Oatmeal favorites...in honor of National Oatmeal Month

HOWDY!  I hope this beautiful January day finds you all smiling and counting your blessings.

January is National Oatmeal month, and although I'm running a little late with this, I thought I'd post links for some of my favorite oatmeal recipes, just for fun.

photo credit:  Leslie Maltz

And...if you have a minute, I'd love to hear what your favorite oatmeal recipes are! Please share!!

Anyway...here goes...

OATMEAL RECIPE #1:
My very favorite oatmeal recipe is one I've never posted...it's just regular old-fashioned oatmeal (NOT the instant or quick-cooking type), cooked on the stovetop (according to the package directions).  I like to toss in some dried fruit when I add the oats.  You can use any kind, but my favorites are dried cherries, cranberries or apricots.  Then when it's ready, I just stir in a little fat-free half & half (or some real whipping cream, when I really want to splurge), and gobble it up.  (The fruit has plenty of sugar, so I never add any extra.)

Sometimes I like to toss some diced apples (or pears) with a little butter, cinnamon & sugar in a skillet while the oatmeal is cooking.  (I never measure this stuff...I just put some of each until it looks right.  I also prefer unpeeled apples for more nutrition, fiber & flavor.  You can cut them whatever size/shape you prefer.)  If you have the apples diced before you start the oatmeal, they should both be done about the same time.  Then I just stir them together and enjoy.  (This way is good with or without the half & half or cream.)

I really can't imagine why anyone would use that instant flavored stuff when you can have this yummy, good stuff instead.  AND...you can control the amount of sugar, etc. that you're adding.  QUICK & EASY, and a great way to get your morning off to a good start!

OATMEAL RECIPE #2:
Blackberry-Fig Baked Oatmeal
This is one I came up with after finding Ann Fulton's yummy recipe for Peach-Swirl Baked Oatmeal over at The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.  If you haven't checked out her blog, do it TODAY!  It's got all kinds of great recipes you'll definitely want to try.


The neufchâtel cheese and the broiled topping are amazing...and this recipe lends itself well to just about any fruit.  Go ahead...try it with your favorite, and let me know what you think!  (And be sure to let Ann know you liked it too!)

OATMEAL RECIPE #3:
Cran-Apple Oatmeal Muffins
This is another adapted recipe.  I found the original in an old cookbook I have, and just made a few adjustments for fun.  Again, this one can be further adapted to use whatever fruit you might like.

OATMEAL RECIPE #4:
Faithy's Favorite Apple-Pecan Muffins
After MUCH searching for a really good apple muffin...this has become one of my very favorites!

OATMEAL RECIPE #5:
Blueberry Oatmeal Bread
When I first posted this one, I based my recipe on one I had found it over on Audra's Once a Mom Always a Cook blog site.  Since then, she has joined her sister Ashley over on their new Cherished Bliss blog site.   Check it out!  It's got lots of great stuff.  (You can find the re-posted original recipe here.)

OATMEAL RECIPE #6:
Oatmeal Brittle
This is a quick, easy and fun recipe that I like to make during the holiday season.  It's a delicious crispy treat (so good that you might not want to share it)!

I found the original recipe over at Anna's Cookie Madness blog site.  She's got lots of great recipes for yummy treats, so why don't you treat yourself by stopping by. 

Okay...gotta run, so that's all for now.  Be sure to try one of these recipes or share one of your oatmeal favorites with me in honor of National Oatmeal Month!

Blessings,
--Faithy

Ooooh Sooooo Gooooood Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins!!

HOWDY friends!  I hope that this beautiful Lord’s Day finds each of you well and happy.  I got my morning off to a GREAT start by trying out this delicious new recipe I found on one of my favorite blog sites…Manila Spoon.  Abby has LOTS of great recipes, so if you haven’t checked out her site…DO IT NOW!!  You’ll be so glad you did!

I knew when I saw this one, that it HAD to be good, and boy was that an understatement!  These yummy muffins are so good, they’re sure to become one of your favorites.

Ooooh Sooooo Gooooood Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins!!

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 cup packed Whey Low Gold (or regular brown sugar)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup regular oats (not quick-cooking)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. low sodium baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt (the original recipe used 1/2 tsp.)

1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 large eggs)

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup fresh raspberries (I think fresh are best, but frozen would certainly work too)

1 cup miniature chocolate chips (you can use less if you want…I think I’ll try white chocolate chips next time)

1-2 Tbsp. white or brown sugar (I like to use a coarse sugar-- like Turbinado sugar -- for this part – my favorite is Sugar in the Raw)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

Melt the butter with the Whey Low Gold (or brown sugar) in a small sauce pan over low heat.

Combine the flours, oats, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a large bowl.

Whisk the egg substitute with the Greek yogurt until combined.  Add the vanilla.  Mix well.

Whisk the brown sugar-butter mixture into the yogurt mixture.

Pour in the flour mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon, until just incorporated.  Fold in raspberries and chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into muffin cups (using a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop).  Sprinkle generously with the turbinado sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-28 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 You can probably guess that I DID NOT wait for these to cool before taste-testing…the smell while they were baking was AMAZING!  I can honestly say that these are delicious hot or cold…with no added butter or anything when served. 

Run...don't walk...to your kitchen and make these NOW!  And don't forget to stop by Manila Spoon and say hi to Abby!

Enjoy this beautiful day that the Lord has made my friends!

Blessings,

--Faithy

Oatmeal Brittle

HOWDY friends!  Wow…can’t believe it’s only a few days until Christmas!  Yikes…where does the time go?  I’ve been busy in my kitchen all day today, preparing Christmas goodies for my friends and family.  In addition to some of my “tried & true” holiday recipes, I decided to try a few new ones as well.  I spent a good bit of the day testing various cookie brittle recipes, and out of the four I tried, this one is far & away my favorite!

It is so unbelievably quick & easy, that I knew I just had to share the recipe with you, in case you’re looking for something yummy to throw together for a great gift or party food.  It’s

a buttery, crunchy, delicious treat, AND…it’s gluten free!

I found the recipe online over at Anna’s “Cookie Madness” blog site, and I am sooooooo glad I did.  I will definitely be making this one again, as it has now been added to my “tried & true” favorites list!

I only made minimal adaptations (using Karo“Lite” Syrup in place of regular light corn syrup, and adding some cinnamon).  I also took it out of the oven a few minutes early and “scored” it with a pizza cutter, then returned it to the oven for the last few minutes.

Anyway, here’s the recipe…go make some tonight!

Oatmeal Brittle

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup (I used Karo “Lite” Syrup)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1-3/4 cups oats (I used old-fashioned oats…NOT the quick cooking type)

1/3 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (this was not in the original recipe, but I thought it added a nice flavor)

Preheat oven to 325°F, and while it’s heating, line a 13x18” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  (I sprayed my parchment paper with cooking spray, and brushed it with a pastry brush to make sure it covered the entire paper.  After the fact, I don’t think it was really necessary.  There is so much butter in this cookie that it probably wouldn’t stick anyway!)

In a large bowl, stir together the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and baking powder.  Add the oats and coconut and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Spread the mixture as thinly as possible across the baking sheet. (NOTE:  The mixture is VERY sticky, and will stick to anything you use - including fingers - making it hard to spread unless you use a well-greased utensil.  I used a large spatula coated with non-stick cooking spray, and it worked very well.)

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown.  Remove from the oven and score with a pizza cutter.  (This will make it easier to break after it has cooled.)  

Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the edges are nice and brown.

Remove from oven and slide the parchment paper of the hot pan and directly onto a large cooling rack.  (I have a nice large one, but you could also use two smaller ones placed side by side.)  Let cool completely.  When cool, the cookie will be very crisp.  Break into pieces along the scored lines and enjoy!

NOTE:  If you find that your cookie is not crisp enough when you try to break it (that probably means that you didn’t get it thin enough), just slide the parchment back onto the baking sheet and return it to the oven (at a lower setting - about 250°F), and allow it to crisp up a bit.  Then return it to the cooling rack and let it cool again.

I couldn’t resist tasting this stuff while it was still warm and a bit chewy.  It was delicious that way too!

I can’t wait to share this yummy stuff with my friends and family.  I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I do, and I’m sure you will too!

Let me know if you try it, and stop by “Cookie Madness” and tell Anna thanks for the delicious recipe!!

Gotta run…I still have lots to do in preparation for Christmas!

I pray that you and yours will have a holiday filled with good food, lots of laughter, precious memories, and a joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!

Blessings,

--Faithy