Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!

I can't get enough of it. Iced, espresso, chocolate-covered coffee beans, coffee as the liquid in baked stuff, and espresso powder in cookies, brownies, etc. I drink so much of it that coffee runs through my veins. So, continuing the trend of recipes I never get around to baking until much later, this recipe for Cafe Latte Cookies from Baking Bites has been on my mind for a long time now.

The recipe makes a mostly chewy, buttery, somewhat caramely cookie with the undertones of espresso (I subbed espresso powder for 1 tbsp of the instant coffee). What could be better than eating a slightly caffeinated cookie with a cup of coffee?

What stood out to me in this recipe was that it said to 'let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before removing'. I figured it aided in the texture without the risk of overcooking if kept in the oven longer. I didn't make the second sheet without doing that step, so I can't say for sure.

This cookie is also known as 'The Neiman-Marcus Cookie'. What that makes me want to do is take the homemade version and compare it to their cookie at their cafe. I'm thinking it might taste like a SBUX cookie, though.

I'm renaming these to 'Epic Cookies'. The texture was right between chewy and cakey, and the taste was all the goodness of a chocolate chip cookie dough, but with more of a caramel taste and undertones of espresso. I kept tasting a slight bitterness, but by the next day I didn't taste that at all. These cookies hold well, too, so it's perfect as a slight caffeinated jolt on-the-go. Chocolate-covered espresso beans would be great in these, I say.

Baked Oatmeal

Oat mixture

I had been wanting to make baked oatmeal for a while. Actually, I made it once before, but it didn't come out so well. In was rainy and cold yesterday, so this was perfect for breakfast.

Since I didn't have any milk left, I used soy milk. I decreased the amount of sugar from 1/2 to 1/4 cup, and used peach applesauce.

Baked Oatmeal, recipe below

It smelled really great while baking, though the peach applesauce gave it a rather fake, instant oatmeal aroma. (Going on trips was always really fun when I was a kid because it meant flavored instant oatmeal for breakfast! I was easy to please as a kid.)

By the time this finished baking, I was pretty hungry and didn't think about plating at all. I apologize for not remembering my readers, but you know I mean well!

This was amazing. Warm, heartier than regular oatmeal, and it wasn't dry. I drizzled my oatmeal with a bit of honey for the taste, though the level of sweetness was already perfect (good thing I decreased the brown sugar). It was slightly buttery from the 2 tablespoons of butter, and the peach applesauce blended in, so it didn't give it a fake taste. I used half golden raisins, half dried berry blend, which gave it a wonderful flavor.

I've already searched teh interwebz to find some great recipes for pumpkin baked oatmeal and ginger baked oatmeal which I'm looking forward to trying. If you've never made this before, go and do it!

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Baked Oatmeal
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Recipe from CookingLight.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked regular oats


• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar


• 1/3 cup raisins, or your choice of dried fruit


• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, or your choice of nuts


• 1 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt


• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk


• 1/2 cup applesauce, or enough grated apple to total 1/2 cup


• 2 tablespoons butter, melted


• 1 large egg, beaten


• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.


2. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well.


3. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm. (I let mine sit for 10 minutes, but I'm not sure if that is necessary.)

Homemade Stove-Top Mac & Cheese

Boxed mac & cheese is right up there with ramen noodles when it comes to a quick meal. Here's a homemade version that doesn't take much longer than the box mixes.

Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese, recipe below

This recipe makes a very creamy sauce that doesn't require a roux, and it's very satisfying without being too rich. You can play around with the add-ins to suit your taste. A favorite combination of mine is peas and tuna, and sliced hot dogs or bratwurst is always delicious. The original recipe calls for roasted tomatoes and a sprinkling of toasted bread crumbs, which also sounds very good.

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Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from CookingLight.com
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Ingredients:

• 1/2 a head of broccoli florets


• 12 ounces large elbow macaroni or medium shells


• 2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese


• 1 large egg, beaten


• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt


• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard


• 1 tablespoon horseradish mayonnaise


• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes


• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk


• 1 cooked chicken thigh, shredded

Directions:

1. Place broccoli florets in a microwavable container. Cover with water, and microwave on 'fresh vegetable' setting just until tender. Drain; set aside.


2. Cook macaroni in boiling water 7 minutes; drain. Return macaroni to pan; place over medium-low heat. Add cheese and remaining ingredients; cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in broccoli and chicken.

Makes about 8 1-cup servings

(EoP)