Banana Oat Cookie Bread Bar

If I have ever had a Vegas travel recommendation, it is this: go to thunder from down under. In case you don't know what it is and don't have access to google, let me give you a brief overview. It is a show held in a small, intimate venue where there are men who strip. Yes, it is just like Magic Mike. And yes, it was amazing. It turned out to be my best night in Vegas. Partially because my friend got pulled on stage. So did a grandma named Carol. You go girl.

Just to clarify, I was totally skeptical of this show. I am a very socially awkward and uncomfortable gal who says words like vagine the lagoon and perenus and bobz. I've said it before and I'll say it again, maturity has not hit yet. It was totally out of my 'comfort zone' but I screamed and blushed and sweat the whole time. Thank God my friends are awesome enough to make me to crazy, weird things. 

Being the skeptic that I am, these bars did not seem majorly appealing to me. They seemed too healthy with the whole all oats and no butter thing. But they were good, the kind of good that's a kick in the pants as an 'I told you so.' They were cakey but also slightly chewy with a crisp top. They were also great bait. My friend's brother had a new girlfriend so we asked him if he wanted some baked goods for late night studying. When we dropped it off we just barged into his quarters in the school to get 'cover from the rain' AKA bombard his girlfriend. She complimented my baking so I love her. Done.

Banana Oat Cookie Bread Bars

Adapted from Eat Live Run

I didn't know what to call these so they have a too long, weirdly arranged name. Sorry.

1/2 cup very ripe banana mashed (about 1 large banana)
1/3 cup grapeseed or canola oil
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats*
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray or butter an 8 x 8 inch pan, set aside. In a big bowl, mix together the banana, oil and brown sugar until it is smooth. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, quick and old-fashioned oats until combined. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the edges are golden. Makes 16 squares. 

* I ran out of quick oats but I preferred the texture of the two oats. The original recipe calls for 2 cups of quick oats. 

Peach and Lime Cream Crumb Bars

Hey good lookin'. No I'm talking to you, not the crumbly bars. Yeah this sounds creepy. Yeah, it's been a while.. but I come bearing goods! Fine, they were made out of default because a certain someone (Bacon) purchased four limes for four beers not realizing that each beer doesn't need a whole lime. Oh and hotels do not provide knives.

It seemed pretty inappropriate for me to make myself a drink filled with fresh limes and sweet vodka on a Tuesday morning. Sitting there defeated, it hit me and I hit the butter. One of my favourite summer recipes came from my friend's Mum, a friend of a friend one could say, who took it from Fine Cooking. A few switch ups later, these were born.

Give into summer and let your house smell of juicy peaches.

Peach and Lime Cream Crumb Bars
Adapted from Fine Cooking

8 oz. (1 cup) salted butter, softened; more for the pan
13-1/2 oz. (3 cups) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
1-1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg, separated
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tsp. grated lime zest
3 cups room-temperature peaches, sliced into 1/4 inch wedges then sliced into 1/4 inch pieces, pat some of the juice away

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the ends. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of the foil. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Using your fingers, blend the butter completely into the flour mixture. Transfer 2 cups of crumb mixture to another bowl and reserve for the topping. Blend the egg white into the remaining crumbs and then press the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a level crust. You can tamp it with the bottom of a measuring cup to even it out. Bake the crust until it starts to form a dry top, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, and egg yolk. Let this mixture stand for 5 minutes; it will begin to thicken. Sprinkle the peaches evenly over the hot crust and then drop spoonfuls of the lemon mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula to distribute a little more evenly, but take care not to crush the berries; it’s fine if the lemon mixture isn’t perfectly even. Bake until the lemon mixture just begins to form a shiny skin, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the lemon-blueberry layer, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle. Bake until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the topping is brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack until just warm, about an hour. Carefully lift them out of the pan using the foil overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the foil and cut into 24 bars when cool. The bars may be stored at room temperature for a few hours but otherwise should be kept in the refrigerator. Makes 24 bars.

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

For the third time, this post has not saved. That means that it comes up blank or with a single sentence. I am about to drop kick this computer to Abbotsford. The dam world wide web is the devil's craft. There was a teacher at my high school who told us that the internet was demon work. I am starting to see where he was coming from. 

This should have been posted years ago. Not because the internet hasn't been working for years or that I made them years ago but because this combination is what my body runs on. Maple and pecans were born together. (This is an assumption, not a fact.) Thus they were reborn together in these cookies. Holla.

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from Martha

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon pure maple extract
2 3/4 ounces (1 cup) walnuts, coarsely chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have ready 2 baking sheets lined with parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk the oatmeal, coconut, flour, salt, and sugar. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and maple syrup. Heat until the butter is melted. Remove from heat, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda with the boiling water. Immediately stir this mixture into the melted butter until combined. Add the maple extract; stir into the oat mixture. Fold in pecans. Form heaping tablespoon sized balls. Place about an inch and a half apart. They don't really spread. Flatten each of the balls slightly. Bake until golden brown and set, about 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Makes about 2 dozen.

Oatmeal Bars

"I'll be bawk." Annnnnnd I'm back. Sorry for leaving you high and dry but I was out of the country. The continent for the matter. For the past six weeks I was in Europe. You probably couldn't tell because of the frequent posts and because of my high level of stealthness. But near the end of the trip things were winding down and then coming home was a hassle so blogging fell to the side lines. But I'm bawk and with oatmeal bars to top it off. 

I will tell you all about my trip next time but for now there are more pressing matters. These bars. These were on my mind before I left but due to time constraints they weren't made until I returned. It's the stuff dreams (mine anyways) are made of. Were talking caramel, chocolate and peanut butter. Ho baby. Welcome home.

Oatmeal Bars

A near twin of Martha's recipe

48 soft caramel-candy cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup milk chocolate chocolate chips 

1 cup peanut butter chips

 

Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9-by-13- inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line with a 9-by-21-inch sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each short side. Put caramels and cream in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and the salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a fork or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal; press half of mixture onto bottom of lined pan. Bake until just set and starting to color around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Sprinkle crust with chocolate chips; drizzle with caramel mixture. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan before cutting into squares. Makes 24 squares.

Recycling

In my last post, I mentioned that the scones could be frozen. Well they are one of many things I love to have in the freezer. The one thing that is always in my freezer are these oatmeal cookies. See that pan below there? That is one of two. I double the recipe, freeze them and then throw them in a freezer bag and it's good to go. I also quite like freezing banana bread or muffins so that I can just turn the oven on and reheat them when I please. 

The main point of my speech here is that you should make these cookies. I mean if I am making them weekly then it has to be good! And they honestly taste better after they have been frozen and then baked so that the center of the cookies remain amazingly chewy and the outside has a nice crunch. And if you look carefully in the third row up, third from the right that is in fact an entire pecan. No need to chop in my books.

Apple Baked Oatmeal with Roasted Apples

This was a filling breakfast. For real. I woke up with a mission, a mission from God. Not necessarily but you get the idea. And so I put my sweat and blood into this oatmeal and the results were good. This is special because it normally takes a few hours for me to function properly. Emotions run high during the morning hours. There have been several times when I have cried because there was no milk. I lead a simple life clearly.

A quarter of this puppy was stashed in the fridge and was eaten the next day and it was perfect. I may just go make another batch before I go to bed if one Barney Stinson and one Marshall Erikson don't keep me.

Apple Baked Oatmeal

2 cups oatmeal

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 tbsp cinnamon

pinch of allspice

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 1/3 cup milk

2/3 cup apple sauce*

2 tsp vanilla

4 tsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350º. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients which is oatmeal through baking powder. In another combine the wet ingredients which is the egg through to butter. Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a butter 8 x 8 pan. Bake in the oven, rotating halfway through, for 20 minutes until golden brown on the surface. Serve with milk and roasted apples (recipe below). Makes 4 servings.

Roasted Apples

4 large granny smith apples, peeled

4 tsp fresh lemon juice

4 tsp pure maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350º. Slice the apples into 1/4 inch slices lengthwise. In a bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice, maple syrup and cinnamon until the apples are fully coated. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the apples out. If they are cramped they will steam and become soft not roasted. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve with baked oatmeal.

* I used my homemade applesauce recipe but only cooked the apples for about 5 minutes so that the apples wouldn't be fully cooked. It allowed the oatmeal to have bits of apple slices in it.

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Cookies

These are good cookies. Plain and simple, no better way to put then good. My family devoured them which is normal but everyone said they were amazing. I baked twenty four and froze the rest but I think I may have to bake them tonight. Or right now.

When I saw this on Baked Bree, one of my favourites!, she mentioned the odd ratios. I took a look and sure enough it did seem odd. I was expecting a very crisp cookie because of such a small amount of butter but it was not at all! It is perfect. Enough raving, here is the recipe. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Cookies
Adapted from Baked Bree

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups old fashioned oats, definitely not quick cooking
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup toasted*, chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350º. Beat together the butter and brown sugar until combined. It won't be light and fluffy because of the small amount of butter. Add the eggs one at a time till fully combined and add the vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. It will be pretty thick. Stir in the chocolate and pecans. On parchment line baking sheets, drop scoops of the cookies. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Leave on the sheets to set a bit then move to a wire rack. Makes 51 cookies.

* I can not stress enough the importance of toasting. It is necessary and so good.

Maple Pecan Granola

The taste of fall right here. When I read on the peas that she had made pumpkin granola, I thought it was brilliant. So using that idea I ever so roughly adapted from my old granola recipe and so came the birth of this new, and much improved, granola. 

I meant to post all week but things got delayed. Maybe because Justin Bieber was in town. Maybe because I have boat loads of homework. Alright, it was the first one. 

Maple Pecan Granola

Ever so roughly from here

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup rice krispies

1 tbsp flax seeds

1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ginger

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp maple extract

Preheat the oven to 300º. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray or butter it up. In a small bowl toss together the oats, rice krispies, flax seeds and pecans. In a small sauce pan, heat the pumpkin, maple syrup and brown sugar till bubbling and combined about a minute or so over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the spices, salt and extracts. Pour over the oat mixture until fully combined. Spread a thin layer over the baking sheet. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until the moisture is nearly all gone. It will harden completely when it cools. So let it cool then enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cookies

That's a mouthful. School has started again which is a good and bad thing. I've been making a lot of cookies, muffins and loafs as a result. These, from America's Test Kitchen, were so chewy. Anything from them has been great, no word of a lie. I'm not a fan of crisp oatmeal cookies and these are the perfect amount of chew but no goo. That rhymed. Being deliriously tired, here is a recipe.

Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Cookies
These are very chewy but don't overbake, just let them set a bit on the sheet.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans
1 cup dried cranberries*
1 cup milk chocolate chips
12 tablespoons softened butter, but still slightly cool
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. In second medium bowl, stir together oats, pecans, cherries, and chocolate. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until just incorporated. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed. Scoop out large scoops, precise I know. Bake both baking sheets 7 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet, and shiny in cracks), 6 to 7 minutes longer. Do not overbake. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

*I soak them for about an hour in boiling water, or rum, and drain them before mixing them in. It makes them extra soft and chewy.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

When it comes to cookies, I like them chewy. My Dad, the freak, loves them burnt. Like black and so crisp that when you bite them they nearly become dust. He inherited this because his siblings and my grandparents are the same way. About everything actually. That's way I keep him, he's great to have around when I'm baking.

For the family cookie monster I made these. Sure it says chewy in the title but anything can be made crisp right? These test that theory. I had to literally double the baking time to get them to become crisp. But even when they were burnt, they were still kind of chewy! They just won't quit. Which I love because I love chewy. Now go chew on these. 

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe nearly identical from recipezaar

3 eggs, beaten
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup pecan
 

This is a very important first step that makes the cookie: combine eggs, raisins and vanilla and let stand for one hour. Cream together butter and sugars. Add flour, salt, cinnamon and soda and mix well. Blend in egg-raisin mixture, oatmeal, and chopped nuts. Dough will be stiff. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet, or roll into balls and flatten slightly. Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.

Turtle Cookies

The sun is really starting to come out around these parts. Our garden out front is in full bloom, it's pretty crazy. When it finally gets hot enough to head to the beach, I really don't think I will ever come home. However, my family that lives out in the Kootenays and Montana have had up to four inches of snow right now! Enough of the weather, let's move on to the cookies. 

Earlier this year I went to Wenatchee, and when I was there we went to this amazing bakery called the Great Harvest Bread Company. The sweet rolls, oatmeal raisin cookies and turtle cookies were all great. Ever since that turtle cookie, I have wanted to make my own. And here is what I came out with. It is chewy but still has a nice solid edge.

Turtle Cookies

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup milk chocolate chips

3/4 cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans

3/4 cup caramel chip*

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in the oats and then the rest of the add ins. Once fully combined, you can either wrap it up and put in the fridge or use it right away. I let it stay in the fridge overnight first. When ready to use the dough, heat the oven to 350º. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop 1 inch mounds, about two inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or 15 for a crisp cookie. The caramel in the cookies will probably spread out a bit when they bake. Immediately scoop it off the parchment before it hardens, making it hard to remove the cookies from the sheet. Let the cookies rest for ten minutes on the pan the move them to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies. 

* For caramel chips, I bought the soft caramels wrapped in plastic and cut them into quarters. 

Dorie's Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

Dorie Greenspan's cookbook 'Baking: From My Home to Yours' is quite the rage. I mean there is an entire group of food bloggers dedicated to it. I am not part of this group but I have seen the weekly recipe on foodgawker all the time. Everyone was going on and on about this amazing cookbook and how great she is, and I just had to buy this book. Recently, I have been on a kick with buying new cookbooks so this was perfect timing. Mind you, I hadn't seen this book anywhere for months. But my luck changed when last week I came across it in the local bookstore.

 Let me tell you. I have read that puppy cover to cover. How could I not? I had to see if it was all it was hyped up to be. And was it? Well after trying this recipe, it clearly is. When it came time to decide the first recipe, I chose five and let my older brother choose. Pretty sure when he heard candy bars he actually paid attention. My God, these are good. I, too, can now say that you should buy her cookbook and start baking!

Dorie's Chocolate Oatmeal Almost Candy Bars

Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours

oatmeal layer
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 
1 egg 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2  cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
chocolate layer
half of a 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 
1 cup milk chocolate chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (The raisins made the bars amazing for me)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coarsely chopped peanuts, preferably salted

Center a rack in the oven, and preheat oven to 350º. Butter an 8 x 8 inch baking pan, and place the pan on a baking sheet. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, beat the butter until it is soft and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, then add the eggs, beating for a minute after the egg is added. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear. Stir in the oats and chopped peanuts. Set aside a heaping 3/4 cup of the oatmeal mixture, then turn the remaining dough into the buttered pan. Gently and evenly press the dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the next layer. Set a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt in the bowl and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla, raisins, and peanuts. Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then scatter the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top. Don’t try to spread the oatmeal, and don’t worry about getting the topping even. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is dull and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours. Run a blunt knife between the edges of the cake and the pan, and carefully turn the cake out onto a rack. Turn right side up, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting. Cut into 16 squares. Store these in the fridge in an airtight container, or even the freezer. I had one at room temperature, refrigerated and from the freezer, and all were amazing but I prefer fridge the best!

Vanilla Tea Oatmeal

I had a day off. Party, party, party, party and oh yeah, party. Sure it was mid week and I had a paper to write but.. party! I need to get out more as my definition of party is clearly losing its meaning.

To celebrate such a party I had oatmeal. How lame. But it was good. Similar to the Chai Tea Oatmeal but clearly vanilla. And lots of it. 

Vanilla Tea Oatmeal

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 vanilla tea bag
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 packets of splenda
1 tbsp craisins
1/2 cup old fashioned oats, as always

In a small sauce pan, put the water, milk and tea bag. Heat for about 5 minutes so the tea flavour comes out. Bring to boil and remove the tea bag. Mix in the vanilla, splenda, craisins and oats. Continue to stir until most of the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with more craisins and milk if you like, which you will.

Chai Tea Oatmeal

Every night I always think about what I am going to have for breakfast. Sometimes I get so excited I consider just getting up and eating it right then and there. I am quite the loser clearly. For breakfast I normally have oatmeal, cereal if I am in a hurry or pancakes for weekends. I try to change up and add new things to my oatmeal as much as possible. Whether it is a different fruit, spice, nut or anything really, just to keep it different.

The other day when my friend and I went to Starbucks, she ordered a chai tea latte blended with ice/chai tea frappuccino, I'm not sure of the exact name. But it was great! Almost immediately I went to the grocery store and bought some chai tea. And as usual, I was lying in bed thinking about my oatmeal tomorrow and about trying the chai tea. Then it clicked. Put the two together. I mean I had read about chai spiced goods before so this had to work, and it did! If you eat oatmeal, this is a great switch up. If you don't eat oatmeal, you better start with this!

Chai Tea Oatmeal

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk, both worked great

1 chai tea bag

1 tbsp raisins

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

2 packets of splenda

In a small saucepan, put the water, milk, chai tea bag and raisins on medium heat. Keep stirring for about five minutes. I let it warm up for about 5 minutes just simmering so that the chai flavour would come out. Now bring to boil. Remove the tea bag and add the oats and splenda. Continue stirring until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and top with more milk and raisins if desired.

Our Cookies

My family reached an agreement a few years ago. As everyone has different tastes and favourites, it is hard to accommodate everyone. For example, my Dad loves his baked goods burnt (great for when I slip up) and is not too keen on things that are exceedingly sweet. Where as my Mum and younger brother love everything and anything sweet. But my younger brother doesn't like chocolate. Don't worry, he is being checked out by several doctors to solve out this problem. As for my older brother, he pretty much likes everything except potato salad.

Given all of these preferences, we still reach a common ground when it comes to these cookies. While everyone will eat the baked goods that I pump out of the kitchen regardless of whether it is their favourite, it is nice to see these fly out with these. Whenever I suggest that I am going to only make a third of the recipe because it literally makes a million, they look at me like I am crazy. I put two ziploc freezer bags full of these in the freezer and we had two big cookie tins full. And they lasted in the freezer for probably a day at the most so there was really no point and putting them in there.

Our Cookies (Laura Bush Cookies) 
Recipe from a BHG (?) Christmas cookie special magazine 

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 cups milk chocolate chocolate chips
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
2 cups chopped, toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl. In large(I mean LARGE) bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Slowly add in sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until fully mixed after each. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradually add  flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans. Scoop using whatever size scoop you want onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Depending on the size, bake from 12 to 17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and rotate sheets halfway through. Remove cookies onto a wire rack to cool. Makes about 6-8 dozen cookies.

Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins

Hello there.

I have full intentions of making these again. They are the a great "healthy" muffin alternative and they don't taste like it. I mean, they are low fat., as in barely any! In the past I have tried "healthy" muffins and they normally came out really dense, dry or tasteless. Not these babies. They were moist (thanks glaze and applesauce) and tons of flavour (thanks cinnamon).

Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins
Adapted from here, god she is brilliant!

muffins
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp old fashioned oats
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp quick cooking oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup low-fat/non-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup firmly packed splenda brown sugar blend
2 tbsp canola oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) raspberries!
1 tsp flour, if using frozen berries
glaze
1 tsp raspberries jam, strained of seeds and such
1/4 tsp water
1 heaping tbsp confectioner's sugar.. or more

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil and egg in a medium bowl. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture, stirring until just moist. In another little bowl, coat the frozen raspberries in 1 tsp of flour. Carefully fold in the raspberries. Spoon the batter into muffin cups. Bake at 16-18 minutes. I baked mine for about 15 minutes and they were slightly underdone which left them moist and perfect. Once they are cooled mix the glaze together until smooth. Drizzle a little on each muffin. I drizzled mine in the shape of little hearts because it is the month of love!
Nutrition per muffin, without the glaze: 141 calories, 3 fat, .25 sat, 3.5 fibre, 4.2 protein

Apple Crisp Oatmeal

In the my world of oatmeal, apples are frequently used. I prefer them to keep some of their crispness and they kept well in this oatmeal even though it was baked. This was also another great oatmeal! Unsweetened vanilla almond milk doesn't have such a creamy and sweet flavour as the vanilla soy milk so it doesn't take away from the apple flavour. Oatmeal failures have also been frequent around here, but I will tell you about that tomorrow. Also, sorry for the crappy photo, it was so early there was no sun!Apple Crisp Oatmeal
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
loads of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp for me
little bit of nutmeg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 large granny smith apple, peeled and sliced in approximately 1-2 cm pieces
1 tsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375º, preferably convection. Mix the apple sauce, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the oatmeal and the apples. Pop in the oven for 17 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar and broil for 2 minutes. Enjoy!

Banana Vanilla-y Oatmeal

Alright, let the oatmeal begin. Yesterday morning I made this little baby and it was amazing! I have tried banana in oatmeal before and it didn't do much for me. I guess I was doing it wrong because I loved it this time around. P.S. That would be me in the spoon.

Banana Vanilla-y Oatmeal
1 banana, half of it mashed (around 1/4 cup) and the other half sliced
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup oats
pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375º, preferably on convection. Mix together the mashed half of the banana with the soy milk and cinnamon. Stir in the oats. Bake for about 17 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the brown sugar and top with banana slices. Put the oven on broil and broil oatmeal for 2 minutes more. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie.. Oatmeal

I may never love another. Oatmeal, that is. No, I can't say that but I can say that this is now tied for my favourite oatmeal position! Since I have oatmeal nearly everyday, this was a nice change. I have had pumpkin pie oatmeal in the past, and it really just didn't do anything for me. But I hate to see a great idea go to waste and this was great! It was perfectly sweet and crisp and legitimately like pumpkin pie. I don't really have a picture but here are the remains..Due to my frequent oatmeal, it is suiting that I will document the next weeks oatmeal experiments/experiences. I will show my favourite, my go-to morning oatmeal and whatever else comes to mind!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal!
Inspired by the lovely lady here
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 pinches of nutmeg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 tsp splenda brown sugar blend

Preheat the oven to 375º, I used convection. Mix the soy milk, pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg till smooth in a small baking dish (a loaf pan would probably work). Stir in the oats. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Turn the oven to broil (once again, I used broil convection at 450º) and pop it in for another two minutes. It will have a nice melted sugar top. Enjoy!
I didn't sweeten my oatmeal because the vanilla soy milk already is slightly sweetened but if regular milk or unsweetened milk is used, I would recommend stirring in a bit of brown sugar. By a bit I mean a hefty couple of teaspoons!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pancakes

Those who know me know this, I love cereal. Flax flakes, Captain Crunch, Cherrios, Fruit Loops, Go Lean Crunch.. I would go on but this post should go somewhere. When I was younger, my brother and I ate so much cereal that they named us the 'Cereal King and Queen.' Lame? Yes but very accurate. While I don't eat as much cereal anymore (less than two bowls a day now!), I have grown an immense passion for other breakfast foods outside of the cereal realm. It wasn't until this past June I discovered pancakes. Where have they been all my life? My mother used to make them for us and we would eat them but I was really just craving cereal. But now they are on my mind. All the time.These were so good! The name literally says it all. They were fluffy but still tasted like a good ol' oatmeal raisin cookie. I made these for my Dad who is in love with oatmeal raisin cookies. Since I don't make them enough for him, I made him these.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pancakes
Recipe can be found here

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour heaping
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tablespoons splenda brown sugar blend*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
healthy pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup golden raisins
oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

In a large bowl bear eggs. Add buttermilk, butter, maple syrup and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in raisins and let batter set for a few minutes. Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, when the drops start to dance its hot enough. Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

* I do have brown sugar but I bought this stuff not too long ago and have been trying to see if it works as well as regular brown sugar and so far so good. BUT feel free to just use brown sugar.