Apple Oatmeal Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know he means well, but sometimes the Silver Fox is not helpful. He has a tendency to comment on works in progress and I really didn't need to hear his, "...that'll grow hair on your chest," as I added oatmeal to my bread mix. As a child I was very literal minded. If someone were to say I'm beside myself, you can bet I checked the room. Old habits die hard. Without thinking, I glanced down and managed to give him his laugh of the day. What can I say? While it's more nutritious than many, the bread is not a cure for male pattern baldness. It is very easy to prepare and it can be quickly made with no special equipment. Needless to say, it perfumes the kitchen as it bakes and the lingering aroma of cinnamon and apples will drive the unsuspecting to distraction. It's a really nice bread that can be made with a wooden spoon. While it is heavier than many quick breads, it's a perfect fall treat. The bread stays fresh for days and it makes wonderful toast. I hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.

Apple Oatmeal Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1-1/2 cups grated apple
1/4 cup raisins
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and oats in a large bowl. Add apple, raisins, eggs, milk, and oil. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Mixture will be stiff.
3) Put mixture into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until done. Let sit for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and continue cooling on a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf (about 12 slices).

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread - You Made That?
Glazed Apple, Carrot and Walnut Loaf - The English Kitchen
Banana Nut Bread - Brown-Eyed Baker
Cherry Pecan Bread - Amanda's Cookin'
Coconut Bread - Bored Cook in the Kitchen
Cinnamon Quick Bread - Sugar Plum
Raspberry Almond Swirl Bread - Baking Bites

Rocks - Chunky Oatmeal Cookies with Walnuts and Cranberries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The only "rocks" that are better than these are diamonds. I know I confound people when I direct them to the sites of test kitchens operated by food manufacturers. Lots of us think that a recipe that appears on the back of a box is something that doesn't deserve a second glance. I suspect we forget the time, effort and repeated experiments that have led to its publication by the manufacturer. I found this recipe on the Diamond Nuts website and once I tried them they replaced what had been my favorite oatmeal cookie. My family loves them as well and they have become permanent residents in my cookie jar. We joke that they are never-stale cookies. They just don't last long enough for that to happen. I think you like them too. Here's the recipe for a new take on a favorite old-fashioned cookie.

Chunky Oatmeal Cookies with Walnuts and Cranberries...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Diamond Nuts

Ingredients:
3 cups Diamond Walnuts
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To toast walnuts, spread evenly on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Coarsely chop and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats; add to sugar mixture and stir well to combine. Stir in dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.
3) Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 36 cookies.

You might also like these recipes:
Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies - Food and Whine
Oatmeal Coconut Cookies - Angie's Recipes
Famous Oatmeal Cookies - Katy's Kitchen
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Baking Bites
Frosted Oatmeal Cookies - The Daily Dish
Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies - Be Delicious
Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies - Good Things Catered

Oatmeal Scones with Dates

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When I was a little girl we had a neighbor who made oat farls on St. Patrick's Day. If you're not to the shamrock born, it helps to know that a farl is a scone that's made from the same dough as plain Irish soda bread - the naked variety that's made with whole wheat flour and not much else. Oatmeal is usually added to the dough which is then cooked on a griddle until it's done. The griddle is a holdover from the days when there were no ovens in Irish kitchens and all cooking was done on the hearth. I have a morning meeting on Wednesday and I'm responsible for providing Irish treats to go with our coffee and tea. Because it's a large gathering, I want to make something that honors the spirit of the day, but, more importantly, is fast, easy and inexpensive to assemble and reheat. I've seen this recipe floating through the ether for several years now. I can't date the first occurrence of the recipe, so I 'm going to consider it one that is in the public domain. If I'm wrong, let me know and you'll be credited for the recipe. I tested the recipe last week and I'm happy to report that it makes lovely, soft scones that are dropped rather than shaped or cut. The sweetness of the scones comes from a very small amount of sugar and dates. These scones are more tender than most because cake flour is used to assemble them. They take 15 minutes to prepare and about 20 minutes to cook. It doesn't get any easier than this. Here's the recipe.

Oatmeal Scones with Dates...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups cake flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter-cut into bits
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1) Move a rack to middle third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Whisk milk, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until mixture is well combined.
3) In another bowl stir together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Blend in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4) Stir in dates and milk mixture until a sticky dough forms.
5) Drop dough by 1/3-cup measures onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake scones for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden. (Alternatively scones may be dropped onto a hot greased griddle and cooked over moderate heat, turning them, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden on both sides and cooked through.) Serve hot with butter and jam. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Australian Busters - One Perfect Bite
Drop Biscuits with Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Butter - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry and Lemon Tea Biscuits - One Perfect Bite

Crisp Cranberry and Carrot Oatmeal Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Arguably, there are few snacks more appealing than an old-fashioned oatmeal cookie. While I suspect your favorite recipe for them was selected years ago, I have one more version I'd like you to try. These crisp cookies use less shortening than most and they're so packed with good things that a snake oil salesman might actually be able to convince you that they're good for you. I wouldn't go that far, but if your sweet tooth demands a snack, you could do worse. How's that for a rave review? Seriously, the cookies are packed with oatmeal, carrots, cranberries and nuts and there is hint of orange buried in the dough that gives them a unique flavor. It's hard to make a homely cookie anything more than it is, so rather than try let's get right to the recipe for this not bad for you cookie. Here it is.

Crisp Cranberry and Carrot Oatmeal Cookies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon orange liqueur or concentrated orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) Cream brown and white sugar with butter. Add orange zest, vanilla and orange liqueur to beaten eggs. Mix well and stir into creamed mixture.
3) In a separate large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to mix. Add oats, raisins, carrots and nuts. Add to butter and sugar mixture. Work with a wooden spoon to mix. The dough will be very stiff.
4) Using a tablespoon measure, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2-inches apart. Flatten top of cookies with a fork or damp fingers. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit in pans for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Yield: 36 cookies.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Tea Cookies - One Perfect Bite
Chinese-Style Almond Cookies - One Perfect Bite
Bittersweet Chocolate Snowballs - One Perfect Bite

Oatmeal Cake - Outdoor Wednesday

Today's recipe is for an oatmeal cake. I thought it would be interesting to see a field where oats are grown in the early summer.



Then again just before the crop is harvested.



Rolled oats anyone?






I'm responsible for providing cake and pastry for a large group of women who enjoy a morning "coffee" several times a year. While I love these gals, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen or break the bank feeding them. Pride prevents me from sacrificing taste and flavor or short changing them, but I've learned not to stress about occasions such as this and try to make quick work of what has to be done. I started with several pans of cinnamon rolls, chosen because they are inexpensive and can be finished on sight. Their aroma fills the room and is guaranteed to stimulate the poorest of appetites while enhancing your reputation as a cook. I rounded out my contribution and added variety to the table with two additional cakes, one sweet and the other more European in taste. For this occasion I made oatmeal and pumpkin cakes. Today we're going to tackle the very sweet oatmeal cake. How sweet? It falls into the icky, sticky, ooey, gooey realm of cooking. To be honest, I don't care for it at all and the thought of eating it puts me into sugar shock, though I do have to laugh at myself. I'm not great at determining food trends or what will capture the fancy of others. I bet that cupcakes would have three months of fame four years ago and they're still going strong. Predictions like that keep me humble and in my place. Oatmeal cake is like that. The first time I made it I was sure no one would eat it. They loved it then and they love it now. Today's recipe is not original and my aversion to super sweet has kept me from playing with it. The recipe is really simple. The only change I've made is to replace the broiled topping with an icing that's used on German chocolate cake. If you like your cake really sweet and moist, you'll love this confection. If your tastes run to the just barely sweet, come back tomorrow for my special pumpkin cake. Here's the recipe for oatmeal cake.

Oatmeal Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten well
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
1) Combine oatmeal, butter and boiling water in a medium bowl; stir. Set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch rounds or one 9 x 13-inch pan. If making a layer cake, I suggest you line cake pans with parchment or wax paper and grease and flour it as well.
2) Combine flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in another medium bowl; whisk to combine.
3) Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
4) Stir flour mixture into the egg mixture in 2 batches, beating just until flour disappears. Mix in oatmeal mixture, stirring and folding to combine everything into a nubby but well-mixed batter.
5) Scrape batter into prepared pan/pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes for round pans and 35 to 40 minutes for a rectangular pan. Cake should be golden brown and pulling away from edges of pan and spring back when lightly touched.
6) Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. If using round layers turn them out and finish cooling on racks. A rectangular cake can cool it its pan.
7) To make frosting: Combine butter, evaporated milk and sugar in a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, pecans and coconut. Beat with a whisk, spoon or electric hand mixer until the frosting is thick and cooled. If making a layer cake, spread between two rounds and on top layer. If making a rectangular cake spread it over the top. Yield: 8 to 16 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Nancie McDermott.

Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Dandelion Blueberry Bars

These cookies are a "remembrance of things past." The recipe comes from the Quaker Oats test kitchen and you probably know the cookies as Berry Berry Streusel Bars. I renamed them when I realized that each time I made them I received a bouquet of dandelions or a daisy chain. Not bad for a cookie, huh? With very small changes these cookie bars can be enjoyed by vegans and the gluten intolerant. The recipe is extraordinarily easy to make and the only complaint I've ever heard is that the cookies are too crumbly. Firmly pressing down the base and crumb layer should take care of the problem. These are simple and wholesome, so get a jelly jar ready for your bouquet and that unbeatable "for you, Mommy." No tears, please.

Dandelion Blueberry Bars - Berry Berry Streusel Bars

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
1/3 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel (optional)

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine oats, 1-1/4 cups flour, sugar and butter; mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup oat mixture for topping. Press remaining oat mixture evenly onto bottom of ungreased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool slightly on wire rack.
2) In medium bowl, combine blueberries, preserves, 1 teaspoon flour and lemon peel, if using; mix gently. Spread evenly over crust to within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, patting gently.
3) Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered. Yield: 16 bars.