My Favourite Scones

Before I had made these my success with scones was here and there. Here being great and there being dry flour lumps. There was a lot of there. I think it was when I tried to make whole wheat peanut butter scones. Just one big no. But then I tried one from Bon Appetit and it was amazing! Then another dud. But then these came along. They have a different formula and it works.

These babies use a lot of whipped cream in place of the butter and the result is the perfect scone. I have made these several times in several different ways. Oh and as if they couldn't be any better, they are easy and can be made ahead of time in the freezer. Awesome? Heck yes.

Cream Scones

From America's Test Kitchen

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a low-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup currants (Variations below)
1 cup heavy cream
 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F. Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in large bowl or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Whisk together or pulse six times. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender or your fingertips and quickly cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few slightly larger butter lumps. Stir in currants. If using food processor, remove cover and distribute butter evenly over dry ingredients. Cover and pulse 12 times, each pulse lasting 1 second. Add currants and pulse one more time. Transfer dough to large bowl.  Stir in heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until dough begins to form, about 30 seconds. Transfer dough and all dry, floury bits to countertop and knead dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Form scones by either a) pressing the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turning the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, cutting the dough into 8 wedges with either a knife or bench scraper (the book’s suggestion) or b) patting the dough onto a lightly floured work surface into a 3/4-inch thick circle, cutting pieces with a biscuit cutter, and pressing remaining scraps back into another piece and cutting until dough has been used up. ** Place rounds or wedges on ungreased baking sheet and bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* I have used raisins instead with or without 3/4 tsp cinnamon added to the flour mix, dried cranberries with or without 1 tbsp lemon zest, or omitted the fruit entirely and added the seeds from a vanilla bean. All have worked and each taste amazing! 

** At that point the scones can be placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and placed in the freezer for an hour. After the hour, or until they are pretty solidly chilled, they can be moved into a air tight freezer bag and be kept in the freezer for a month. Bake at the same temperature for a few extra minutes and do not defrost beforehand.

Cinnamon Raisin Buns

I do not like hot cross buns. I do not like them Sam I.. luns. It rhymed? They taste like fruitcake with those spices and fruits which is the taste of nastiness. Sorry if you love and that means I am talking to you Paps. When one of the coolest country gals around posted a recipe for hot cross buns that wasn't loaded with the gross factors, hot cross buns crept in to my future.  

This recipe was followed almost to perfection up until the actual cross bit came along. We all settled for some delicious cinnamon raisin buns with honey, peanut butter, jam or butter. We are simple folk. These have a nice crust with the egg wash but are nice and soft on the inside. If you don't like hot cross buns (amen.) then these are in your honour.

Cinnamon Raisin Buns

From the Pioneer Woman

buns
2 cups whole milk
½ cups canola oil
½ cups sugar
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cups (additional) flour
½ teaspoons (heaping) baking powder
½ teaspoons (scant) baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ cups sugar 
2 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cups raisins, plumped*
glaze
1 whole egg white
splash of cream or milk

Combine 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot–about 30 minutes. Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and stir to combine. Mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour in a warm place. Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir till combined.  At this point the dough can be placed in a bowl coated in oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and it can refrigerate overnight. Combine 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use. Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is “plain” again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time until all the raisins are used. Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes…an hour-plus is better. Preheat the oven to 400º. Mix the glaze ingredients together. Brush onto each roll. Bake for 20 minutes, give or take, or until tops of buns have turned nice and golden brown. Remove from pan to a cooling rack. Dig on in. Makes 18 rolls or 16 slightly larger rolls.

* To plump the raisins, place them in a bowl and cover them with hot water, coffee, booze or whatever floats your boat. 

Bran Muffins with Raisins

Something odd has happened. I started going to the gym. Not that I don't exercise, I do, but not at gyms. How do the bloody machines work? I've stuck to the treadmill and fear advancing to the other machines because that alone resulted in me nearly running at nine miles an hour and then proceeded to accidentally "cool down" three times. If you see a girl thrashing on a machine, do not stare. It makes things worse.

To top it off, in the mail today I got some bad news. Instead of making cookies for myself, bran muffins for my Dad seemed like the right thing to do. Spread some love even though I did not get any. Bastards. Anyways, these bran muffins are so moist. Bran muffins seem to be associated with being dry and bland. False I say! A throw back to Shakespeare. The buttermilk keeps these moist and the raisins are obviously the perfect match. Oh and cinnamon sugar on top just to make sure things don't get too healthy around here.

Bran Muffins with Raisins

Adapted from allrecipes

1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

heaping 1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Place the bran flakes in a small bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over the cereal. Mix so all the cereal is moistened. Set aside.  Place the raisins in another small bowl. Pour boiling water over the raisins until all are covered. Set aside. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 375º.* In a medium bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the bran flakes and then the buttermilk. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until combined. Fold in the raisins. Divide the batter amongst the muffin tin. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating halfway through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack. These are great with butter or peanut butter (obviously.) Makes 12 muffins.

* The batter can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. 
** I named them Bran Muffins with Raisins simply because I didn't use Raisin Bran cereal and I figure one could throw in other dried fruit or, my preferred choice, chocolate instead of raisins.

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.

Cinnamon Chocolate Raisin Swirl Bread

I have not been getting a lot of sleep lately. Sickness has taken over and it doesn't help that Conan believes that two in the morning is time to play. Apparently they do not get tired from running around all day. However, my little boy has to go in and get neutered and shots and all that tomorrow so he is forgiven. For now. 

 

I have made this bread before, minus the chocolate, and it was very good. As I felt like switching up the old cookie routine that I have been stuck lately, bread seemed like a nice way out. Whipped out the handy book and found myself drooling over the same recipe as before. But instead of fighting myself about not trying something new, I added something to make it new-ish. Chocolate.

Madness I tell you. Sitting there, it dawned on me that I love cinnamon and raisin toast with peanut butter and with peanut butter I love chocolate. It melted right in and it is good. Toasted with peanut butter? Amazing. Then it hit me, with honey and bacon too? But that is for next time.

Cinnamon Chocolate Raisin Swirl Bread

Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

bread

2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tbsp/ 2 packets yeast (any kind)
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar
6 1/2 cups all purpose flour

filling

1 egg + 1 tbsp water

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 heaping cup raisins*
1 heaping cup chopped milk chocolate

For the bread, mix the yeast, sugar and salt together. Add the buttermilk and water. Add the flour and mix until completely combined, but do not knead. You may have to use your hands to get all of the flour mixed in. Cover this large bowl, but not airtight and let it rest for about two hours at room temperature. I cover it with plastic wrap but leave a bit open so its not airtight. Once it has had time to rise for about two hours, you can put in the fridge or use right away. When you choose to make this, grease three 9 x 5 pan with butter. Then sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Take a jagged knife and cut off about 1/3 of the dough.** On a floured surface, plop the dough down. Using a rolling pin, covered in flour so it doesn't stick to the dough, roll out the dough to an 8 x 16 inch rectangle. I keep a measuring tape close by when doing this. In a little bowl, make the egg wash by mixing the egg and water together until combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the dough with the egg wash. There will be lots of left over egg wash. In another separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Evenly sprinkle this mix over the dough until it is all covered. There will also be a fair amount of cinnamon sugar leftover. Next sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough., then the chocolate. Gently press them in. Now starting on the short, 8 inch side, start rolling the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together. If it sticks to the counter/surface use a spatula or pastry scraper to get it off. Plop it in the greased pan with the seam side down. If the dough was from the fridge, it will need to sit for an hour and forty minutes. If it was freshly made dough, it only needs to rest for forty minutes. About ten minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to  375º so its ready to go. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely and then eat!
* I plump raisins with about 2 tsp of vanilla and boiling water until they are covered, in a small bowl. Let them sit while preparing the bread. Drain and use.

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.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was going to be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you, and I never told you till just now.

a la Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Ain't that cute? I sure think it is. The song is so funny and blunt which is nice. There is no beating around the bush but honest love. Not that I don't love myself a good metaphor, simplicity is good.

 Speaking of simplicity, let me reintroduce my friend Mr. Kneadless Bread. He is a little different this time around. Just changing up his look you know? Jazzing himself up is no problem to me. I love his new crisp sweet ends and raisin filled middle. I'm going to stop addressing the bread as a person now. But the gist of it all is right there, it is simple and it is delicious. 

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

bread

3 1/4 cup all-purpose bread

2 1/4 tsp yeast, of any kind

2 1/4 tsp sugar

2 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk*

1 cup lukewarm water

filling

1 egg + 1 tbsp water

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup raisins*

For the bread, mix the yeast, sugar and salt together with the buttermilk and water. Add the flour and mix until completely combined. You may have to use your hands to get all of the flour mixed in. Cover this large bowl, but not airtight and let it rest for about two hours at room temperature. I cover it with plastic wrap but leave a bit open so its not airtight. Once it has had time to rise for about two hours, you can put in the fridge or use right away. When you choose to make this, grease a 9 x 5 pan with butter. Then sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour. Take a jagged knife and cut off about 3/4 of the dough. On a floured surface, plop the dough down. Using a rolling pin, covered in flour so it doesn't stick to the dough, roll out the dough to a 8 x 16 inch rectangle. I keep a measuring tape close by when doing this. In a little bowl, make the egg wash by mixing the egg and water together until combined. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the dough with the egg wash. In another separate small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Evenly sprinkle this mix over the dough until it is all covered. Next sprinkle the raisins evenly over the dough. Gently press them in. Now starting on the short, 8 inch side, start rolling the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends together. If it sticks to the counter/surface use a spatula or pastry scraper to get it off. Plop it in the greased pan with the seam side down. If the dough was from the fridge, it will need to sit for an hour and forty minutes. If it was freshly made dough, it only needs to rest for forty minutes. About ten minutes before bake time, preheat the oven to  375º so its ready to go. Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool completely and then eat!
* I plump raisins with about 2 tsp of vanilla and boiling water until they are covered, in a small bowl. Let them sit while preparing the bread. Drain and use.

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!

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.

Zucchini Bread Debate

One thing I enjoy is finding a great recipe. As if that weren't obvious from having a food blog. I was on the search for a zucchini bread recipe in this case. Having read about zucchini bread but never actually tasting it, I went out and tried four different varieties. These were: two chocolate and two spice varieties. The first was called chocolate chip zucchini bread from Pinch My Salt. The second was double chocolate zucchini bread from Baking Bites. The third was zucchini sweet potato bread from Joy the Baker. The fourth was straight up called zucchini bread from Smitten Kitchen. 

So here is the break down of each recipe. This little trial began at around ten o'clock at night. It was late and I was home alone and bored so zucchini bread tests! Therefore I tried the bread the next morning not immediately. They had about 6 hours to cool and then they were tested. 

First up is the chocolate chip zucchini bread. This is a very moist (yes, that word again) bread. It was the softest of the bunch I would say. It held together when it was sliced instead of crumbling. The chocolate chips were a great addition for flavour because the bread didn't have a very strong chocolate flavour on its own. The cinnamon in the recipe came through which was nice. This was great but in terms of chocolate bread, it was not the richest. But, like I said, I really liked it. I hear it is low fat too.

This bread right here was the double chocolate zucchini bread and boy was it chocolatey! It was so rich. While it was not as moist as the first, it was still moist. It sliced nicely. The tops of loafs are always the greatest and this was great. Very rich and nice top. 

This is the first of the two spice breads. On my notes for this it says immediately "moist!". I slightly undercooked this which may have been why but I think it is from the zucchini and sweet potato. It crumbled slightly when it was sliced but that could have been because it was undercooked. Despite the crumbling, no complaints. It had a nice crunch from the pecans and the cranberries added to the moistness and bit of tartness. It is kind of pumpkin pie like with the spices, which I love. I love pumpkin pie! Getting off topic. All in all, this is a great one because it is so well rounded and tons of different flavours.

Last, but not least, is the other spice bread. This one was my Mum and Dad's favourite. It was not as moist as the others but keep in mind just how moist all the others were. Also, I slightly overcooked it I think by a few minutes. They did not care clearly. This one had milder spices and the nuts were not as distinct. Also the raisins added a greater sweetness which was great. The nuts weren't as distinct but still provided a soft crunch.

The final verdict? Out of the two chocolate loafs, I would have to say the second is the richest. I really liked them both but in terms of chocolate, that one completely overpowered the other. Out of the two spice loafs, I really like the first but my family loved the second. The first my favourite texture. the second was the greatest chocolate loaf. The third was something different then I have ever made. And the last was nice spice bread, it was basically a less moist version of my Mum's date loaf.

Here are the recipes:

1. Chocolate chip zucchini bread from Pinch my Salt

2. Double chocolate zucchini bread from Baking Bites

3. Sweet potato zucchini bread from Joy the Baker

4. Zucchini bread from Smitten Kitchen*

*I used pecans and raisins because I had already used walnuts and cranberries in the Joy the Baker recipe and chocolate chips in the first two.

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.