The Ultimate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

It has been a while since I last bake any new cookies. Being more adventurous and heath conscious nowadays, I prefer to bake healthier goodies. This time round, I am looking for recipe that calls for chocolate chips as I have some sitting on the shelf for a while. As hubby and I were shopping for grocery at the Atlantic Superstore, I came across the Robin Hood Large Flake Oats (100% whole grain). Hubby and I have been going on “oat” craze lately and we have been taking stainless steel cut oats for our weekday breakfast. I will post the recipe for that the next time.

Today, I am baking the Ultimate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies based on the recipe provided at the back of the Robin Hood Large Flake Oats packaging. The cookies turn out to be very delicious. I brought some of the cookies to a friend’s house and everyone seems to be loving it.

Ingredients:

¾ cup (175 mL) butter, softened
¾ cup (175 mL) brown sugar, packed
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp (30 mL) water
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
¾ cup (175 mL) Robin Hood® All Purpose Flour
1 tsp (4 mL) cinnamon

¾ tsp (3 mL) baking soda
3 cups (750 mL) Robin Hood® or Old Mill® Oats
1 ½ cups (375 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Cream first 6 ingredients together on medium speed of electric mixer until light and creamy. Combine flour,cinnamon and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture, beating on low speed until blended. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto greased or parchment paper lined baking sheets.
2. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden. Don't overbake.

You may choose to replace chips with raisins or other nuts. For those who prefers chewy type of cookies, you may shorten the baking time while for those who prefers crispy ones, do bake longer. Enjoy!

Homemade Thin Crust Pizza

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! For Thanksgiving dinner this year, hubby and I have decided to make our own thin crust pizza. It was a task that has been sitting for ages in our to-do list. I am glad we finally did it. Above all, we enjoy the pizza very much. We say no more to frozen pizza or Pizza Hut!!

It is so simple to make your own pizza. You are able to dictate what you want to go onto your pizza. We make a pizza with salami and another vegetarian pizza with long sweet red pepper.

I got this fabulous recipe from my dear sis. Thanks dear if you are reading this blog

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup warm-hot water

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

pizza sauce/tomato paste/pesto sauce

slices

your choice of pizza toppings

• pepperoni
• precooked bacon
• tomato, sliced
• green pepper
• mozzarella cheese, shredded
• chopped garlic
• spinach
• sliced black olives

Steps:

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in hot water. Let sit for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile mix flour and salt.
3. Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well with a heavy spoon.
4. Turn onto floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Sprinkle some flour as you knead to avoid it sticking to your hand.
5. Cover the dough with wet clothes n leave to rise for 30 mins.
6. Divide into 4 portions and roll each into thin base for the pizza. Sprinkle some flour as you roll to avoid it sticking to rolling pin. (If you roll it out on a counter top, transfer to a greased/floured pizza pan, stretching to edges)
7. Cover with sauce, cheese and desired topping. Add some dried oregano (other herbs) and black pepper.
8. Bake at 500 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until edges are golden.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/thin-pizza-crust-95048#ixzz1KYD1H5Ur

Upside Down Rhubarb Cake

 

Spring is here and one of the favourite harvest here in Canada is the rhubarb. The leaves of this plant are toxic. However, the red coloured stalks are commonly used in jam or pie making. As our community garden has a dedicated plot for the rhubarb plant, we are lucky enough to have access to this plant for free.

For the first time in spring, I am putting back on my baking hat. Today, I am planning to bake the upside down rhubarb cake. I got the recipe from YouTube. If you are are visual person, you may want to click on this link to view the whole process.

Ingredients:

3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb (or frozen, thawed) 
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup strawberry or seedless raspberry jam
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each cinnamon & salt
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
1/4 tsp each almond and vanilla (or 1/2 tsp vanilla)
1/3 cup milk

Steps:

1. Slice the rhubarb into 1/2 inch and mix it with the strawberry/raspberry jam.
2. Grease a round/square cake pan generously with butter.
3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar on the pan.
4. Pour the rhubarb and jam mixture into the pan on top of the sugar.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Put aside.
6. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and remaining of the 3/4 cup of sugar.
7. Add in one egg at a time and mix.
8. Then, add the almond and vanilla essence.
9. Mix in 1/2 of the dry ingredients and half of the milk. Stir well.
10. Add in remaining of the dry ingredients and milk.
11. Pour the cake mixture onto the pan and spread evenly.
12. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. At 30 minutes, check the condition of the cake. If it is browning too quickly, cover it with an aluminum foil.
13. Let stand 5 minutes on a wire rack. Turn out onto a serving platter; serve with ice cream if desired.

This recipe yields 8 slices of cake. My hubby and I love it much. The texture of the cake is just perfect. We will definitely bake this again. Next time round, I will add some nuts into it. (Thanks hubby for the brilliant suggestion!)

Ginger Molasses Crinkle Cookies

 

It has been a while since I last baked any cookies. Today, I have decided to bake our all time favourite cookies, the ginger molasses crinkle cookies. I am following a recipe that I found in the Canadian Living website Ginger Molasses Crinkle Cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) fancy molasses
• 1 egg
• 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) ground ginger
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

Steps:

1. In large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar, oil, molasses and egg until smooth.
2. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt ; stir into sugar mixture.
3. Shape by rounded tablespoonfuls (15 mL) into balls; roll in remaining sugar to coat. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on parchment paper–lined or greased rimless baking sheets.
4. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 375°F (190°C) oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until cookies spread out and tops crack, about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 10 minutes; transfer to racks and let cool completely.

The cookies turn out perfect and we are loving it. Will definitely bake this again soon.

Cranberry Applesauce Muffin

 

It’s Munro Day today, a public holiday for Dalhousie University. Thus, I have decided to whip up some muffins with whatever I have on hand; applesauce and frozen cranberry. I started Google for cranberry applesauce muffin and found this interesting recipe: Cranberry Applesauce Muffin. It was pretty easy and I got it all done in less than half an hour. The only change I made was to substitute pecan with sunflower seeds. The muffins turn out awesome.

This recipe yields about 9 large muffins:

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a muffin pan, or use paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, mix together applesauce, oil and egg. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in egg mixture. Stir until just moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans. Spoon into muffin cups, 2/3 full.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 2 minutes before removing.

For those celebrating the lunar New Year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all a happy, prosperous and healthy Rabbit year ahead. We have been quite busy lately and thus, not able to prepare much CNY cookies.

Big Peanut Cookies

It has been months since I last posted anything here as I have not been baking anything new. Life has been quite hectic for us for the past few months and will be for the coming months. Anyhow, it all happens for good and we are always hopeful for the future. I still hope I can still squeeze some time in between to bake in my kitchen. Today, I have decided to bake Big Peanut Cookies as hubby loves the same cookie from Second Cup very much. For the past 2 weeks, we have been patronizing the Second Cup in our CS building during tea break for a cup of coffee and a piece of Big Peanut Cookie.

To my surprise, it’s fairly simple to whip up a batch of these detectable treats from scratch. I have mine done while hubby was taking his afternoon nap (about half an hour). I got the recipe from here: Peanut Butter Cookies. The recipe yields about 9 big cookies. Now we can have these cookies anytime and anywhere we like with our favourite espresso. Enjoy!

Simple English Scone

It must has been a much awaited update and finally it’s here! My apology for all the delay as it has been a roller coaster ride for me and hubby for the past few months. Anyhow, let’s bygone be bygone. Let’s be happy now and live every moment to the fullest.

For this time round, I am planning to bake the English scone which is different from the previous Cranberry Scone (American biscuit) that I made previously in terms of the following:

• Shape - the English scone is round while the  American biscuit is triangular.
• Texture - the English scone is denser while the American biscuit is lighter and fluffier especially when it is hot.

The English scone recipe is introduced to me by my dearest sister and the recipe is as shown below. In addition, my sister also introduced me to clotted cream which is a perfect match for scone. Clotted cream can be found easily in UK but not in Canada. After some search, I finally manage to get it from Pete's (our favourite grocery store in Halifax).

The scone turns out perfect in terms of taste but not the shape as I wasn’t able to shape it nicely with my hand. Anyhow, I have learnt the right way now by watching How_To_Make_English_Scone in YouTube. I would recommend anyone who wants to try this recipe to watch the video before trying it out. It will give you a better idea on what to expect. Oh ya, the clotted cream tastes good too. I find the uniqueness of the cream in the sense that it gives a nice blend to the scone without overpowering the taste of scone. For those of you who are unable to find the clotted cream, you can always eat it with butter. Enjoy!