Old Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yum

Who ever said "Old Fashioned" is out of style is soooooo wrong!

Take a look around you.  Have you noticed clothing from the 70's lately?  Embroidered jeans anyone?  Haha! Even the colored hair that was so a punk rock style of the 80's is back in fashion.  I've been there, done that, but I still love it!  So what's old is also new.  Especially in the case of Old Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

So times you just crave the things you grew up with.  Which led me to Mom's recipe box.  She has a box overflowing with recipes from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, and I have them all!  Sifting through that box brings back so many precious memories of my mom cooking, and all of my relatives as well.  It is such a treasure to pull out a recipe that's in her handwriting and smudged from cooking.  I can't tell you how many special moments we've had over the years cooking, but making a recipe of hers just brings her back as if we are doing it together again.

OLD FASHIONED OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I'm not sure where she got this recipe from originally, but the card is pretty worn.  I do recall Mom making these cookies throughout the years so I was glad I ran across it.

Do you remember eating Oatmeal cookies growing up?  What makes these special is that they have mini chocolate chips inside.  The recipe called for regular chocolate chips but I thought the mini ones would be just a great hint of chocolate.  The cookie is slightly crispy on the edges, and chewy in the center, which I just love.  The oats give texture and the bits of chocolate make them a little decadent.  They keep well for several days but try and stop at one cookie!  They'll be gone before you know it.

Remember, "old fashioned" is new.  Try these cookies!

Enjoy!





Old Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

make 4 dozen cookies


1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats
1 cup mini chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, add the two sugars and butter.  Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the ingredients together until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix until blended.  Add in the flour and baking soda and mix until combined.  Stir in the oats and the mini chocolate chips.   

Using a cookie scoop, scoop the batter and place it on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until they are light golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to sit 1 minute.  Remove from the pan to a wire rack to cool. 

Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

With the weather cold here I find myself baking a whole lot more that usual.  Is that strange?

There just seems to be something comforting about baking on the weekends and having a leisurely breakfast, especially if it is raining outside.  So looking through my Pinterest Boards for inspiration I decided to make baked doughnuts.  Because, they are healthier when baked right? 

So today's indulgence is going to be Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts because I LOVE anything chocolate (who doesn't?).  I rarely make doughnuts and haven't ever posted a recipe for them yet so here we go!  Don't be fooled by doughnuts as they are easy to make and you only need a specialty doughnut pan to bake them in.  I used this one here. 

BAKED CHOCOLATE CAKE DOUGHNUTS

Baked doughnuts are still an indulgence but since they are baked you lose all the fat from frying.  There is nothing better than the smell (and taste!) of hot chocolate cake doughnuts fresh from the oven!  If you can contain yourself and wait until they cool you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top for an extra special sweetness.  To be honest some of ours didn't make it that long!

Wonderfully moist, these chocolatey decadent cake doughnuts can be made in about 30 minutes.  You'll have a perfect breakfast treat, or snack for the weekend. 

Kitchen Tip:  The batter is thick and it is easiest to pipe the batter into the ring molds.  Use a piping bag or just a plastic zip lock bag and snip off the tip as a make shift piping bag.  This is what I did.  You'll have the doughnuts done in no time.  This recipe makes about 20 doughnuts so using two baking pan works.  If you don't have two just bake them in the one pan in batches.

Enjoy!

Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

makes 12

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two regular sized doughnut pans. If you don't have two pans, simply bake the batter in two batches.

In a large bowl, add the, flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, . Set aside.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and vinegar, and oil. Add to the dry ingredients. 

Mix until well combined.  Spoon the batter into a plastic bag and seal.  Cut off one tip to form a piping bag, and pipe the batter into the pan about almost full.  

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean.

Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and after loosen their edges, turn out onto a cooling rack.  Allow to cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.  

adapted from King Arthur Flour

Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

Yum

I've been posting a lot of soups lately such as my Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup and the latest, Seriously Good Tortellini Vegetable Soup.  We always love a good soup when the weather is cold, but we also love a good salad to go with it.

I would say that soup and salad are MGG's favorite meal.  So when there's soups there is also salad right behind it.  I usually gravitate to produce that is in season to inspire my salad.  My local grocery store had some wonderful looking oranges.  These were Cara Cara oranges and I find them slightly more sweet than navel oranges and a little less acidic.  The flesh is a little deeper orange and they taste a little like a berry.  I love them so I bought a bunch and used them in my salad.  Orange have tremendous health benefits and they make the salad light and fresh tasting.

Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

You certainly don't have to buy Cara Cara oranges for this dish, navel orange are fantastic and taste wonderful as well.  Along with the oranges I mixed some arugula and spinach together as the base.  Keeping the toppings simple, I added feta cheese and some chopped almonds for crunch.

The dressing is light and bright to match the salad.  A lemon vinaigrette is enhanced with some chopped mint, which just takes the salad to the next level.  You have to try this salad!!!

So next time you have soup make sure to make a salad as well to round out the meal.  Or just have the salad as a light lunch or along side some brunch dishes.  This one is a keeper, so make it before all the wonderful juicy oranges are gone until next year!

Enjoy!







Orange Salad with Arugula and Spinach

serves 4

Salad:
2 cups arugula
2 cups baby spinach
2 oranges, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
1/4 cup almonds, chopped

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons shallots, diced
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons mint, chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil

In a jar add all salad dressing ingredients and shake well to combine.  To a large platter add arugula and spinach.  Add a little dressing and toss to coat.  Layer on the orange slices, feta cheese, and almonds.  Drizzle additional dressing over the top and serve.