Baking Tip

If you have a Kroger grocery store or one of it's affiliates, you might want to considering buying cupcake/muffin liners there.

 I've discovered that their brand of foil baking cups 

actually come with paper liners as well!

They separate each of the foil liners with a paper liner 

and as far as I'm concerned 

I am getting extra liners for baking!

I confess I haven't counted the foil liners 

to see it they are including the paper liners in their count of 24. 

I am trusting advertising on this one :)

Every little penny counts when buying, right?

Happy shopping!

{and baking :}

Linking to :: Posed Perfection31 Posed Perfection 32

Toasting 101

Toasting Almonds

Toasting Nuts and Seeds could not be easier!

You just have to keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Toasting adds a lot of flavor without having to use any additives.

I've seen toasting in the oven, but I just use my

skillet 

and 

stovetop!

There's no need to add any oil to the skillet, just use raw nuts and seeds.
The oil they already contain helps toast them.

You'll want to have a layer of nuts or seeds 

that don't overlap much if possible, so they toast pretty evenly.

Turn on the burner to high, 

 but once you hear them start to sizzle,

turn the burner OFF.

Stir the nuts/seeds constantly - keep 'em moving!

Or they can burn. 

When they start to turn a golden brown they are done.

Remove them to a glass bowl to cool. 

Give Sunflower Seeds a try!

Sesame Seeds were a little too strong in flavor..
may need to use without toasting. 

Use the nuts or seeds in salads or homemade granola bars! 

I have a recipe for a peanut butter granola bar I will share in another post!

Linking To: Sugar and Dots, Made in a Day, Posed Perfection, Crafts a la Mode, My Love 2 Create, Tatertots and Jello

Wheat-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Uh.... yeah... kind of interesting, huh?

So, without a lot of TMI ;) 

I have been struggling with my tummy region on the ol' bod and 

decided to look up information on wheat. 

I have come across the book, Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis, MD and although I haven't purchased and/or read this book, 

I decided to go wheat-free in my diet to see if it made any difference.

I already bake with oat flour.
 I've used rice flour in the past, but bought some more as well as
buckwheat flour, which I've never used.

I came across a recipe for Buckwheat and Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies in my search for info on buckwheat.
Well, I gave 'em a try today. However, I did also include oat flour.
I received some sage advice from my nephews wife about buckwheat being strong, so I used 1/4 cup buckwheat and rice flour each and 1/2 cup oat flour. 

I thought I'd try and up the cookie-appeal level to my kids by calling them 'beach cookies' because the appearance of the dough looks kinda dark & sandy!

However, the scent of the cookie dough was heavenly 

 and the taste of the baked craziness was actually really good. 

There really isn't any alternate flavor that I could detect; most likely due to the copious amounts of butter and sugar.
I'm not to fond of that amount of fat and sugar
 (cuz I feel guilty using that much!)
 so I think I will work with this recipe
and see if I can 'tweek' it just so to my comfort level.

And you can see, the appearance of the final cookie is disastrous.
So, I need to work on that as well, if possible.

Cheers !

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

So, I confess I made chocolate chip pancakes for dinner one night ~ hee hee!

This particular photo I believe was on a Saturday morning ~ another batch!

These pancakes have been a big hit at our house!

{For me? Well, I still prefer my chocolate elsewhere and not in pancakes !!

Awe... boring, Mom!!}

Anyway... I think the only thing I added to this written recipe
 that I haven't been doing recently is vanilla extract.

{hello! what is baking without vanilla?}

As for the word 'healthy' being part of the recipe, I'll let you decide :)

Maybe if you use dark chocolate?

Anyway... the base of the recipe is pretty darn healthy
if you ask me so ...
what's a little chocolate thrown in, eh?

You can either mix the chocolate chips into the entire pancake batter

 or
just add them to one side of the pancake while the other side is cooking.

{My oldest daughter took a cooking class this past summer 

and made chocolate chip pancakes and did it the latter way.}

 I think it works better.

Plus ... you can make a smile appear on the pancake and

your cute kiddos (and your hubby's) face :)

~ Enjoy! ~

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oat flour

1 T ground flaxseed

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt ( I use Himalayan Pink Salt)

2 T vanilla yogurt

1 egg

1 T honey

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup milk ( I use skim)

1/4 - 1/2 cup milk or dark chocolate chips 

olive oil and/or butter ( I use Smart Balance)

Mix all the ingredients together in a med/lg mixing bowl with wooden spoon.

Heat skillet with about 2 T olive oil or perhaps 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter on medium low and drop pancake batter to desired size in skillet.

Add chocolate chips. 

Flip pancake to the other side to cook when edges of pancake are rounded and spatula fits easily underneath.

Lower temp of stovetop about a degree. 

Cook on the other side. 

Repeat! (last time to turn down heat on stove )

***Please use recipe for personal use only. Thanks! ***

Linking To: Sewing Barefoot & Lil Luna & The 36th Avenue & Blissful Bucket List
& Craftberry Bush & One Creative Weekend & Tatertots and Jello

Pumpkin/Chocolate Chip Muffins - no white flour

Today is Back to School Day! I baked up some Pumpkin/Chocolate Chip Muffs for a snack to come home to for my girls . C1 had one later and C2 didn't really have at it, but maybe for breakfast or another time perhaps!?

I'm really trying to stay away from white flour in my baking/cooking. For my recipe I mix different grains. Give it a try and let me know what you think?

I don't think you will be disappointed :)

The delicious scoop:

Pumpkin/Chocolate Chip Muffins - approx. 18

3/4 cup butter/margarine  (appox. I do a 'plop' of Smart Balance :)

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 cup honey 

1 Tbl vanilla 

1 tsp nutmeg 

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 15-oz  organic pumpkin 

2 eggs 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup oat flour 

1/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 cup dark chocolate chips 
Blend butter, sugar, honey, vanilla & spices in mixer. Add pumpkin, eggs, salt, baking soda, flours & flaxseed to mixer. Stir or mix in chocolate chips.

Bake 350º for 40 minutes in paper-lined cupcake tins. Enjoy :)

Please use this recipe for personal use only. Thanks!

Linking to : It's a Blog Party& CraftberryBush& The 36th Avenue &  A Pretty Life