Recipe for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My dad came to visit us for the weekend. It was a quick trip, but we had a great time. We went to the farmer's market at Pioneer Park, did a lot of yard work-my dad was a huge help, and then he treated us to a nice dinner at Cafe Molise. We also went to my sister's and hung out with my niece and nephew. They get cuter by the minute. 

My dad loves raisins. He can't go a day without them. I wanted to make him a special treat, so I baked a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.

These cookies won't win an award for "most attractive" or "best presentation," but they are down right delicious. The cookies are soft and chewy with a nice cinnamon spice background. The plump raisins added sweetness to these wholesome cookies. My dad loved them, I am glad I added in extra raisins. They turned out great! 

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I think I may of cheated this weekend, but not on purpose. My dad LOVES spoiling his girls. While he was here he bought us groceries and took us out to dinner. I promise I didn't ask him to and this isn't unusual. My dad enjoys spoiling us while he is in town. 

So I don't really know how to count my food budget total. I still have only spent $8.28 of our own money, but we do have a fridge that is full of fresh produce and we enjoyed a nice Italian meal out. Again, I promise I didn't beg my dad to buy our groceries, that is just something he does. He is the best. So if anyone wants to kick me out of the challenge let me know:) 

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

Freshly grated nutmeg-just a bit

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4-1 cup of raisins 

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl add the raisins and cover with water. Let them sit for five minutes. This will help plump them up. 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Blend until combined. Stir in the oats and raisins. 

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can bake them right away, but I prefer to chill the dough. I think it helps them bake up and not be so flat. 

When you are ready to bake, spoon about a tablespoon of dough into a round ball, leaving space between each cookie. They will spread a little. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out when they are golden at the edges but still a little under baked in the middle. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to cooling rack.

Recipe for Roasted Potato Wedges

It's finally Friday, yahoo! Any fun plans? I have the day off so I am catching up on house cleaning and errands. Tonight I am going to meet up with two of my food blogging friends for dinner. Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen, is having me and Chris, from Mele Cotte, over for dinner. It should be a fun night. 

My dad is flying in late tonight from Illinois. He is only going to be here for the weekend, but I will take what I can get:) We plan on going to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and we might try a hike later on. We will pack in as much fun as possible. 

Today I am sharing an easy recipe for roasted potato wedges. They are the perfect side to so many dishes. Adults and kids love them too. You can keep it simple and flavor them with salt and pepper, or you spice things up with Cajun spices, chili powder, cumin, etc. I like to add fresh rosemary and Spike seasoning. You can serve them plain or with dipping sauces. Roasted potato wedges are a healthy alternative to French fries. They are tasty, easy, and cheap too! 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Roasted Potato Wedges

4 potatoes, washed, scrubbed, and cut into wedges (we leave the skin on)

Olive oil

Salt/pepper (use other seasonings if you wish)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. On a baking sheet toss the potato wedges with a little bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Use additional seasonings if you wish. 

3. Spread out the wedges on the baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Make sure you toss and turn the wedges every 10 to 15 minutes. You want them to be a little crispy. 

4. Serve plain or with dipping sauces such as ketchup, bbq sauce, etc. 

Recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I love whole wheat bread, but Josh isn't a huge fan. He loves it for toast or a BLT, but prefers white bread for his other sandwiches. He claims most whole wheat bread is too dense. I do buy white bread for Josh because I let him eat what he wants, but of course I prefer we both eat healthy:)

When we were in Colorado the friends we were staying with had a couple loaves of homemade whole wheat bread. Josh tried it and loved it. I was amazed, he said he would even use it for sandwich bread if I made it. So of course I snagged the recipe.

We ran out of bread this week and since I am trying to spend $100 on groceries/food this month, it was time to make our own. The recipe makes two big loaves and is really easy. My KitchenAid did most of the work:)

I was nervous it wouldn't turn out as good as our friends, but it did! I love that the recipe calls for ALL whole wheat flour. It also has a little vital wheat gluten, which adds protein and improves the texture and elasticity of the dough. This bread has a very nice texture, it is light, fluffy and all whole grain. It is perfect for toast and sandwiches.

I am glad Josh likes this bread. I will be making our own every day bread from now on.

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I haven't spent any money this week so I am still at $8.28. I am running low on produce so I will have to make a grocery run this week. I can't live without fresh fruits and veggies. I will shop the sales though:)

Some of you are probably wondering what we are eating, I promise we are eating well. Breakfast is oatmeal for me and cereal for Josh. I've always packed our lunches, so that hasn't changed. For dinner, we are using more of our freezer and pantry food. It is actually fun being creative with what we have. So far the challenge is going well!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Stouts' recipe

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 T vital wheat gluten (find it at Whole Foods, Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur, etc.)
2 packets of yeast (I used rapid rise)
2 1/2 cups warm water

In a large mixing bowl (preferably a KitchenAid), add the 3 cups flour, wheat gluten, and yeast. Stir. Add in warm water and stir until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.

1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 T salt
3 1/2-4 cups whole wheat flour

Mix the oil, honey, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture after the 10 minutes. Mix until combined. Add in the additional flour and mix. Now knead the dough for ten minutes with the dough hook. When it is done divide the dough into two loaves. Make sure they are even. Shape them into loaf form. Place the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the loaves have risen, bake them for 30 minutes. They should be golden brown. Let cool before slicing, if you can wait:) You can freeze one of the loaves if you wish.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Monday is not my favorite day of the week. I have a hard time coming back to work, especially after a fun holiday weekend. We went hiking and spent time at the Dewey's. We enjoyed the pool, a bbq, fireworks, etc. It was a perfect weekend.

On Saturday while the guys were playing "blood ball" in the pool, I baked cookies. Josh was outside and the Dewey's love peanut butter so I tried a flourless peanut butter cookie. No flour in a cookie? You read it right. I was intrigued too. The recipe called for peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and an egg. How easy! Of course I had to play around a little, so I added vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and chocolate chips.

The cookies melt in your mouth. They are soft, delicate, and full of peanut butter goodness. I am glad I added the chocolate chips, everyone loved the peanut butter and chocolate combo. When I told the group there was no flour in the cookies, they were amazed. No one even missed it! I will have to kick Josh out of the house so I can bake these again:)





Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Joy the Baker

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown sugar & 1/2 cup white sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.
2. Mix the peanut butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
4. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips.
5. Spoon dough into balls, about 1 Tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on the cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
6. Smash with a fork and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes. Move to a wire rack and cool. Make sure you don't overbake. They will set up and you want them to be soft.

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great holiday. We are at the Dewey's for the weekend. A bbq, lounging by the pool, and fireworks are all on the agenda. Should be fun!

As most of you know, I am a bargain shopper. I LOVE a good deal, especially on food. I love looking at the ads and shopping the sales. When Susan from "She's becoming doughmesstic" announced a $100 Food Challenge on Twitter, I knew I had to join in on the fun. Check out her blog for details. The Challenge is titled: "Penny Pinching Pantry Raid."

The challenge is flexible, but the goal is to only spend $100 TOTAL on food for the month of July. That is for me AND Josh and includes going out to eat. We can use what we already have in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. The challenge started on July 1st. I am late in getting my post up, but I have been participating. Don't worry I haven't been cheating:) Here is a list of what we started with in our pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Pantry:
Baking items (the usual-flour, sugars, salt, extracts, etc.)
Spices/herbs
Canola/olive oil
Vinegars
Oats
Boxed cereals-a variety of kinds, we love cereal:)
Pretzels
Tortilla Chips
Raisins
Craisins
Homemade granola
Brown rice
Quinoa
Whole wheat pasta
Bow tie pasta
Pasta Roni and Mac and Cheese-eww! Josh likes that stuff!
Popcorn
Dr. Krackers
Wheat Thins/Triscuits
Canned Beans-a variety of kinds
Diced Tomatoes
Veggie Broth
Tomato paste
Canned beans/corn
Whole wheat cous cous
A couple cans of soup
Hot chocolate mix
Canned Tuna
Agave nectar
Almond butter
Bag of potatoes
4 Roma tomatoes
Garilc
1 onion
Almonds
Coconut

Fridge:
2 gallons skim milk
Hummus
Feta cheese
Colby cheese
String cheese
Greek yogurt
Fresh spinach
Apples
Peaches
Nectarines
1/2 watermelon
Pom Juice
Salsa
Salad dressings/condiments/jam, etc.
Smart balance

Firm tofu
1/2 green pepper
Celery
Natural PB
Bread-only a couple slices left
Ham-for Josh's sandwiches
eggs
Artichoke hearts
Limes
Cucumber
FF Cottage cheese

Freezer:
Chicken-for Josh
Gardenburgers
Whole wheat tortillas
Mozzarella cheese
Unsalted butter
Chocolate chips
Berries
Edamame
Buckwheat pancakes-leftover
Roasted peppers
Lentil soup
Tuna steaks
Frozen yogurt
M and M's
Corn
Salmon

Ok, sorry to bore you. I think that is about it. So far I have spent $8.28. I bought another gallon of milk because I had a 75 cent coupon. Josh drinks a ton of milk! I also bought 2 containers of cottage cheese because it was on sale for $1.00 and a tub of Greek yogurt, again I had a coupon:)

We are at our friends' for the weekend and most likely we won't spend any money. They are providing everything for the bbq today. I will try to do an update at least once a week. Our goal is to spend $100 on food for the month. Wish us luck!

Grilled Vegetable Salad

We've been putting our grill to work lately. I love cooking and eating outside. This week we grilled eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. I really wasn't sure what to do with them when I started, but I ended up creating my new favorite salad.

I marinated the vegetables in a balsamic, garlic, basil concoction. Josh grilled them to perfection and then I added the veggies to a bed of fresh spinach. I also added artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and fresh basil. For fun, I grilled whole wheat pita bread and served little pita triangles on the side.

While we were eating I kept raving about the salad to Josh. I honestly wasn't looking for a pat on the back, I just couldn't believe it tasted so good:) It really took no time to make and we didn't have to heat up the house! This is a quick, healthy, tasty salad for summer. I can't wait to make it again.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves 2-3

1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh basil, chopped-to taste
Water-to taste

1 eggplant, sliced into rounds
1 zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 Roma tomatoes, halved
Artichoke hearts
Roasted red peppers
Feta Cheese
Fresh basil, chopped
Balsamic dressing
Whole wheat pita bread-optional

1. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, garlic, basil, and just a splash of water. The balsamic was too strong so I had to dilute it. You can skip the water if you like it really strong:)
2. Sprinkle the eggplant, zucchini, and tomato halves with salt and pepper. Lay them out in a dish. Pour the balsamic mixture over the vegetables. Make sure each side gets coated. Let veggies sit for 10 minutes or so.
2. Heat up the grill. Place eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes on the grill. Cook each side for a couple of minutes, until the veggies are tender with grill marks.
3. Place fresh spinach on a plate. Top with the grilled veggies, artichoke hearts, red peppers, feta cheese, and fresh basil. You can add extra balsamic dressing if you wish.
4. If you want, you can grill whole wheat pita bread and serve it on the side. I cut the bread into little triangles.

Recipe for Lemon Blueberry Cookies

Our summer has been really busy and I haven't had much time to bake, but last week I made time to create a special birthday treat for a friend. I was in a summery mood, so I decided to go with a lemon blueberry cookie. 

I love lemon so I made sure there was plenty of zest involved. I didn't want the cookies to turn blue, so I waited to add the blueberries. I scooped the dough onto the cookie sheets and then tucked 4 to 5 berries into each cookie. After the cookies cooled, I added a lemon glaze. These cookies are light, fluffy, and lemony. The blueberries are the hidden gems in these cookies. They add a nice burst of summer. 

When I made these cookies last week I posted a photo on Twitter. I had several requests for the recipe, so here you go! Your wishes are finally granted. 

Lemon Blueberry Cookies

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Zest of two large lemons 
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk

Fresh blueberries

Glaze:
Confectioners sugar

Fresh lemon juice

Lemon zest 

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. I used my Silpats. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until well mixed. This brings out the lemon flavor. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar/lemon mixture and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, and beat well to mix. Add the vanilla, and beat on low. Mix in the flour mixture and the buttermilk in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

Drop the dough by level tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, leave about 1 ½ inches between each cookie. Tuck 4-5 blueberries into each cookie. Try to make sure they are hidden. Bake one sheet at a time for about 11 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes; then transfer them to a wire rack.

For the glaze, whisk together the sifted confectioners sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. I never measure, just guess until you get the right consistency and flavor. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies. 

Our Weekend Trip To Colorado

We went to Boulder, Colorado over the weekend for Josh's cousin's wedding. We left on Thursday and got home last night. We drove and it actually wasn't that bad of a drive. I am usually not a fan of road trips, but this one wasn't too far. It only took us 7 hours and that was with a couple of stops. 

We had a great time in Colorado. We went to Boulder's Farmer's Market, Estes Park, we saw Transformers, and of course we spent lots of time with friends and family. The wedding was beautiful and we are glad we were able to celebrate with the bride and groom. 

I have today off since I work a 4/10 schedule at work. They made us take a day off this week because the 4th of July falls on a Saturday. That is fine by me. I have a lot to catch up on today.  

Here are a few photos from our trip. I will be back tomorrow with my lemon blueberry cookie recipe, I know some of you have been begging for it and I promise you will have it tomorrow:)