Holiday Baking: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Simply Delicious!

Starting new traditions can be fun. I love oatmeal cookies, and my boyfriend loves chocolate chip. So what do we have Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for Christmas. You could say it's magic. Give the people what they want.  There is also plenty to share with friends and family and for holiday parties.

This recipe is a Nestle Toll House recipe.


Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies
Yields:48 cookies (4 dozen) - it yields at least 5 dozen
Prep:15 mins
Cooking:10 mins
Cooling:1 min

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) - I used less
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs _ I used extra large eggs
2 tablespoons milk - I used almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional) - I left these out
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

The cookies fresh out of the oven.
You can tell I live in a little apartment. The kitchen is the size of a galley on a boat. The pantry was made out of a coat closet. How else do you make a small kitchen bigger?

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Simple Chicken Cutlets

Chicken cutlets is a dish I grew up having frequently in my home. It is quick to make, and something obviously any beginning cook should be able to make. In fact, everything on the plate above is very to make and takes just minutes.

Broccoli
I purchased broccoli crowns at the supermarket and cut the up. I steamed them. I put an inch of water with some salt in a half quart pan, and placed a metal steamer inside.

When the water boils add the broccoli. Steam them until they turn a bright green (which is not going to be very long) and fork tender. If you don't have a steamer that is okay, you can cook the broccoli in the pot without the steamer and they will still come out fine. Between 5 and 8 minutes. It may also depend on how much you purchased. It can be as long as 10 minutes.  Butter before placing on the table.

Noodles
For the noodles you should follow the directions on the package. They are all a little different because it all depends on the thickness of the noodle. A little science knowledge from Alton Brown can go a long way. Water and salt is the keep to good noodles.Always add salt to the water. Make sure you cook the noodles in plenty of water. Butter before placing on the table.

Chicken Cutlets
Chicken breasts
all purpose flour
eggs
plain breakcrumbs or panko
canola oil
black pepper
salt
Line everything up in this order.
Clean and prepare the chicken cutlets. Pat dry.
Place some flour on a plate seasoned with salt and pepper.
Beat some eggs in a bowl. If you are cooking 6 or 8 chicken cutlets you will need at least 3 eggs .
Place panko or plain breadcrumbs on a plate.
Start by dipping cutlets in flour. Work to cover thoroughly.
Dip the cutlet in the egg.
Then place the chicken in the panko or plain bread crumbs. Cover thoroughly.
When almost all the cutlets are covered, heat a deep saute pan at medium high heat. When hot add some canola oil.
When the oil is hot and sizzles add the chicken cutlets, cook until the cutlets are browned on both sides, turning once, and make sure the chicken is no longer pink in the middle or 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Note: For this recipe I used large organic eggs, and organic chicken cutlets, treated with no chemicals.

The chicken cutlets were a hit!

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Chicken Fricassee

Chicken Fricassee is a meal that has survived many a century, considering it dates back to at least the fifteenth century according to wikipedia. Despite this fact, for me, this was my first time having this particular dish. I found it while going through my cookbooks completely by accident.

This is the cookbook I found the recipe in, 'Scottish Bakehouse Cook Book' by Isabella  M. White. I cooked the Chicken Fricassee in my dutch oven.

Chicken Fricassee
Serves 4 to 6
1 frying chicken, cut up
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used portobello)
1/2 cup orange juice (I used orange mango because that is hat I had in the house)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter (I use unsalted)
2 cups water
2 eggs
salt and pepper
Boiled rice
Paprika

Season frying chicken and slightly fry in butter. Add the cut up vegetables and water. Simmer until the chicken is tender about 1 hour and 15 minutes to a half hour (or however long is necessary).

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a platter. Check the seasoning and season more if necessary.

Beat the eggs in a cup ahead of time  if you wish and add the orange juice. I then added the flour and mixed well. Add this to the stock mixture in the pot. Mix until thickened and of a gravy consistency.

To serve.
Place some chicken on one side of the plate. Place rice on the other side of the plate. Ladle gravy over chicken and rice, and sprinkle with paprika.

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French Apple Pie

This is my Mother's recipe for French Apple Pie. My boyfriend loves it because he has a thing for Apple Crumb Pie. It is absolutely fabulous.

I found the recipe online after a little research. Other apple pie recipes popped up when I originally started my search. I had to go through that needle in that haystack. I am so happy I found it. Here is the link.


French Apple Pie
A recipe from a Food Club pie crust box. We love the crumb topping.
Yield: 8 Servings , Total Time: 1 hours, 50 minutes
1 each Ready to bake pie crust
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1/4 cup Corn starch
1/2 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
pinch Salt
6 cups Baking apples; cored, peeled, and thinly sliced (4-5 medium apples)
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Brown sugar; firmly packed
1/2 cup Butter or margarine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the pie crust over the bottom of the pie plate. Mix sugar, starch, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt into bowl. Stir in sliced apples and let set for about 10 minutes while making topping. Stir to mix again. Spoon apple slices into pie crust.
To prepare crumb topping; mix together flour and brown sugar. Blend in butter or margarine until crumbly. Sprinkle crumb topping over pie. Bake pie on sheet pan for 1 hour 30 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers.

Here is my Christmas tree for the holiday season. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday!

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Marmalade Morning Muffins and Cat Sitting

Here is my cousin's lovely cat George.  I am sorry to say that he passed last week.  My cousin was heartbroken and I loved spending time with the little guy. We snuggled and played. I whispered sweet nothings into his ear telling him he was such a good cat and that I loved him.  I miss him now that he is gone.

Today I made some muffins from the cookbook Muffins Galore by Catherine Atkinson.  
I made the Marmalade Morning Muffins which I found on page 60.
Here is a single muffin...

and here is the recipe...

Marmalade Morning Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
3/4 cup unrefined superfine sugar—-granulated sugar will work too
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
3/4 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/2 cup sunflower margarine, melted
2 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

For the topping
1 tablespoon unsweetened orange juice
4 tablespoons orange marmalade

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line the cups with paper muffin cups.

For the muffins, mix the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, marmalade, orange juice, melted margarine, and two-thirds of the chopped pears. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing briefly until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly. Scatter with the remaining chopped pears, pressing the pieces gently into the batter. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until risen and golden. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, for the topping, genly heat the orange juice and marmalade together in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally until melted and combined. Spoon and brush over the tops of the warm muffins. Serve warm.

They look divine and they taste out of the world.

Whip up something new and have an appreciation for new experiences.

Cassandra