Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Oatmeal

What??

What on Earth would motivate me to post on this long-forgotten blog after nearly 6 years of silence?

Well, it's simple, really.

I have accumulated a number of recipes that I want to keep track of in one place.

I'll be posting them here, but probably won't include pictures often.

This baked chocolate chip cookie oatmeal adapted from Apple of My Eye is one of my favorite go-to recipes for breakfast!

It's so warm and comforting, especially on a chilly morning, and several of my kids love it. This morning Benson said as he was eating, "Mmmm, so good, Mom!"

Maxwell, on the other hand, who regularly eats 4 helpings of it, spotted a tiny bit of cooked egg white in his oatmeal and a fit commenced because it was a "cold white thing" and he would no longer eat it.

Such is life.

2 c. quick oats

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

1/3 c. brown sugar

2 1/2 c. milk

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1 T. honey

1 T. butter

1/4 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a 9x13 pan, combine quick oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar. Melt together honey and butter and whisk together with milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and combine. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and bake for 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrient-Packed Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

These cookies aren't very photogenic, but they are delicious enough to make up for their less-than-attractive appearance. We went on an early-morning "hike" (in Texas that means a walk around a park on a wooded trail), and took these with us. They are perfect for hikes, camping, or just a quick breakfast to keep in the freezer.

Recipe adapted from MOMables

1/2 c. mashed banana (about 1 large)

1/2 c. peanut butter (or other nut butter)

1/2 c. honey

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. quick oats

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. ground flax seed

1/4 c. powdered milk

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. banking soda

1/2 c. raisins or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Add oats, flour, ground flax seed, powdered milk, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. Stir in raisins/chocolate chips. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet and cook for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 12 cookies.

Whole Wheat Applesauce Blender Pancakes

I love these pancakes! When Grandma and Grandpa were on their mission here, I visited them once and Grandma gave me this recipe. The original recipe actually uses melted butter instead of applesauce, but I prefer using applesauce. It makes the pancakes more dense and gives them a terrific flavor. But they do tend to be pretty flat, so if you prefer fluffy pancakes, I would stick with using butter.

These also freeze well, so I like making a huge batch and sticking them in the freezer for quick breakfasts.



1 c. milk

1 c. whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 c. applesauce

Blend milk and flour for 2 minutes (this softens the wheat and breaks it down). Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Cook on a griddle at 300 degrees.


P.S. I don't really know why I've been on such a posting spree lately, but you can expect it to continue for at least a while longer--I've got lots more recipes in the works! :)

Outrageous French Toast

I got this recipe when I worked in Washington D.C. at NDU. There was an international cooking/sharing foods group for the spouses of the military officers, and they would meet every other week or so and bring in dishes from their countries and the recipes to share. This recipe came from one of the Americans who ran the program--and it's delicious! 

When I made it, I used the cheapest bread I could find, and so it was pretty thin (even with two layers of bread). I would suggest using thicker bread or putting a third layer on the top.

16 slices inexpensive whole wheat bread (crusts removed)

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup (I used honey)

5 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla

sour cream

fresh or frozen strawberries

Over low heat, stir sugar, syrup, cinnamon, and butter until melted and blended. Pour mixture into a 13x9 inch pan, spread evenly on bottom. Place the bread slices in a double (or triple) layer on top of the mixture (do this quickly, as the liquid starts to get hard after a couple of minutes).

Beat eggs with milk and vanilla, pour over bread and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.

To serve, cut into 8 servings, and then flip over onto plate with a spatula, caramelized side up. Put a dollop of sour cream and strawberries on top.

Stuffed Brunch Rolls

I got this idea from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook. When Talmage was born, Mom came to our apartment and made us delicious meals all week long. These rolls were among the ranks and quickly became a favorite of ours. Soft, creamy, and versatile--they're winners for sure!

You can use whatever bread dough you like, but here is the recipe I use:

Mix for 2 minutes:

1 c. flour

2 c. water (make it pretty hot so it doesn't cool down too much before adding the yeast)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sugar

Add:

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. yeast

1/3 c. oil

5 c. flour

Add additional flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth ball. Knead for 7 minutes. Cover and let rise until double.

Meanwhile, prepare fillings. Have fun and be creative here (I often use this to empty out the fridge), but here are some suggestions:

-chopped ham, shredded cheddar cheese, steamed broccoli, shredded parmesan cheese

-cooked sausage, green peppers, onions, mozzarella cheese

-shredded chicken, bacon, cheddar, ranch seasoning, green onions

To prepare the sauce, soften 8 oz. cream cheese and 4 Tbsp. butter. Stir together until smooth. When dough is ready, spray counter with non-stick cooking spray and roll out dough into a large rectangle. Spread with cream cheese mixture and sprinkle toppings on top. Roll up cinnamon roll style and slice using dental floss or heavy-duty thread. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter. I also sometimes sprinkle poppyseeds on rolls before baking.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Waffles

We love these waffles! They are packed full of good, nutritious elements but the chocolate chips make them kid-friendly. They do tend to be fairly dry, so serving them with fresh fruit and whipped cream is a good alternative to drenching them with syrup, although the photo says otherwise.

Recipe adapted from here.

Whisk together:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup pure wheat bran (I use Bob's Red Mill)

2 Tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

In a separate bowl mix together:

2 cups milk

6 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup applesauce

3 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine wet ingredients with dry ones and fold in 1-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions.

Apple Pancake Dutch Baby

I found this recipe here the day we got back from Utah last December. I made it that night, and we have loved it ever since!

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Thinly sliced apples (I use one medium apple)

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. milk

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place butter, apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in pie pan and bake until apples are soft (3-5 min.). Beat together flour, milk, and eggs until smooth. Add to pie pan and bake 12-15 minutes.

Tips: You can put the butter in the pie plate and put it in the oven while it's preheating to melt it. Also, I typically double this recipe for Sam and I and bake it in two pie plates. Sam easily eats one and a half (or more) himself.

Gingerbread Breakfast Bars

(original recipe from Vocalpoint, greatly adapted to be my own)

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Preheat oven to 350, spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

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Sift together:

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

12/ tsp ground allspice

1/2 c packed brown sugar

(you could also use a packaged gingerbread mix)

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Beat together:

1 large egg

1 1/4 c lukewarm water

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Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened, then add:

3 c granola cereal (buy it or make your own)

dried fruit (I like currants, but raisins, craisins, or other small, soft fruit will work)

chopped nuts (optional - my granola already had some)

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Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until bars spring back when pressed with fingertips. Cool, then cut and serve.

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They store great in the fridge for several days. This works great as a hearty addition to breakfast, or they are perfect for a grab and run snack to tide you over. I keep them in the fridge and eat one for my mid-morning re-fueling. Ryan calls them super oatmeal cookies. Whatever you like.

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Tip: I like to double the dry ingredients at the top and save half to make it quicker to put these together next time. Just store in an air-tight container in your pantry.