Pumpkin Pie Spiced Baked Oatmeal

2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (1/2 of 15 oz. can)
2 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup maple syrup or syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon homemade pumpkin pie spice
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup wheat flour
4 cups quick cooking oats

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, applesauce, oil, canned pumpkin, milk, syrup and brown sugar until smooth.  Add in the pie spice, baking powder, salt, flour and oats. Beat on low until “loose” batter forms. (It will seem runny, that’s OK!)  Pour batter into the greased baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through in the center of the dish.
Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt, or as is.  Note: If you prefer it a little sweeter, add a little brown sugar or maple syrup. Enjoy!

*I used regular oats and added a lot of cinnamon the batter.

(http://www.5dollardinners.com/pumpkin-spice-baked-oatmeal/)

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, about 3 medium carrots

1 cup buttermilk

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon 

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg

2 Tbsp vegetable oil (applesauce would be a good low fat substitute)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 recipe Vanilla Cream Syrup or Cream Cheese Syrup, recipes follow

chopped pecans, for serving

Directions:

In a medium airtight container, whisk together grated carrots, buttermilk and granulated sugar. Cover container and refrigerate overnight.

The following morning, preheat a non-stick griddle to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.  Add egg mixture and carrot mixture to flour mixture and whisk just until combine. Pour about 1/4 cup - 1/3 cup batter onto a buttered if necessary, preheated griddle (if you want more pancakes do 1/4 cup) and gently spread batter out (just slightly, I do this so the centers aren't thicker than the edges) using the back of the measuring cup. Cook pancakes until bubbles begin to appear on the surface and bottom is golden brown then flip and cook opposite side until golden. Serve immediately with Vanilla Cream Syrup or Cream Cheese Syrup and garnish with chopped pecans.

Vanilla Cream Syrup
Yields about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 cup salted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in sugar, cream, buttermilk and salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to boil and sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla, whisk for about 10 seconds until frothy.  Serve warm.  Syrup can be stored in refrigerator up to 1 week and reheat before serving. 

Cream Cheese Syrup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup buttermilk

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Stir in sugar, buttermilk and cream cheese. Cook mixture, whisking constantly until cream cheese has melted. Stir in baking soda and whisk for about 10 seconds until frothy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week and reheat before serving. 

*We liked the cream cheese syrup.  It tasted just like homemade buttermilk, but with a hint of cream cheese flavor.

(http://cookingclassy.blogspot.com/2012/08/carrot-cake-pancakes.html)

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

 2 eggs

1/4 cup Cream or Heavy Cream  (Whipping Cream)

1/3 cup Parmesan

Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

Garlic powder

*(I doubled the Sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon

1 small onion, chopped (opt)

3 mushrooms sliced (opt)

1/2 lb. Pasta

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and the red pepper together in a bowl.  I just used a fork.  Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.  With 1 -2 Tbsp. bacon grease, saute the onion and the mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden.  Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms.  Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes.   Sprinkle bacon and fresh grated Parmesan cheese on top.

(http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=2094) 

Crescent Dinner Rolls

1 1/2 cups of milk

3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar

1 egg

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons yeast

2 cups of warm water

about 9-10 cups of all purpose flour

at least 1 cup of butter

Scald 1 1/2 cups of milk, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of butter, in a microwave safe bowl, for about 2 minutes. Cutting the butter into pieces helps it melt faster.

We are going to add yeast to this hot mixture, but it will be too hot to just dump the yeast straight in (it would kill it!). To cool it down stir in 1-2 cups of flour, then add 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of salt, and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a measuring cup dissolve 2 Tablespoons of yeast in 2 cups of warm water and 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is bubbly.

**Keep track of how much flour you are adding!!!

Make sure your milk mixture is just warm, not boiling and add the yeast mixture!

Using a fork or wooden spoon, gradually stir in 9-10 cups of flour (counting the flour you have already added to cool it earlier). I would recommend only adding 2 cups at time and stirring in between. These rolls turn out so much better when they are mixed by hand.

At the end the dough will be dense and sticky, and may be hard to stir, you can use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour if needed. Be sure not to add too much flour. Then smooth the dough out and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place and let it raise.

Let the dough raise until it has doubled in size.  When your dough is close to raising completely, butter 2 cookie sheets and set them aside.

Cover your working space with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Dump your dough out and divide it into 4 balls. Eyeball the sizes, then lift them up and feel the weight of each ball. Try to make them even, but they don’t have to be perfect.

Using one ball of dough at a time: roll the dough into a circle on a floured counter. Once it is rolled out spread the top with butter from edge to edge. You will use about 2 Tablespoons per circle of dough.

Cut the dough into quarters using a pizza cutter.  Then cut each quarter into 3 pieces. You should end up with 12 triangles from each circle of dough.

Roll the dough starting with the wide end of the triangle.  Tuck the tail of the triangle under the roll and place it on the buttered cookie sheet. You will make 3 rows, with 8 rolls per row. This will give you 24 rolls per pan. Two balls of dough will fill 1 pan. You will get a total of 48 rolls!

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the pans of rolls in a warm place (on top of the oven if possible) to let them rise. Once they are touching and full in size, cook (one pan at a time) in the oven ’till they are golden brown. About 10 – 15 minutes, It may take longer depending on how hot your oven cooks. Keep a close eye on your first pan to get the right time for the second.

While they are still hot and fresh out of the oven run a stick of butter over the tops of the rolls for a delicious buttery glaze.

(http://www.howdoesshe.com/delicious-dinner-rolls/)

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

(http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/02/24/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/)

Blueberry Sauce/Syrup

1 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups blueberries

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and corn starch in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook 1-2 minutes until thickened. Add the blueberries and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. You can either mash or blend the berries (like for syrup) or leave them whole (to use as a topping). Serve warm and refrigerate the leftover.

(From ourbestbites.com)

Monster Cookies

1 c. margarine
2 c. sugar
2 c. brown sugar
3 c. peanut butter

Cream until smooth.

Add 6 eggs, beating in 2 at a time.

Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. corn syrup

Mix in:
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. baking soda
9 c. oats

Stir in 1/2 lb M&Ms and 1/2 lb chocolate chips.

Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet and flatten with fork.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.