Famous Oatmeal Cookies

This year, the Buckley Family had an early Thanksgiving get together hosted by John and Laura at their condo's clubhouse. As with all Buckley gatherings, there was so much food. Among the many desserts, were these cookies that I made. 

The first batch of these cookies, spread too much and broke apart when I removed them from the pan. Of course, I still ate the cookie crumbs, but I also added a little more flour to the dough to help the cookies not spread so much and hold together. I also used raisins in this batch. Other add-ins would be delicious, so make the cookies your way.

Famous Oatmeal Cookies 

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup firm brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. soda
• 3 cups oats
• optional add-ins: raisins, chocolate chops, etc.

Beat butter, sugar, egg, water, and vanilla together until creamy. Sift together flour, salt, and soda; add to creamed mix. Blend well. Stir in oats and any optional add ins. Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for about 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Jam Dandy Cake

I am not sure where Mom got this recipe or why it is called a dandy cake. It is possible that the name derives from Dundee cake, which is a Scottish fruitcake traditionally made with orange marmalade made by Keillers of Dundee. This cake is meant to be served warm. In addition to being a delicious dessert, it could serve as a delicious breakfast coffee cake.

The cake portion is a very simple cake using standard pantry ingredients. When I made this recipe, I used cherry jam (as suggested by Mom's recipe) and sliced almonds. But many other fruit and nut combinations would be delicious. Next time I make this cake, I might try raspberry jam with hazelnuts.

Jam Dandy Cake

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped nits
• 2/3 cup jam

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and milk. Beat for 50 strokes with a fork. Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and nuts. Then dot with jam. Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Vanilla Crisps

In looking for a simple cookie recipe, I came across this recipe from Mom. These cookies are simple, delicious, and easy to make. I made this recipe to share the cookies at my block party, and the cookies were a hit. I had intentionally made small cookies because the small cookies are so easy to eat. I do not know why they are called vanilla crisps because the cookies have a nice chewy texture like a good butter cookie.

The recipe itself is simple, and the cookies are terrific as is. Or, you could easily dress them up by mixing in chocolate chips, making them thumbprint cookies with your favorite jam, or adding a tasty frosting. Whether you enjoy the basic cookie or a dressed-up version, these cookies are delicious.

Vanilla Crisps 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Add egg and beat until light. Stir in flour. Drop by spoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy!

Grandma's Pasta Salad

My Grandma's recipes frequently lack full detail and require a bit of improvisation. This pasta salad recipe is no exception. So the amount I list below are estimates that you can easily adjust to suit your preferences. This pasta salad is a great summer recipe.

I made this recipe because many of the vegetables required were growing in my garden and just waiting to be used. My cherry tomato plants have been producing non-stop tomatoes all summer. My bell pepper plants have been producing waves of peppers. The cucumber plants are also still going strong, but recently the squirrels have started to take bites out of the cucumbers. I do not currently have any onions growing so I used plenty of fresh chives.

Grandma's Pasta Salad 

• Box of spiral pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 2 cups chopped cucumber
• 2 cups chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion or chive
• 1/2 cup sliced black olive
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mustard
• 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese

Mix together pasta, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion/chive, and olive.  Make a vinaigrette by blending the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard together. Toss salad with vinaigrette. Top with cheese cubes. Enjoy!

Homemade Protein Bars

MDS loves Quest-brand Cookie Dough Protein Bars. We always have a good supply at home, and they are great for an on-the-go snack. And they taste best when they are microwaved just a bit. Because the bars seem so simple, I thought I might try to re-create the bars at home. After some internet research, I put together this basic recipe that uses ingredients that are readily available 

These bars taste delicious, but I may need to work on the proportions of the ingredient to get a bar that sets firmer. When I made this batch, I used 1 1/4 cup oat flour, but I will try 1 1/2 to 2 cups oat flour next time.  Oat flour is simple to make--just blend rolled oats in a food processor until it becomes a fine flour. You can vary the nut butter or try chocolate protein powder. I plan to try adding instant coffee powder for a caffeinated bar. These bars should be stored in the refrigerator and will last several weeks stored in a sealed container.

Homemade Protein Bars 

• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups oat flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips. Blend until smooth and well-mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Press into pan. Refrigerate at least one hour. Cut into bars. Enjoy!

Goat Cheesecake

When Mom and I were in St. Louis in June, we tried a delicious appetizer of goat cheesecake at Big Sky restaurant in Webster Groves. The goat cheesecake was so delicious. It could be served as a dessert, especially if topped with a sweet topping. Or it makes a terrific appetizer, as when I served it for a Labor Day family get together.

To recreate the version that I had at Big Sky, I looked into various cheesecake recipes to try to come up with a good version. I decided to go with a no bake version. First, the pistachio crust has a little sugar and graham crackers to help the crust form. I think other crackers could be used, but I liked the slightly sweet flavor to go with the tangy goat cheese. For the filling, I used equal amounts of cream cheese and goat cheese. I might try using a bit more goat cheese the next time I make this recipe. At Big Sky, the cheesecake was topped with dried apricots and balsamic glaze. Because fresh figs were available, I used figs, but apricots are a great choice. 

Goat Cheesecake 

• 1 3/4 cups pistachios
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 large graham crackers, crushed
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup condensed milk

For the crust: pulse pistachios, sugar, and graham crackers in a food processor until pistachios are finely chopped. Add melted butter until moistened. Press into a greased eight-inch springform pan. Refrigerate at least one hour.

For the filling: combine goat cheese and cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add honey. Add condensed milk in increments. Continue blending until smooth. Pour onto the crust. Refrigerate at least four hours. Garnish as desired. Enjoy!

Kale Mango Salad

Recently, MDS and I went on a road trip to Colorado Springs. Along the way, we stopped at a Safeway grocery store for supplies and discovered this delicious salad from the deli. When I researched online, I found a number of variations and assembled this recipe based on my preferences. The salad is a great dish that can be made ahead and will last for a few days in the refrigerator.

Kale Mango Salad 

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 5 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup chopped mango
• 1/2 cup cashews

In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, honey, and crushed red pepper. Add kale, coconut, mango, and cashews. Toss well. Enjoy!