Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

There's a big potluck coming up at work and I am baking cookies.  I plan on baking plain old chocolate chip cookies (recipe off the side of the Nestle toll house morsels package - still awesome after 50+ years) and two batches of oatmeal butterscotch (a favorite in this house). When I mentioned what I was going to bring, I had to promise to bring the recipe as well.  Being that I have to write it out anyway, I figured I'd post it.   If you want to try a really good cookie recipe that is just a little different, here you go: 

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies 

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened 
3/4 cup white sugar 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
2 eggs 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/2 tsp salt 
3 cups rolled oats 
2 cups butterscotch chips 

Directions: 
Heat oven to 375 degrees. 

In large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar and brown sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. 

In a medium sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; stir until blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Makes about 5 dozen cookies. 

Raspberry Muffins

I had this recipe emailed to me and it looked really good. The recipe was actually for sugar crusted raspberry muffins but when I tried it, the batter wasn't sweet enough and the tops of the muffins stuck like glue to the top of the muffin tin. They weren't very pretty when I wrestled them out with a butter knife! So, as I always do, I made some modifications. Now they're sitting there, tempting me and every time I walk by I eat another one. This recipe is great for the friends back home that have raspberries ready in their gardens. I had to buy mine at the store but if I close my eyes I can pretend I picked them myself. Enjoy! 

Raspberry Muffins adapted from a recipe from Real Simple 

Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients: 
2 cups all purpose flour, divided 
3/4 cup sugar 
2 tsp baking powder 
1/4 tsp salt 
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 
3/4 cup milk 
1 large egg 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (I used two 6oz containers) 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat muffin tins generously with cooking spray or line with paper liners. 

In mixing bowl combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter and combine. Add egg, milk and vanilla and combine until well blended. 

In another bowl, toss the berries with the remaining flour. Don't worry if the berries break up. Fold the berry mixture into the batter. 

Fill the muffin cups and bake 20 minutes for large muffins, 15 minutes for mini muffins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Leave muffins in tins and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing. 

Makes 24 large muffins or 36 mini muffins.

Stove Top Pot-Pourri

I love fall.  I love everything about fall, especially the cooling off that comes with it.  Yesterday was the first day of fall.  Obviously, Arizona never got the memo.  It was 106 degrees and the high today is 102.  Sheesh.  If I can't actually HAVE fall, then I'm going to pretend it's fall anyway.  I am going to bake with pumpkin and make the house smell like fall.  And I'll share the recipes with you guys.  Two birds with one stone.

I love the house smelling good.  I went to a baby shower a while back and when I walked in, the whole house smelled like baking.  Cinnamon and vanilla and just plain good.  When I asked the hostess what she had done, she pointed to a pot on the stove that was happily simmering away.  "Stove top pot-pourri," she said.  I vowed to do this in my own house as soon as possible.

It's not fall here yet, no matter what the calendar says, but it sure smells like someone is cooking up some good stuff in my kitchen.  I just add some more water when the water gets low.  If only I could get the temperature to cool down a bit outside, I'd be in heaven.

Stove Top Pot-Pourri

adapted from a recipe on phillyburbs.com

Ingredients:

1 - 4 quart pot
1 Whole lemon with peel-slices
1 Tablespoon whole cloves
2 Tablespoons Vanilla
3 Cinnamon Sticks
2 Teaspoons grated nutmeg
Water

Directions:

Add all ingredients to pot and cover with water, pot should be ¾ full. Simmer on low heat on the stovetop. Water will turn brown from the cinnamon sticks and eventually evaporate. Add more water as water level gets low.  Leave simmering for as long as you like.  This will continue to be fragrant for many hours and make your house smell wonderful.  (Realtors suggest people do this when trying to sell a house).

Now Printer Friendly and Labelled

I just made some changes to my little blog and now each recipe is printable. I don't know about you but when I am making something I NEED the printed recipe beside me (mostly because I can't stick to a recipe to save my life and am ALWAYS changing something). To use this feature, click on the "Print Friendly" icon below the post. I also labelled the recipe posts by recipe name to make it easier. Now you can just got to specific recipes by clicking on the right.  Hope this helps.  :)

Roasted Potato Stacks

My family loves these little potato stacks.  They take a long time to cook but the end result is worth it.  Just be sure to put them in the oven and THEN make the rest of your meal.  That way everything gets done about the same time.  Enjoy!


Roasted Potato Stacks
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Gourmandrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. Russet potatoes
Salt and pepper
sprinkle dried thyme leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make the garlic oil: combine the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and gently warm over low heat until fragrant but the garlic is not brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice them with a mandolin.
4. Brush 8 muffin tins with the garlic oil with a pastry brush. Layer a potato slice in the bottom of a muffin tin and brush it with a thin layer of garlic oil. Layer another slice of potato and brush it with the garlic oil. Repeat until it stacks up to the top of the muffin tin.
5. Repeat step 4 with a new muffin tin until you have a total of 8 potato stacks.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the potato stacks with the dried thyme leaves.
7. Bake the potato stacks in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and cooked through.
8. Serve immediately with any main entrees.

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

I have four ugly bananas on my counter. It's either throw them out or make something with them. Since I have the extra time, I'll surprise my family when they get home with this simple but delicious recipe. 

I have been making this recipe since I found it in a cookbook given to me by my home economics teacher in seventh grade. It has been reworked a few times but it is the simplest recipe that I have ever come across and my family loves it. Today I am making mini muffins but it also makes loaves and regular muffins. The cooking times are at the end of the recipe and if you make a loaf you may want to sprinkle the top (before baking) with a little cinnamon and maybe a 1/4 cup brown sugar. It makes a nice topping. Or leave it naked... either way it's yummy! :) 

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins 


Ingredients: 
3-4 ripe mushy bananas 
1/3 cup butter (softened) 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 egg 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 cups flour 
1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 cup chocolate chips 
1/2 cup walnuts (optional) 

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Mash bananas. Mix with butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined. 

Add flour, salt, baking powder & baking soda and barely mix (just until incorporated).

Add chocolate chips and walnuts (if desired) and mix only enough to blend. 

Put into greased pan and bake at 400 degrees for: 
Glass Loaf Pan ~ 40 minutes (makes 1 loaf) 
Metal Loaf Pan ~ 35 minutes (makes 1 loaf) 
Regular Sized Muffins ~ 20 minutes (makes 24 muffins) 
Mini Muffins ~ 12 minutes (makes 36 mini muffins) 

The loaf/muffins/mini muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

The secret to growing watermelons in Arizona

Late this spring, the kids and I planted a watermelon garden.  We live in Arizona so the summers are ridiculously hot and the ground really doesn't cooperate when it comes to growing a lot of things.  It seemed like forever but finally, small little green sprouts came up out of the garden.  We watered them and checked them almost every day.  Then it got hot.  REALLY hot and everything in my little greenhouse withered and died from the heat.  Even the things I moved out of the greeenhouse into the shade died.  Arizona summers are just too much for most living things.  Thanks, Mother Nature, for the reminder.

Then it came time for us to leave town on our family vacation.  I was about to wither and die as well so it was good timing.  For three weeks we were gone and no rain fell from the sky.  When we got back I was surprised to see that there was still signs of life in the watermelon garden.  Then the monsoon rains started.  If you're not familiar with this little phenomenon, let me tell you that you haven't lived until you have had hot rain fall from the sky while you watch your kids trampoline become airborne and land on the neighbors roof.... but I digress.  We've had an unseasonable amount of rainfall which has resulted in sticky conditions (not a dry heat at all), bloodthirsty mosquitoes that travel in gangs, and a very alive watermelon garden.

It's been over a week since we've had any rain and our temperatures are still over 100 degrees.  I started feeling guilty about the fact that the garden must be thirsty so I went out to give it a drink today.  When I got out there I realized that the garden has gone crazy and snaked it's way all over the yard.  It doesn't matter because the pool pump is the only thing in the same corner and I can tiptoe around that but it's seriously jungle-like out there.  I was giving the poor thirsty roots a drink when I noticed the first melon.

Isn't it cute?

Then I had to shock the pool and when I went to turn it on I found another one - nestled up to the pool pump.

And finally on the backside I found this one.  This one is the size of a newborn.

Who knew?  The key to growing watermelons in Arizona is to just leave them alone.  If you over water them they'll explode and then the birds and ants will have a feast (I did that three years ago).  So I will water once or twice a week, I guess, and keep ignoring them.  :)