Cinnamon Chip Cookies

These cookies are some serious yumminess. They reminded me of a cinnamon roll in cookie form (without the frosting) and they take the normal snickerdoodle cookie to a whole new level with the addition of cinnamon chips. Aren't cinnamon chips a beautiful thing?

Cinnamon Chip Cookies
Adapted from Averie Cooks
Printable Version
Makes 22 cookies
Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt (optional)
1 10 ounce bag of cinnamon chips

Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the egg, butter and sugars beat on medium high speed until well creamed about five minutes. If using a hand mixer beat for at least 7 minutes. Add the yogurt and vanilla and incorporate until fluffy again, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda and optional salt. Beat until just combined, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to over mix. 
Stir in the cinnamon chips. Place dough in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, until it is hard to the touch. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a Silpat liner or parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to brown. Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling. 

M & M Cookies for Memorial Day

I spent the morning of Memorial Day this year making these cookies to take into my husband and his co-workers who were hard at work serving military families at our Naval Hospital. I adapted this recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook chocolate chip cookie recipe and was really happy with the results. They were really yummy and who doesn't love an M&M cookie? 

This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies and I was worried I sent in too many, but my husband said that these were demolished in 24 hours. I am so glad that I was able to give back in a small way  on a Holiday that honors the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. 

M & M Cookies
From Betty Crocker's Cookbook
Makes 6 dozen cookies
Printable Version
Ingredients 
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large package of M&Ms (I used plain but any variety could be used)

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix throughly shortening, butter, sugars and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients, making sure to gently stir in the M&Ms at the very end.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet. 

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies

This recipe may be from the back of the a bag of chocolate chips but I don't care! I am throwing all of my other chocolate chip recipes out the window because I have found my favorite one. These cookies are everything a chocolate chip cookie should be - soft with the right amount of chewiness and fluffiness, a little rich, a little buttery, a little salty with pops of chocolate in every single bite...basically chocolate chip cookie perfection. I made mine with both white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips just to mix things up a bit.

White and Milk Chocolate Nestle Toll House Cookies
From Allrecipes.com
Printable Version
Makes 5 dozen cookies - so share with your friends!
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade vanilla pictured in vodka bottle)
2 large eggs
1 12 ounce package of chocolate chips (I used about half white and half milk chocolate chips)
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I omitted these)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, both sugars and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in four mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes then remove to write rack to cool completely. 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made my first batch of homemade chicken noodle soup when one of our good friends and her daughter was sick recently. There really is nothing better than a steaming hot bowl of good old fashioned chicken noodle soup when you aren't feeling well. This recipe made a huge batch so hubby and I also enjoyed it even though we weren't sick! And like most soup recipes, this soup tasted even better the next day. It will be hard to eat  chicken noodle soup from a can after discovering how easy and delicious it is to make myself!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Printable Version
Modified From Food Network.com
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch thick clices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 quarts chicken stock
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups of cooked chicken, shredded
1 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not browned.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for five minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley before serving. 

Butter Pecan Cupcakes

I was on the hunt for butter pecan cupcakes for my husband's birthday because that is one of his favorite ice cream flavors. There are tons of recipes for layered butter pecan cake, but since I wanted to take them into work for his coworkers to enjoy I really thought cupcakes were the way to go. I finally came across this recipe from A Cuppy Cake Life and spent the majority of the day whipping them up. Making cupcakes with a three month old is no easy task but a couple of hours later they were in the hands of hubby and his coworkers being gobbled up. Although this a great cake recipe and the toasted pecans were a tasty touch, I was not a fan of the frosting. I think there was too much powdered sugar and modified the recipe below. Honestly I suggest using a different frosting, perhaps your favorite buttercream! 

Butter Pecan Cupcakes
From A Cuppy Cake Life
Makes about 30 cupcakes

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups butter, softened and divided
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins and set aside. In a large skillet melt 1/4 cup of the butter. Add the chopped pecans and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until nuts are toasted and fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Do not over cook. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the sugar and remaining cup of butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix throughly after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry mixture in thirds alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition. Stir in 1 cup of the toasted pecans. The remainder will be used to top the cupcakes.

Spoon 1/4 cup of batter into each liner. Bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 3 minutes before removing to a write rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
8 cups powdered sugar
5 ounces evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Cream together the butter, vanilla, and 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Once well incorporated add the evaporated milk alternating with a cup of sugar at a time until all ingredients have been added. Beat on high for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Spread on cupcakes and top with remaining toasted pecans.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Sea Salt

In the past month I've made these delicious cookie bars three times. Yes - three times! They are that freaking good! They are not your average chocolate chip bars because they are sprinkled with sea salt before they are baked. This takes them to a whole new salty/sweet level. I made them for a potluck at hubby's work and people raved about them, so I made them again for a party and then one more time for hubby's coworkers. They are best warm and make a nice big batch so make them when you want to share - and believe me they will go fast!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Sea Salt
From Two Peas & Their Pod
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (can be scaled back if you would like)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chip
Sea salt for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. In the bowl of a stand mixer mix together the melted butter and sugars until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients at low speed until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Pour the dough into the prepared pan and smooth so it evens out. Sprinkle the bars very lightly with sea salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the bars are light brown and start to pull away from the pan. Allow bars to cook on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving. 

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake

In my humble opinion, breakfast doesn't get much better than this. Fluffy coffee cake with pops of blueberries covered in a cinnamon sugar crumble. With a big glass of milk or steaming cup of coffee this is breakfast perfection. I made this Blueberry Buckle for a Sip and See - a celebration of our neighbors' beautiful newborn baby girl. I wish I had more occasions to make coffee cakes because I LOVE THEM.

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
From DeAnna House Cookbook
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 cups blueberries, fresh or unthawed frozen
Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine

Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a large mixing bowl sift together 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a 2 cup clear measuring cup combine the vegetable oil, milk, and egg. Beat with a fork until egg is blended with milk. Pour liquid ingredients into flour mixture. Stir just until four disappears. Fold in blueberries. 

Pour into a greased baking pan - I used a 7 X 10 pan but you can also use a 9 inch square pan. Set aside while mixing together the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, cinnamon and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over blueberry batter for topping. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes if using fresh berries or 50-60 minutes if using frozen berries. Check for doneness by inserting a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool about 20 minutes before serving.

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread

A friend who knows how much I love Nutella sent me a link to Nutella Banana bread. Not this recipe but a similar one, and since she did I didn't stop thinking about baking a loaf myself until I actually set about doing it. 

I like this marbled version because it just looks so pretty. It came out moist with a great balance between banana and Nutella. And bananas and Nutella are just made to go together!

Marbled Nutella Banana Bread
From Sugar Plum
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ripe bananas (3 bananas)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Nutella

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a a mixer on medium speed (I used my KitchenAid mixer on medium) beat together banana, butter, both sugars, and vanilla until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs until well combined. Reduce mixer to low speed and beat in flour mixture until just combined. Divide 1/2 of the batter in to a medium bowl; stir in Nutella until combined.

Alternate spoonfuls of batter into the loaf pan until all of the batter is used up. Swirl batter gently with a knife - not too much!

Bake 1 hour or until well risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

Peanut Butter Waffles

Last weekend I made these peanut butter waffles on a lazy Sunday morning. I added creamy peanut butter to Belgian waffle batter. It was an excellent choice. The peanut butter flavor comes through in every bite and creates a beautiful golden brown color. These waffles are super quick and hubby declared them his favorite waffles to date. 

Peanut Butter Waffles
Modified from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook
Makes 16 4-inch waffles
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs 
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil or butter, melted
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla


Directions
In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside. In another medium bowl beat eggs slightly; stir in milk, oil, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy).

Pour 1 1/4 cups of batter onto grids of a preheated lightly greased waffle iron. Close the lid quickly and bake according to manufacturer's directions. 

Use a fork to life waffle off iron. Serve warm with butter and syrup. 

Small Batch Baking: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones

About six months ago I entered a give away on one of my favorite blogs and won the cookbook Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers. Last week I finally browsed through it and settled on these chocolate chip oatmeal scones as my first Small Batch Baking attempt. I had an obstetrics appointment so made these in the morning and took them in for the doctor. It's always smart to stay on the good side of someone who may deliver your baby, right?! :) Anyway, the original recipe made only two scones but I doubled the recipe so hubby and I could each have one too. They were so delicious! A perfect texture and a great balance between oatmeal and chocolate chip. If I were drinking coffee I would have drank a big ol cup of it with these scones, but I went with a nice cold glass of milk instead. I am sure you could substitute whatever you like in your scones for chocolate chips: cinnamon chips, blueberries, etc.

Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones
From Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers by Debby Maugans 
Makes 4 scones
Printable Version
Ingredients
4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons oats, uncooked
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I used milk chocolate)
2 tablespoons half and half
2 tablespoons well beaten egg

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside (I used my silpat mat). Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces; freeze while preparing the other ingredients. Place the oats in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse until well combined, 3 to 4 pulses. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the flour mixture; pulse until butter pieces are no larger than peas, about 7 pieces. Add chocolate chips, half and half, and egg. 

Cover and pulse until the dough is well combined and moist clumps form, about 7 pulses. Transfer the dough to a work surface and form into a disk. Divide the dough into quarters with a knife.

Shape into scones, about 1 inch thick and place on the baking sheet with at 2 inches in between each scone. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining sugar. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. These scones are best the day they are baked!