baking

Tasty Chewy Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies!

Abby H.2 Comments

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.11.51 PMDuring a recent pantry clean out, I discovered 3 pounds of brown sugar.

So, I unleashed my google fu to find a recipe to use some of it up. I discovered this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, but it didn’t quite meet our needs (aka what was in the kitchen). So with some changes, I whipped up a batch of chewy, yummy, spiced oatmeal cookies that are sure to please even the finickiest cookie monster!

 

I had to make 3 batches because they just kept disappearing!

Spiced Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies (Adapted from this recipe )

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) Salted Butter, Softened
  • ½ cup coconut oil, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cups (packed) Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 teaspoons each: Cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, nutmeg
  • 3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Beat together the butter, coconut oil, and sugars until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices in a separate bowl. Add it into the wet ingredients, mixing it until just combined. Mix in the oats until just combined. Don’t overmix!

Drop scoops/spoonfuls of dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until dark and chewy.  These cookies spread when you bake them, so make sure to give them room to grow!

Let them cool slight on the pan after removing from the oven, then transfer the cookies.

Makes 24-36 cookies (depending on the size cookie you make)

 

Learn a new skill from Craftsy for free!!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 7.05.01 AM

I love Craftsy! I love making stuff and being creative, but sometimes it’s hard to learn a new skill or hone one you already have on a budget. Craftsy to the rescue! They have awesome free classes where you can learn to do all kinds of cool stuff from cooking and baking to knitting!

The free mini classes can be viewed on any device, so you can learn anywhere! Right now there are 47 mini classes that are free. Mini-courses  feature student-led discussions and are shorter in length than regular courses. They are a perfect way to learn new skills and experience the Craftsy platform first-hand.

Here are just a few of the ones I’ve saved to watch and explore:

For the complete list, click here.

Which Mini-Classes are you going to take?

Recipe: Mother’s Milk Lactation Cookies

Abby H.

00707With the second small friend on the way, as well as many friends having kids, I’ve been whipping up batches of lactation cookies like whoah. A batch of these cookies makes a great gift!

The key ingredients to these cookies are Flax, Brewer’s Yeast, and Oatmeal. Brewer’s Yeast and Oatmeal are galactagogues, meaning they promote lactation. Flax contains Omega-3’s, which are needed for brain function and development and can be passed through breast milk. You need all three of these ingredients.

Don’t Worry: If your spouse or relatives eat these cookies, they won’t start lactating!! Galactagogues only stimulate milk production in those already lactating!

This Recipe makes A LOT of cookies (4-5 dozen). I freeze them, and thaw them 3-4 cookies at a time. 4-5 dozen cookies will last a new mom a few weeks.

Unlike my other recipes, there are no substitutions or work arounds. Each one of these ingredients is needed. This recipe cannot be made nut/seed free, or vegan.

Mother’s Milk Lactation Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 c. flour
  • 2 c. oats (Old fashioned is preferred, but Quick cook works as well. DO NOT USE STEEL CUT OATS!)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 c. Nut butter of your choice (I’ve used both Almond and Peanut- If you have nut allergies, try Sun Butter)
  • 1/4 c. brewer’s yeast (You can buy it at Sprouts or Whole Foods)
  • 1 stick butter, softened (1/2 c)
  • 1 c brown sugar, packed
  • 1 c white sugar
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 c. ground flax seeds(You can get them in the bulk food section at Sprouts or Whole Foods)
  • 1 1/3 c. warm water (you may need a little more, depending on how dry the weather is)
  • 1 bag chocolate chips
  • Dash of salt

Optional: Nuts, dried fruit in place of the chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, oats, soda and baking powder. Set Aside.
  2. in a small bowl, mix the flax and water. Set aside. The mixture will be kind of gooey- almost the consistency of a raw egg.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, nut butter, yeast, vanilla, and sugar.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mix until combined.
  5. Add the flax/water mixture.
  6. Add the dry mixture, and mix until combined.
  7. Add the chips, dried fruit or nuts.
  8. Scoop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet or into greased mini-muffin pans.
  9. Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes.