Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies

I don’t know about you, but when life is hard and there are no easy answers, I like to bake.  Baking and blessing others with baked goods somehow shares the love I’ve been given with others. 

This week has been a hard one – a massive tornado killing too many, hurting others and displacing hundreds.  An amazing cancer fighter gone. Then, yesterday, an accident on a school field trip that hits a little too close to home.

My heart breaks for lives that were changed in an instant. A painful reminder that our entire world is groaning awaiting the return of our Savior (Romans 8:22). 

These events don’t make sense to my finite mind.  For some, just like Job’s friends, they may call us to question the goodness of God.  For me, I know God is good.  So I trust Him despite hardship. 

The only response I know to these situations is to pray and bake.   

Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies – Adapted from Sunnyside Up

Ingredients

• 1/2 C butter (1 stick)
• 1/4 C plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C quick cooking oats
• splash of vanilla
• 2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

Cream together 1 stick of butter with 1 C sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar.  Add in 1/4 C plain Greek yogurt and 2 eggs, mixing well. 

Combine 2 C unsweetened applesauce with 2 tsp. baking soda. Stir well and watch that applesauce fizz! 

Mix in the applesauce mixture to the sugar, butter mixture.  Blend well. 

Combine 2 C white whole wheat flour with 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cloves, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 3/4 tsp. salt.  When blended, add these dry ingredients to the wet ones. 

Slowly add the remaining 2 C of white whole wheat flour. 

Stir in a splash of vanilla and 1 C oats. 

Mix in 2 C dark chocolate chips. 

The dough will be soft.  You can refrigerate it for 30-45 minutes, but I just went ahead and made the cookies. 

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookies about 2 T large and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  These cookies will spread out, so don’t place them too close together.

Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and set in the center. 

Cool on a cooling rack.

Enjoy! 

*Makes about 96 cookies.  After baking these are best stored in the freezer until ready to consume.  They will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, but are best “fresh” or cooled from the freezer. 

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Ingredient Spotlight: Brats & Hot Dogs

With Memorial Day just around the corner, today’s Ingredient Spotlight on Brats & Hot Dogs should come in handy!  Just be sure to always buy nitrate-free hot dogs and brats as nitrates are known carcinogens. 

Our favorite brats of the summer are a locally made Wild Rice Brat – one day, I might attempt to make them, but for now, we enjoy them with cherry BBQ sauce all summer long. 

Regardless of the brat type, we always boil them before grilling.  Boiling removes excess fat and speeds up the cooking time.  Our favorite way to boil them is in beer.  Delicious. 

And, of course, what’s a good brat without a fantastic bun?  These whole wheat buns, ready in 40-minutes make a great brat or hot dog bun. 

What are you favorite ways to enjoy brats and hot dogs?  Share your recipe! 

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Smoked Sausage Hash Breakfast Wraps

Raise your hand if you’ve been to Alaska!  I had the blessing of traveling there to do some research while I was in graduate school. 

Most of my time was spent in and around Fairbanks, but I did travel to Denali National Park and Nome up near the Bering Sea. 

The state holds a special place in my heart as it was where God made His call clear in my life; without that experience, I would not be where I am. 

Naturally, I have a soft spot in my heart for those with Alaska connections.  Alaska from Scratch is one of those blogs I love – not only for the food, but the photos of life in Alaska too. 

This recipe comes from Maya, and made a delicious breakfast wrapped in a tortilla. 

Smoked Sausage Hash Breakfast Wraps – Adapted from Alaska From Scratch

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a smoked sausage link, sliced and quartered
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2-3 medium yellow or russet potatoes
• 2 medium bell peppers, colors of your choosing, diced
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• pinch of minced garlic
• dash of paprika
• salt & pepper, to taste
• Whole wheat (or white whole wheat) tortillas
• Cheddar cheese, optional

Directions

Begin by scrubbing your potatoes and patting them dry.  You may wish to peel your sweet potato, if desired.  Prick the potatoes with a fork 5-6 times, and place them on a plate and microwave them for 2 minutes or so.  You want the potatoes to be semi-cooked, but not soft.  Set aside to cool. 

Meanwhile, sauté the bell peppers in a splash of olive oil. 

When crisp-tender, add in the minced onion and garlic, along with the quartered smoked turkey sausage. 

Heat until sausage is warmed.  Then, push the veggies and meat to half the side of the pan. 

When potatoes are cool, dice the potatoes.  Spray the empty half of pan with olive oil.  Add in the potatoes and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, then flip. 

When cooked on both sides and potatoes are soft, stir in with the rest of the veggies and sausage.  Season with paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. 

Garnish with parsley.  Serve with veggies. 

Alternatively, wrap 2/3 C hash inside a tortilla.  Top with cheese and wrap up! 

Enjoy!

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Menu Plan–May 19

Good Sunday afternoon!  Over the course of the last week we finally hit our green spring explosion here.  The trees are budding their leaves and our crabapples are flowering.  I had to go snap a few photos before the torrential downpours begin. 

The timing is perfect too, as I am heading into summer.  I give my final on Monday and then grade, grade, grade before commencement on Saturday. 

This means, meals this week are going to be easier than normal (which, are already pretty easy). 

Sunday
Apple, Carrot & Zucchini Muffins, Applesauce
Leftover Creamy Garlic Shells, Kale Chips & Roasted Asparagus
Thank you dessert with TAs: Root Beer Floats!

To do: soak lentils, dice peppers

Monday
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Lentils with Roasted Peppers {new}

To do: Thaw chicken, cook bacon

Tuesday
Leftover Berry Baked Oatmeal
Grilling (Monterrey Chicken - new) w/ green bean roasted potato salad

To do: Make rice and prepare casserole ahead of time

Wednesday
Granola and blueberries
Creamy Rice Casserole, steamed veggies
Dessert for Bible Study: Applesauce Oat Cookies {new}

To do: nothing

Thursday
Whole Wheat Waffles with Berry Sauce
Baked veggie sandwiches & sweet potato fries

To do: Make bread by 1pm

Friday
Veggie Scramble
Red Pepper Tortellini Bake, steamed broccoli

To do: Thaw chicken legs

Saturday
TBD
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken Legs, brown rice, mushrooms

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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Have a Nice Wedding Cake And Start a New Life

Verily unlike the common traditional cakes, those are served in the wedding generally consist of many layers and also elaborate design. In fact, there is a special art incorporated in decorating those cakes. The cake designers, bakers generally practice delicate methods just for the construction of the beautiful sweet creations as well. Some of the cakes take whole day of preparation just before finally finished all of them.

Though a conventional wedding cake is generally made with some layers, there is also a modern cakes that are made of smaller pieces as the cupcakes. These cupcakes can make a brilliant wedding cakes as it presents with attractive and cutest manner. It also makes much easier to serve each guest with proper cupcake holder.

The food colour used to decorate or design the cakes are usually based on the basic colour motif of the wedding process. Fondant and marzipans are the usual elements generally used throughout the layer of the cakes. There are tests of taste to see which cakes flavour and basic type will be surely used. Some other ornaments as the fruits, flower are added to make the cake a colourful one. There is also some other many decorations as the edible gold, pearl or beads to make the whole cake just look more interesting and also gorgeous as suits with the wedding theme itself.

To have a cake in the marriage ceremony is an essential part as it is sliced by the couple of the day. The very first slice is generally consumed by the wedded couple together as the symbol of sharing everything in their lifetime. This is the ultimate common convention so far. Afterward, the cake is served to the invitees as the sweet dessert of their main food course.

The very top layer in the wedding cake is completely another story. Conventionally, a figurine resemble the image of newly wedded couple is placed as the top layer. There are also some instances where the top most layer of the cake is saved properly. It is totally consumed at the very day of that couple's first marriage anniversary.

With the wedding cake the day can gain an extra dimension of love and bonding itself. The cake cutting ceremony brings the couple more attached to each other as they start their journey of a new life with a sweet delicacy. Sometimes people present the cake according to the theme of the wedding whether it is a beach wedding party or a traditional wedding reception. This wonderful wedding cake can be consisted with different colour as pink, while, purple or so many as the different flavour also.

There is some other tradition attached with the cake found in a wedding reception. In some eminent culture, these cupcakes are one of the symbol of romance and the sweetness in the new couple's life. A cake pull is considered as one tradition practice in the western culture and in some Asian culture where these charms are directly inserted at the last layer of the cake and can be taken completely out with the help of the ribbon and string attached with the cake.

Sara Osborne is a common name in the domain of cake bakers and the cake designer also. Her write ups on Wedding cakes and other recipes are much helpful for the cooks.

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Friday Favorite Finds #159

Today is the last day of the semester.  It’s always bitter sweet.  I love seeing how far my students have come in a semester and celebrating their learning.  Saying ta ta for now, and off to summer… now that is a wonderful feeling.  We just have the final exam on Monday to finish (and the subsequent grading that follows), and then summer!

This week, my finds are all over the place.  You can never tell what you might find.

{Note: All images are from the original blogger; please pin the source!}

Rhubarb Sorbet – My friend Sara shared this delicious sorbet recipe as part of Ingredient Spotlight.  Can’t wait for summer to try this out! Pin it here. 

No-Knead Honey Oat Bread – This recipe from Sally sounds so interesting!  I have a wheat oatmeal quick bread recipe, but this one looks amazing, especially with the crust.  Yum-o.  Get the recipe here.  Pin the recipe here. 

Green Tea Cookies – We love green tea around here and I find the idea of a less sweet cookie amazing.  Can’t wait to try this recipe from Sugarcrafter.  Get the recipe here.  Pin the recipe here. 

If you were featured, feel free to grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Please link up to a post containing your list of recipes to try -- do not link up individual recipes, or recipes that you’ve already made, your links will be deleted.   Be sure to leave a link back here to Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

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Food Allergy Awareness Week

There I was, standing in the bread aisle.  I could not believe it.  Every single loaf of healthy looking bread had the same dreaded words:

This product contains or may contain nuts.

I was 600+ miles away from home and hit head on with the reality of my food allergy.  Eating will never be the same. 

Nearly in tears, I called my mom and asked her to send me her homemade bread recipe.  It was either that, or “Wonderbread”. 

Although I confronted the realities of my food allergy head on in 2005, I’ve had food allergies since I was 5 years old. 

A little taste of a Brazil Nut at Christmas time led to my throat itching and swelling, and a diagnosis of a nut allergy.   

When I was little, managing my food allergy was easy, as nuts were relatively easy to avoid.  Now, however, nuts are in just about everything. 

Although I don’t talk about allergies often here on the blog, they are a real part of every moment of my life. 

Having a food allergy impacts the way you think about food.  Since so much of our culture revolves around food, having a food allergy impacts you at least three times every day, often in ways you might not even expect. 

So, what are we allergic to?

SnoWhite:

• All tree nuts (e.g., Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, almonds, etc)
• Seeds – sesame
• Most raw fruits & vegetables
• I have Oral Allergy Syndrome where my body thinks that the raw fruits and veggies I consume are actually pollen molecules that I am allergic to (like Birch or Maple pollen).  As a result, my body reacts to these raw fruits. 

Frog Prince:

• Pumpkin
• Strawberries

In addition, my MIL has celiac disease, which requires here to avoid gluten and dairy. 

Needless to say, we are no strangers to food allergies.

Seeing as this week is Food Allergy Awareness Week, I wanted to share my story with you and remind you of a nut-allergy series Lynn (from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures) and I did a few years ago and share my three tips for friends with food allergies.   

Three Tips for Supporting Someone with a Food Allergy

1. Respect the food-allergic person’s boundaries.  Food-allergic folks have clear boundaries that allow them to feel comfortable with food; these boundaries change over time, but they are well-thought out and intentional. 
2. Please don’t take offense if we are not comfortable eating what you prepare, even if you go out of your way to prepare allergy-friendly food. See #1 above. If you are interested in cooking for a food-allergic friend, take a look at my tips.   
3. Please understand the severity.  One of the biggest challenges food-allergic folks face is a misunderstanding about the severity of the allergy.  This is understandable with all the vocabulary – allergy, intolerance, sensitivity, etc.   For an allergy, though, all it takes is one molecule to trigger an anaphylactic reaction.  This could be a result of cross-contamination, a real concern for those with food allergies.   

Do you have a food allergy?  Know someone with an allergy?  I’d love to hear about your experiences with food allergies.

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