Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Three weeks ago I got a new job. Better hours, amazing people, closer to home and did I mention better hours? Well I haven't been this happy in a long time. What better way to celebrate a good mood than cookies?

I know, I'm just dripping with unicorns and rainbows these days but I just can't help it.

And because I like you, here is the recipe.

Tried & True Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

(I replaced the raisins with chocolate chips. Whatever, I do what I want)

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
2 cups raisins
OR
12 oz package of chocolate chips

Combine first five ingredients in bowl; set aside. Beat butter and sugars in a bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture until blended. Gradually add oats and raisins. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F, 10-12 minutes. Cook on racks
Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

Good Day Sunshine!

I got a new job, today was my first day and I'm as happy as this lunch bag I saw at target the other day! I'll be bakin' to make friends at new work in no time!

Yay me!

Eggs Cocotte: A Happy Husband Maker

Since I got married my new favorite thing is to play housewife, even though I'm not a house wife. I have a 2pm - 10pm job that sucks the life out of me. The only good thing about it is my open mornings to make my husband his favorite thing. Breakfast.

As a wedding shower gift from one of my bridesmaids I got this amazing book.

And as the title promises, this recipe is really easy. Easy for me to modify the way I want.

Preheat the oven to 400F.
I use two of my mini cocottes and spray the bottoms with PAM. You can grease them however you like. The recipe calls for spinach, but I only had arugula. So that's what I used.
Chop chop.

Fill the bottoms with yummy arugula.

Add parsley.

Chop up some ham.

Add ham to your beauty cocottes.

Crack two eggs in each pot of yum, add a splash of milk and season with cracked pepper and kosher salt.

Bake 10 minutes or so until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny. Cover with cocotte lids for presentation.

Wait for it...

Nom nom nom.

A closer look.

Here is the original recipe. I added more time because I added an extra egg and my cast iron cocottes take a second to heat up. If you use smaller ceramic ramekins you can follow the recipe's baking time.

SANDWICH MONSTER!!!

Mexican Cooking Fun!

True to my word, I have started baking again. However, I apparently haven't taken to documenting the goods very well. I got two pix out of an afternoon baking in my lovely kitchen.

Two weeks ago I made a Mayan Chocolate Cake and Mexican Wedding cookies for our friends who had a Mexican themed house warming party that turned out amazing. Well, kinda. I'm still getting used to my oven and I burned the first batch of cookies a little. Luckily, you can't tell once they are covered in powdered sugar. They got devoured at the party.

Also, last Friday I got off work ridiculously early (Thanks Boss!) and didn't know what to do with myself so I made my Mother's chocolate chip cookies, and set out some appetizers and invited my girlfriend over. My husband, friend and I had an impromptu party. Of which, I took zero photos.

So, I promise, the next time I bake up or cook up the yums, I take tons of pictures. Until then, here is the recipe for Mayan Chocolate Cake. So good!



Chocolate Mayan Bundt Cake

6 ounces Cacao Dark Chocolate Baking Bar, broken into small pieces
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease & flour 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate stirring constantly to avoid burning.

***or if you must:
(Microwave chocolate in small, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; STIR. If pieces retain some of their original shape, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted.)

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate. Beat flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with milk.

Pour into prepared Bundt pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; invert cake onto wire rack to cool completely. Transfer cake to serving platter. Drizzle cake with Chocolate Glaze. Let set before serving.

Just Curious

Any new clicks on the site? We'll find out.

Me No Lie

Like I said, coming back to bake. And I did....

For my Birthday, my BFF got me the most amazing contraption.

BEHOLD....

The Cake Pop Maker!
I'll give you a minute.

And with said miracle cake pop maker I made my husband (tee hee, that'll never get old) Cinnamon Apple doughnut holes, rolled in cinnamon sugar. I know. Best. Wife. EVER.

Yeah, here's the thing... I forgot to take pictures! LAME, I know. Believe you me, they were fantastic. A baked doughnut hole. Who knew they would give a Sunday morning just a little bit more sunshine.

Next time, pictures. In color. Maybe the macro on.

Oh yeah, click HERE to check out Babycake's Cake Pop Makers.

Since August?

I can't believe it's been since August that I've been here. So much has happened. I remodeled my house, got married, and am back and ready to cook and bake again!! I have a new kitchen with all new baking and cooking tools.

Are you as excited as I am?

Easter just passed and my husband (I just like saying that) and I were so sick, we missed it. Luckily I have an amazing set of parents that drove up to see us for a minute to drop off Easter cheer.

If you've been reading this blog for a very long time you know how much my husband (hehe) and I LOVE circus peanuts. Only my lovely Mother would make us a circus peanut carrot for our Easter basket.

Ok well, I'm not jumping back in totally head first. As you can see above, I have a lot of organizing to do in my beautiful new kitchen before I get cookin'. However, I am back and happy and married and have a ton of new cook books and bake books.

(Could use a grammar book, but this is blog is called Cupcake Goggles not Good Grammar Goggles.)