Love the Carnival? Try These Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies

I made these cookies awhile back, and thought I would share them with you.  Kind of a new take on an oatmeal raisin cookie.  I love the mixture of caramel and apple, and if you get them out of the oven quickly, they end up really chewy.  I will warn you, you will want to eat them all when you make them.  So make sure that you have somewhere to take them or people to serve them to.  My camera was broken when I made them so I don't have a picture of the ones I made, but the recipe came out of the March 2010 Cooking Light magazine.  The picture posted below is also from the magazine.  


The recipe calls for caramel bits or chunks of caramels.  I found the caramel bits at SuperTarget.  I haven't seen them anywhere else.  I just did not want to have to cut up sticky caramels.  One bag is enough for two or three recipes.  


Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies




1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup finely chopped dried apple slices
3/4 cup caramel bits or 16 small soft caramel candies, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°.


2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a bowl; stir well.


3. Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. Fold in apple and caramel bits.


4. Drop dough by 2 teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten balls slightly with hand. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.

Who Says You Can't Have Pizza for Breakfast?

Good Morning everyone! For some reason I have been craving breakfast pizza, so last week, my wonderful husband made one for us. He's had to play Mr. Mom while I am on bed rest with the twins.  He is a fantastic cook, and an expert griller.  I will try to post some of his grill secrets if he will share them.

I remember one of my student's moms sent a pizza in for class and it was sooooooooooo good, so we found a recipe from Cooking Light that worked for us. Now, I can't take any credit other than searching for an online recipe. Ken made the whole thing. You could definitely jazz it up a bit by adding southwest veggies and different cheese, or spinach and mushrooms. Whatever suits your fancy would totally work! The base recipe we used is below, hope you enjoy!

**Just a side note -- be sure you use a pan deep enough to hold the liquid egg mixture.  You don't want it spilling over to the bottom of your oven.  Ours ran over a bit and the next time we used the oven we smoked out the house!!

Breakfast Pizza


1 (8-ounce) can reduced-fat refrigerated crescent dinner roll dough
Cooking spray
12 ounces turkey breakfast sausage
1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°.


Separate dough into triangles. Press triangles together to form a single round crust on a 12-inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim.


Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain.
Top prepared dough with sausage, potatoes, and cheese. Combine milk, salt, pepper, and egg substitute, stirring with a whisk. Carefully pour milk mixture over sausage mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until crust is browned.

Easy and Delicious Chicken Pot Pie

Don't ask me why, but Chicken Pot Pie has always been a favorite of mine.  When I realized that most recipes are cream of ??? and milk, it kind of grossed me out.  Not to say that I never use canned soup, but I do try to stay away from it.  This recipe was different and super easy.  I mean super easy.  Your kids are sure to eat it.  Throw in their favorite veggies and serve with a side salad.  This recipe is also from Real Simple magazine, April 2010 issue.

Way Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 1 rotisserie chicken (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), meat shredded
• 2 14.5-ounce cans corn chowder (Wolfgang Puck Brand is suggested)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, corn chowder, peas, corn, thyme, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart (or 8-inch square) baking dish.

2. Lay the pastry on top of the dish, trim to fit, and cut vents in the top.

3. Bake until the chicken mixture is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

So good and simple.  Definitely a comfort food, but hey, you can do that every once in a awhile!  You will impress your family with this one!  

Easy Granola

OK, so I really do have a good excuse for not blogging much at the beginning of the year.  I am expecting twins this fall, so I have been juggling my sweet 2 and a half year old girl, feeling sick, and taking care of the house.  I do have some great recipes to post, and will hopefully get that done soon.  Now, they have me on bed rest, so I should be able to get some things posted.  My camera has been broken so I might not have pictures, but I will try to get something up.  Who knows, I might just have to blog about things other than recipes.

This recipe, is so so good.  Sometimes there is something to be said for simplicity.  I have made all sorts of granolas in the past, but this one far outweighs them all.  Best of all, it is the easiest of them all.  This holds up well in milk and has a really rich taste.  I found the recipe in Real Simple magazine the April 2010 edition.  The picture taken is from the magazine as well.  Let me know if you try it!

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (preferably unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup unsalted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) or shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dried fruit (such as cherries, cranberries, raisins, or currants)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the oats, almonds, coconut, and pepitas with the maple syrup, oil, and salt.

2. Bake, tossing once, until golden and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Let cool.

Tip

The granola will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 weeks.

Perfect Pot Roast

I have meant to make this post awhile ago, but better late than never, right?  This recipe was introduced to me from my dear friend Julie.  It is found in a cookbook from Fellowship Bible Church.  So simple, amazingly simple, but the best pot roast you will ever have.  I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.  When I cook it I put it in the crock pot, but you can also cook it in the oven as well.  I will include both instructions.  The picture doesn't do it justice and the biscuits in the picture are cheddar biscuits, I will post that recipe separately.  This recipe works very well if you are taking a meal to another family because it feeds a lot.  It is also perfect to put in the oven early on Sunday morning and then lunch is dinner right after church!

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients:
Pot Roast
1/4 cup Dale's Seasoning
2 cups Water
Any stew vegetables that you enjoy.  I use carrots, small potatoes, celery, mushrooms, and sometimes peas.

Directions:
Place pot roast in roasting pan, dutch oven, or crock pot and poke meat.  Pour Dales's seasoning over the meat and pour the water over the top and all around.  Add vegetables that take a long time to cook (potatoes, carrots, celery) and turn the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.  If you chose to cook it in the oven, follow the directions below:
Cover tightly with foil.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Then lower oven to 225 and bake for 4-5 hours.

Orange Juice Cake - You Gotta Try It!

So, I realize how long it has been since I last posted, and I promised a pot roast recipe, which I do have the pictures of, just haven't gotten it on here.  I will work on that.  This recipe for Orange Juice Cake is wonderful.  It is a favorite amongst the Corsini family.  By Corsini family, I mean Ken, Katie, and Kevin loved this cake growing up, so I consider it an "old" family recipe of my mother-in-laws, Ronna.  For the past 3 years I have made this cake for my mom's birthday because she just isn't a cake-and-frosting kind of girl.  This cake is perfect because it compliments her tea quite well and she loves lemony things.  Honestly, I haven't met anyone who doesn't love this cake.  My one piece of advice:  don't be lazy like me when mixing up the glaze - stir and stir until you get all the powdered sugar dissolved.  It just looks prettier that way!

Orange Juice Cake

Ingredients for Cake:
1 package yellow or lemon cake mix (I like lemon)
1 small package instant lemon pudding
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup of orange juice
4 eggs

Ingredients for Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup of orange juice
2 tablespoons of melted butter

Beat all cake mix ingredients together for 2 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes in a greased oblong pan.  While the cake is baking, mix up the glaze by adding ingredients to a bowl and whisking away until no lumps remain.  After cake is pulled out of the oven take a toothpick and poke every 1 inch or so all around the cake and frost with the glaze while the cake is warm.  You want the cake to cool a little before serving.  Enjoy!

They Don't All Have to be Homemade - Mandarin Orange Chicken

If you know me, you know my LOVE for Trader Joe's.  I am there all the time, we know the workers, they all know and love Naomi, it is a bit ridiculous.  I will do a post on "my favorite things" from there.  Then I can feel famous like Oprah.  Maybe I will even do a giveaway or something!?

So tonight for dinner we had Mandarin Orange Chicken - from Trader Joe's.  I saw it yesterday and thought for $4.99 this might be worth a try.  It was WELL worth the try.  We made it for dinner tonight added a few green onions, made some brown rice and garlic green beans to go along with it and wah-la dinner was served.  I could have told Ken that it was from our local take-out place, it was that good.  So, if you have a Trader Joe's nearby try it out, if you don't like it they will give you a refund!

Mandarin Orange Chicken and Garlic Green Beans

To prepare this meal, you just need a package of Mandarin Orange Chicken (I would say it would serve 3 adults) some of their frozen French cut green beans (I am telling you they are the BEST) and some brown rice.  I prepared the brown rice in my rice cooker, basically just steamed it.  For the chicken, saute it in some olive oil in the pan until heated through.  Heat the sauce in a saucepan or in the microwave and then mix it all together.  For the green beans, heat a small amount of oil in a pan.  Add some green beans, salt, pepper, and some crushed garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  

This dinner was together in a snap.  All I had to do was put the rice on earlier so it would be ready with our meal.  Enjoy!!!  

Be on the lookout tomorrow for the best pot roast ever with easy homemade cheddar biscuits.