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Sunday, July 13, 2014

Oatmeal Bread

Originally posted 7/13/14, edited 9/11/16

I have been baking (read: nesting) a lot lately, and wanted to try a new bread. Oatmeal is always a good option-healthy, and yummy! I have a recipe for honey oat bread that I LOVE, but I wanted something that wasn't quite as sweet. This was a hit!


The only change I will make for next time is the rise time--it may just have been the temp in my kitchen, but for the second rise it definitely did NOT need to rise for a full hour. Maybe 1/2 hour to 45 minutes? Definitely keep an eye on it! *edit: Definitely only needs 30 minute rise! It was perfect at that point! And definitely sunk less than when I've made this in the past. I am going to try honey vs. brown sugar, next time!



Printable Recipe
Oatmeal Bread


Ingredients

    • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup boiling water
    • 1/2 cup warm water
    • 2 1/4 teaspoon active yeast
    • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
    Directions
    1. In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the oats. Set aside until it comes to room temperature.
    2. In a liquid measuring cup mix together the warm water and yeast. Let sit for a few minutes until foamy.
    3. In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add the cool oats, yeast mixture, and butter. Mix until everything is well combined, and a dough starts to form.
    4. Knead with bread hook in mixer for 5-6 minutes, until smooth. Add additional flour as needed. 
    5. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double in size, about an hour.
    6. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan. Set aside.
    7. Punch dough down, then turn onto a lightly floured surface surface. Roll into a 9”x12” rectangle, then place seam side down into prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
    8. Preheat oven to 375°. Once the dough has risen, place in preheated oven. Decrease the temperature to 350°, and bake for 30-40 minutes. 
    9. Remove from pan, and cool on a wire rack.
    Yield/Time
    1 loaf (16 slices)
    3 hours

    Nutrition Facts *I calculate nutrition facts for reference only, this is not done scientifically
    102/slice


    Source (for original): Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

    Remember, comments are loved!

    Tuesday, July 8, 2014

    Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies

    I am a HUGE fan of baking with mini Reese's Pieces. Seriously, those things make cookies soooo much better. Especially when combined with chocolate in some form or another. PB & chocolate? Two of my favorite things. I am always happier when I have PB & chocolate.... (And our local ice cream place has heavenly peanut butter shakes. If you request it, they will make it with chocolate ice cream instead of vanilla. That makes this pregnant lady super happy!)

    I had pinned this recipe on Pinterest ages ago, but hadn't had a chance to try it yet. I finally did the other day, and it was sooo worth it! I had to make some changes--the dough was WAY to dry for me, so the recipe you see is the altered recipe. (Check out the link at the bottom for the original.) These are going on the 'my favorite cookies' list!

    These are very soft, and incredibly easy to make. The only thing that frustrates me is letting them sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.... but I have tried this with different recipes, and it really makes a difference!

    (Sorry for the funny coloring of the pic... as usual, I realized a couple days later (and late at night) that I hadn't taken a picture yet. Oops!)

    Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies


    Ingredients
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 cup butter flavored Crisco
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup mini Reese's Pieces
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips



    Directions
    1. In a large bowl, cream together the eggs, brown sugar, peanut butter, Crisco, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Slowly add the flour and baking soda until incorporated, then slowly mix in the Reese’s Pieces and chocolate chips. 
    2. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours (up to 5 days). 
    3. Preheat oven to 350°.
    4. Form cookies into small balls, then place on greased baking sheet at least 2” apart. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until just beginning to set. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing to rack to cool.

    Yield/Time
    3 ½ dozen
    3 hours
    Source (for original): Averie Cooks

    Sunday, July 6, 2014

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip

    The last few years, we've had a cookout at my Mom's house after the 4th of July parade. This year, I was really debating on what to make. Somehow, this whole holiday snuck up on me, and I didn't really have the time to make cookies, which is my usual go-to thing to bring. (The type of cookie always varies, but I'm guaranteed to bring something sweet to a family gathering!) I had planned on making watermelon bars, but since that was not a guaranteed success I wanted something else too. (And that was a good plan.... because the bars were a flop. The graham cracker crust was super soggy. Oh well, live & learn.)

    I had grabbed some mini chocolate chips awhile ago at the grocery store for when I finally decided to make this cookie dip recipe I had seen, so when I was searching for something to make at the last minute I actually had them on hand! Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip with graham crackers; I thought I couldn't go wrong here!

    AND, I was right! This dip is amazing! Very sweet, so I wouldn't recommend serving it with something too sweet (most cookies would be out, but it went great with graham crackers). Apples, graham crackers, nilla wafers, or some shortbread cookies would be great. (Or, just eat with a spoon. If you are serving this at a picnic/party, that would probably be frowned upon though. Given that I am 9 months pregnant I think I would've gotten away with it if I had tried, but I would not recommend that for everyone.) 


    (Sorry for the shaded picture.... realized once the picnic 
    started that I didn't have a picture of this yet!)
    Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip


    Ingredients
    • 1/2 cup butter
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    • 8 ounces cream cheese
    • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
    • 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
    • Apples, graham crackers, nilla wafers, shortbread cookies, etc.

    Directions

    1. In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium-low heat. Slowly mix in the brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool.
    2. Meanwhile, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add in the cooled butter mixture; mix on high for another minute. Mix in chocolate chips.
    3. Put in small bowl; refrigerate until set. (I made this before the parade, and left it in the fridge til we ate, and that was a few hours later. I really have no idea how long it takes to set. I would guess that you could serve it within 1/2 hour or so, but plan on enough time to let it set/cool for awhile the first time you make it.)
    4. Serve with graham crackers, apples, nilla wafers, shortbread cookies, etc.

    Yield/Time
    10 servings
    15 minutes + set time
    Source (for original): Your Homebased Mom

    Tuesday, July 1, 2014

    Malted Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

    Last night, there were some big storms rolling into the area, and I was WIDE awake. (I love pregnancy hormones... sometimes I have complete insomnia, and sometimes I am surprised I make it to bed before I fall asleep.)  What's a pregnant lady to do, late at night when the house is quite.... except make cookies! 

    I'd seen this new recipe on one of the blogs I follow, that called for malted milk powder in the cookies. Hmmm, that's worth a try! I had put it on my grocery list a few weeks ago for whenever I got the urge to make cookies (and it's not 80 degrees in my house), so I even had everything on hand!

    Let me first say that these cookies are REALLY good. Not my favorite, but really good. I haven't decided if the malted milk powder really adds anything or not.... I guess I will need to keep eating them to decide. ;)

    I also changed it up a bit and added peanut butter chips.... chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combos! 

    Let me know if you try these; I would love to hear what you think!



    Malted Chocolate & Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
    Ingredients
    • 1 cup butter flavored Crisco
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 1/2 cups all purpose Flour
    • 1/2 cup Malt Powder
    • 3.4 ounce box instant chocolate pudding mix
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
    • 1 cup peanut butter chips
    Directions
    1. Preheat oven to 350 °.
    2. Cream Crisco and sugars in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; beating to combine. In a separate bowl, combine flour, malt powder, pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to moist ingredients until thoroughly combined. Mix in chocolate and peanut butter chips until just combined.
    3. Form dough into small balls, and place approximately 1” apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling racks.

    Yield/Time
    4 dozen cookies
    1 hour
    Source (for original): Picky Palate (http://picky-palate.com/2014/04/30/chocolate-malted-chip-cookies-recipe/)