Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate, Dried Cranberries, & Walnuts

Happy Saturday, everyone! =]

Around this time of the year, I usually like to bake my Kris Kringle cookies with white chocolate, dried cranberries, and walnuts.  This past week I encountered a similar recipe on two peas & their pod that included oatmeal, but no walnuts...so I thought, why not throw all the ingredients together?  I'd say they turned out pretty awesome!  I love nuts in EVERYTHING (no jokes please) but if you're allergic to nuts, feel free to omit them from the recipe.

Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate, Dried Cranberries, & Walnuts

(adapted from two peas & their pod)

½ c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1 egg 
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. oats
1 cup of dried cranberries (Craisins)
1 cup of white chocolate chips
1 cup of chopped walnuts


Beat together the butter & sugars until smooth.  Next, add the egg & vanilla.


In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  Add this mixture slowly to the wet ingredients, mixing after every addition.  Finally, add the oats, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts.  Your mixture should look something like this...

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Butterless Apple Brownies

Yes, I know, I've been slacking.  But what can I say...life gets busy!

Winter break is approaching, and if there's one thing I know that I'll definitely be doing during winter break, it's BAKING =]

I don't exactly remember how I came across this recipe, but once I saw it, I knew I had to try it.  As I quickly skimmed over the ingredients to determine if it was something I could immediately bake without having to drive my lazy ass to the store, I noticed one thing...NO BUTTER!  Although the recipe does call for 1 cup of vegetable oil, in my opinion, that's way better than 2 whole sticks of butter.

I wouldn't personally call these "brownies" because I think the texture is more cake-like, if anything.  Call them what you want, they're super moist, delicious, and extremely easy to bake.  ENJOY!

Grandma's Secret Apple Brownies!

Original recipe found here

3 c	all purpose flour
3 c	apples
2 c	sugar
1 tsp	cinnamon
1 tsp	baking soda
1/3 c	orange juice
2	eggs
1 c	vegetable oil
1 tsp	salt

Directions

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x13 pan.

Peel and core about 3 to 4 apples, Finely chop apples (You want the pieces small)

Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl.  

Bake at 325 degrees for appoximately 45 mins to 1 hour.

Eat and Enjoy!!

Dream Bars!

I apologize for the two month hiatus - I've been playing catch up with life!  And with grad school starting in exactly two weeks, I don't have much time to spare.

During my time off, I've jumped back into one of my favorite hobbies, baking.  For months, my brother has been asking me to try to duplicate Potbelly's infamous Sheila's Dream Bars.  I did some research to find the best recipe, and I modified it to make it my own.

I think they turned out pretty great!  My next batch will probably have a little less butter...I used THREE STICKS!  I'm so happy that my family loved them, especially my brother <3 the whole pan was gone within three days!

Love, love, love my mixer...can't live without it

Forming the bottom cookie layer

Ready for the oven!

Yummi gooeyness

Finished product =]

You have no idea how good this tastes.