Black and Blue Oatmeal Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves oatmeal cake. Actually, he loves its sweetness. I rarely make one for him because I'm anti anything that has the potential to send you into sugar shock. A couple of years ago, I came across a recipe for an oatmeal bundt cake that gets much of its sweetness from berries. He loved the cake. So now, I try to make the cake for him whenever local berries are plentiful and inexpensive. The blackberries have been especially delicious this year. The original recipe used a full compliment of blueberries, but I've altered it and use both blue and black berries. Of course, the blackberries are a soft fruit, so while they add great flavor, they often give this cake a bruised appearance. Freezing the berries helps prevent them from bleeding into the batter, but I'm always in such a hurry that I usually skip that step. I mention freezing only for those of you who need a cake with a more finished appearance. You'll find this moist cake is a great keeper if it is well-wrapped and refrigerated. I think you will enjoy its berry richness. Here is how the cake is made.

Zucchini Muffins with Lots of Other Stuff

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, this has become my go-to recipe for zucchini muffins. I've  made these hearty gems for over 20 years now, and if you glance through the ingredient list, you'll see why my children use to call them "kitchen sink" muffins. Not, mind you, for their scrumptious taste, but because I put everything but the kitchen sink into the batter. I know you will like them. While they are a bit heavier than the usual breakfast muffin, they are moist and delicious and also keep well. That's important when a recipe makes 18 muffins. The recipe is simple enough for young cooks to prepare and if you use a box grater to shred the zucchini, they can be made without special equipment. I spray the paper liners to keep the muffins intact when the liners are peeled back for eating. It's not necessary, but it does make for nicer looking offering. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how they are made.

Oatmeal Pecan Skillet Blondies

Photo courtesy of Southern Cast Iron

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These cake-like blondies, combine the taste of oatmeal and toasted nuts in cookie wedges that bake in a cast iron skillet. I rely heavily on cookies such as these because they are so easy to transport to gatherings at this time of year. They are perennial favorites, so transportation is usually a one-way affair. It is hard to resist a treat that is nearly effortless to make, and tastes so good with milk or coffee. This recipe is best made in an iron skillet, and if you change the type of pan you use to make the blondies, you will have to alter cooking time as well. If like downhome flavor in your cookies, you will love these. They are great keepers and should you have leftovers, you'll find they do not easily stale. Here is how the blondies are made.

White House Honey-Oat Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While I won't go so far as to say these are healthy muffins, I will say they are probably better for you than most you've come across. I found this recipe in a very old issue of Food and Wine magazine, and it caught my eye and was clipped because of its pedigree. Spike Mendelsohn, a former contestant on Top Chef, apparently made these muffins for Michele Obama, who liked them, and, hence the "White House" moniker was appended to his recipe. I've wanted to try them for a long time and the holiday gave me a chance to make them for a guest who is a fan of not too sweet, breakfast pastry. She really liked these. Now, I must warn you that these muffins, when baked, will win no beauty contests, and because they are just barely sweet, be sure you know the audience you're going to serve them to. That being said, the muffins are quite good and easy to make. I do, however, want to alert you to a small problem I encountered when baking my first batch. Now, it may be that the size of standard muffin pans has changed over the years, but if newer pans still have cups that hold 3-1/2 ounces, this recipe will make more batter than you need to fill 12 cups. Don't overfill the cups or you will have a mess on your hands when you try to unmold them. Please don't ask how I know. Somethings are better not shared with the world at large. Second time around, I was able to make 16 muffins using the ingredients listed below. If you like to start your day with a muffin and enjoy pastry that is not too sweet, you'll enjoy these. The honey and coriander give them a unique flavor that is worth a try. Here is how they are made.

Child's Play - Raspberry Mazurka Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These homespun and tasty treats will set you dancing. The cookies are loosely based on Maida Heatter's Polish Wedding Cakes and more about their creation can be found at the Cake Spy, which you can find HERE. I wanted to post this recipe before Mother's Day, because this is another treat that the kids can make for Mom or Grandma. It, obviously, is a simple recipe and the only problem that you might encounter is that the cookies can be hard to cut and very crumbly if the bottom layer of the bars is not firmly packed into the pan. I have used raspberry preserves in this rendering of the recipe, but strawberry, peach, apricot and blueberry can also be used with delicious results. If you have never tried a Mazurka I hope you will give this simple version of the recipe a try. Here is how the bars are made.

Kitchen Sink Jumbles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I am as Rapunzel, but I've been imprisoned by an ice storm rather than a wicked witch or magic spell. The Silver Fox, God bless him, cleared the impressive length and breadth of our driveway, only to find a felled tree at the shared entrance to the road below. The owner of said tree did not share our zeal to remove storm debris and so we sit waiting for him to get his backfield in motion and move the darned thing out of the way. Until the tree is gone I, and by extension the blog, am completely dependent on the contents of my pantry for meals, ideas and photos.  Hence tonight's feature is for a  saucer-sized  cookie, that I call a Kitchen Sink Jumble. As you've probably guessed, they contain everything but  scouring pads, so their name is well-deserved. If you enjoy really sweet treats, you will enjoy this cookie. The jumbles are easy to make and they are good keepers, so if you have bits and bobs of ingredients left from your Christmas baking, this is a great way to use them up. Here is a base recipe that will get you started.  

Small Batch Apricot-Oatmeal Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The last few years, I've made these simple muffins for our Thanksgiving breakfast. I must admit I initially selected the recipe, which comes from the Pillsbury test kitchens, because I didn't want to add a dozen muffins to the already groaning board in my dining room. Small quantity recipes are hard to come by, so I always welcome the opportunity to give them a try when I find them. Chances are you have all the ingredients needed to make these in your pantry and refrigerator. They are simple to make and a great way for a couple or small family to start the day. I do hope you'll be able to give the recipe a try. Here is how the muffins are made.

Small Batch Apricot-Oatmeal Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Pillsbury test kitchen

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 6 regular-size muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray, or line with paper baking cups. If using paper liners, spray interior with cooking spray.
2) In medium bowl, mix flour, 1/2 cup oats, baking powder and salt. In small bowl, mix brown sugar, milk, oil, vanilla and egg with fork or wire whisk until blended. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until flour is moistened. Fold in apricots. Divide evenly among 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon oats.
3) Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm or cool. Yield: 6 muffins.

      

                                                    Older Posts

                  One Year Ago Today:                                                         Two Years Ago Today:

Maple-Flavored Cranberry Cornmeal Quick Bread           Quick-Fix Orange Ginger Chicken                  

           Three Years Ago Today:                                                           Four Years Ago Today: 

              Marionberry Muffins                                                               Braised Brussels Sprouts

Apple-Oatmeal Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These muffins remind me of the ones my father enjoyed. His favorites were made with oatmeal and bran and they were gnarly enough to scare any self-respecting germ away. His pronouncement as he ate them was always, "Now these will grow hair on your chest." Imagine the effect that had on a literal-minded girl child. I was scarred for life, and to this day I can't look at a bran muffin, much less eat one. At any rate, these apple-oatmeal muffins are nearly as gnarly and almost as good for you as the ones my father loved, save for the fact they taste better and do not encourage hair growth. Better still, they are very easy to make. If you are looking for a healthy, fully loaded muffin, I think you'll enjoy these. Here is how they are made.

Apple-Oatmeal Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Good Housekeeping magazine

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup (1 to 2 medium) shredded Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 16 standard muffin-pan cups.
2) In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
3) In a medium bowl, with fork, beat buttermilk, oil, and egg until well blended; stir in shredded apples. Add apple mixture to flour mixture, and stir just until flour mixture is moistened. Batter will be thick and lumpy. Stir in chopped walnuts.
4) Spoon batter into prepared muffin-pan cups. Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until muffins begin to brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffins comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from pan. Serve warm, or cool on wire rack to serve later. Yield: 16 muffins.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Sausage and Sage Rigatoni

Two Years Ago Today: Spiced Pumpkin Fudge

Three Years Ago Today: Clam Fritters

Four Years Ago Today: Cranberry Souffle

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

              My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Things are proceeding apace here in the land of don't eat, won't eat and make me. I've been at my daughter's for several days now and cooking for elves rather than my gentle giant. So far, so good. It appears that no one will starve while I 'm in charge of the kitchen and hopefully my daughter will be able to reclaim her apron within a week or two. In addition to the stuff that's good for you, we've been making lots of cookies, including tonight's feature, which is a very special oatmeal cookie that we made to celebrate  the Silver Fox's birthday. He was unable to make the trip with me, so it was a long distance celebration The highlight of the evening was our youngest grandson, now just three, taking the phone to inform his grandfather that, "she's sleeping with me tonight." These cookies are easy to make, but you may want to cut back on the ingredients. The recipe, which comes from Taste of Home magazine, makes a lot of cookies. If you enjoy oatmeal cookies, I think you'll really like these. They are chewy and the addition of butterscotch chips gives the a real flavor boost. Here's the recipe.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Baking Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
6 tablespoons butter-flavored shortening
1-2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
2-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) In a very large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips and pecans.
3) Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Yield: about 6-1/2 dozen cookies.












One Year Ago Today: California-Style Spinach Paella















Two Years Ago Today: Cheddar Cheese and Olive Focaccia















Three Years Ago Today: Cherry Pie with Streusel Topping













Four Years Ago Today: Vegan Red Lentil and Pepper Flan

Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Several years ago, I learned a trick from my oldest daughter that helped put my love-hate relationship with cookies on a more even keel. When my children were in high school, I actually stopped baking cookies because they disappeared so quickly. It was not unusual for a batch of them to be eaten on the same day they were made and I thought my efforts, though probably appreciated, were not savored. Rather than fuss about it, I stocked the cookie jar with vanilla wafers and ginger snaps and let it go at that. There were no complaints. They had cookies and my ego and hurt feelings were kept at bay. Now it happens that while both my girls are great cooks, their kitchens are quite different from each other and certainly different than mine. They both bake cookies. The oldest, who is responsible for my searching out recipes like the one I'm sharing with you tonight, freezes portioned cookie dough and bakes small quantities of pre-shaped cookies as her boys demand them. Her cookie jar is never full, but she always has cookies for them in the house. I've been collecting recipes for slice and bake cookies for several years now and when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, I knew it would fit right into my collection. It makes basic oatmeal cookies that are more flavorful than most, because they have a mild nutty flavor that comes from the whole wheat flour used to make them.



The cookies are easy to make, but the dough is a sticky mess that can be hard to work with. You'll want to roll the dough into two 12 inch logs and you'll need parchment paper and plastic wrap to do that. You'll also need to keep your hands damp to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers as you work with it.



The logs are placed in the freezer for at least 4 hours before they are sliced. I cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and bake the cookies in their frozen state for about 15 minutes. The dough must be kept cold to be workable and you will need a sharp knife to cut through it. This recipe will make 4 dozen crisp oatmeal cookies that are perfect for dunking. I know you'll enjoy them. Thank you, Bon Appetit.



Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Jenny Rosenstarch and Andy Ward via Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups raisins

Directions:
1) Whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
2) Using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars on high speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend and scraping down bowl between additions. Beat in vanilla.
3) Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in oats and raisins.
4) Divide dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Using paper as an aid, roll up each piece of dough into a 1-1/2-inch diameter log. Wrap in plastic; freeze for at least 4 hours and up to 3 weeks.
5) When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (return unused dough to freezer); place 2-inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
6) Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Yield: 48 cookies. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

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One Year Ago Today: All-Time Favorite Sticky Buns













Two years Ago Today: Blueberry and Almond Coffecake













Three Years Ago Today: Pasta with Pungent Parsley Pesto













Four Years Ago Today: Hot Cross Buns

Lunch Box Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I don't know why we do this to ourselves. Why, when we already have several great recipes for each of the three cookie jar staples, do those of us who love to cook insist on trying yet another version for our families? I'll confess upfront that I need another recipe for oatmeal cookies like I need a hole in the head. Unfortunately, baker's instinct seems to trump reason and whenever I see a recipe that might be better than the ones I have on hand, I have a compulsion to try it. When I saw the oatmeal cookies developed by Kate Ramos for CHOW, I knew how I'd be spending my afternoon. I set to work and within an hour I had warm oatmeal cookies to enjoy with a glass of milk. This is a nice chewy cookie. While they seem slightly sweeter than those I usually bake, my testers loved them and they quickly disappeared. I personally thought the cookies needed more chips than called for in the ingredient list. The next time I make them, I plan to use a cup or so of miniature chips to get a better dispersion of chocolate throughout the cookie dough. The recipe is straight forward and the cookies, which are perfect to pack for school lunches, are simple to make. If you like a really sweet cookie, you'll love these, and I know that those of you who try this recipe will not be disappointed. Here's how the cookies are made.

Lunch Box Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kate Ramos as featured on CHOW

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
3 cups old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Move rack to middle of oven. Preheat to 350 degrees F.
2) Place flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
3) Place butter and brown sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium high until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4) Add half of flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Add half of milk and mix until just incorporated. Continue with remaining flour mixture and milk, mixing until ingredients are just incorporated and smooth. Remove bowl from the mixer and stir in oats and chocolate chips.
5) Drop dough by level tablespoons onto a baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown on the edges, about 11 to 12 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Yield: 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

One Year Ago Today: Elizabeth David's Chocolate Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Stuffed Eggplant

Three years Ago Today:  Caramelized Pear and Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Apricot Oatmeal Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These cookies have much to recommend them.  The recipe for them was developed by Giada DeLaurentis and it has received rave reviews on the Food Network Site. I especially like these fruit bars because they transport well, and while I think they're  delicious, I take certain precautions to assure great results that everyone will enjoy. I only make these cookies when I have really good apricot jam or preserves in my pantry.  Fortunately, I have a friend who sends me several jars of my favorite preserves at Christmas time. They are made by Harvest Song and they have the ability to make an ordinary fruit bar truly outstanding. This  recipe also works well with dried cherries and cherry preserves. These bars are completely dependent on the quality of the ingredients  used to make them and I urge you to not to stint if you decide to give them a try. Make sure your jam tastes more of fruit than sugar and that you use a good butter with a low moisture content. The cookies come together quickly and they will keep for several days if they are properly stored. I think you will like these and I hope you will give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Apricot Oatmeal Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Giada DeLaurentis

Ingredients:

Filling

1 (13-ounce) jar apricot jam or preserves (about 1-1/4 cups)
8 dried apricots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup)

Crust

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 packed cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Move an oven rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch metal baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.
2) To make filling: Mix jam and snipped apricots together in a small bowl. Set aside.
3) To make crust: Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl. Stir in oats and walnuts. Add butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
4) Using a fork or clean damp fingers, lightly press half of crust mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Using a spatula, spread filling over crust leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge of pan. Cover filling with remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

One Year Ago Today: The Good Woman's Cod Fish Casserole

Two Years Ago Today: Greek-Style Flatbread Pizza

Three Years Ago Today: Fresh Mango Chutney

Oatmeal Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday, precedes the first day of Lent. In more secular countries, particularly those that are English speaking, it is also known as Pancake Day. The tradition of serving pancakes on the eve of Lent is centuries old and it came about because there was a need to consume rich and restricted ingredients such as sugar, fat, flour and eggs before the 40 day Lenten fast began. Pancakes were an easy way to do that. While fast requirements are considerably easier these days, it is still fun to observe the pancake ritual. While I'm including links to the pancake recipes already posted on One Perfect Bite, I also wanted to add another for those of you who might be looking for something new. These oatmeal pancakes were originally developed by Kim Broyce and her recipe has appeared on way too many blogs to mention here. I decided to post it again on the odd chance that you have not yet seen or tried it. These pancakes are simply too good to miss. They are very easy to make, though you will need a blender to make the oat flour needed to prepare them. One cup of uncooked oatmeal will yield 3/4 cup of flour. You will also need to have cooked oatmeal on hand. Save for the double dose of oatmeal, the recipe comes together easily. I must admit to one "cheat" when I make these. I am constitutionally incapable of making pancakes in a cast iron skillet. Mine take on odd shapes and burn at the edges. I long ago admitted my failure and plugged in an electric griddle which solved the problem nicely. I like to serve these hot from the griddle with good butter and pure maple syrup. I hope you will try these. They really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Oatmeal Pancakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kim Broyce's Good to the Grain

Ingredients:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of oat flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of sea salt
3 tablespoons of butter
about 1-1/4 cup of milk (more if needed to thin out the batter)
1 cup of cooked oatmeal (not quick-cook or steel-cut)
1 tablespoon honey
2 large eggs

Directions:
1) Whisk together all-purpose and oat flours, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
2) Melt butter and allow it to cool slightly before whisking it with milk, eggs, oatmeal and honey in a separate bowl.
3) Fold in milk and oatmeal mixture into dry ingredients, gently mixing until combined (don’t use a heavy hand if you’re aiming for tender pancakes).
4) If the batter is too thick, thin out with a little bit more milk.
5) Heat about a tablespoon of butter in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and ladle 1/4 cupfuls of batter into skillet once it’s hot (no more than 3 at one time).
6) Once pancake batter starts to bubble, flip and cook for another minute or two before transferring to a plate.
7) Continue to scoop in 1/4 cupfuls of batter (re-butter skillet as necessary) until you have used up all of the batter. Adjust the skillet temperature if you feel that the pancakes are burning or not browning evenly. Serve hot, directly from skillet. Yield: 18 pancakes.








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