Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies Recipe


I don't know anyone who doesn't like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they are certainly one of my favorites. But sometimes I do get a little bored making the same recipes with the same results time after time.

I was craving some cookies today and I was out of chocolate chips, but I did find butterscotch chips in the pantry. Boy, am I glad I used the butterscotch because these are some of the best cookies I've ever made.

Moist and fragrant, these cookies are perfect with a cold glass of milk. My grandchildren loved them as an afterschool snack today.

This recipe makes about three dozens cookies. Keep them in an airtight container and they'll stay fresh for a few days.



Recipe for Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup, plus 6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla, mix together well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a large spoon until combined.
Add oats and butterscotch chips, mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake about 12 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen.


Patricia
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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

My Favorite Apple Cake Recipe From Smitten Kitchen


I'm truly in the midst of fall happiness, loving all things apple and pumpkin. The kitchen smells so good when I'm baking, and I made this fabulous apple cake again a few days ago for my family. They love the delicious taste of the apples and wonderful moistness.
 
I wanted to share this recipe again with you because it is just so great. And well worth the effort, because for me, nothing beats a cake made from scratch.

One of my very favorite food blogs is Smitten Kitchen. Deb Perelman is such an inspiration, and what I love about her recipes is that they are all completely doable, even for beginning cooks.

This recipe for an apple cake is from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Let me just say that I think this is the most delicious thing I have ever baked. This cake is so moist, so full of apple tasting goodness, and it will fill your whole house with the most wonderful scent.

It is now on my list of fall and winter favorite desserts to make. And it's certainly a dessert that would be welcome for a party or celebration of any kind.


Recipe for Smitten Kitchen Apple Cake

Ingredients:

Butter or nonstick spray for the pan
6 apples (2 1/2 - 3 pounds) McIntosh apples
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 cups plus 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Confectioners' sugar, to finish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch tube pan, or coat it with nonstick spray. Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1/2 - 3/4 inch chunks. Toss them with all of the cinnamon and the 5 tablespoons  granulated sugar, and set them aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, and remaining 2 cups of granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones, then scrape down the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Stir in the walnuts if you are using them.

Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread half the apple chunks over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples, and arrange the remaining apples on top.
Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean, then transfer to a cake rack to cool.
Cool completely before taking cake out of pan and place onto a serving platter. Dust with Confectioners' sugar and serve.

Serves 12-16


Patricia
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Sunday, October 18, 2015

Renaissance Festival in Folsom CA Oct.17-18th




For school my son has been learning about the past. We have learned about the clothing, the tools, transportation and the way of life for people that lived in the past. Being a huge history lover myself it has been a joy to teach him about different time periods of history. To make his history lesson come alive we decided to take him to the Renaissance Festival in Folsom CA. We have been a few times before he was born and my husband took him a few years ago. This was the first time we went as a family and with the idea to learn as we had a good time.



 I would have to say this was the best time we have had at the festival ever! The staff of actors, the vendors and the scenery made it really feel like we had stepped back in time. We saw women spinning wool, a butter churn, catapults that we were able to use, board games from the time era and we even saw a joust!





My son met characters galore! He chatted with a knight, some lords and ladies and even met Queen Elizabeth and learned how to remove his hat to bow.




It is a very interactive festival where kids and adults can see animals, dancing, story time and the food was amazing. You can still attend if you are in the Northern CA area since today Sunday Oct. 18th is the final day they are in town.

Laura
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Monday, October 12, 2015

Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake Recipe


I'm so happy to see everything is in full pumpkin mode!! The grocery stores and farmer's markets are bursting with beautiful colored pumpkins, and it just makes my heart happy seeing them all.

The same thing is true about cookbooks and magazines, they are filled with so many amazing and mouthwatering photos of delicious fall inspired foods.

A few years ago, I stopped buying many of my favorite magazines because the prices of some of them was just getting beyond what I could afford. But I do buy some of the seasonal issues, especially the fall themed ones. And this is where this delicious Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake recipe comes from.

It's in the Taste of Home Fall Baking magazine, and the magazine is really worth every penny, and one I'll be keeping for a long time to come.

In this cake, there is a spiced streusel center that perfectly complements the cinnamon and pumpkin flavors. The sour cream in it makes it moist and delicious. This cake makes about 12 serving, depending on how you slice it. It was a big hit with my family, and the recipe is one I'll be making again for Halloween.



Recipe for Sour Cream Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 teaspoon cold butter

Batter:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Cut in butter until crumbly, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Pour half of the batter into a greased 10 - inch fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture; top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients, drizzle over cooled cake.


Patricia
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Monday, October 5, 2015

Fall Fun at High Hill Ranch Apple Hill California #AppleHill #CA



To celebrate our 14 year wedding anniversary my family and I decided to take a day trip to Apple Hill CA. My husband and I had not been there for over 10 years and it was well over due. This was our son's first trip up there and he loved it.

We only had a few hours for our trip so we selected one farm/ranch of the many in Apple Hill to visit, High Hill Ranch. I selected this place since it was one my husband and I visited many years ago and there is a cute fishing pond there.



When we arrived we could smell all the delicious apples and cinnamon in the air. Its beautiful up in the mountains with huge evergreen trees among the apple orchards. Fall is in full effect in Apple Hill!



We fished for a while, did not catch anything but just relaxing by the water spending time as a family together was priceless. We walked around looking at the craft booths and eateries. We decided on getting Apple Donuts, a specialty at High Hill. The funny part was when we were looking for the donuts to buy we wandered a bit then realized we were being followed by many more people following the aroma of the sweet treats. We were first to the counter and when we turned around there were literally 15 to 20 people in line behind us in a matter of moments. The treats were reasonably priced and we were able to enjoy them on the picnic tables near the pond.

There is an area the kids could play in among hay stacks and other fall themed stuff along with grassy areas among the big trees. It was a perfect place to spend our anniversary with our son.



We would have stayed longer but we had a funny not so funny moment on the way driving up. About 40 minutes into our drive my husband looked over at me and asked, "Did you turn off the oven?" I kinda flipped out and said " Are you joking right now?!?!" We went back and forth a bit about who should have done it and turns out it was kinda on me. I was on edge of tears and wanting to go back home when we saw the Apple Hill next exits signs. My husband being the practical one reminded me he cleans the oven all the time, there is nothing in there and a few hours it on would be like Thanksgiving turkey time and we would be okay if we hurried. I agreed and we had fun but with a hurry up a bit on our minds. When we got home my husband rushed inside to see if it was on, turns out it was off! He smiled and said "Happy Anniversary".






Laura
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