Bake it up!

I’m an infrequent poster. Sorry. I like blogging, but I really like snuggling, hanging out with friends and family, baking, running, going to the gym, playing with my cats and sleeping.

Lately I’ve been baking. A lot. For work, for friends, for birthdays and for parties. Check out some of the favorites:

Mocha Fudge Brownies based on Fully Loaded Brownies from Heather’s Dish

I stop the ingredients after espresso powder (I use instant coffee) and top with buttercream with instant coffee granules mixed in. These have been a hit at various work and family functions.

Breeseos from Heather’s Dish

I’ve made these twice and have used snickers, mini PB cups, full sized PB cups and peppermint patties. Brent and I liked them best with fulled sized PB cups and the peppermint patties. They were a hit at a costume party and I’m crossing my fingers they go over well for my sister’s birthday.

Compost/Snack Time Cookies

My most recent batch included sandwich cookies, PB cups, snickers, tortilla chips and butter crackers.

Sweet Potato Swirl Loaf

 

I just took this out of the oven, so I have no verdict. I sure hope it tastes great! I liked the twist on sweet potato, no cinnamon but cocoa instead.

 

Feel free to try one or all of these yummy reasons why reaching my goal weight isn’t in my near future!

 

 

Snack Time Cookies

Not sure if blogging about what Brent has called “the best cookies you’ve ever made” is counter productive or not, but I’ll do it anyway.

Happy Husband eating a cookie!

First the big news – I haven’t ate sweets (defined as cookies, candy,cake, donuts, brownies, bars, flavored creamer or ice cream) for two days and the two days before that I only had a single sweet each day. This is HUGE for me! I sometimes feel like my life is controled by a driving need for sugar. I’ve eaten sweets multiple times in such large amounts, I’ve gotten sick. I’ve stuffed cookies down by the handful and ate sweets when I didn’t even want them but felt like I needed them.  My sweet on Tuesday was a single Godiva dark chocolate disc and I can’t remember Monday’s sweet, just that I know I ate something.

I feel good and in control. Tuesday was HARD and I really was hoping Brent would suggest a treat but he didn’t and instead of “sneaking” chocolate chips, I went to bed.

This has also put a damper on my baking, but before that I made the aforementioned cookies.

The recipe was inspired by Heather at Hangry Pants but un-veganized by me, so here is my version.

Snack Time Cookies

Inspired by the Momofuku Compost Cookie and Heather’s Vegan Snack Time Cookies

Ingredients

1 Egg

1 C Butter, softened

1.5 C  Sugar

2 t vanilla

1.25 C Flour (I used 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat)

1/2 C Oatmeal (instant or old fashioned)

2 t baking powder

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

1.5 C sweet treats –I used marshmallow-caramel santas from Christmas and chopped kit-kats

1.5 C salty snacks –I used broken pretzels and crushed up tortilla chips

Cookies cooling

 Directions

1. 2. In your electric mixer bowl or any large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar.

3. Add the vanilla and the egg and mix until combined.

4. Add the flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the bowl and mix until incorporated.

5. Now you can add your salty snacks and sweet treats and mix it into the batter. I wanted my mix-ins to be identified, so I left my chunks fairly large.

6. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour. I didn’t do it my first batch and they spread like CRAZY, after the chilling, they held their shape better. Keep dough in fridge between batches.

7. Scoop the dough and places on prepared cookie sheet. I used parchment lined sheets and was glad, they were sticky (thanks caramel!). Also beware, they spread!

7. Bake for 10 – 11 minutes at 375*. They will be puffy when you first take them out of the oven, so let them cool and flatten before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

I’ve made these twice, the second recipe mix-ins were sixlets, chocolate chunks, tortilla chips and potato chips. I brought both variations to work and they were loved!