Oatmeal Scotchie Bars

My mom used to make a cookie with butterscotch chips called oatmeal scotchies. The recipe was the one on the back of the chip bag. I made this recipe up using my favorite cookie recipe, and of course a few tweaks. Cookies would be good, but bars are easier to make and taste just as good. 

I would have made this with all butter instead of the oil and syrup but I one stick was all I had. So if you aren't as neglectful as I am then try it with all butter and let me know how it goes.And I know corn syrup has a really bad reputation right now, but really, it's a dessert. What were you expecting?

1 stick butter, softened

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp corn syrup

3/4 c. brown sugar

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. oats

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 bag butterscotch chips

Beat together the butter, oil, and syrup. 

Beat in both sugars, the egg, vanilla, soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

Once mixed beat in the flours and oats then the butterscotch chips.

Spread evenly into a 9 x 13 pan. 

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes until a dark golden brown. 

Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

Fruit and Oat Muffins

This was created to use up a whole bunch of different odds and ends in my kitchen, so it's a jumble of flavors. My kids loved them and all had several right away and all of them where gone within the hour.

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. honey

1 egg

2 brown bananas, whole

3/4 c. white flour

3/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 oz. apple sauce

Preheat the over to 350

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract. When combined, beat in the honey, egg, and 2 bananas.

Next beat in the soda, salt, and cinnamon. 

Then beat in the white flour, whole wheat flour, and oats. Add the apple sauce and mix just until combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners and fill 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350. I only had to bake these for 15 minutes because I used mini muffins. This made 3 1/2 dz. mini muffins.

Frozen Crumble Pie

Apple Crumble pie with my moms home bottled apple pie filling

This has been my week of freezer cooking. 

So I wanted to share this little gem with you as well. 

It's not a freezer to oven thing, it does take some work,

but the hardest part is already done. 

To add nuts reduce the oatmeal to 1/2 c. and 

add a 1/2 cup nuts of your choice.

1/2 c.unsalted butter

1 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. oatmeal

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Large batch

6 sticks unsalted butter

6 c. brown sugar

4 1/2 c. flour

4 1/2 c. oatmeal

3 tsp. cinnamon

3 tsp. salt

Mix everything together really well. 

Sprinkle the mixture flat on a cookies 

tray and freeze until solid. 

When solid put into a freezer safe bag and freeze until ready to use. 

To use

1 pre-baked pie crust (optional)

2 can pie filling

1 recipe of frozen crumble

Pour the pie fillings in the baked crust and top with the frozen crumble. 

Bake at 350 for 35 - 45 minutes or until the crumb topping is browned and crisp. 
If you wish to make this without the pie crust to make cobbler, 
pour the pie fillings into the bottom of a glass baking dish and 
top with oat mix. Bake the same as with the crust

Fluffy Blueberry Oat Pancakes

3 3/4 c. milk

5 1/4 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. baking powder

1 Tbsp. baking soda

2 tsp. salt

5 eggs

2/3 c. oil

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2/3 c. lemon juice

1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats

1 (48 oz) bag blueberries, thawed

In a large bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, and oil. Set aside

In a separate bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine the two bowls and add the remaining ingredients. The lemon juice will make it foam a bit, thats supposed to happen, that reaction makes them light and fluffy. 

Cook in a no stick pan over medium on both sides until golden. 

I made mine kinds small and I got 6 dozen out of this recipe.

To freeze them lay them flat in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid. When they are frozen solid put them in a freezer safe bag.  I like to re-heat mine in the toaster, otherwise they are kinda soggy.

Twice-Baked Praline Sweet Potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes

1/4 c. sweetened condensed milk

1/4 - 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

3 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla

Scrub and poke the sweet potatoes with a fork all over. Microwave for 5 minutes on both sides or until cooked through. 

When cool enough to handle cut the potatoes in half and scrape put the centers leaving the skins intact. Mash the potatoes. Using a hand whisk, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, condensed milk, sugar, butter, spice, egg whites, and vanilla. Whisk it all really well, taste and adjust seasonings keeping in mind you want it a little sweeter than you want it to taste after it's cooked.

Spoon back into the skins. Top with the nut mix, and bake at 350 for 35 minutes until the nuts are cooked.

Nut topping:

3 Tbsp butter

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. pecans

Dash pie spice and cayenne pepper

Combine all together. You can replace the nuts with oats if you have some one in you family who doesn't like nuts, or half nuts half oats to suit what you have on hand.

Triple Apple Muffins

2 1/4 c. flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt (scant)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 c. apple sauce
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. apple juice concentrate
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. wheat germ

Mix the dry ingredients, stir in the the wet ones. Pour into muffins pans and bake at 30 for 25 minutes or until done.

Banana Muffins

1 stick butter, softened
8 over ripe bananas, peeled
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. agave
3 eggs
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. all purpose white flour
3/4 c. oats
2 t. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. apple pie spice
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Cream butter until smooth. Add the bananas whole and beat until mostly mashed.

Add the sugars and agave, then the eggs.

Beat in the vanilla, soda, salt, and spice until well mixed.

Add the oats, then the whole wheat, and lastly the white flour.

Fold in the walnuts if using

Let batter sit for 30 minutes. Fill muffin tins and bake at 360 for 20 - 30 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen



These muffins are great by themselves, but even better drizzled with penuche frosting.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 c. quick cooking oats
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2/3 c. oil
3 eggs
2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 sweet apples, cored, peeled and grated on the large side of a cheese grater

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla, and mix into the dry ingredients. Fold in the grated apples. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Pumpkin and Lots of Other Stuff Muffins

Apples are great in this, as is the chocolate, I just don't like the two flavors together so I do one or the other. Raisins, coconut or nuts would also be great in the batter.

I really recommend the almond milk for these, it really makes a difference, but if you dont want to use it milk subs great. Because the milk I originally made these with was sweetend vanilla almond milk if you don't use it add 1/3 cup white sugar or 2 Tbsp agave and a tsp of vanilla extract.

Don't chop the chocolate too fine, large chucks are great in these muffins


Pumpkin and Stuff Muffins

2 c. flour
1 c. packed brown sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt (scant)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 egg, lightly beaten
1 can pumpkin
1/2 c. sweetened vanilla almond milk (regular works fine too just add an additional 1/3 c. white sugar)
1/2 c. canola oil
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1 large carrot, grated
6 oz. dark chocolate, chopped OR 1 apple peeled and grated

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine the egg, pumpkin, milk and oil; add to the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in oats and carrots. Stir in chocolate.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.