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Toffee Crunch Cookies

So one of the things I love to do, especially with the kids, is bake, and cookies are pretty easy to make with kids. Last year Josh and the kids got my a cookie cookbook Nordic Ware "The Great Cookie Book" for Christmas. I also got some new cookie sheets, silpat liner and spatulas for Christmas (and am getting a beater blade and cookie scoop for my birthday later this month, woohoo!) and wanted to try them out. This was a hidden little recipe at the end of the book, but I love toffee and thought it would be worth making. I usually don't like oatmeal in cookies, but this really doesn't taste too much like oatmeal, more just adding a nice chewy texture to the cookie. I don't taste the coconut at all, Josh says he does but it tastes good. I didn't have the almonds so I just increased the oatmeal and then in half the batter added mini chocolate chips. They.were.delicious. While nothing can beat my first love, chocolate chip cookies, these will have a high place in the rotation list for sure. My family and co-workers seemed to enjoy them as well.
Next time I may try to make them with the almonds and see how they taste.
One thing I tried to pay attention to this time, was how to reduce spreading of the cookies. I tried a new choc chip cookie recipe a few weeks ago and it really spread out. I let the butter warm at room temp rather than in the microwave. I also took care not to overbeat while mixing. Though this recipe didn't call for it, I did put the batter in the refrigerator while the first batch was baking, and the second batch stayed even thicker and fluffier. I also made sure not to reuse the same cookie sheets so they were cool/cold going in. Lastly, based off suggestions, I only baked for 13 minutes rather than the 15 suggested. I have noticed both times I used the Silpat mat, the cookies spread more than the plain pan. I am going to retry the choc chip cookies on Friday and I may also try using either bread or cake flour as that was another tip I came across in this wonderful book my secret santa got me this year...I plan on reading and using it a lot as I try to improve my baking skills this year!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 (10-ounce) bag toffee candy bits
• 1 cup oatmeal ( I used 1.5 cups)
  
• 1 cup sweetened flake coconut
• 1 cup chopped whole, skinned almonds (I did not have/use added approximately 2/3 cup mini chop chips to half of the batter)
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat the eggs slightly; then add to the butter mixture and mix well. Sift flour, salt and baking soda; then add slowly to the moist ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix in the toffee bits, oatmeal, coconut and nuts.

Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.(I baked for 13 minutes)

Supplies

Butter, sugar and vanilla

Eggs
Mixing in the dry ingredients
Adding the toffee, oatmeal and coconut
Taste testers #1 and 2 approve

Original batter
On the silpat
Out of the oven...can see the difference and flattening on the silpat
With choc chips
Finished cookies!

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 11

LOFT sweater, skirt and necklace
No name tights and boots

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 9-10

Day 9- had John's 4 year well child visit (should do a family blog post about this) and then went to McDonalds and Target
Ann Taylor LOFT shirt
Target scarf
Old Navy straight leg jeans
Chocolate Classic Tall Uggs




Day 10-oil change, then playing at home and making cookies (will do blog post about this later hopefully!)
Target tee
Random sweater from local store
Target leggings
Gray Target boots

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 8

Bummed around the house all day...literally only left to go play in the yard but for only about 15 minutes before it started drizzling. Spent most of the morning playing and the afternoon finally putting up the Christmas tree and indoor decorations!

Banana Republic tank, sweatshirt and bangle
Gap Long and Lean jeans
gold/diamond earrings
cutest four year old boy ;)

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 4-7

Okay, hard to post during work days. Also, the pictures from work days are on my phone so not good quality. Will try to take real pictures next week.

Day 4
Gap cowl neck sweater
Banana Republic slacks
Tan Aerosole loafer sling back heels (laugh all you want, they are comfy!)




Day 5
Ann Taylor LOFT cami and tee
Target sweater
Banana republic belt (I think) and skirt
Ann Taylor necklace
pearl earrings
no name hose and old shoes (comfy soles from my hospital days)


Day 6
Ann Taylor black wrap dress
NY&Co cardigan
Missoni for Target suede pumps
Ann Taylor LOFT chunky necklace and earrings


Day 7
In the morning, was cool
Ann Taylor LOFT cami
Banana Republic tee
Ann Taylor Sweater
J Brand jeans
Target Boots and earrings


Was almost 70 degrees this afternoon, so took off the sweater and boots and changed into these flats (brand I"m not familiar with, got for Christmas)

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 3

Some progress today. I've liked this sweater but struggled to find something to wear underneath. Finally dug this old Old Navy camisole out that I kept around because it was pretty but didn't know what to do with it either. I think it works, and I have an idea for another possible outfit with it later this month. I also feel like some brown pull on boots would go better, but...I don't have any. Must work on that. On a side note, these jeans are THE jeans I have been working to get back into, wahooo!

Old Navy camisole
Target sweater
Paige Premium jeans
Ugg boots

Pancakes

One of our favorite things to do on the weekends is make pancakes! Our favorite stand by is none other than chocolate chip pancakes. We've made a few different kinds of the fall and winter as well, and I have started experimenting with other recipes and have found I really like the texture of buttermilk pancakes....so light and fluffy! I found this recipe on Joy The Baker and it will definitely be a regular in the mix. Delicious and easy to make!



Milk Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes

2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips (depending on how chippy you feel)

oil or cooking spray (for cooking)

Step 1: In a large bowl beat eggs. Add buttermilk, butter and vanilla and mix well. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until mostly smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and let batter set for a few minutes.
Step 2: Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan or spray with cooking spray. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water, if or when the drops start to dance its hot enough.
Step 3: Pour 2 Tablespoons of batter onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles that form start to pop. You can also gently lift up the pancake to make sure the bottom is not overcooking, if it is the pan may be too hot and you will need to adjust the heat. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until golden brown. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cooked pancakes rest on a heat proof plate in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 2

Another stretch for me...skinny jeans! And these are the smallest size of jeans in my closet (of which I have a lot and hope to fit into them soon). I also tried this outfit with gray uggs. Still not sold on this one either. Wish I could post just 30 fabulous outfits, but I think this is helping me analyze my wardrobe and think of ways to put things together, even if my initial outfits don't exactly work!

30 Days, 30 Outfits Challenge Day 1

I thought this would be a fun way to make myself use more of my wardrobe. Basically just can't wear the same outfit twice this month!

My first outfit was actually bought over a year ago, to wear in the fall after Jordan was born, but the shirt did not fit and I have been nervous about wearing leggings. This picture also makes me realize that I need to get back on the exercise wagon! I am still 17 pounds lighter than when residency ended in June, but I still have a little ways to go I think. Good thing my other challenge this month is to do Ripped in 30 (my new video from my fave Jillian Michaels) and hopefully lose 6 pounds this month (ambitious, but I"m going to try!)