Salted Toffee Cookies

OMGOODNESS!

TO DIE FOR!

Salted Toffee Cookies

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter 

3/4 c white sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of baking powder

pinch of salt

1 pkg toffee bits

3-4 tbsp course sea salt flakes for sprinkling each cookie

1. Bring eggs & butter to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, & salt.

3. Whisk together the softened butter & sugars until they are smooth and fluffy. Be sure to whisk until the sugars are all the way or mostly dissolved into the butter.

4. Add vanilla & mix well.

5. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Slowly add dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) into wet ingredients (butter, sugars, vanilla, eggs).

6. Add toffee pieces into dough.

At this point I always cool my cookie dough for over an hour. I like the way they maintain shape this way.

7. With parchment paper on the cookie sheet, scoop even balls of dough onto the sheet.

8. Top with a pinch of sea salt, bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes.

DO NOT OVER BAKE, keep them soft and chewy.

YUM YUM!
I dare you to each just ONE!

Thank you cookie package & BabyBoyBakery for similar versions of this recipe!

3 Egg Cake - A family tradition

This is another Miller Family favorite.  We all still make this often.
From time to time the icing shifts to something different but we ALWAYS come back to caramel.

This was without a doubt my favorite cake my Mom always made our birthday cakes with.
Still is!
The recipe is old school, moist, heavy and delicious.  SO GOOD!  All of the ingredients are every day type items.

3 Egg Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 c butter
1 1/2 c white sugar
3 well beaten eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c milk

Cream butter & sugar.
Blend in eggs.
Add vanilla.
Slowly alternate milk with dry ingredients.

Bake at 325 for 35 mins.  If you use muffins, bake for 15 mins.

Carmel Icing

Ingredients:
1 c brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1/3 c cream

Bring to a light boil.  Set aside and let cool.
Once cool, add icing sugar until the consistency is spreadable.
Top your cake/muffins.

Enjoy!

FLOURLESS Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thank you to Ana of BluebirdKisses for sharing this recipe!  I put my own touches to change it slightly.

FLOURLESS Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1.5 c  whole rolled oats processed into a powder 

1.5 c  almond flour

2 large eggs or 2 ripe bananas mashed until liquid

(I used eggs) 

1/2 c maple syrup

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup dark semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350.  Line baking trays with parchment paper.  

In separate bowls combing the dry and wet. 

Add all of the wet to dry and fold in.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop onto cookie sheet papers.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden brown.  

ENJOY!

Thank you again Ana for this yummy treat.

Thai Peanut Chicken Stirfry

… in a crockpot!

Thai Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

3 skinless chicken breasts
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion sliced
½ cup natural chunky peanut butter
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp of honey
1/4 cup crushed peanuts for topping
1/4 cup cilantro, diced

*  Place peppers and onion at the bottom of the crockpot in one layer (this helps stop the chicken from drying out). 

*  Place the chicken breasts on top.

* Mix together peanut butter, lime juice, chicken broth, soy sauce, and honey. Pour sauce over chicken leaving 2-3 tbsp for dressing when served.

* Cook for approximately 5 hours on LOW.  

* Shred chicken with two forks. Cover and continue cooking for the 10-15mins or until ready to serve.

* Serve over rice, noodles, or in lettuce wraps!

* Sprinkle with Cilantro, crushed peanuts, carrots, sprouts… whatever makes you happy.

** This recipe is a no fuss, no brainer.  Put it in you monthly rotation.  SO GOOD!! **

(recipe adapted from http://www.familyfreshmeals.com)

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Snickerdoodle Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 c flour
• 1 c sugar
• ½ c + 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 c + 2 tbsp sour cream
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• *1/2 c. sugar
• *2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

Grease muffin tins with butter.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl and set aside.
Pour the 1 cup sugar into a large bowl.  Add the melted butter.
Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, and mix well.
Stir in the flour mixture.
Combine the ½ c. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl and place aside.
Place a small amount of batter in tin. Sprinkle with a desired amount of the cinnamon/sugar mixture  (I used 1 tsp).  
Add another small amount of the batter on top. Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon mixture once again.
Bake at 340° for ~ 12 minutes.  Use the toothpick method to ensure they are done.  Do not overcook.

(This is a version of a recipe I borrowed from simplykierste.com)

Lettuce Wraps

OMGoodness.
So easy.  So delicious!
Without a doubt one of my favorite new recipes in a long time.  
It's a perfect mixture to make double batches and freeze for a quick meal. Or pass to a neighbour in need of a little help.

LETTUCE WRAPS

Filling:
1 lb ground chicken breast or turkey
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp shredded ginger
2 chopped green onions
3/4 c frozen corn
3/4 c frozen peas
1/4 c chopped red pepper
1/2 c chopped water chestnuts

Sauce:
3 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sriracha sauce (red rooster sauce)

Heat your frying pan with oil on high.
Add garlic & ginger and cook for only a few seconds until fragrant.  
Add chicken/turkey and cook through.   
Add corn, peas, water chestnuts, and red pepper just long enough to heat through (1-2 minutes).
Stir in half the sauce to the sauté mixture and cook for 1 minute.  Keep remaining sauce for drizzling once you've wrapped in your lettuce.

Top your wraps with carrots and cucumbers if you wish.

** I've made this recipe with iceberg lettuce and leaf lettuce and preferred the iceberg variety.  

Source: Annie's Eats (an adapted version)

Pumpkin "Donut" Muffins

Sooooo very yummy!
A perfect recipe to use some of my Halloween pumpkin puree.


Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (I used 3 cups white flour)
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup white, 1/2 cup brown sugar)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3 tsp pumpkin spice (2 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp nutmeg + 1 tsp all spice)

Sugar Cinnamon coating
1/2 cup of raw sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and spices together.
Whisk together  eggs and pumpkin.  Add oil and vanilla.  Mix until all incorporated.
Slowly add in dry ingredients one cup at a time and mix until there are no lumps.
Scoop batter into a greased muffin pan and fill each 2/3 full.
Bake for  15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
While the muffins bake, mix sugar and cinnamon together (hello multi tasking!!)
When the muffins are out of the oven and cooled, use a butter knife to loosen them out of the pan.
Toss the muffins one by one in the cinnamon and sugar coating.

ENJOY!!!

(Thank you to BabyBoyBakery for a version of this recipe and the idea.  If you don't already follow this blog I'd recommend it… for many reasons).

#thankfulnovember

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been looking for an easy tortilla soup recipe for a long time.  THIS is the one, FINALLY!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
½ cup chicken or beef broth
2 cups milk
1 medium can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large can diced Tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
½ cup onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 bell pepper, diced small
1 can Enchilada sauce or Homemade Enchilada Sauce (see below)
2 whole chicken breasts
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack (or cheddar) cheese

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Stir in flour and keep stirring until smooth and bubbly. Watch this closely as it can scorch or clump easily.
3. Remove mixture from heat and add the chicken broth and ½ cup of the milk, a little at a time, stirring continuously to keep smooth.
4. Return to heat and bring sauce to an easy boil while stirring constantly, until it thickens and remove from heat.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and chicken/beef broth mixture . Gradually whisk in remaining milk until smooth and then set aside.
6. In a large stew pot, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, salt, and bell pepper.
7. Chop chicken breasts into cubes and sauté.  Add to the pot mixture and add sauce.
8. Cover and then cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
9. Top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, and/or tortilla chips (strips) and serve.
   ** to make this spicy add your own hot sauce or chili peppers** 
   Serve with cornbread (because everything is good with cornbread).  SO YUMMY!
   Thank you to The Idea Room for a version of this recipe! So many amazing cooking ideas on this site, please check it out!!

Rhubarb Berry Pie Bars

• SOOOOOO yummy.
• Super easy.
• A must try for anyone who likes shortcake type squares, berries, or anything sweet.
• You won't be disappointed!
• (also good frozen - I'm a sucker for frozen desserts)
• 
  

• INGREDIENTS

  Crust and topping: 

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • ¾ cup cold butter

  Filling: 

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream 
  • 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Dash of salt
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tsp. vanilla 
  • 2 cups fresh berries of choice/rhubarb (I used raspberries, blackberries & rhubarb).

  
  

  • DIRECTIONS

    • Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with foil and grease lightly.  In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest.Cut the butter into small cubes, then add to the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until only small pieces of butter remain and the mixture is crumbly similar to oatmeal.
      Reserve ¾ cup of the mixture for topping the bars.  Add the rest of the mixture to the prepared pan and press to form an even layer of crust on the bottom of the pan.  Bake 12-15 minutes, until light golden.  Let cool before proceeding.
      In a bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon juice and vanilla.  Whisk until smooth.  Once the crust layer has cooled, gently fold in the berries with a spatula to the wet ingredients.  Spread the filling mixture over the pre-baked (and cooled) crust. Crumble the reserved topping mixture over the filling evenly.
      Bake until the top is beginning to brown and the bars are just set, about 45 minutes.  Let cool completely. Chill before slicing and serving.
    • 
      
      (Thanks to Annie's Eats once again for a version of this recipe).

Black Bean Brownies...

Yes.
BLACK BEANS!

I'm not one to stray from traditional baking.
I like butter & chocolate & full cream.
But long story short… Mumma's making some changes to her food intake.
Baby pounds are making themselves a bit too 'at home'.
Sooooo, thought I'd try this suggested recipe because I'm jonesing big time for a chocolate treat!

Just try it before you screw up your nose.
Honest, its awesome!

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

1 tsp butter (for pan greasing)
3/4 cup cooked (or canned) black beans
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp instant coffee or espresso (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup icing sugar (for dusting)

Preheat oven to 325 - 350 depending on your oven.
Grease a pie dish or a 9x9 square baking pan.
Blend together beans, and oil.  Add eggs, cocoa, sugar, coffee, and vanilla.
Melt half of the chocolate chips and add to the mixture, blend until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt.  Fold into the blended ingredients. Stir in the other half of the chocolate chips & pour into baking dish.
Bake until the top looks matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle (~18 - 20 mins).
Let cool.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

UHM HELLO BEAUTIFUL!
HELLO YUMMY!

These will make your Sweetheart happy, I'm sure of it!
A new recipe to me but one I guarantee I'll be heading back to very very soon!
(and as always my wee Bean was a helper so this one is a great one to make with kiddos who like to crack eggs!)

Ingredients

• 3 cups white flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1¾ cup butter, softened
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Instruction:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until creamy.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. 

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. 

Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture, and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet (I always place my cookies on parchment paper).  Sprinkle tops with sugar. 

Bake 8-11 mins, depending on your oven.  The cookies will be a bit soft and squishy but cool them completely and they will be chewy, not crunch.

Next time I'm going to add white chocolate chips!!

ENJOY!

I borrowed this recipe (and changed a few minor things) from a Fellow Mumma blogger, Kierste.  She is quite possibly the most domesticated woman on the planet, seriously.  And she has FIVE kids, 2 sets of twins.  For real!

Thank you Simply Kierste for always sharing your quick and easy recipes!

Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies

Sure to be a hit with the littles!
I'll thank my Mom for this recipe.

Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup white flour
2 tsp baking soda
pinch baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Mix butter, sugar, egg, molasses and vanilla.
In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
Add dry to wet in two portions.  Mix until smooth.
Cool dough for one hour.
Scoop into balls onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly and enjoy.

Turtle Cookie Bars! OMGOODNESS!

SOOOOOOOOO YUMMY!

TURTLE COOKIE BARS

CRUST

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup soft butter

2nd LAYER

1 cup pecan halves

2/3 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup milk chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine crust ingredients, beat at medium speed until blended.

Pat mixture firmly into an ungreased 9x9 pan.
Arrange pecans over crust.
Combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly cooking for 3 minutes.
Pour mixture over pecans.
Bake for 15-17 mins until golden and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate. 
Let stand 2-3 minutes then gently swirl chocolate with a knife.
Let cool before cutting.

(I may have overloaded on chocolate "testing" while creating this... hence the blurry photo)

Banana Crumb Muffins

This recipe is quick, easy, and uses what you will likely have in your cupboard.
My kind of food!

Banana Crumb Muffins

For the muffins:1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
3 bananas, mashed

1/4 cup shredded ripe pear

1/4 cup shredded apple
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten½ tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted 

For the topping:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter   

Directions:Preheat oven to 375°.  

Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.  

In a large bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir the banana, apple, pear mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups 3/4 full. 

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.   

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Thanks to Annie's Eats for bits of this recipe.  I added my own twists but I look to her site for easy and healthy recipes.

Chocolate Chip AMAZING!

This is my MOM's recipe!
I posted another chocolate chip cookie recipe here...
I may have said it was the best... but I told a wee fib!
My Mom's recipe is the BEST!

I may have made this recipe TWICE this week.
I had to!
Friends are having babies!
Friends are having tea parties!
Friends are having cravings!
A girls gotta do...

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, oil, eggs, sugars & vanilla.
Add the remaining ingredients.
Drop on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 335 degrees for 12 mins.

Here is the most important rule.... DO NOT OVER BAKE THESE BEAUTIES!
If you do anything, undercook them.  No one likes a crusty, dry, chocolate chip snack.

AND
Be warned.
If you substitute butter for margarine (who the hell does that?!) or apple sauce for the sugars I am not responsible for the epic disappointment.
DO NOT ruin a perfectly good and fattening cookie by trying to make it healthy, that is LAME!  Where I'm from it is anyway.

SOOOOOOO GOOD!
Thanks to my friend Colleen for asking for this recipe.  It prompted me to post

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are by far THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES you will EVER have.
Classic.
Easy.
Fast.
Chewy.
Soft.
No fail.
Seriously beautiful cookies.
Give them a try and call yourself Martha freekin Stewart!
You will never need another recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
* 2 cups plus 2 tbsp flour
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 12 tbsp (one stick) melted, then cooled to warm BUTTER
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
* 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Adjust oven racks to middle positions.
Preheat to 325 degrees C.
Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk dry ingredients (excluding sugars) in a bowl and set aside.
Mix butter and sugars until combined.  Add egg and extra yolk and vanilla.
Add wet and dry and mix until just combined.  Add chocolate chips.
Roll into balls the size of a golf ball and spread evenly on your cookie sheet.
Place in the oven and rotate the cookie sheet 180 half way through.  I bake mine for 12 mins and rotate at the 6 minute mark.
Bake until slightly brown on the edges and let cool on a wire rack (11-14mins depending on your oven).
Don't overbake these babies! They are meant to be soft and chewy in the middle.

Thanks to Annie's Eats for this recipe.  I did some tweaking but am grateful for so many of her delicious ideas.