Recipe Round Up: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now, Everyone loves a good chocolate chip cookie, and what's better than a chocolate chip cookie with the added wholesomeness of whole rolled oats?  This recipe will become a regular in your house and everyone will be running to the kitchen to enjoy one of these fabulous cookies.

1 cup butter, softened (not melted)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 cups whole rolled oats

1/2 (11.5oz)package chocolate chips (I prefer dark chocolate)

Using an electric mixer cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Mix in the flours, by the half cup.  Mix in the baking soda and salt.  Using a spoon, stir in the cooking oats.  Add the chocolate chips and stir well.  Chill the dough for at least an hour. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Remove dough from refrigerator.  Prepare baking sheet with oil of choice (I use olive) and spoon dough onto the baking sheet by tablespoon, about 1-2inches apart. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes until edges just start to brown.  Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit for a minute or so.  Remove cookies to cooling rack, (if you can resist the urge to eat one right away), and allow to cool for another 5 minutes.  ENJOY!

 “Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.”

~Robert Fulghum

Recipe Roundup - Pizza Dough (Bread Machine)

This is a great, and flavorful pizza dough recipe.  I use my bread machine to do the hard work.  Put the ingredients in the machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer, and select the dough setting.  This makes enough for two large pizza's.

1.5 Cups Warm Water

1 Tablespoon Honey

2Tablespoons Active Dry/or bread machine Yeast

1/4 Cup olive oil

2 1/2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Flax Meal

1 teaspoon salt

I grind flax seeds into meal at home, but you can purchase flax meal at the store as well.  I add everything to the bread maching and include garlic, oregano, and other herbs for extra flavor.  I've even been know to throw in some sundried tomatoes on occasion.  :)  You can just toss in a bit of whatever you like for flavor, or nothing at all.

When the dough is done rising preheat the oven to 425 and dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Cut the dough into two balls.  (You can freeze half if you don't need two large pizza's.)

Oil a pizza pan or baking sheet.  Take one dough ball and spread onto your prepared pan working from the middle to the edges until desired thickness is reached.  Roll any excess dough onto itself at the edges to creat the outter crust.  Use a fork to poke holes in the crust.

Bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes.  The longer you pre-bake it, the crispier your crust will be.  Remove the crust from the oven and top with whatever toppings you like and return for the oven until cheese begins to brown.  I like to hide spinach and finely chopped onions between the sauce and the cheese, for the little one that thinks her slice is only pepperoni (or in this case veggie-roni).  Sometimes I brush the crust with butter, garlic, salt, and oregano for a garlic breadstick flavor. 

And Voila, you have a beautiful tastey pizza that your family will love.  Enjoy!

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore.”

Jack Brooks