Coconut Cookies

If you like coconut, try these cookies. Even if you don't like coconut, you will find these cookies amazing.  The recipe is simple, and they melt in your mouth. The recipe is from Preppy Kitchen, one of Peter's favorite baking websites.

Coconut Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 t. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, salt, and baking soda.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the butter and sugars on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed just until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix once more.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until almost combined. Scrape the bowl down one last time, then add the coconut. Mix on low until just combined.

Use a cookie scoop to portion cookies to be about 2 T. in size. Place the dough on the baking sheets, leaving about two inches of space between the cookies to allow for spreading.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom edge is lightly golden and set, and the tops of the cookies appear dry. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

You will love these!

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Tender Gingerbread Cake

 

I was busy yesterday and today, so I did not cook either day. We had dinner with Carolyn & Butch today, and she made this gingerbread cake for dessert. She said I could use it for my recipe of the day. Yay! This recipe comes from "Meant to Share" by Danielle Kartes.

Tender Gingerbread Cake

1/2 cup plus 2 T. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/8 cup plain yogurt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 t. baking power

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. apple pie spice

3/4 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9 square cake pan with parchment paper. 

Cream the butter, vanilla, and sugar on low speed for 3 minutes.

 Add the eggs one at a time and mix until just incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and gently fold the yogurt into the batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together. In a third bowl, mix 1 cup of hot water and molasses together. 

Now mix the dry ingredients into the batter in sections, alternating with the hot molasses mixture. 

Do not overmix. Pour the batter into your lined pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cake is well-baked. 

Allow the gingerbread to cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar. You can also add whipped cream and pomegranate arils. 

It would make a nice festive Christmas dessert.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

 

I found this recipe years ago in a Paula Dean magazine. I don't know why I never tried it before. All the people who tasted these (Don, our community group, and my friend Doug, whom I visit in an assisted living facility) said they were delicious. The unique thing about them is that there are two different kinds of raisins in them: golden and dark. The only thing I didn't like was that the batter was rather sticky, and the recipe makes fewer than two dozen cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 t. vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/8 t. salt

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dark raisins

2 T granulated sugar (for flattening the cookies)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.   Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until combined. Fold in oats and raisins.

Scoop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, and roll into balls (I wore disposable gloves for this - very sticky). Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Slightly flatten cookies using the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar (tap a cookie to get it a little sticky first).

Bake until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

I made a giant chocolate chip cookie today. It was the size of a 14" pizza. When I finished making it, I realized I needed to find someone to share it with. That's when I texted Heidi and asked if I could drop by with dessert. I didn't tell her what it was. The boys were more than happy to help out.

For dinner, they had a cookie in the shape of a pizza slice, some strawberries, and a glass of milk. All the food groups. As I was leaving, they were heading out the door with two plates for neighbors. 

This cookie came out great! It is a fast way to make a dessert for a surprise gift or a party. If I can learn to decorate the top with frosting, it will be even better. Recipe source: Allrecipes.com

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Grease a 14" pizza pan (you can use a larger one - the dough may not reach the edges).

Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla with a mixer until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. 

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add this mixture to the above.

With a spatula, stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if using.

Spread dough evenly in the prepared pizza pan.

Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes (my oven runs hot, so I baked it for only 13 minutes).

Cool the cookie in the pan on a cooling rack. Decorate as desired. Store covered with plastic wrap.

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Brown Butter

 

I'm cheating on this recipe because it is an ingredient rather than a finished dish. If you wait until tomorrow, I will post a recipe that uses this ingredient. Since I am writing this blog post so late at night, it won't be long before you get the whole thing. This recipe is from Magnolia Journal, Fall 2025.

Brown Butter

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

Directions:

Cut up butter into 1 Tbsp. pieces and place in a stainless-steel or light-colored saute pan so you can see the color change. Let the butter come to room temperature (30 minutes).

Heat butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it starts to foam and pop as the water cooks off. Reduce the heat if it is boiling hard.

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until foam subsides and milk solids toast and turn bronze. This happens fast--keep stirring and remove from the heat as soon as it reaches the color you want. Immediately pour brown butter into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup to stop the process.

Use right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to two weeks. The butter will solidify if you chill it. To liquify, microwave it for 20-30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds.

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Blueberry Pound Cake

This is a heavy cake! It has a pound of butter, 3 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and 6 eggs! I wouldn't make it again unless I was having a party. But it's a tasty treat!

Blueberry Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature

3 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

3 cups flour

1/2 t. baking soda

6 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 cups blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream butter and sugar, then mix in the sour cream.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.

Beat about 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture, then beat in 1 egg. Continue alternating portions of the flour mixture and eggs, one at a time, until they have all been incorporated into the batter.

Mix in the vanilla.

In a small bowl of flour, shake blueberries gently to lightly coat.

Dust off any excess flour and fold the blueberries into the batter.

Pour batter into tube pan.

Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Because you can never have too many options for Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 T. pumpkin-pie spice

1 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 t. vanilla

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 package chocolate chips 12-oz (semi-sweet or bittersweet)

Directions:

Line a 9" x 13" pan with foil, overlapping all sides for easy removal of bars.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together.

Add the eggs and the pumpkin to the butter & sugar mixture.

Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix well.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Allow bars to cool completely.

Once cool, use the foil to remove bars and place them on a large cutting board.

Cut bars and store them in an airtight container for 3 days, or freeze them individually wrapped in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.

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October Recipe-A-Day

 

In 2015, I wrote a series of blog posts in October called "31 Days of New Recipes." During that challenge, I discovered some new recipes that I still use today. One of my favorites is Tomato Pumpkin Bisque.

It was difficult to keep up with a recipe a day, especially when I tried to do it on the fly. This time, I have gotten a head start on cooking new recipes, which I will post in October. There will be days when I want to post additional fun things, but I will do two posts on those days. I'll try not to miss a day, so check in regularly.

October 1

Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles

Cookie Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

2 t. cream of tartar

1 t. baking soda

1 and 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter (softened)

1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk at room temperature

2 t. vanilla

1 t. ground cinnamon

Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 t. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the topping: Combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 t. cinnamon in a small bowl.

Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 different parts. The dough will be thick.

Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of cookie dough each, using a medium scoop. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar topping. Arrange 3 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake cookies for 10 minutes. The cookies will be very puffy and soft. When they are still very warm, lightly press down on them with the back of a spoon to flatten them out. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cookies remain soft & fresh for 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen cookies. They are so good!!

Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

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Married 39 Years!

 

Now here's a photo you haven't seen before. It's not the best quality photo, but I can remember it like it was 39 years ago. Don and I had just returned from our honeymoon. We were in the basement of our Kirtland house. Dave and Donna had dropped off all our wedding gifts and put them on the ping-pong table. They came over and watched while we opened them all. Isn't that a lovely wreath? It was 1986 after all.

Today is our anniversary (and Marina's birthday—but more on that next weekend after her party). Don and I went to Jo Jo's in Chagrin Falls for dinner. He gave me roses, and I surprised him with another Richards Family heirloom recipe I haven't attempted in 39 years! I pulled it off because he played tennis and ate lunch with a friend this morning.

This recipe required rolling out dough, which I usually avoid.

But I was pleasantly surprised again at how easy it was to make them. The dough was just right. Can you tell that Lucy was still here?

This recipe used the remainder of the currants I bought for the Saffron Rolls. Win-Win!

Old-Fashioned Currant Cookies

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. salt

1/2 cup shortening (Crisco - might try butter next time)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 t. lemon juice (makes "sour milk")

1 cup currants (or raisins), but I would recommend the currants

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (I used the convection setting on my oven and set the temperature to 325).

Sift together the first six ingredients (I used the whisk attachment on my mixer).

Blend in the shortening (I used the whisk attachment on my mixer).

Add eggs, sour milk, and currants. Mix until the dough comes together.

Roll out the dough in manageable portions on a well-floured surface (1/4-3/8" thick).

Cut cookies into rounds using a drinking glass or cookie cutter.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Sprinkle cookies with sugar.

Bake 10-12 minutes (even if using convection). As usual, keep an eye on them.

Makes about 30 cookies.

These cookies are sooo yummy. Like nothing you have ever tasted before!

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Happy 30th Birthday, Kendall!

 

Kendall turned 30 on April 30th, so technically, it was her "Golden" birthday. She has been celebrating in different ways the past couple of weeks and will continue to do so through next weekend. That's my kind of birthday celebration.

For our part, we invited them over for dinner on Monday. I made Chicken Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad for dinner with Rosemary bread from Costco on the side. For dessert, I made Paleo-Lemon Blueberry Cake. The whole meal was delicious. 

The happiest of birthdays to you, dear Kendall!

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Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

 

Nothing will ever replace our famous Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. Still, when my neighbor, Liz, brought over some of these pumpkin cookies, I had to make them. These cookies have less pumpkin and taste more like Snickerdoodles for fall.

The recipe comes from a website called Rich and Delish. Be aware that the dough has to chill for at least an hour before baking. Plan ahead.

Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup Dark brown sugar

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 egg yolks

2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. ginger

2 t. vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

Cinnamon sugar (for rolling):

1 t. cinnamon

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. granulated sugar

Instructions:

Cream butter, dark brown sugar, and sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until creamy and light in color.

Add egg yolks, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. Mix well.

Add flour and baking soda and mix until just combined. Don't overmix or the cookies will come out cakey.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least one hour or as long as overnight.

Add cinnamon, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a small bowl. Mix to combine.

Use a cookie scooper to scoop the dough into balls 1 1/2 T. in size. Roll each cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the first batch carefully so they don't burn. They were done in my oven after 8 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Yummy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

 

I tried a new dessert recipe last weekend and it is a winner! Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars come together faster than making two dozen cookies. Recipe from Sara Wells on Our Best Bites.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

3 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

3/4 cups white sugar

2 large eggs

1 T. vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips (or any kind of chips you like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with foil and lightly spray with baking spray. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together brown sugar, white sugar, and melted butter. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients a little at a time until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. 

Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, press it into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes (check after 20 minutes). Remove from oven when edges are golden brown and the center appears set but still soft.

Cool completely to room temperature. Cut into squares.

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The Best Rice Krispie Treats

 

I know that Rice Krispie Treats are a simple and basic dessert, but over time I have perfected a way to get them to come out perfectly moist with a recipe that is easy to remember.

Rice Krispie Treats

6 cups  Rice Krispie cereal
6 cups  Kraft mini marshmallows 
6 T.  butter

Prep:

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with baking spray.

Use a paper towel to spread it into all the corners and up the sides.

Measure out Rice Krispie cereal in one bowl and marshmallows in another bowl for easy access.

Directions:

In a non-stick pan, melt butter. 

Add marshmallows and stir into butter until they are completely melted.

Remove pan from heat.

Stir in Rice Krispies.

Using a rubber spatula, immediately spread the mixture into the 9 x 13 pan.

Lightly spray a small sheet of waxed paper with baking spray then press down on the mixture so it is flat.

Optional: Top with candy sprinkles.

Cover tightly with foil or cling wrap.

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Olive Oil Cake

 

Peter surprised me with a cake and it wasn't even my birthday! He brought it to me on Christmas Eve.

This wasn't just any cake. It was the Del Mar Restaurant (Naples, FL) Olive Oil Cake that Don and I fell in love with twice.

The first time we fell in love with it was in May when we went to Del Mar. We had never seen Olive Oil Cake on a dessert menu so we ordered it. Amazing! The second time we went to Del Mar we had forgotten that we had ever been there until the dessert menu came out and we saw the Olive Oil Cake again. That was in December.

This cake was so good I jokingly asked the waiter if I could have the recipe. Restaurants don't usually give out their recipes, so I was surprised that he said sure! They emailed it to me the next day. I was in heaven until I read the recipe and found out it was scaled to six cakes. It called for 24 eggs and almost 11 cups of olive oil, 6.75 lb. of sugar, and 6 lb. of all-purpose flour. Other measurements weren't so clear-cut for dividing.

I couldn't think of anything else to do except send the recipe to Peter to scale it back to one cake.

Six weeks went by and I didn't get my recipe back from Peter. I figured he forgot about it and I didn't want to bother him. Then on Christmas Eve, he came in with a cake on a platter - the Olive Oil Cake decorated with homemade candied orange peel!

We all enjoyed a piece of the cake, and although it didn't taste exactly like Del Mar's version, it was still an amazing delicacy.

Here's the recipe:

Del Mar Olive Oil Cake

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (510 grams)

1 3/4 cups Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 eggs

1/2 egg yolk

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

4 tsp. orange zest

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup Triple Sec liquor

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (454 grams)

2 1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Instructions:

1. Whisk sugar, olive oil, eggs, and egg yolk in a mixer until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl, add buttermilk, zest, OJ, and Triple Sec (set aside).

3. Combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda).

4. Alternating between dry and wet mixtures, add 1/3 of each to the bowl from step 1, and mix until everything is combined.

5. Pour into a 10-inch springform pan (lined with parchment paper and sprayed with non-stick spray).

6. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, then cover the springform pan with parchment paper and a baking sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325F and bake for an additional 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

7. Let cool at room temperature, then wrap and refrigerate.

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Italian Christmas Cookies

 

I've been wanting to make these Italian Christmas cookies for a long time. So when my friend Grace brought them to Community Group last month as a dessert, I begged her for her recipe. 

I was so happy this morning when I tried it out and found that the dough has a beautiful texture and is easy to work with. You can shape these cookies any way you like. The recipe made almost 80 round cookies. This will be a new favorite for my annual cookie trays.

Italian Christmas Cookies (Grace calls them Nana's Cookies)

Cookie ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup Crisco

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 T. vanilla

4 cups flour

1 T. baking powder

Glaze ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 T. milk

1/2 t. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, beat sugar and Crisco until combined. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Whisk baking powder into flour. Add flour mixture, one cup at a time, to the above mixture.

Form dough into balls or other shapes and place on baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes (more or less depending on your oven). Until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool cookies on cooling racks.

Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl. When the cookies are cool, dip the tops into the glaze and place them on a rimmed cookie sheet. Drop sprinkles on top to decorate.

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Caramel-Apple Dip

One of the highlights of the 4th quarter birthday celebration was this dip that Heidi brought with freshly sliced apples. It could be used as a dessert, but once it was on the island, it became an appetizer.

Caramel-Apple Cheesecake Dip

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, at room temperature

1 13.5-ounce Marzetti caramel dip  

As many chopped pecans as you want on top

As many apples as you want, sliced

Directions:

Spread softened cream cheese onto a serving plate. 

Top with caramel sauce.

Top that with chopped pecans.

Serve with apples.

Warning! This dip is addictive.

 
 

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Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

 

I tried a new bundt cake recipe yesterday. I love bundt cakes because they are usually so easy to make and they look so pretty on a cake stand. I'm definitely adding this one to my repertoire. It's crusty on the outside, moist on the inside, and has just the right amount of chocolate. It requires a little prep ahead because the eggs have to be at room temperature. I always forget about setting out eggs and butter.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/2 c. plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/4 c. whole-milk buttermilk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 T. pure vanilla extract
10-ounce bag of mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, buttermilk, and oil.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, and vanilla and mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.

With the speed still on low, alternately add half of the buttermilk mixture and half of the flour mixture, letting the ingredients incorporate for 30-45 seconds between additions, until all is added and well combined.

Increase the speed to medium and add the chocolate chips, mixing until well distributed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, distributing evenly, and tap the pan on the counter a few times to level out the batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack, carefully removing the pan. Let cool for 30 more minutes before serving.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

* I wish I could remember where I found the recipe. I copied it from a library book. My apologies to the author.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

These might be the best cookies I've ever made. I know that's a bold statement, but they were so easy to pull together and the shape and texture of them were incredible. Usually, my cookies come out flat or mushy in the middle. These were perfect! I can't take credit for the recipe. I got it from Half Baked Harvest. I can't find the recipe on the website, but here it is: 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil (use a little more if the dough seems too dry)

2 large eggs

4 t. vanilla extract

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks + more if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer add the oatmeal, flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla, beat until the dough is moist and all the ingredients are combined. The dough will be crumbly. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Using your hands clump together a tablespoon of dough. Use your hands to really squeeze the dough into a ball. If the mixture is not holding together add 1 tablespoon more of oil. Place on prepared baking sheet.

If the balls are crumbly, don't worry, they will come together while baking. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and golden.

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Carrot Bundt Cake

 

For Gavin's birthday party, Heidi asked me to bring along a bundt cake for brunch. I wanted to make something new, so I searched for a recipe and came up with this one from Taste of Home. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I made it with the canola oil it calls for, but next time I want to try switching it to healthier olive oil and see if that works, especially since the cake uses so much oil.

Carrot Bundt Cake

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups canola oil

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 t. vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

3 cups finely shredded carrots (about 6 medium)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

Beat the first 4 ingredients until well blended. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in carrots and walnuts.

Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack, cool completely.

For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread over cake.

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Rainbow Sprinkle Cake

 

The cake on the left is the Rainbow Sprinkles Cake that I made for the Second Quarter birthday party.

The recipe came from Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy Recipes for exceptionally scrumptious sweets and treats by Jessie Sheehan. This is a great cookbook. It has lots of easy and delicious-looking recipes. This cake really is "easy-peasy."

Rainbow Sprinkles Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 T. rainbow sprinkles plus more for decorating

1 t. baking soda

3/4 t. salt

1/4 cup plus 1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. vanilla extract

1 T. white vinegar

1/4 cup plus 2T. cream cheese softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/8 t. salt

1 T. whole milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, granulated sugar, sprinkles, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cup cold water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared cake pan.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through cooking time, until a wooden pick comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto wire rack, remove parchment, and invert again to face right side up. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. 

Make glaze:

Whisk cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in milk, 1 t. at a time until desired consistency. Whisk in vanilla. Spread glaze over top of cooled cake. Decorate with sprinkles. 

Refrigerate cake, uncovered until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

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