Muffin tops & Apple bottoms.....

*If you followed my short-lived cookie themed blog, you have seen this recipe before*
The Holiday Season is upon us and along with whatever rituals you celebrate, comes the ever-popular Holiday Potluck. Every year it's the same thing, right? Somebody brings the 7 Layer dip, somebody makes those meatballs with the grape jelly that defy logic with their awesomeness, a lady will bring the same pasta salad she brought to the last 10 Holiday potlucks, and yet another dude will bring some pre-packaged cookies loaded with who-knows-what, frosted with what tastes like that paste you used to eat in kindergarten when the teacher wasn't looking. Oh, you know you did.
So, the question is: what are YOU going to bring to this year's shindig, huh? 
Some kind of apple pie you make with that stuff out of a can? Gross.
You are cooler and more original than that aren't you? Yeah, I thought so.
Here's an idea for you, my hip, unique friend: Apple Pie Cookies. 
You see, they're a nice little nod to tradition without actually being the usual, traditional fare.

Plus, they're more portable than pie (rad) and feed a lot more people (awesome), and you don't need plates or utensils, either. BONUS!
Just in case you're worried, these cookies are full of those cinnamon & apple flavors that bring back memories of the best apple pie you ever had. So, ya know, they're not too big of a leap.

This is a fluffy cookie, not hard or dense, almost like Elaine's famed muffin tops. 

And look at the apple chunks.....mmmm.......
Are you ready for the recipe?

Here it goes:

Ingredients-

1 C butter, softened (but not melted, never melted or your cookies will spread too thin)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (you can use light, I just happen to prefer the dark)
1/2 C granulated sugar
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
2 1/2 C flour
2 cups pealed & diced apples (I used Golden Delicious)

Directions-
Preheat oven to 375

In a big bowl, beat butter until fluffy.
Add brown & granulated sugars & mix until combined (don't over mix!)
Beat in eggs & vanilla

In a small bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt & cinnamon.
Mix till well combined
Add 1/2  flour mixture to butter mixture & combine, then add in the rest.
Don't forget to scrape the sides
Add in diced apples & mix it up!

Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased cookie sheet (2 inches apart)
Bake 8-10 minutes
Cookies should be a light golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.
***************************************************************************
You could serve these while still warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or if you're taking them on the road just let them cool & eat them by the handful. Whatever you want!  


*this recipe is my property. if you repost it, please link back here. i am the author of this original recipe!

Jude's 1st Favorite Cookies- White Choc Cranberry

I call these "Jude's 1st Favorite Cookies" because they were the first cookies that I ever made where after taking a bite, my husband Jude exclaimed "These are my favorite cookies of all time!"  Since then, he's gone on to say that about 3 or 4 other recipes, so I guess you could say he's a fan of my cookies :)
This is my own recipe, modified from a few I've tried over the years:

White Chocolate Cranberry cookies
1 cup butter, softened**
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs*
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cup flour
1  12oz package white chocolate chips
1  16oz package dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375

Mix butter on medium speed till light & fluffy.
Add brown & white sugars, baking soda, salt. Mix until combined.
Beat in eggs & vanilla.
Add flour a little at a time, mixing as you go, until all flour has been mixed in.
Stir in white chocolate & cranberries.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto un-greased baking sheet.
Bake for roughly 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.
(Mine baked for 9 min 30 seconds)

*a note about the eggs- it's best to let your eggs sit out for about 30 minutes before using them. 
They should be room temperature when you add them in, it gives them more volume when beaten and makes for a lighter bakes good.


**This recipe (like most) can be easily veganized if you so desire.  just replace the butter with Earth Balance, and use your favorite egg replacer.  T


Do you have a recipe you'd like to share for me to try? I'd love to feature your favorite cookie, cake or pie recipe on my blog! Just shoot me an email at CroxfordFiles@gmail.com

Immaculate Baking Co.

I believe in eating healthy food 90% of the time.  But I'm a realist and nobody is perfect.
Although we technically CAN exist on legumes & carrots, what kind of a boring life would THAT be?
If you're doing your best to feed yourself & your family healthy, natural meals for 90% of the time, there is no reason you should miss out on the good stuff. And by "good stuff" I mean cookies. Don't worry, I'm not talking about low fat/no sugar cookies, either. You deserve a treat! But only once in awhile ;)
Now you're probably thinking "You want me to cook every meal every day of the week AND bake cookies, too!?!" but, don't fret, I have great news for you:
When you don't have the time or the energy to bake cookies form scratch, why not think about picking up some refrigerated cookie dough from the Immaculate Baking Co.?

They are committed to using 100% Natural ingredients & you won't find any chemical compounds in these cookies, which means you don't need a degree in chemistry to understand what you're eating.

The Immaculate Baking Co. also supports the arts by donating arts supplies and organizing bake sales to benefit the Folk Artists Foundation as well as putting on Folk Art Workshops, and baking a GIANT cookie for a fundraiser, earning the Guinness book's title of World's Biggest Cookie.
Lucky for you, they sell more than cookie dough. Visit their products page to see all the yummy stuff they make, from scones to biscuits to snack cookies.

We've had every flavor of their cookies, their scones & their cinnamon rolls and ALL have been delicious and all are made with ALL NATURAL ingredients.  No preservatives, no weird chemicals you can't pronounce.  The dough comes in pull apart circles and bakes for 10-14 minutes. It doesn't get any easier (or better tasting) than that!

You can find Immaculate Baking Co. products at your local Whole Foods Market , or by ordering from their website.

I happened to find these Oatmeal Raisin cookies at my local Grocery Outlet store, and they seem to be a pretty regular item so it wouldn't hurt to check there, too.

Pick some up, stick some in the fridge for a special day, you won't regret it!

Give me cookies or give me death!

The Cookie Company, located at 710 Main St, Woodland, CA has HANDS DOWN the best cookies in the Universe (aside from mine, this is one thing I can brag about in good conscience). I usually hate store bought cookies. They are nasty and taste like chemicals and are made with Maude knows what.

But not these cookies. These cookies are baked fresh every morning by people who love what they do.

This place has been around for as long as I can remember.  

My mom used to go to the Cookie Company once a month on a Wednesday to buy the frosted sugar cookies for my sister, brother & I, and whenever we were having some kind of special day she'd take us there & buy us our favorite cookie. Mine was always the Chocolate Crackle. Oh my god, you have not eaten a cookie until you've tried one of those!

Recently, I had been visiting some folks in Woodland and as I was heading down Main Street on my way to the freeway, I spotted the sign and pulled over on a whim.  It had been years since I'd been in there but I HAD to go.  It was pretty much the same as I remembered it: clean, friendly with a  nice display of their cookies and a couple of tables inside.

Shrinky was with me & with her help we bought 6 cookies for $1.10 each- plus it was buy 6 get one FREE, (yay! we love FREE!) so we were able to take some home to the boys.

I had a Rascal: peanut butter dough mixed with chocolate dough baked together to create what I can only assume Heaven tastes like.  Look at that cookie. I know you want a bite. Sorry, that baby is long gone! 

Shrinky enjoyed her Oatmeal Raisin cookie while sitting on the cute little bench perched just in front of the store.

The Cookie Company is well worth the drive to Woodland from anywhere in the Greater Sacramento area.
They do have a few other locations but be sure to stop into this one. 

Main Street, Woodland is a nice place to take a stroll while eating a giant snickerdoodle. 

You can enjoy the site of the beautiful Historic Opera House and peruse the many Antique shops or an of the other locally owned small businesses that are once again nestled along Woodland's one-time main thoroughfare. 

Give them a try!

Oatmeal PB & Banana cookies (vegan)

(Re-posting from an old blog. these cookies are so good, it was worth posting the recipe again here!)


Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal cookies (vegan)

Having family members that are vegan means that I've been having to teach myself how to adapt recipes to make them vegan & yummy. Being vegan doesn't mean anyone should have to be left out of the fun when it comes to eating desserts (or any other food for that matter!). I'm no expert when it comes to vegan cooking, I'm just a beginner.
But these cookies turned out amazing, if I do say so myself :)
Enjoy!


Ingredients:
3/4 cup smart balance, softened
1/2 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup smashed banana
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large mixing bowl beat Smart Balance and peanut butter about 30 seconds or until combined.

Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.

Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

Beat in banana and vanilla until combined.

Stir in flour a little at a time till it's all mixed in.

Stir in rolled oats.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 10 minutes in preheated oven or until edges lightly browned.

Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool.