Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello Everyone,

I'm back after being away for quite some time. I've just had a lot of changes happening over the past couple of years and I need some time to get everything figured out. But now I'm in a good place and I should be back on a regular basis.

So right now I'm teaching full-time and crafting part-time. If you get a chance go check out my Facebook page Melanie's Design Studio. It'll show what I've been up to the past few years.

I've had to narrow down my crafting to a specific interest and I've decided that it should be kitchen merchandise. I have a wide assortment of cozy bowls aka microwave bowls, kitchen towels and various cute coffee mugs. I still like doing my quilting, pallet signs and customized t-shirts, but I'll do those on request from people.

Today the recipe I'm sharing is chewy chocolate chip cookies. They are made with plenty of chocolate chips to make them super yummy. They also have cinnamon and oatmeal in them. The cinnamon is just a little hint and the oatmeal gives a little chewyness to the cookie. One drawback to making these cookies is you need to chill the dough a few hours. I only chilled mine for an hour and they turned out just fine. Just remember the more chilled the dough is the less spread you will get when you bake them.

So what are you waiting for? Go get everything and start making these cookies.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon ,to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter ,melted and cooled to room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 2 and 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 and 1/4 cup chocolate chips , your favorite kind
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts , optional but recommended

Instructions

1. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda & salt. 
2. In a separate bowl beat together the melted butter and sugars using an electric mixer. Add in the honey, vanilla and egg and continue beating until combined. 
3. Turn the mixer down to low and beat in the flour mixer until almost combined.
4. Add in the oats and beat on medium speed until combined. 
5. Then turn off the mixer and stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the chopped walnuts.
6.  Refrigerate for at least an hour. Form dough into balls and place on cookie sheets. You may want to flatten slightly. (I just let mine spread on their own).
7. When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray cooking spray on  your baking sheets or use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and place the cookies at least 2 inches apart. 
8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the tops of the cookies look almost set.
9. Allow to cool on the cookie tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.

recipe from www.justsotasty.com

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

It's finally Memorial day. Seems like it took forever to get here. The month of May just seemed to go on for ever and ever and now here we are at the end of the month celebrating Memorial day. If you haven't been able to tell by my lack of posts, my job as consumed my life and I'm changing that starting this summer.

 I'm ready to start summer big time. I'm ready to go ride my bike on a hot summer day down to the lake. I want to take the dogs for a walk in the early morning and not feel rushed to get home so I can get ready for work. I want to go camping and cook over an open fire and make smores with different kinds of chocolates. I want to lounge outside reading a good book (still working on which book to read). I want to go hiking on a nice summer day. I am also ready to just hang out at the pool.

I'm also ready to do a little more baking and cooking this summer. I'm going to go to the farmers market and pick all that awesome produce that I just don't have room for in my garden. I want to make some new and interesting dishes with what I find at the farmers market. I'm ready to have some fun in the kitchen.

I planted rhubarb in my garden about 2 years ago and then last year I got a couple plants from my mom's old house and planted them in my garden. This year all of my plants look amazing. I'm going to have to get creative with using rhubarb.

Last year I made some pie with the rhubarb and it was really good. Brought back memories of my childhood when my mom use to make rhubarb pie. This time I'm trying out a new recipe I found online. It's Rhubarb Coffee Cake. The picture on the blog grabbed my attention right away and I just had to make it.

So I got up early this morning and after walking the dogs I went out to the garden and got some fresh rhubarb. Now if you don't have rhubarb as handy as I do just go to your local farmers market. You'll find plenty of it there right now. It's prime rhubarb time.

This recipe was super easy to make. The recipe did call for 1/2 pound of rhubarb,but of course the battery in my scale was dead. So I did the next best thing. I estimated. I measured out about 1 1/2 cups of rhubarb and called it good. I also of course had no baking powder left so I had to improvise with that a bit too. It called for 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder so I added 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tarter and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda together and added that to my cake batter. 

Hope you give this recipe a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I also hope that you come back and see what else I've got cooking in the kitchen.


Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease a 8X8 pan and set aside.
Rhubarb filling
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Dice the rhubarb and in a small bowl toss with sugar cornstarch and ginger. Set this aside.

Crumb topping
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter melted
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

In a medium bowl mix sugars, spices and salt together. Add melted butter and mix well. Slowly add the flour to this mixture. It will get to a doughy consistency. Set this aside.

Cake mixture
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into small chunks

In a medium bowl mix sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla together. Add sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter and mix until the softened butter has been incorporated.
Reserve 1/3 cup of batter.Put the rest of the batter in the prepared pan. Take the rhubarb mixture and sprinkle on top evenly. Drop little spoonfuls of the 1/3 cup of reserved batter on top of the rhubarb. Using your fingers crumble the crumb topping on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Original recipe from Jamhands.net 

Pecan Topped Banana Bread

Pecan Topped Banana Bread

     The weather is quickly changing here in Minnesota. We had a beautiful Labor Day weekend and a fabulous summer, but like all good things it must come to an end. It seems that as soon as Labor Day was finished the weather was too. I wake up to 45 degree mornings. BRRR! Thankfully it warms up during the day, but it is still fall like weather.

     This past Saturday morning I decided to make some banana bread. It was such a cool morning and after walking the dogs around the block I decided I needed something warm for breakfast. I was at first going to make banana muffins, but opted for banana bread. This is my old recipe. I have no idea where I ever got it from, its been around so long.

     I did add a little bit to it this time. I sprinkled cinnamon on top and added chopped pecans before baking. There is just a hint of cinnamon, but it is so delicious and the pecans are equally delightful.

   Well here's to welcoming fall and all the chilly days it is about to bring to us. Time to enjoy the changing season and the changing leaves.

Pecan Topped Banana Bread

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup sour milk, or 1/2 cup +1 teaspoon vinegar
2 eggs
2/3 cup melted fat
Beat these ingredients then add the following and beat well.
2 cups flour
1teaspoon soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pour in loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.Sprinkle cinnamon on top of batter and add 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in pan