No Spoon Needed

For many people, the start of the New Year is about making resolutions or implementing changes.  With that in mind, the last two Januaries, I've posted recipes that use healthier cooking methods than their traditional counterparts:  baked -- not fried -- salmon patties; steamed broccoli with -- not cheese sauce -- lemon; sauteed -- not fried -- pork chops; baked -- not fried -- Mozzarella cheese sticks.  This year, I thought I'd do something different and share a recipe that's a tasty way to add fiber to your diet.

According to newspaper and magazine articles, most people don't eat enough fiber.  Fiber can be found in a variety of foods including beans, whole grains, nuts, berries, bran and oatmeal to name a few.  If you like to get your fiber from oatmeal, break the monotony by putting down the spoon and picking up an oatmeal muffin instead!  The recipe I'm sharing uses oats in both the batter and the topping.  With some prep work the night before, the muffins can easily be mixed up in just a few minutes the next morning.

Combine the dry ingredients -- flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt -- in a mixing bowl.  You can use either old fashioned or quick cooking oats, but not instant.  Instant oatmeal has been precooked and, as such, won't work in baked goods.

Combine the topping ingredients -- oats, sugar, cinnamon -- in a small bowl or resealable plastic bag. 

The next morning, combine the wet ingredients -- egg, milk, oil -- in a small bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring only until combined; it's ok if the batter looks lumpy.  You don't want to overmix the batter or the muffins will be tough.

Put the batter into greased muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.

Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the muffins cool five minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan.  Lift the muffins out and place them on a cooling rack.  Don't turn the muffin pan over or the topping will fall off!

The muffins are a nice change of pace for breakfast and they can easily be packed in a bookbag, purse or briefcase for a snack later in the day.  Not only does fiber make you feel full, it also helps lower cholesterol.  The muffins are so tasty, your kids won't even realize they're also good for them!

Oatmeal Muffins

12 Servings

Batter:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil (I use canola)

Topping:

2 Tbsp. oats

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and oil.  Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients; stir just until combined (batter will be lumpy).  Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.  Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over batter.  Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until done.  Let muffins cool five minutes before removing from the pan.

© Margaret's Morsels

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

I don't make dessert unless it's a special occasion or we have company. Sometimes, though, we want something sweet and -- more often than not -- chocolate.  When this mood hits, I pull out a recipe my mother gave me for Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.


Chances are you've had these cookies or even have a version of the recipe.  These cookies are sometimes called "No Bake Cookies," "No Bake Oatmeal Cookies" and "Boiled Cookies."  I've also seen them called "Preacher's Coming" cookies.  This is an apt description because the cookies can be made and ready to serve to unexpected company in a very short amount of time.  Most of the recipes are similar, although some versions don't use peanut butter and some add additional ingredients such as nuts and raisins.


My recipe only uses seven ingredients.  All seven are staples at my house so I can make the cookies on a moments notice.  Although butter makes everything better, I use margarine.  I also use 1% milk, but you could substitute 2% instead.

You need to work quickly when you make these cookies so it's imperative to have your ingredients measured before you start cooking.  It's also very important that you stir the mixture, especially when it's boiling.  If you don't, the mixture will scorch.  Not only will you have to throw it away, you might ruin a pan in the process.

Over the years, through trial and error, I've learned an important trick when it comes time to add the peanut butter.  Stir the peanut butter in the hot mixture until it melts.  Add the oats only after the peanut butter is melted.  If you add the peanut butter and oats at the same time, it's hard to blend the ingredients.

This is what it looks like after the peanut butter is melted.

If you're in a hurry, you can drop the cookies on waxed paper with a spoon or cookie scoop.  I usually use a medium size cookie scoop.  When I do, I get 21 cookies out of one batch.

If you want fancier cookies, you can spread the cookies in a greased pan, refrigerate them and then cut them into the desired shape.  A quarter sheet pan is the perfect size for this recipe.  If you don't have one, you can use an 8 or 9-inch square pan.

The quarter sheet pan is the one on the bottom.

Once the cookies are in the pan, put them in the refrigerator until firm.  It takes about 45 minutes for the quarter sheet pan.  If you're using a deeper pan, you'll need to allow more time for the cookies to firm up.  Don't leave them in the refrigerator too long or they'll be hard to cut.  The cookies have to be refrigerated if you're going to cut them into shapes.  If you let them firm up at room temperature, they crumble when cut.

From start to finish, the cookies can be made and the kitchen cleaned up in less than half an hour.  The next time you want a dessert that's quick, easy and oh so good, try making a batch of Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. Your family will thank you.

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1 stick butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cups oats (uncooked)

Melt butter; add sugar and cocoa.  Stir in milk; bring mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add vanilla and peanut butter; stir the mixture until the peanut butter is melted.  Stir in oats. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper.  Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

© Margaret's Morsels