Cookies :)

I decided to make oatmeal cookies today because I've been craving them like crazy! I didn't have any raisins or I would have made the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe that's on the lid of the Quaker Oats Quick Oats container.  Instead I found this recipe online.  We're 10 minutes into the 15 minute baking process and I noticed that one of the cookies is expanding like CRAZY! I think it was the last one out of the bowl, so it might have less oatmeal than the others.  I guess I'll just have to eat that one :)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 325° F.
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in egg then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 15 18 (after 15 they still looked raw, 18 looks good) minutes then remove sheets from oven and cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes then remove to rack and cool completely.


And now the great reveal!!! :)

See! There's the one that tried to take over the whole pan!!

mmmm.... :)

Feelin' like Jack Johnson...

 ... and makin' banana pancakes! :)


I've been craving a real breakfast lately and since I'm totally not a morning person, it's hard to get up early enough to look presentable and go out for breakfast. I had planned on making oatmeal waffle pancakes yesterday, but realized I left the recipe at the lake. Sad.

So instead I found this recipe for 5 Spot Banana Pancakes. Pretty good, if I do say so myself. If you're going to make them, make sure you put the bananas on AS SOON AS YOU PUT THE BATTER ON THE GRIDDLE/PAN! Otherwise they won't sink down enough and you'll end up burning the banana.


Now for some pictures :)

The batter looked a little thin, but it all worked out. :)

and baking...

mmmmm.... :)

A must for pancakes! None of the fake syrup crap here.

Inspired

Good morning! My dear sister-in-law, Sarah, has inspired my breakfast this morning. 

I also had a whole bunch of fruit that it threatening to turn so making smoothies was a must. :)

Mock Orange Julius Three Berry Sensation Smoothies

strawberries

raspberries and blackberries

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup yogart (I used Bannilla)

3 tbsp white sugar (since the yogart was so sweet, I used less but if you're using plain yogart you might want the full amount)

2 tsp vanilla extract

8 ice cubes

Blend everything but the ice until smooth and then add the ice and blend again.

Not quite as good as the Orange Julius experts, but still good :)

I know, I know...

Yes, I admit it.  I have been slacking on the updates.  Sorry oh so faithful readers... aka, Sarah :)

No pictures tonight, but I'll share my recipes. Tonight we had roasted green beans, teriyaki chicken and Japanese rice.  We like Japanese rice better than regular white rice because it's more sticky and you end up chasing fewer grains around your plate. :)

Baked Chicken Teriyaki
2/3 cup teriyaki marinade, I used low sodium Kikkomon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
a good shake of ginger
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp peanut oil, or better yet, sesame oil-which I didn't have

Combine all that and brush on chicken in a 13x9 pan.  I used boneless skinless chicken tenders because that's what I had. I had A LOT of extra marinade even after I brushed it on the chicken so I poured some in the bottom of the pan. Cook at 425 for 15-20 minutes and enjoy :) We put more marinade on the chicken as we ate, too.

Roasted Green Beans
1 to 2 lbs fresh green beans, topped and toed (that means cut the top and bottom off)
4 tsp olive oil
fresh ground pepper
sea salt

After the green beans have been washed, put them in a bowl and then toss them with the oil and salt & pepper.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 425.


And there you go! :)

Good morning!

Today's breakfast is brought to you by scrabbled eggs with bacon and extra pulp orange juice (in one of our beautiful wedding favor glasses) :)

BLCA love

Somehow this isn't how I expected this series to start out... but here we go :)

Tonight's dinner was supposed to be BLTs, but we don't have any tomato (and were too lazy to run all the way out to Giant) and we had A LOT of avocado.  BLTs are kind of a big deal here in the Aldrich house, because they're ALWAYS made with home grown bacon.  You have never had bacon until you've had Stepniak bacon. 

+ + + + +  =

Soo good :)

This summer's project...

I've decided that it's time to make this blog a little more exciting.  Or at least give it some sort of purpose.  :) My goal for the summer is to cook way more and hopefully go out a whole lot less.  SOOOOO... I'm going to start blogging mostly about food that I make for my darling husband and possibly some apartment projects. :)

Of course, I've made this decision at 10:30 on a Sunday night so I have nothing to post yet... but there will be pictures coming soon!!