Baked Peaches 'n Cream Oatmeal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups quick oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 1/2 cups fresh peaches, chopped (You could also use frozen or drained canned peaches. Fresh gives the best results)

Cream

Whisk together milk, vanilla, and eggs until well combined.

Add quick oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.

Stir in butter and peaches.

Pour into a buttered 8x8-inch baking dish; set at least 3 hours or overnight in refrigerator.

Place cold dish in cold oven; set oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until oatmeal is puffed and golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serve in individual bowls. Pour cream over top!

Note: My oven takes a good 20 minutes to preheat, so I found that the oatmeal was not done in the middle after the allotted time.  After an additional 10 minutes it was perfect.  Before turning off your oven, the center of the oatmeal should be firm, but spring back when pressed.  If it feels too loose, bake for additional 5-minute intervals.

Oatmeal Chocolate Cherry Chip Crisps

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried tart cherries 

1 pkg. Nestle Toll House Cherry Filled Delightfulls

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Blend first 4 ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs and beat until blended (about a minute).  Add next 4 ingredients.  Continue beating until mixture is blended. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in cherries, Delightfuls and white chocolate chips.

Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls or using a tablespoon size scoop onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (cookies will spread). Bake until tops of cookies are golden brown, rotating baking sheets after 7 minutes, about 14 minutes total. Transfer cookies to rack; let cool. Repeat with remaining batter.

(Recipe adapted from Epicurious)

The Best Apple Crisp Ever

Apple Crisp was probably one of my very first desserts I made as a child. I had a children's version of  a Betty Crocker cookbook, and I would make this recipe again and again.  Over the years I tweaked it to appeal to my own taste and it's my "go to" dessert in the Fall.  It's so easy and versatile, and you can make it in a large dish, round dish or individual ramekins.  I use sweet apples so that I do not need to add any sugar to them.  The only sugar is in the wonderful, rich and oatmeal laced topping.

This recipe will make an 8" x 8" dish or 4 individual 1 cup ramekins/dishes.

Ingredients:

6 large sweet, soft apples (like Cortland or Macintosh), peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c firmly packed brown sugar (I prefer dark, but light works as well)
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp. salt
5 T cold butter, cut into 1/2 pieces

Preheat oven to 375*.  In a large bowl, toss apples with cinnamon and place in 8"x8" dish or 4 ramekins.
In same bowl add remaining 5 ingredients.  Using a pastry blender or your hands, work butter and dry ingredients together until course crumbs appear.  Sprinkle topping over apples.  Place dish(es) on a baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes until filling is bubbly and topping is browned.
Best served warm.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

Yumly!

GF Baked Oatmeal Popables with Fruit & Bittersweet Chocolate

There is a recipe going around on FB called Healthy Cookies.  I took my idea for these very tasty snacks from that.  They taste like sweetened cooked oatmeal, but in convenient snack-size mounds. You're gonna love 'em and so simple to make. If you use a vegan chocolate bar, this recipe becomes vegan as well as GF!

Ingredients:

2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
2 cups GF old fashioned oats (like Bob Mill's Organic)
1/4 cup coconut or almond milk, your preference
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1/4 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet. You can substitute a vegan bar)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (you can substitute vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 350*.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment.  Mix all ingredients together. Using a medium cookie scoop, place them 1/2" apart.  They do not spread, so 1/2" is plenty.  Bake for 16-20 minutes or until firm.  They really do not brown, so don't be concerned. Baking them makes them hold together.  Let cool and give them a try!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Ranger Round-Ups Cookies

Quick, easy, simple, delicious stuffed cookie.  Prep takes no time at all.  Most ingredients are right in your cupboard.  So if you're craving something sweet, and don't want the hassle of making a complicated dessert, these cookies will do the job.  Very satisfying with little effort.

Ingredients:

1/4 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 c butter, softened
6 T brown sugar
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c plus 1 T flour
1 c quick-cooking oats
1/2 c butterscotch chips
1/2 c puffed rice cereal
14 mini Snickers candy bars, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and sugar until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.

In a small bowl, stir together baking soda, salt, flour and oats. Add to peanut butter mixture, blending until just combined. Stir in butterscotch chips and cereal. For each cookie, drop by level measuring tablespoonful on prepared baking sheet.  Set a candy bar horizontally on top and press gently. Place another level tablespoon dough on top of candy and press edges together to seal. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks.

Makes 14 cookies.

Calendula Oatmeal & Orange Glycerin Soap

This wonderful glycerin soap has honey as an astringent & moisturizer, oatmeal to relieve itchiness & gently exfoliate, marigold petals (calendula) soothe, and orange oil for a wonderful, clean scent.  They are very easy to make and ready in about 4 hours.  Package multiple in parchment paper or single in organza bags for gift-giving.  Keep a couple for yourself.  I know you will really enjoy them.  Here's how I made them ...

Ingredients:

1# block of castile soap base (I purchased my online at Bulk Apothecary)
3 T honey
5 T calendula petals (I purchased my online at Bulk Apothecary)
4 T old fashioned oats
10 drops orange essential oil (I purchased by online at Aura Cacia. You can also purchase from Bulk Apothecary)
Tartlet molds or tarlet pan with multiple molds
2-cup glass measuring cup w/spout or microwave safe bowl.  I prefer the measuring cup as it is easier to pour.
Cookie sheet
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol

I used individual tarlet molds that I purchased on Amazon.com.  I find these easier to work with when it's time to release the soap.  However you can use a tarlet pan if you have one handy.  Oil the molds lightly with almond oil. On a cookie sheet, place a piece of waxed paper.  Place the molds on the cookie sheet and set aside.

Melt the soap base in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or microwave bowl or for approximately 2 minutes.  Check after 1 minute, stir, and return to microwave if needed.  Heat for 30 second intervals until mostly melted.  Remove and stir until completely melted.  Put the honey in a small bowl and microwave for approximately 20 seconds or until thin & runny.  Add to soap base.  Stir in calendula, oats and essential oil.

Pour soap mixture to the top of each greased mold.  You will most likely have some bubbles at the top of the poured mixture.  Take your bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray each mold with 1 quick pulse.  The bubbles magically disappear!

Let the soap mixture sit at room temperature for approximately 4 hours.  Carefully pull on the sides of each mold and pop the soap out.  If you are using a tartlet pan with multiple molds, run around the edge of each mold with a small sharp knife to coax the soap out.

Package the soaps to give as gifts or store in a cool, dry place for future use.

That's all the suds for now!

Banana Bread Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c self-rising flour
1 c granulated sugar
1 c milk
1/2 c butter, melted
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c old-fashioned oats
1/2 c chopped pecans
4 ripe medium bananas, sliced
Vanilla ice cream & caramel topping, if desired

Preheat oven to 375*F. Spray 11x7 pan with cooking spray.
In medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, sugar and milk with whisk just until blended. Stir in melted butter. Pour batter into pan.

In small bowl mix brown sugar, remaining 1/2 c flour and the softened butter with fork until crumbly. Stir in oats and pecans. Arrange banana slices over batter; sprinkle with oat mixture.
Bake 50 - 55 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, covering with foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.  Serve warm with ice cream and drizzle with caramel topping.

Recipe featured in the Betty Crocker Fall Entertaining 2013 magazine.

Natural Almond Brown Sugar Body Scrub w Oatmeal & Honey

This is my "go to" recipe for a natural, homemade body scrub, and makes wonderful gifts as well.

What you'll need:

3/4 C. packed Light Brown Sugar
1/2 C. processed Old Fashioned Oats
3 T Coarse Sea Salt (optional)
1 T Honey
1/3 C. Carrier Oil (Jojoba or Almond)
3-4 drops of Almond Essential Oil
10 oz. clean glass jar w/lid

Process Oats in food processor until fine.  In a large glass or stainless bowl mix together all ingredients, making sure there are no dry areas.  I prefer a moist, rather than a wet scrub.  However, if you prefer a wetter one, add more carrier oil - NOT essential oil.  Essential oil is very concentrated and should only be added a drop at a time until you achieve the fragrance strength you prefer. Place in jar and replace lid.  I prefer glass as opposed to plastic, firstly because it's earth-friendly, and secondly because the oil tends to break down the plastic over time and leaves a sticky residue.  Not ideal for reusing the container when it's time to make more.

The benes:  The oatmeal helps with itchy skin, the brown sugar acts as an exfoliant, adding sea salt helps heal irritated skin and provides a heavier exfoliant.  The honey has natural antiseptic & antibacterial properties, and the carrier oil is necessary as it is used to dilute essential oils before they are applied to the skin; i.e., they carry the essential oil onto the skin.  It also serves to moisten and soften your skin.  Essential oil provides a fragrance, so choose one that appeals to you.

Note: You can also grind up whole unblanched almonds and add as an exfoliant instead of the sea salt.

Use within 2 months.  Before refilling, clean the jar in hot, soapy water and dry with a clean cloth.



Always aromatherapy,