Category: Baked goods

Posted in Baked goods, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on by lmc

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When I was a young girl, I would be asked to load up our Red Flyer wagon with a few of my younger brothers and sisters and spend the afternoon with them at the park. You see, I was the oldest girl in a family of 8 children. My mom would wash clothes, make meals, and tidy up the house, while I took care of the younger children in the family. It wasn’t unusual for me to have 5 little ones with me as I kept them occupied at the neighborhood park for a good portion of the day.
On one of my trips down the block, Mrs. Nolan, an elderly woman that lived in the corner house, opened her door and asked if we would like one of her freshly baked peanut butter cookies. Mrs. Nolan was a friend of the family so accepting a cookie would be no problem. After a few cookies and a glass of cold milk, we were on our way again.
On our next trip to the park, one of the children jumped out of the wagon at Mrs Nolan’s house and asked if we could go to see, “the cookie lady”. From then on, Mrs. Nolan was known as “the cookie lady” and we stopped nearly every day to visit her. She even had her husband assemble a small picnic table for us to sit at in her beautiful backyard, while she brought out cookies and milk.
As I think about my happy, innocent childhood, I remember a lovely women that spent her later years making 6 young children very happy as she fed us and talked with us under the shade of the oak trees in her welcoming backyard on Center Street.

Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups peanut butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Extra sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (or scoop out dough with a small ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Press a cross into the cookie tops using the tines of a fork. Lightly sprinkle with extra sugar.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Posted on by lmc

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Yesterday, while searching through the WordPress blogs, a recipe for healthy snack bars caught my eye. Late last night, after tidying up the kitchen, I couldn’t go to sleep without pulling out my stash of healthy ingredients to make these moist and flavorful treats. When my children woke (at the unearthly hour of 5am) to head out the door for swim practice, I had a few of these packaged and waiting for them.
I used an 11×7 baking pan for this recipe and they really couldn’t be any easier to make.
The original recipe can be found here.
Thanks, Anne, for a great recipe!
Below you will find my version of Anne’s recipe…

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
11/2 cups milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cups chocolate chips (or dried fruit)

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients. in a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry, mixing until combined. Pour batter into a 11×7″cooking-sprayed baking dish. Sprinkle a few raw oats on top.

Bake 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, lunch box

Bountiful Blueberry-Banana Loaf

Posted on by lmc

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I have been complaining for weeks about the price of blueberries. This week, I was thrilled to see that the price has dropped to $1.49 a pint. Wow, that’s a great price!
Naturally, I bought 6 pints with the hopes of going back to the store again today to stock up on several more. I was going to stick with basic blueberry muffins until I realized that I had a few overly-ripe bananas on the counter. This recipe for Bountiful Blueberry-Banana Loaf is moist and delicious. I’m glad I was able to snap a picture of the bread after slicing it because it didn’t last very long. The addition of wheat germ really adds flavor, texture, and a nutritious boost to the recipe.

Bountiful Blueberry-Banana Loaf

1 cup flour
½ cup whole oats
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup margarine or butter, melted
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cup very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ loaf pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, wheat germ, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
In a large bowl mix the sugar, margarine or butter, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix in the bananas. Pour dry mixture into the wet mixture and combine. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries and nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from loaf pan and continue cooling on wire rack.

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food, Homemade Mixes, lunch box

Best Basic Muffin Mix

Posted on by lmc

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This morning, I whipped up several batches of muffins for my family. The girls love basic blueberry muffins, while the boys crave muffins with chocolate chips. In order to save time, I double my basic muffin mix recipe, split the batter in half, and mix in additional ingredients to personalize the muffins. So, for the girls, I used the basic muffin mix recipe and added almond extract and fresh blueberries. For the boys, I added chocolate chips and vanilla extract. What a time-saver! More importantly, everyone is happy! This is my “go-to” basic muffin recipe mix.

Best Basic Muffin Mix

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin pans by adding paper or silicone liners. In a large bowl, combine together dry ingredients; mix well. In a separate bowl, mix egg, milk, and oil; just until moistened. Do not over mix. Pour batter into individual muffin cups. (I use an ice cream scoop to distribute evenly.)

From here, you can fold in additional desired ingredients.

1 cup blueberries and 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped apples and 1 tsp cinnamon

Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Jumbo Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies

Posted on by lmc

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Jumbo Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies

Crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle…that’s how I would describe these awesome oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
Years ago, when I was a Daisy Girl Scout Leader, one of the Daisy parents gave me a sweet gift in a jar. She had stacked all of the dry ingredients for this cowboy cookie in a Mason jar and attached the recipe so that I could add a few ingredients to bake up a batch of these tasty delightful treats. I have tweaked the recipe a bit so that the cookie comes out flat with a crispy exterior and a chewy interior. This week, as the school year draws to a close, I made a huge double batch of these cookies to stuff into decorative gift bags and send off as teacher gifts to be passed out to all of our favorite teachers. I’ve attached a small gift card from Starbuck’s to complete the gift pack.
Nuts are delicious in this recipe but I often leave them out when I’m not sure about the food allergies of those that will be consuming the cookies. I, myself, especially love them with chopped pecans. Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed!

Jumbo Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies

2 cups flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cups chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, cream the margarine, oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. ( I use an ice cream scoop for evenly shaped cookies.) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Transfer to wire rack after just a few minutes of cooling.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Bread, breakfast, Food

Just Like Grandma’s Irish Brown Bread

Posted on by lmc

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When I was a young girl, my family used to travel to Ireland every year for our summer holiday. My father worked for TWA (Trans World Airlines) and we had a great travel benefit that we regularly used. My mother was born and raised in County Clare and my father from County Kerry. Our wonderful trips into Milltown Malbay, Spanish Point or visiting Ballybunion always bring the fondest of memories.
Oh, the stories I could tell of the laughs we shared as a family. We would load our tiny rental car up with 8 kids, two adults, and lots of luggage. Relatives would meet us at Shannon Airport and take on a portion of our luggage as we headed toward Milltown.
One of my most vivid memories relates to my grandmother, my mother’s mom. She would get up early to milk the cows and feed the chickens. Then, she would come indoors and bake the most amazing bread. Now, this bread was like nothing I had ever tasted before. Sure, my mom and all the aunts baked their own version of Irish Soda Bread or scones but this was different. The bread was a hearty, textured loaf made with whole wheat flour. She would mix it up by hand, in a huge stoneware bowl (maybe a Green’s or Mason Cash Brand).
I have tried on several occasions to replicate the recipe and this is as close as I have come to the original. If any of you would like to share your recipe for your version of Irish Brown Bread, I would so appreciate it!
If you’re a fan of Irish Soda Bread, check out my family recipe for Mary’s Irish Scones here.

Just like Grandma’s Irish Brown Bread

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until mixture forms fine crumbs. Stir in whole-wheat flour and oats. Add buttermilk; stir mixture gently. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead 5-10 times to make a ball. Set on a baking sheet. Pat into a 7-inch circle. With a floured knife, cut a large X on top of loaf. Bake until well browned, about 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Posted in Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Food

Mom’s Hearty Biscuits and Gravy

Posted on by lmc

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When we travel, I look for hotels that have an extensive continental breakfast included in the stay price. I’m seeking fresh fruit, whole grains, lean protein…for my active crew. At a recent stay, as we made our way across the lobby for an early morning breakfast, I had to cringe when I heard my son say…”Awesome, they have biscuits and gravy!” Of all things…biscuits and gravy?
So, this past weekend, in the chiily,early morning hours, while most were fast asleep, my kids woke with the birds and headed off to the pool to get in their required morning yards. I felt like I wanted to make something special for their return home on this holiday weekend. The first thing that came to mind was biscuits and gravy. (Along with sunrise smoothies, fresh baked Irish scones, and cheese omelets.)
My mother-in-law gave me this recipe years ago. She had taken a mini-cruise that was meant to showcase the beautiful fall colors along the New England shore. The ship’s cook had shared this recipe with her. I still remember the hand written page that she shared with me over 15 years ago as I transferred the ingredients into a small notebook that I once carried around with me. I’ve only made this recipe a handful of times, but every time I make it, my son is one happy camper!
Mom’s Hearty Biscuits and Gravy

First prepare the biscuits and get them in the oven…

Beautiful Buttermilk Biscuits

1/2 cup cold margarine or butter
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cut margarine into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in buttermilk; stir. Dough will be soft and sticky. Turn dough onto a floured surface and kneed lightly about 10-12 times (adding a bit of flour if needed) until dough is not longer sticky. Roll or pat dough to about 1/4″ thick. Use a 2 1/2″ round biscuit cutter to cut the dough. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet; about one inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 12 biscuits.

Mom’s Hearty Gravy

1 roll of pork sausage ( I always use Jimmy Dean’s Premium Pork Regular Sausage)
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Brown sausage in a large skillet, crumble and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Stir in flour and cook, while stirring, to completely incorporate the flour. Slowly add milk to the sausage mixture. Cook gravy 5-7 minutes more or until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over those beautiful buttermilk biscuits!

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Food, lunch box, side dishes

Garden Fresh Veggie Pizza

Posted on by lmc

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This is surely one of my family’s favorite snacks. As we planted vegetables and herbs this weekend, it made me think of this colorful, nutrition-packed pizza. Most of you have probably seen a variation of this recipe in cookbooks or online… this is the way I have been making it for years. When everyone pitches in to mix the topping and chop the vegetables, this one is a snap to put together. I often cut a few leftover slices to fit into lunchbox containers for the girls. What a great way to get a variety of fresh vegetables on the plate!

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Garden Fresh Veggie Pizza

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup lite mayonnaise
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (any color)
1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1 carrot, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a jellyroll pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pat crescent roll sheet into a jellyroll pan, pinching seams to close any holes. Bake for 10 minutes, let cool.
In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, cream cheese, ranch dip mix. Spread this mixture on top of the cooled crust. Arrange all of the prepared fresh vegetables on top of the creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Cut into squares and serve.

Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Simply Made Pineapple Snack Cake

Posted on by lmc

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This is one of my favorite cakes to bake! It’s crazy delicious and super easy to throw together. The taste reminds me of a Kentucky Butter Cake recipe I used to make when my children were little. The first time I made this cake, I was delighted to learn that there is no butter, shortening, or oil in this recipe. During the school year, I omit the glaze, and pop it into lunch boxes for a tasty lunchtime treat…Yum!

Simply Made Pineapple Snack Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13×9″ baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking soda. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extract and crushed pineapple, with liquid. Mix well to combine.
Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
On warm cake, frost with my Powdered Sugar Glaze.

Posted in Baked goods, Brunch, Desserts, Food

Scrumptious Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Posted on by lmc

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Oh My Goodness…the sun is shining and it finally feels like Spring! I made these delicious cupcakes to celebrate the beginning of a long holiday weekend.
Rummaging through my pantry shelves yesterday, I noticed that I have a few plastic containers of powdered lemonade drink mix that no one seems to be interested in consuming. This got me thinking about a recipe I recently found for cupcakes combining cake mix and lemonade drink mix. They looked pretty yummy so I thought I would make them and add a few of my own ingredients. Here’s what I came up with…

Scrumptious Strawberry Lemonade Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, with eggs, oil, and water as directed on the box
1/2 cup lemonade powdered drink mix (I used Country Time Lemonade Mix)
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup finely diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix cake batter adding eggs, oil, and water as directed on the cake mix box. With a mixer on medium speed, incorporate lemonade mix and almond extract. Fold in strawberries.
Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Fill each to 2/3 full.
Bake for 16-18 minutes. Cool completely and top with cream cheese frosting or with my Powdered Sugar Glaze. Garnish with sliced strawberries. Make 2 1/2 dozen.