Cooking in Pajamas

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod 's Cinnamon M&M Oatmeal Cookie . 1/2 c. Unsalted butter, room temperature 3/8 c. Brown sugar 3/8 c. White sugar 1 Egg 2 tsp Vanilla 1 c. All-purpose flour 1/2 tsp Baking powder 1/2 tsp Baking soda 1/4 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1 c. Rolled oats 1 c. Unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted 1/4 c. Flax seeds 1/2 c. M&M's 1/2 c. Milk chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a non-stick frying pan, toast the coconut flakes until golden brown on low to medium heat.  Once the browning process begins, stir frequently to ensure even toasting and remove quickly from heat as soon as the coconut is toasted.  This takes only a few minutes.  Toast only 1/4 to 1/2 cup of coconut flakes at a time, depending on the size of your pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, rolled oats, flax seeds and toated coconut flakes.  Set as...

Adapted from Easy Decadent Truffles on Allrecipes and inspired by Oreo Truffles from The Girl Who Ate Everything . 8 oz (1 pkg) Light cream cheese, room temperature 2 c. Icing sugar, sifted 3 c. Oreo crumbs 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla 2 c. Dark chocolate chips 6 oz Baker's white chocolate (not chocolate chips!) In a large bowl, whisk together the oreo crumbs and icing sugar.  If not sifted beforehand, make sure there is no sugar lumps. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the oreo/sugar mixture until well blended. Chill for 1 hour to firm up the cream cheese mixture. Melt the chocolate (white or dark) in the microwave on high power, stirring every 30 seconds until most of the chocolate are melted.  Then, remove from the microwave and stir until all the chocolate is melted and no lumps are left. Roll the chilled cream cheese mixture into 1" balls.  Working quickly, dip cream cheese balls into melted chocolate using 2 forks (or spoons).  Place on wa...

1/4 c. Vegetable oil 1/2 c. Brown sugar* 2 tsp Vanilla extract 1/2  tsp Almond extract (optional)* 2 Eggs 1 3/4 c. All purpose flour 1/4 tsp Salt 1 tsp Baking powder 1/2 c. Dried cranberries (mine were pomegranate flavoured) 1/2 c. White chocolate chips*   [Note: Original recipe used 3/4 cups of white sugar instead of brown sugar and it also used the 1/2 tsp of almond extract and 1 1/2 cups of pistachio nuts. Omit salt if using salted pistachios.] Preheat oven to 300°F. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Mix oil and sugar together until well combined.  Add vanilla (and almond extract, if using).  Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Combine flour, salt and baking powder.  Slowly stir into the egg mixture.  The dough will be soft and sticky. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips. Divide the dough in half and form two long skinny logs.  Silicone spoons works well for forming the logs since the...

Adapted from Cookie Craft . 1 c. Butter, unsalted 3/4 c. Brown sugar 1 Egg 2 tsp Vanilla extract 2 3/4 c. All purpose flour 1/2 tsp Salt Sugar sprinkles [Note-1: If you are not decorating with sugar sprinkles, increase the sugar content to 1 cup.] [Note-2: I have made this recipe using white granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.  The cookies were lighter in colour and has a gritty crunch to them which adds character to the texture.  I liked it.  If you are using only white sugar, reduce the flour to 2 1/2 cups; the 2 3/4 cups makes a crumbly dough and it's harder to work with.] [Note-3:  Substitute the vanilla extract with 1 vanilla bean for the great vanilla flavour.] Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Brown the butter over the stovetop and transfer to another mixing for cooling. Once the butter is no longer hot to touch, beat in the brown sugar until all the lumps are gone. Add the ...

Cake recipe adapted from Joy of Baking and filling recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything . 1 3/4 c. All purpose flour 3/4 c. Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 tsp Baking powder 1/4 tsp Baking soda 1/4 tsp Salt 3/4 c. Unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 c. White sugar 1 Egg, room temperature 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1/4 c. Buttermilk (or 1/4 c. Milk + 3/4 tsp Lemon juice) 1/2 c. Strong coffee, lukewarm (or 1/2 c. Water + 1 tsp Instant coffee) 1 pkg (8 oz.) Light cream cheese, room temperature 1/4 c. Unsalted butter, room temperature 2 c. Icing sugar 1.5 tsp Peppermint extract 10-15 Small candy canes, crushed Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Combine buttermilk and coffee. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions...

Adapted from Mouth from the South . 1.5 c. All-purpose flour 1/2 tsp Baking soda 1 c. Unsalted butter 1 c. Dark brown sugar 1/2 tsp Salt 2 tsp Vanilla 1 Egg 1 c. Dark chocolate chips 1 c. Bacon Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Cook the bacon on a frying pan until crispy.  Lay the bacon on paper towels to drain the excess fat and cool before cutting into 1/2" size pieces. Combine flour, salt and baking soda and set aside. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, swirling occasionally.  Bring the butter to a boil and whisk until the butter begins to brown.  The butter will foam up quite a bit at first, making it difficult to see the colour.  But before turning brown, the foaming will subdue a little bit and you will see the butter change colour.  Also, you will smell the delicious caramel-y aroma as the butter browns.  Continue to whisk until you see brown bits floating around.  Trans...