Tag: oatmeal

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, Bread, breakfast, cookies, Uncategorized

Apricot-Oatmeal Bars

Posted on by lmc

I have a fabulous cookbook that highlights favorite recipes from bed and breakfast inns across the country. This week I found a recipe for apricot chicken breasts that called for a portion of a jar of apricot preserves to top the breasts while baking. I thumbed through the cookbook shortly thereafter and found a recipe for these apricot and oatmeal bars. What a great way to use up the balance of my preserves. This turned out to be a delicious treat as my family raved over these simple bars.

Apricot-Oatmeal Bars

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 – 12 ounce apricot jam/preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients to form a crumb mixture.
Pat 1/2 of crumbs into a greased 11x7x1 1/2” or a 9×9” pan.
Spread the entire surface with apricot jam. Top with remaining crumbs.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the surface is golden bown.
Cool before cutting.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, breakfast, cookies

Hearty Oatmeal Brownies

Posted on by lmc

This recipe takes a (slightly) healthier spin on a traditional bar brownie. A couple cups of old fashioned oats act as a substitute for a hearty helping of cocoa. When munching on these tasty squares, I am often reminded of a few other family favorite recipes. The flavors are a cross between a sweet crunchy oatmeal cookie and the hearty texture of my baked oatmeal. Adding a hearty helping of chopped walnuts adds a bit of crunch to an ooey-gooey oat-filled center. Pair this sweet treat with a tall, cold glass of milk, or a piping hot cup of tea.

Hearty Oatmeal Brownies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Grease a 13×9” baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. In a medium bowl, mix salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, flour, rolled oats, and chopped nuts. Mix to combine all ingredients, and spread into the prepared baking pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, breakfast, Brunch

Hearty Irish Scones

Posted on by lmc

I’ve been making scones since I was a little girl. My parents were born and raised in Ireland so making scones was a weekly event. During the Lenten season, scones were a definitive staple on the dining table. My father worked for Trans World Airlines so traveling back and forth to Ireland during our summer holiday was a yearly event. Watching my grandmother make bread/scones was always mesmerizing to me. She used a huge ceramic Mason Cash bowl, and mixed everything by hand. None of the ingredients were measured very carefully. She would pour leavening ingredients into the palm of her hand before throwing them into the mix. She used an old china teacup to measure flour for the mixture. The teacup would be placed back inside the bag of flour for future use. The flour that she used was of a course, whole wheat texture. The hearty aroma and flavor were like none other and can’t easily be duplicated with our traditional American flour selection. I’ve often thought of purchasing the flour from available on-line sources but I can’t justify the cost. Hence, I offer this recipe as an alternative. Is it exactly the same as the old country flavor? Well, no…. But, it’s a close second and my family enjoys the hearty flavor of these beautiful scones. Served with a heaping helping of butter and homemade jam, this recipe is a winner.

Hearty Irish Scones

2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup old fashioned oats + 1/4 cup for topping

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

10 Tablespoons (5/8 cups) butter or margarine

1 3/4 – 2 cups buttermilk

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar and salt. Stir in oatmeal. Cut in butter with your fingers or with a pastry blender. Add raisins and mix; then add buttermilk and mix/ kneed just until dough comes together. If dough is too wet, kneed in extra flour; just until dough becomes less sticky.

Transfer dough to a floured work surface and gently shape into a 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Cut either into 2-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. Transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle tops with extra oatmeal; lightly pat oats into surface. Bake 15-18 minutes, until browned on the bottom. If desired, you can flip scones to bake 2 more minutes to further brown the bottoms. Let cool or serve warm.

Posted in Bread, breakfast, Uncategorized

Hearty Apple and Oatmeal Pancakes

Posted on by lmc

  
One of our daughters took the train home from college this weekend. She said she was missing mom’s home cooking and the quiet of the country. We are always thrilled to have her home and I was up to the task as I whipped up some of her favorite foods.  

Her request for oatmeal pancakes had me thinking of a new combination of flavors that I knew she would love. I had just made a batch of homemade applesauce and my husband had several jars of pure maple syrup that he had processed after tapping our maple trees this spring. I quickly mixed up the batter for the pancakes and as they cooked on the griddle, I carefully added some of the cinnamon applesauce.

 A quick flip of the pancake to finish the underside, and they were done. I made several batches so that she could bring a few back to school when she returned on Sunday. 

   

 I received a lovely text when she arrived back in Evanston. A big thank you with lots of “heart” emojies covered my screen. She said that she was having the pancakes for dinner. Somehow, I think she’ll be having them for nearly every meal until she finishes them up. Then she’ll be back to eating the ole’ college favorites of pb&j, canned soup, and boxed macaroni and cheese.

Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Stir into dry ingredients; just until moistened. Pour batter onto lightly greased, hot griddle. Flip pancakes when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Continue to cook until underside is golden brown. 
 Chunky Homemade Applesauce
8 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large pot, combine apples, sugars and cinnamon. Cook over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes; while stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Mash apples to desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, breakfast, Brunch

Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal II

Posted on by lmc



While watching a local PBS cooking show last Saturday afternoon, I was captivated by a recipe that was shared by Ellie Krieger.  After further investigation, a web search disclosed that the original recipe was actually written by an author working for the Washington Post. I quickly printed the recipe and looked forward to baking the dish this weekend.  My children would be traveling back from college for a quick visit and I was anxious to assemble the baked oatmeal for Saturday breakfast.  I doubled and adjusted the original recipe as I wanted to send back to school with my daughter a portion of the dish to be warmed up for weekday meals.  

This recipe did not disappoint.  On my goodness, it is absolutely delicious! While I changed up the recipe quite a bit, here is the link for the original recipe.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/recipes/morning-glory-baked-oatmeal/15077/

My recipe is posted below…



Morning Glory Baked Oatmeal II

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Pinch of salt

4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats 

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 cups unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large egg

4 tablespoons canola oil

3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups apples, cored and diced  

2 cups carrots, shredded 

1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13X9″ baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix together the pecans, cinnamon, the brown sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, baking powder. Whisk together the milk, maple syrup, egg, oil and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup. Pour the milk mixture over the oat mixture, stirring to combine, then mix in the apple, carrots and raisins.

Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with the pecan and brown sugar mixture.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden at the edges and just set at the center. Serve warm.

Adapted from a recipe first posted by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Posted in Baked goods, Baking, breakfast

Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars

Posted on by lmc

Yesterday we enjoyed a mild, breezy day with low humidity.  I thought I’d do some baking before the rain and humid conditions make their way back into our lives.  

These bars are full of flavor and texture as they are chocked with delicious, sweet and crunchy goodies, sure to satisfy your mid-day cravings.  The bars are also great for an on-the-go breakfast.  If you take the train into work, forego the expensive coffee shop baked goods and pack up one of these little gems for a healthier breakfast choice.  Pull out the Keurig and brew your own cup of coffee and be on your way.  What a great way to start the day!

Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup raisins (any dried fruit will do)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups skim milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla     

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray with cooking spray, a 13×9″ baking dish.  In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients, mix well.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients; stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle a handful of old fashioned oats over the top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

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

Apricot and Oatmeal Fruit Bars

Posted on by lmc

IMG_4748
I sent another care package to campus this week. Inside, I carefully tucked some dried fruit, a couple of containers of soup, a bag of granola, and a few homemade Apricot and Oatmeal Fruit Bars.
While I’ve had this recipe for a while, I have never really made this particular bar before. It’s adapted from the original that is printed on the inside of the Solo fruit filling label. When I recently stumbled across the recipe in my kitchen file, I realized that it was a much simpler version as compared to my traditional fruit bar recipe that I make with my homemade Concord Grape Jam.
Talking with my daughter this week, she thanked me for the package and disclosed that she had shared the bars with two of her good friends. I was given a big “thumbs up” as they both thought the bars were delicious. I was thrilled to hear that one of M’s friends requested the recipe and that’s exactly why I am posting it today. I originally started this blog to be used to share cherished recipes with family and friends and this is the perfect way to do just that.

Apricot and Oatmeal Fruit Bars

1 package yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cups butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 (12 oz) can Solo Cake & Pastry Filling, apricot or your favorite flavor
Topping: 2 tablespoons cinnamon and brown sugar instant oatmeal mix.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13×9″ pan. Combine cake mix, and oats. Add margarine and egg. Mix until moist and crumbly. With damp fingers, evenly press half of the mixture into the baking pan. Carefully top this layer with the apricot filling; spreading over entire surface. Finally, top with remaining oat mixture. Sprinkle with instant oatmeal topping. Bake 22-26 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

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

Triple Berry and Oat Muffins

Posted on by lmc

20140925-064902.jpg
Lately, I have been sending quite a few care packages to the Purdue University campus as my three children have all decided to become Boilermakers while they work to complete their undergraduate degrees. I have been dehydrating fresh fruit and baking up a storm to send cookies, muffins, and snacks by way of UPS.
Last week, I sent these muffins to my daughters (my son is not a fan). I received rave reviews from both.
The muffins are filled with triple berry goodness. The oat topping makes for a moist and tasty center with a sweet and crunchy finish. …Absolutely delicious!

Triple Berry and Oat Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 pounds fresh berries, sliced (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)

Topping
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line with paper liners, two muffin pans. Mix flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, milk, and extract; stir into flour mixture until just moistened. Carefully fold in berries. Scoop into prepared muffin pans. Mix together topping ingredients and sprinkle over the muffins.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

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

Oh My Goodness Oat-n-Nut Blueberry Scones

Posted on by lmc

20140803-092840.jpgAfter a busy week of meetings, county fair obligations, car pools, and laundry, I finally found time for a little early morning baking. Yesterday, while the house was quiet and the family was still sound asleep, I brewed a cup of coffee and popped a few batches of scones into the oven for a light and fancy breakfast. As the children woke and entered the kitchen, I could see their eyes widen as they caught a whiff of the delicious scones while they finished baking. The almond extract, pecans, and blueberries all lent a hand as their enticing aromas danced through the house. Gosh, I miss the days when I could find time to bake nearly every day. Times change and busy schedules prevail. Still, it was wonderful to find time this week to enjoy the pleasures of early morning baking and cherished time spent with the family over breakfast.

20140803-093000.jpgOh My Goodness Oat-n-Nut Blueberry Scones

1 1/2 cups whole oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine oatmeal, flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two forks and cut in the butter with the flour mixture until crumbly and well blended. Stir milk and extract into the flour mixture until just combined. Lightly fold in the pecans and blueberries. On a lightly floured surface, collect the dough into a ball and pat into a large circle about 1″ thick. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.