Category Archives: Snacks

The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

May 9, 2012 – 6:00 am

Usually I like at least one form of chocolate in my baked goods, but one of the exceptions that satisfies me without chocolate is a good, chewy oatmeal raisin cookie.

I love the way the oatmeal keeps the cookie soft and the sweet burst of flavor from the raisins. And with oatmeal being such a healthy food, I can feel good about eating this snack. I tweaked the leavening agents a bit in this recipe to deliver a bit thicker cookie. I don’t like when my cookies begin as nice mounds but then ooze in the oven only to leave me with flat cookies with mix-ins protruding out everywhere.

There are also a few Rice Krispies thrown into this batter to give the cookies a little crunch. You should know by know how important texture is to me. And the final addition that also helps make the cookies extra chewy is a bit of shredded coconut. You really can’t detect a coconutty flavor, you just know there is something extra special going on.

I already shared my all-time favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie with you,

and I can pretty confidently say that I am now introducing you to the last Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe I will ever make.

*Note: If you are a fan of Paradise Bakery‘s cookies, this one comes pretty close to their oatmeal raisin.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake dessert oatmeal cookie

Ingredients (18 cookies)

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup Rice Krispies
1/2 shredded coconut
3/4 cup raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl and with an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix to incorporate.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix to incorporate.

Add oats, Rice Krispies, coconut and raisins and mix.

Scoop 1/4 cup-sized balls of dough onto cookie sheets using a cookie scoop or spoon (6 per sheet) and flatten slightly.

Bake 10 minutes. Cool on racks.

Recipe adapted from The Lemonista

cream butter and sugar together

add egg and vanilla

mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon

mix in oats, rice krispies, coconut and raisins

place dough onto cookie sheets and bake

Do you have recipes for things that are SO GOOD you never feel the need to try another recipe? What are they for?

Did you like this? Share it:

Tags coconut, Oatmeal, Raisins | Comments (12)

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

April 13, 2012 – 6:00 am

If you had to enter an eating contest, what food would be your best bet for eating the most of and winning the contest? Mine would be Scotcheroos/Special K bars/whatever you choose to call the peanut butter/chocolate cereal bars. I know some would say the these bars are “too sweet” but (un)fortunately for me, I don’t know the meaning of “too sweet”. I could literally eat row after row of the perfectly crunchy yet creamy bars until I literally make myself sick. There are many variations of these cereal bars, and I honestly have never met one that I did not enjoy.

When I was choosing the first recipes I wanted to try after I received a copy of the Baked New Frontiers in Baking Cookbook, these bars caught my eye right away for all of the reasons I just explained.

This variation on my favorite bar is totally over the top. The cereal is mixed with a sweet syrup and there are two perfectly complimentary creamy layers on top. The first layer that tops the cereal is a sweet mixture of peanut butter and milk chocolate. FInally, a top layer of rich and buttery dark chocolate makes these bars just rich enough to keep my devouring under control.

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: no-bake dessert snack chocolate peanut butter bar

Ingredients (12-16 bars)

Cereal layer

1 3/4 cup crisped rice cereal
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer

5 oz. (~3/4 cup) milk chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Dark Chocolate Layer

3 oz. (~1/2 cup) dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp light corn syrup
4 Tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

Cereal Layer

Spray a 8-inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray then wipe out excess with paper towel.

Place cereal into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Place a candy thermometer onto the pan and bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (235 degrees).

Remove from heat and gently stir in melted butter.

Pour mixture cereal and stir to coat cereal evenly. Pour cereal mixture into prepared pan and press down gently to form the bottom layer.

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer

Place milk chocolate and peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is melted, stirring in between heating. Stir to combine.

Pour over cooled cereal layer and spread evenly.

Cool in refrigerator for ~1 hour or until peanut butter layer is set.

Dark Chocolate Layer

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine dark chocolate, butter and corn syrup and microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate and butter are melted stirring in between heating. Stir to combine and pour over cooled peanut butter layer.

Cool in refrigerator for ~1 hour or until dark chocolate layer is set.

Cut into desired size and serve.

Recipe adapted from Baked New Frontiers in Baking

in a small saucepan, combine water, sugar and corn syrup

bring to a boil and heat until temperature reaches 235 degrees

remove from heat, add butter, stir to combine and pour over cereal

press cereal mixture into prepared pan

combine milk chocolate and peanut butter and heat until melted

spread over cooled cereal mixture, refrigerate to set

melt together dark chocolate, corn syrup and butter

spread over cooled milk chocolate layer

refrigerate to set before cutting and serving

What is your “eating contest” food? Come on, don’t make me feel bad, admit that you have thought about this too!

Did you like this? Share it:

Tags Chocolate, peanut butter | Comments (9)

Superfood Smoothie

February 3, 2012 – 6:00 am

Even though I am not a person who makes New Year’s resolutions, I do always find myself thinking of the things I can do better or new things that I wan tot try when January comes around. One conscious change I have been trying to make this year is to eat more fruits and vegetables. I love almost all produce, I just don’t feel like I know how to get enough of them everyday in my diet.

One way I have been trying to remedy this is by drinking “superfood” smoothies. It is a simple way for me to efficiently get an extra 3-4 servings of fruits and veggies in 1 smoothie and the rest of my daily servings I can easily get in with my meals.

All I do is load up my Vitamix with 8 ounces of water (you could also use milk and or a splash of juice), a cup of fresh or frozen mixed berries, one banana and 2 cups of spinach and blend away. Other great options to add are greek yogurt, kale and any other fruits and vegetables of your choice.

And no need to be scared off by incorporating greens into your smoothie. All you taste is the wonderful freshness of the berries and bananas!

Did you like this? Share it:

Comments (7)

Classic Biscuits (January Daring Bakers’ Challenge)

January 27, 2012 – 2:34 pm

So it’s time to reveal this month’s Daring Baker’s Challenge! If you remember, back in November I shared this very challenging cake with you and explained a little bit about the Daring Bakers.

This month’s challenge was much more manageable and so easy and fun to make. Who doesn’t love a good biscuit? Or scone as they are referred to in other parts of the world. Sure, they only have a few ingredients and are relatively simple to make, but ask anyone who has failed at attempting to make biscuits and they will tell you that just a few too many kneads or not using the ingredients at the right temperature and you may end up with hard, unappetizing biscuits that resemble hockey pucks more than you would actually like to admit.

But with a few helpful tips and fresh ingredients, you can make light, tall and flakey biscuits in literally just a few minutes. Before you know it, you will be smearing a warm and tender biscuit with honey, butter or whatever your little heart desires.

Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

Tips for making successful biscuits:

Butter and milk must be cold because the chunks of butter are what result in a flakey biscuit (and we want flakey biscuits)
Dough must not be overworked or your scones will be hard hockey pucks
Make sure your ingredients are fresh and more specifically your baking powder. How to tell if baking powder is fresh? Add a 1/2 tsp of baking powder to warm water and it should bubble. What about baking soda? Add the same amount to some vinegar and again look for bubbles. No bubbles=time for new leavening agents!

Biscuits (aka Scones)

by Mercedes Porter

Keywords: bake bread side snack

Ingredients (6-8 biscuits)

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Sift together dry ingredients and place in medium bowl.

Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to dry ingredients using pastry blender or food processor until coarse meal forms.

Stir in milk until just combined. Dough will be wet and sticky.

Pour dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead to gather into a ball. Only knead 4-5 times or the biscuits will not be tender.

Pat dough into 3/4 inch tall rectangle and cut with cutter of your choice that has been rubbed with flour. Continue reforming and flattening dough to combine and cut remaining scraps, but again, handle as little as possible.

Place biscuits onto baking sheet and bake 8 minutes.

Enjoy warm.

Recipe Source: Audax Artifex

combine dry ingredients and sift together

cut in cold butter until looks like tiny peas (coarse meal)

mix in milk

pour dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead minimally

flatten out dough to about 3/4 thick and cut biscuits

bake

What would you like to slather onto one of these tender, flakey biscuits?

Did you like this? Share it:

Comments (10)

Homemade Ginger Chews and Ginger Simple Syrup

January 17, 2012 – 9:55 am

Are you obsessed with ginger chews like I am? I love to buy them at Trader Joe’s! They are such a satisfying little treat with their perfect chewiness and burst of fresh ginger flavor. I really love ginger in just about anything because it gives such warm spice to whatever you add it to.

When I saw this recipe for Candied Ginger from America’s Test Kitchen I had a feeling that the resulting sweet would be very similar to my much-loved store-bought chews. This homemade version punches you with even more of a spicy ginger kick. Also, as a bonus, if you save the syrup that you get after boiling the ginger, it is the perfect addition to cocktails, oatmeal, whipped cream or anything else you can think of that could use a sweet ginger jolt.