Chocolate Covered Raisin & Oatmeal Cookies - July '10 Cookie Carnival

July's Cookie Carnival brings us an oatmeal raisin cookie from Pillsbury as the kids baking recipe for the month.

Now, I have to admit that when I chose this recipe for the carnival, I already knew that it wasn't going to be the "best" oatmeal raisin cookie because IOO (in our opinions), we already posses the world's best -- Aud' Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - a delicious soft chewy oatmeal raisin cookie from my MIL.

Since I like playing around and changing the ingredients with other oatmeal cookie recipes, I decided to give the Pillsbury recipe a try. I'm certainly not disappointed by this recipe. I used chocolate covered raisins in place of the raisins and nuts. Can you say MMMMM!!!! The recipe is versatile enough that you could easily switch out the raisins or nuts for other dried fruits, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, macadamia nuts, yogurt covered fruit or nuts....the list goes on and on.

I underbaked the cookies by a minute or so and baked them until the cookies were just starting to brown - the cookies stayed chewy that way. The melted chocolate mixed very with the oatmeal and raisins.

I can't wait to see the round up to see what every does to add their own twist on this recipe!

Chocolate Covered Raisin & Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup sugar - I used 1/2 C.
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins - I subbed 1 C. choc. covered raisins 
for raisins and nuts

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto sprayed cookie sheets. I used my 1 1/2 in. cookie scoop for these cookies and then slightly flattened each scoop of cookies on the tray before baking. 

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. I reduced my oven to 350* and baked the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Store in a sealed container. 

Very good with a cup of hot tea!

Even though I couldn't talk my kids into baking with me this time around, they enjoyed eating the cookies. My son raved about them.

If you love cookies like we do, why not join in on the fun!

Join the Cookie Carnival today! 

A New Award!

Sending out many thanks to Angel in the Kitchen for my new blog award!

 Isn't it pretty!?!  I love it!

Check out her blog, too. It's full of yummy recipes. {There's some peanut butter cup cookies and peanut butter bars on there that I'm drooling over!}

June Cookie Carnival Roud Up

The round up is finally here!  
If you like what you see, please take a minute to post here to let me know!

There were two cookies recipes this month:

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies - from Cooking Light

and a Kids Bake cookie recipe S'Mores Sandwich Cookie Bars - from Hershey

Take a look at this awesome turnout!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Michelle@SomethingNewisCooking baked both cookies.
She said...
S'mores - "Being campers, I had to make this for Jimmy and myself. Good choice!"

Thumbprints - "It was my first time using almond paste. I must say I really like the way it flavors the cookies."

Rebecca@beurrista said "The Thumbprints are a fantastic cookie, any which way you look at them."

Cristine@CookingwithCristine baked both cookies.
She said....
S'Mores - "I am excited about this because it gives me the opportunity to post a LONG overdue 'Cooking with Anya.'" "We loved these bars and they didn't last long in the house. Anya had a blast putting them together."  {Be sure to check out her blog to see what Anya had to say!}

Cristine filled her thumbprint cookies with bittersweet chocolate!

Tiffany@TheBake-OffFlunkie baked the S'mores bars and said ""Mmmmmmm....bring on the milk!"

April@Abby Sweets said "These are amazingly good!"

Tessa@TheCookin'Chemist used red, white and blue marshmallow stars to give her s'mores such a cute festive look.

Katrina@BakingandBoys! said "“Delicious Hot S’chmoes Bar Cookies”, these are certainly perfect for any upcoming July picnics, family reunions, or Independence Day celebrations."  Taylor and Sam helped with the baking. {Be sure to check out her blog to see pics of her sons....and her beautiful new home!}

Carol@NoReasonNeeded recommends taking a staycation and making s'mores!

Donna, (a friend of mine who I met through FamilyCorner.com), loves to bake but she's not a blogging baker. She's joining the Cookie Carnival for the first time this month! Welcome, Donna! - Donna said "Hi, I am Donna from central California!  I love camping so I  made the s'mores cookies and they were so yummy!  I love the creamy marshmallow and melted chocolate centers! Thanks for the great recipe!

And my cookies.........

Tami said....
S'mores - {baking with Alexis!} My daughter and I had a lot of fun baking these cookies together. Alexis did such a great job measuring and mixing the cookie bars. {click on the link for pics of my little helper!}

Thumbprints - I haven't posted about the thumbprints yet because I'm working them in with a cookbook giveaway that's coming this week! Be sure to stop back and check it out!

And this just in......!!!

Rebecca@beurrista said that she decided to make s'mores bars after seeing all of the wonderful pictures and reading about them in this round up! {check out her blog to see her special little visitor. He's such a cutie!}

Thanks, Ladies, for another great month! 


What are YOU waiting for? 

Join in on the fun of the Cookie Carnival!


I hope to see everyone at July's Cookie Carnival Round Up!

Happy Baking!
Tami

Watermelon Cupcake Cones

Fun watermelon cupcake cones to go along with your summer picnics.

 Don't they just make you smile?

Watermelon Cupcake Cones

1 box white cake mix + ingredients needed to
make cake
1 - 2 TBSP red sugar-free Jell-O (any flavor)
semi-sweet chocolate chips
24 ice cream cones
1 can vanilla frosting
red and green food coloring
cupcake baking pans

Preheat oven to 350*. Place one ice cream cone into each cupcake slot in the baking pans. I used 2 (12 cupcake) baking pans to make 12 cupcake cones and 12 regular cupcakes. Set aside.

Prepare cake mix according to directions. Stir in 1 tablespoon of Jell-O mix and mix well. If the color isn't pink enough, stir in more tablespoon of the Jell-O mix.

To fill the cones:

Spoon 1 tablespoon of cake batter in the bottom of the each cone. Sprinke in 2-3 chocolate chips for "watermelon seeds". Continue with another tablespoon of batter and 2-3 more chocolate chips. Continue filling the cones in this order until the batter is almost to the top of the cone.

Bake for 15 minutes, and then stick a skewer down into the middle of one cone to see if the cake has baked through. If the skewer comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. If not, continue checking frequently until they are done.

Remove the cones from the baking pan and set on a jelly roll pan or counter to cool.

Divide the vanilla icing into 2 bowls by placing 3/4 of the icing into 1 bowl and tinting red, and then 1/4 icing into the 2nd bowl and tinting green.

I took the easy way out and used Ziploc bags for icing bags. Fill the bags, snip one corner of the bag...and voila! you have an icing bag. Granted, nothing fancy but it quick and easy with little clean up!

Decorate your "watermelon" cupcakes by piping the center of each cupcake with red icing and the outside "rind" with green. Add 2 chocolate chips in the center for "seeds".

Here you can see the "seeds" in the "watermelon". :)

Enjoy!  These cupcake cones have become a favorite of my kids.

I haven't tried freezing them so I'm not sure if the cones would become soggy once they thawed out.
Has anyone tried freezing them?

Chai Lattes & Hearty Pumpkin Bread

I love chai tea lattes but I rarely treat myself to one when we are out because they are so expensive. Now I won't have to worry about the expense of it because I've found a delicious recipe that enables me to make them on the cheap at home. It's also a healthier recipe that cuts back on fat and calories - always a plus!

Chai Lattes
from Eat What You Love
makes 2 servings

1/2 C. lowfat evaporated milk
1 1/2 C. water
2 TBSP Splenda (3 packets)
2 individual chai tea bags (I used vanilla chai tea)
1 tsp honey

In a small pot, whisk together milk, water and Splenda. Bring to a low simmer.

Carefully add the tea bags and return to a low simmer. Continue simmering for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and remove tea bags. Stir in honey.

Serve hot or cool down and serve over ice.

Here it is served hot

This chai latte paired wonderfully with this old-fashioned pumpkin bread

Also a lower fat, lower version of a traditional pumpkin bread.

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread

1/4 C. canola oil
1 C. canned solid pumpkin
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 C. low-fat buttermilk
2 TBSP molasses - I didn't have any so I subbed honey
1 C. Splenda granules
1 C. all purpose flour
3/4 C. white whole wheat flour - I used 100% stone ground
whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon - I used 2 TBSP because we like a lot of spice flavor
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice (optional) - I didn't use it
1/4 tsp cloves - I didn't use it
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly coat a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray - I used a pan that holds 4 mini loaves.

Whisk together oil, pumpkin, whole egg, egg whites, buttermilk, molasses, and Splenda.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and stir. Make a well in the center and pour in the pumpkin mixture. With a large spoon or spatula, stir just until combined. Do not over mix.

Spoon the batter in the loaf pan and smooth tops.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until cracks appear dry or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean - my mini loaves baked from 34 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes and then remove the loaf from the pan. I cooled the loaves for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.

I sliced one loaf while it was still warm and served it with honey butter. It was delicious.

Store in a tightly sealed container. Can be frozen.