Oatmeal Mondays

These oatmeal muffins were featured on America's Test Kitchen and they are so worth the effort.  There are some steps to this recipe, along with some tender loving care (toasting the oats, making oat flour, concocting the streusel topping).  The payoff is astronomical though.  These muffins taste like a bowl of cinnamon swirl oatmeal topped with toasted pecans bathed in cinnamon and butter.  I can't wait to make them again!

Here is the recipe.

Date Bars

Vanilla coconut almond date bars...

crunchy, chewy, sweet and tropical.  These are so yummy :)

Here is the recipe.  

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

I didn't even realize this is a copycat recipe for the coveted Great Harvest pumpkin chocolate chip bread.  I have not had the pleasure of tasting it but people rave about it.  This bread is moist, spicy, and FILLED with chocolate chips.

FYI: I used 2 C sugar total instead of 3 C.  My bread baked for 45 minutes uncovered, 5 minutes covered with foil.  This kept the top of the two loaves from burning.    

Here is the recipe.    

Oatmeal Mondays

Transform those spotty, tired bananas into something fabulous!  These bars are hearty from the oats, creamy from the peanut butter, and sweet from the bananas.  They make the perfect breakfast bar.

Cut into 8 BIG bars for adults or 16 smaller bars for kids.  They travel well, go great with hazelnut spread, and keep you full for hours.  

Here is the recipe: Peanut Butter Banana Bars

Cake Fridays

Yay!  Made it to Friday!  But sadly, I didn't get a picture of this beautiful, rich double chocolate banana cake either!  If you have extra bananas to use up, this is the perfect solution.  With no oil or butter in the batter, it makes for a healthier option.  Low fat but decadent, this double chocolate banana cake will have everyone fooled.  The texture is spot-on, not spongy at all.  It reminds me of my double chocolate banana muffins but in cake form.  The kids and adults in the house LOVED it!    

FYI: My cake baked for 33 minutes.  

Cinnamon Spice Mini Muffins

I failed to get a picture of these mini muffins!  They went so fast!  I have to remember to take a picture right when they come out of the oven, otherwise I miss my opportunity.

I made a variation of these muffins from one of my favorite baking blogs: bakeorbreak.

Here is my version:

1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
1/8 t each cloves, allspice
1/2 t salt

Whisk all ingredients in bowl.  Set aside.

1/2 C almond milk
1 flax egg
1/4 C oil
1/2 C sugar

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl until smooth and completely incorporated. Add to dry mixture and stir to combine.  Using a small ice cream scoop, dollop mounds of batter into 19 greased mini muffin cups.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Let cool in pan for ten minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.  Enjoy with butter :)      

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love this recipe not only because the cookies are creamy and dreamy, but the measurements are so easy to remember!    

FYI: I added a splash of almond milk, 1 C chocolate chips, and made small and large cookies.  The small cookies baked for 9 minutes and the big ones, for 13 minutes.  I baked some at 350 degrees and some at 375 degrees only because my oven tends to burn baked goods when set at 375 degrees.  I didn't notice much of a difference with this recipe.  

Check it out and make these cookies today!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars

Words cannot express how good these bars are.  You have to make them, taste one, then another, then another.  Brownie bottom paired with chocolate chip cookie topping is complete bliss.

FYI: My brownie layer turned out gooey so I cut the cooled bars and froze them for a few hours.  They firmed up beautifully.  Mine baked for 25 minutes.

Here is the recipe.  

Cake Fridays

It is so hot outside so what better way to cool down than with a refreshing, citrus cake!  The combination of lime, lemon, and orange make for a surprisingly tangy, sour bite with the perfect amount of sugary sweetness.

My only complaint with this cake is the texture.  I don't normally bake with cake flour but in this case, the recipe called for it so I used it.  It created a powdery texture that some might be fond of but I prefer either a light, airy cake or a dense, solid pound cake.  It was somewhere in between and we couldn't figure out if we liked it or not!  Overall, the citrus flavors were delightful and this cake made for the perfect summer dessert.

Instead of tequila-lime frosting, I made my all-time favorite frosting but substituted coconut extract for the vanilla extract.

Here is the recipe:

1 stick soft butter
1 block soft cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
1-2 t coconut extract

Whip in the stand mixer 2-3 minutes until smooth and completely incorporated.  Frost cooled cake anyway you'd like :)

The frosting was my favorite part!  I have never used coconut extract and the smell instantly transforms you to the tropics.  I have since bought lemon extract and I can't wait to make a blueberry lemon cake or a raspberry lemon loaf with a lemony frosting or glaze.  Better get going before the summer is over and citrus is replaced by fall flavors!              

Here is the cake recipe.

Clean Eating Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

I halved the original recipe to see if we'd like it and we did it!  The kids ate it with a spoon but it is meant to be used as a dip :)

1/4 C peanut butter
1/4 C Greek yogurt
1 T honey
2 T milk
1 T flaxseed meal

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl.  Serve with your favorite fruit.  Store in the refrigerator.

Here is the source.

Potato Chip Cookies

Nobody loves cookies more than my husband does and these may be his new favorites.  

They are perfectly chewy and gooey.  They will satisfy even the strongest sugary craving.  Crisp, toothsome cookies coming right up!     

Potato Chip Cookies

1 stick soft butter

1/2 C brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 C flour

1/4 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 C chocolate chips

1 C crushed potato chips

Whip butter and sugars in stand mixer until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla extract.  Mix thoroughly.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda.  Add gradually to butter mixture and stir to combine.  Mix in chocolate chips and potato chips by hand.  Chill dough in the fridge for one hour.  When ready to bake, roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 8 at a time on greased baking sheet.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 11 minutes.  Let cookies rest on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.