should be minimal. Pancakes should be cooked on a fairly dry surface with just enough fat to moisten them and keep them from sticking. Never use ordinary butter to cook the pancakes, for the milk solids will burn. You can use clarified butter, however.

Don’t rush to flip. Once bubbles appear on the surface, use the top of a wide spatula to gently lift one side. If the bottom is evenly but lightly browned, turn it and cook the other side until done.

The hot cross bun is another English culinary icon for Lent. The English word “bun” comes from the old French bugne, meaning “swelling,” a reference to the sweet’s bulging shape, according to The Oxford Companion to Food. Made from buttery dough seasoned with allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves, hot cross buns get their name from the mark that’s scored on them before they’re baked or squiggled on them with fondant icing once they come out of the oven.

In the United States, bakers start selling hot cross buns on Ash Wednesday. In England they’ve traditionally been served on Good Friday ever since 1361, when the monks of St. Albans Cathedral in Hertfordshire, north of London, began sharing them with the poor in commemoration of that holy day. Some hold that the dried fruit enfolded in the yeast-based dough represents the nails of the Crucifixion.

Although the cross atop the bun is typically construed as a Christian symbol, it has pagan roots, an early reference to the moon and its four quarters. Some historians believe the buns descended from ancient pagan sacramental cakes eaten by Anglo-Saxons in honor of Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility, whose name gave us our “Easter.” Other ancient cultures offered up similarly marked small cakes to various deities as well. Rather than get potential converts to give up their luscious buns, early Christian preachers encouraged their use in commemorating the Lenten season. Others maintain that the buns “derive from the cross-marked Communion wafers consecrated on Good Friday, which Anglo-Saxon priests are known to have kept as medicine for the sick,” wrote Charles Kightly in The Customs and Ceremonies of Britain: An Encyclopaedia of Living Traditions.

English lore maintains that bread baked on Good Friday will never go moldy, and the bittersweet tradition of the widow’s son allegedly proves this. According to legend, when a widow baker’s son left the East End of London to go off to sea in the 1800s, the mother vowed to bake her son a hot cross bun each Good Friday to eat on his return. She kept her word, hanging them in the window of her bakery. But her son never came back, and she eventually died. In honor of her devotion, every year at midday on Good Friday, a sailor from the British Royal Navy brings a freshly baked hot cross bun to the Widow’s Son, a pub that now stands in place of the widow’s bake shop, and hangs it with the others, still intact, placed there by sailors every year for over a century.

A New Twist for Lent

“It sounds surprising, but the pretzel has a deep spiritual meaning for Lent. In fact, it was the ancient Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fifth century,” wrote Francis X. Weiser, a Jesuit priest, in Religious Customs in the Family ($8), a book originally published in 1956 and republished in 1998 by Tan Books and Publishers of Rockford, Illinois.

“In the old Roman Empire, the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no cream and, of course, no meat. So they made small breads of water, flour, and salt,” wrote Father Weiser. “To remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer, they shaped these breads in the form of arms crossed in prayer (in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying). Therefore, they called the breads ‘little arms’ (bracellae).” From this Latin word came the German word “bretzel,” which ultimately became our “pretzel.” Father Weiser added that the earliest picture and description of a pretzel, from the fifth century, can be found in codex no. 3867 in the Vatican Library.

An alternate account of the pretzel’s hallowed history, published by the Snack Food Association in Alexandria, Virginia, contends that it was developed by a 7^th-century monk in Southern France or Northern Italy, who gave the treat to children as a reward for learning their prayers. According to the SFA, he called it a “pretiola,” which later became bretzel and pretzel.

Challah

Each Saturday I make Challah bread for communion at our church the following Sunday. I`ve been making it for church about 3 years now. After entering some in the state fair when I was 14 I received best of show for my age group.

So here`s here`s the recipe, I hope you all enjoy making it as well as I do!

Challah
3/4 cup warm water(105 to 115 degrees F)
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1tsp. plus 1/4c. sugar
3 large eggs,lightly beaten
1/4cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
about 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour ( I usually end up needing less)

1. In large bowl combine warm water, yeast and 1 tsp. sugar; stir to let dissolve. Let stand until foamy about 5 min. Measure 1 Tlb beaten egg into small cup; cover and refridgerate. Add remaining eggs, oil, remaining sugar, salt amd 2 cups flour to yeast mixture, with wodden spoon, beat well. Stir in enough flour (about 1 3/4 cups) to make soft dough.

2. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic ,about 8min. working in enough of remaining flour just to keep dough from sticking.

3. Shape dough into a ball, and place in a greased large bowl, turning dough to grease top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place ( 80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled about 1hr.

4. Punch down dough, Grease a large cookie sheet. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut two-thirds of dough into 3 equal pieces. With hand roll each piece into a 13 inch long rope.Place ropes side by side on cookie sheet; braid ropes, pinching ends to seal. Cut remaining third into three equal pieces. With hands roll each into a 14 inch rope. Place ropes side by side and braid together pinching end to seal. Place small braid on top of large braid. Tuck ends of small braid under bottom to seal, stretching if necessary. Cover and let rise about 45min. ( I usually just have to let it rise as I heat up the oven.)

5. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degress F. Brush reserved beaten egg over the top of loaf( I like to use melted butter instead, it gives the top a more rustic look) Bake until browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on bottom 30 to 35 min. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf, 12 slices.

Hot Cross Buns

Today I`ve been looking up different sweets for Easter. I`m not sure what I should make out of all of the tasty cakes, cookies, and even caramel white chocolate popcorn I saw! Maybe I should make all of it... just saying. :) Well, talking about Easter I decided to share a recipe I used last year for Hot cross buns. They were really good, I did modify it a little, adding some orange or lemon zest. Last year I used raisins, this year I`ll probably do currants. I also might of snuk some chocolate chips into the dough!Let me know how you make them, or feel free to share any Easter traditions your family has!

Makes 1 dozen buns

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 cup sugar
1 cup warm (90-100 degrees) milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons instant (bread machine) yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins, currants, or dried fruit
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Egg wash:
1 egg

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and spices. Add the warm milk and butter and mix until all ingredients are combined. Add a little flour or milk until you achieve the proper consistency, which is moist enough that all of the ingredients stick together but dry enough that you can knead the dough without it sticking to your hands. I had to add a couple of tablespoons of flour to get to this consistency, but depending on the humidity in your area and how tightly packed your cups of flour are, your may need to add more or less.

Pour the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes. Flatten the dough and pour the raisins or currants on top and press them into the dough. Work the dough until the raisins are well mixed in. Return the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.

When it has risen, pour the dough out onto a cutting board and divide into 12 pieces. Roll the pieces into balls and place on a greased baking surface (I used a 9 x 13 Pyrex pan). Cover the pan and allow to rise until they double in size again, typically 45 minutes to 1 hour.

While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. When the buns are ready to bake, scramble the egg in a bowl and brush some over the top of the buns. Then put the buns in the oven and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes.

While the buns are cooling, make the glaze by combining the lemon juice with the powdered sugar (you can also use orange juice, milk, or water if you don't have lemon juice around). Use a pastry bag, a spoon, or a knife to paint the crosses on top of the buns. Eat while still hot.

Random :)

Hey you guys! Here are some pictures I took a couple of weeks ago! Enjoy! :)


My favorite thing about spring...FLOWERS! :)


Beautiful view from Sugar Loaf Mt.

The lake. :)

"In Christ alone, my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song

This cornerstone, this solid ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My comforter, my all-in-all

Here in the love of Christ I stand"
- In Christ Alone.

brownie chocolate cookie bars!

Hey all! :)
Here is a really awesome recipe! Yeah, it's really good, rich, chocolatey, gooey, and delicious!
You should try it; though be prepared, you might just eat the whole pan! :)


Recipe :)

1 box brownie mix
1 recipe Nestle toll house cookie dough (made and chilling in fridge)
Chocolate ganache (recipe below)

1. Make brownie mix according to box directions.
Spread in the bottom of prepared 13 by 9 glass pan.
2. Drop cookie dough by tablespoon full onto the brownies until most of the brownie mix is covered.
3. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
4.Let cool


Chocolate Ganache recipe
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp butte

1.In a small saucepan, heat cream and butter until just before the boiling stage.
2Pour over the chocolate morsels.Let stand about 20 seconds and stir until smooth.
3.Pour over brownies and let set before cutting.

Oreo cheesecake :)

Last weekend my sister Lauren and I made mini oreo cheesecakes, for a party we were having.
They tasted so good! Everyone loved them! They were a real treat! (sadly I didn't take a picture of them... ) Anyways, for the recipe (and a picture) click on this link http://gimmesomeoven.com/oreo-cookies-cream-cheesecakes/


A couple of photos I have taken recently:

In Christ alone

I received a camera at Christmas. Even though I know I have not figured out everything it can do, I love it!

Here is a picture I took on a walk the other day.






I also wanted to share with you a beautiful song. It's called "In Christ Alone" and It is preformed by Owl City. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnWw24s5gG8

-Sarah

Silk flower headbands

Hello Again!
Over the past week, I have been trying to make silk flower headbands!!!
I found a tutorial from a website, and I was eager to try them.
They were so cute and sounded so easy to make, that I couldn't resist.
So, I went to the store found, the cheapest satin I could, and came home and tried to make one!
It turned out so cute! I has thrilled, so obviously I had to make about six more! :) Something, really great about these headbands is that each one cost about sixty cents to make. Amazing, huh? I am planning on get some new colors (so that I won't have to have more than six in the same color...) and make some more!
Here is the link to "Make it and Love it" the blog I found the headbands on. http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2010/08/blog-post.html
You should take a look at her blog, she has some really cute and easy sounding sewing projects!
I am sure I will post some more projects soon, as I just got a brand new sewing machine for my birthday! I am planning on doing some sewing this weekend, I am so excited!

-Sarah

Pancakes for dinner :)

Last night I made pancakes for dinner. These are extremely tasty with the soft chunks of apple, especially when covered in pure maple syrup! Here is a link to the blog I found the recipe from. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UIXOn06Pz70/SXUTcdg6zUI/AAAAAAAAF-U/pPWwII6PNrk/s800/Apple+and+Cinnamon+Oatmeal+Pancakes+500.jpg

Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes

(makes 2 servings, 4-6 pancakes)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rolled oats (ground in food processor)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
2 tablespoons apple sauce
2 tablespoons rolled oats
1 apple (peeled, cored and chopped)

Directions:
1. Mix the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Mix the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter and apple sauce in another bowl.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients.
4. Mix in the rolled oats and apple.
5. Heat a pan and melt a touch of butter in it.
6. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan and cook until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

a funny little song.

Well, as I`m waiting for pictures of the different things I`ve made lately, like challah, gingerbread men, and a couple of dinners. I thought I would share this link. So... be prepared to laugh and have a song stuck in your head for the rest of the day!:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIs-qS5Swyw

Also ,the link is via Owl City`s status a couple of day ago! He`s one of our favorite singers!!

-Lauren

I apologize for my absence. =D

It has been a ridiculously long time since I last wrote; and for that I apologize!
I often *think* about blogging but rarely actually blog.
I have been cooking lately though! The cold weather makes the perfect excuse to bake, and cook!
I recently made a Paula Dean recipe called "Double Chocolate gooey Butter cake" oooh it was so good!
(how could it not be with chocolate and butter in the name?) :) I will definately be making it again... it tastes somewhat like a brownie with chocolate cheesecake on the top. It was good. Enough said. =D
Here is the recipe. You must make it. Like Now. :)

Paula Dean's Double chocolate gooey butter cake.

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus 8 more tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, plus additional butter, for greasing pan
• 1 (18.25-ounce) package chocolate cake mix
• 1 egg, plus 2 eggs
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1 stick melted butter, and stir until well blended. Pat mixture into prepared pan and set aside.

In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the remaining 2 eggs, and the cocoa powder. Lower the speed of the mixer, and add the powdered sugar. Continue beating until ingredients are well mixed. Slowly add the remaining 1 stick of melted butter, and the vanilla, continuing to beat the mixture until smooth. Stir in nuts with a rubber spatula. Spread filling over cake mixture in pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the cake; the center should still be a little gooey when finished baking. Let cake partially cool on a wire rack before cutting into pieces.

Picture from Foodnetwork.com
(I took my own photo, but I haven't figured out how to upload photos to the computer with my camera!) ;)