These cookies got four scrumps at our house today! I added a quarter cup of milled flax seed to make them good for you, and they turned out great! Yields about 5 dozen cookies, so a half recipe would be prudent in some cases.

Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup oil
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups uncooked oatmeal
2 eggs or 4 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
2. In a medium bowl, combine the soda, salt, cinnamon, cocoa and flour. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the milk, oil, sugar, oatmeal, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.

4. Gradually add flour mixture to large bowl and combine thoroughly. Then gently stir in raisins.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Cookies should be firm when tapped with a finger.

I'm sure they'd be great if you subbed half or all of the raisins with chocolate chips as well!

Cappuccino Heath Cupcakes

These cupcakes are very dense and moist - almost sticky.  After two tries, they still aren't exactly what I wanted for this recipe, but they are delicious.  I'll keep working on that perfect cake and keep you posted; in the meantime, let me know what you think of these!

(print this recipe)

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I used light brown)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons espresso powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk


Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with 12-18 cupcake liners.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.


In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, sugars and espresso powder and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time and mix well.  Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.  These cupcakes don't rise into a big top, they tend to spread out over the muffin tin, so don't fill too full. 
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.  Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.  If the cupcakes spill out over the muffin tin, take a knife and gently push them away from the tin before letting them cool.


For the frosting:
This makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes lightly.  Double the recipe if you like to pipe your frosting on.


1 recipe Perfect Cupcake Frosting
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder dissolved in 1 1/2 teaspoons hot water (cool to room temp)
1/2 cup (or more) of Hershey's Heath bits (try not to eat the rest, now that they're opened!)
cocoa powder
Omit the vanilla in the frosting recipe and substitute the espresso mixture.
I piped the frosting on with a large (1M) tip.
Sprinkle with Heath bits and dust lightly with cocoa powder

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

I found this recipe over a year ago at ourbestbites.com  and it's become one of my favorite frostings.  It's not too heavy or sweet - it's velvety smooth and light.  I originally used it for Salted Caramel Cupcakes, but I've found that the Salted Caramel Frosting is also delicious on dark chocolate cupcakes.


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3 T Flour
1/2 cup milk (whole milk is best, but I've used non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 cup real butter
1/2 cup sugar (that’s granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring, until  it starts to look like pudding.  It should still be liquidy, but you should be able to see the bottom of the pan while you stir. 
Put the mixture into a strainer and stir it around to push the mixture through and get the lumps out.  Let it cool completely to room temp or chill it in the fridge.  It needs to be cooled completely or it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

In an electric stand mixer, with the whisk attachment (not the paddle) beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes until it's well combined and fluffy.  While still beating, add the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla.  Beat on the highest speed you can without spraying it all over the place for 7 - 10 minutes. That seems like a long time but that's how long it takes for it to go from looking like a goopy mess, to something smooth and fluffly.

This makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes with a decorater tip or 24 cupcakes if you put it on lightly.  I always double the recipe - it's so good, you can pile it on and it doesn't overwhelm the cupcake!

For Salted Caramel Frosting use 1/2 cup (or more) of caramel sauce, or try this Buttermilk Syrup recipe - it's scrumptious!  Fold the caramel sauce or buttermilk syrup (room temperature) gently into the frosting; you want ribbons of caramel running through the frosting.  Pipe or dollop it onto your cupcakes and drizzle more caramel on top.  Sprinkle with a very scant sprinkling of kosher or sea salt.
 Helpful Notes:
1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.
2. If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can. It should come together, but it takes a little patience!
3. Store at room temperature. Frosting may separate in the fridge, but you can store it overnight if left at room temp and in a well sealed container.
4. Add extracts to your hearts content; lemon is wonderful! Food coloring is also okay.
5. The white sugar can be exchanged for brown. 
6. Do not try to make other substitutions or additions. Sour cream, cream cheese, fruit purees all do disastrous things.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

(print this recipe)
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (no subs, it has to be DARK brown)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin tins with 18 - 24 cupcake liners.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake 20-22  minutes or until toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.  Try, try, TRY not to overbake.  Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Frost with Perfect Cupcake Frosting mixed with caramel sauce or Buttermilk Syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

Stir 1/2 cup or more of this delicious syrup into Perfect Cupcake Frosting, drizzle (or pour) it over ice cream or use it for any recipe that calls for caramel sauce.  It's scrumptious!



(print this recipe)

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup real butter
2 T. corn syrup
1 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla

Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup and baking soda in a large pot (use at least a 3 1/2 qt. saucepan or it will boil all over your stove). 
Bring the ingredients to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low but make sure the mixture continues to bubble.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 - 9 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over!

When it's done it should be a luscious golden-brown color.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.
There will be foam on top; it tastes fine but it's not very pretty.  You can skim it off the top, or just stir it in.
Let cool to room temperature.

Cranberry Sherbet

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This is a recipe that has been in my family for years. We traditionally eat the sherbet with Thanksgiving dinner, not as a dessert. The recipe can be doubled or tripled if needed, but you will need much larger pots/bowls.

1 lb or 2 bags of fresh cranberries
2 cups warm water

1 package of gelatin
1/4 cup cold water

2 cups sugar

2 cups ginger ale

Combine the cranberries and water in a large pot, checking for sticks and shrubs. Bring to a boil and cook until all or most of the cranberries have split, they make a great popping sound.

Combine gelatin and water and set aside.

Mush cooked berries with a potato masher. Run the hot, mushed up cranberries through a fine strainer for a smooth consistency or a potato ricer for a chunkier consistency. The goal of this is to get out all of the skins and sticks, I like to run the mush through the ricer and then the fine strainer.

Add the sugar and stir until combined, then add the gelatin. Continue stirring until the sugar and gelatin have been dissolved and the liquid is no longer gritty.

Slowly add the ginger ale, stir to combine. WARNING: you will need a large bowl to do this step because the ginger ale will cause lots of foaming.

Freeze the liquid over night in a large, flat pan. We use a glass 9x13.

The next day take the frozen cranberry mixture and fluff it with a fork and then whip it until light and fluffy, we use the whip attachment on the Kitchenaid. Place frozen, whipped cranberry mixture into freezer safe containers and freeze until use.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

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This frosting is like having truffles on top of your cake!

7 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Melt the chocolate with the cream in a double boiler, over barely simmering water, whisking until smooth. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, for 15 minutes. Beat the frosting with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes, until thick enough to spread. After you frost your cake or cupcakes, you may need to refrigerate for about an hour till the frosting sets.

Chocolate Caramel Bars

(print this recipe)

This recipe is from my friend Terri who is a fabulous cook. That probably explains her success as a caterer! These are not difficult to make, and they are sooooo decadent!

First Layer
Preheat oven to 350
Cream together:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
Add:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Press evenly into a 9x13" pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cool.

Second Layer
1 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan - bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour evenly over crust.

Third Layer
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon Crisco
Melt together in a double boiler and pour over second layer - spread evenly

Cranberry Almond Tart

(print this recipe)
Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup ground up unsalted almonds (or 1 cup almond meal/flour)
1 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced almonds

Filling:
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
Juice from 1 orange plus enough water to make 1 cup
1 bag fresh Cranberries
1/2 the zest from one orange
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl. With hands, kneed mixture until blended. Press all but 1/2 cup of topping into a tart pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in orange juice, water and cranberries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 3 min until thick. Remove from heat and add orange zest and almond extract. Pour into tart shell. Sprinkle with the reserved crust mixture. Bake for 10 minutes at 400.

This could also be made into individual tarts.