Life Above the Clouds

Time to make some cookies! And it'd be great if I could use up some bananas that are getting a little too ripe. What about some banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies because I already have all of the ingredients on hand. If you haven't noticed...I'm a little bit of a lazy baker. They turned out moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. Plus, they have fruit in them so they're basically healthy.

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
• 1-3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add egg, bananas and oats; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. 

Yield: 4 dozen.

(Inspired by Taste of Home)

Time to make some cookies! And it'd be great if I could use up some bananas that are getting a little too ripe. What about some banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies because I already have all of the ingredients on hand. If you haven't noticed...I'm a little bit of a lazy baker. They turned out moist with the perfect amount of sweetness. Plus, they have fruit in them so they're basically healthy.

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
• 1-3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add egg, bananas and oats; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. 

Yield: 4 dozen.

(Inspired by Taste of Home)

My friend wanted me to "teach her how to bake." Her only request was that it be chocolate, so after a quick scroll through my Pinterest pins, we decided on these cast iron skillet brownies. The hardest part of this recipe is probably melting the chocolate since it can burn so easily. Other than that, it's pretty straight-forward and so delicious!

My friend wanted me to "teach her how to bake." Her only request was that it be chocolate, so after a quick scroll through my Pinterest pins, we decided on these cast iron skillet brownies. The hardest part of this recipe is probably melting the chocolate since it can burn so easily. Other than that, it's pretty straight-forward and so delicious!

Here's another great Pinterest find. These cookies only have four ingredients, and they are super easy to make. No eggs needed! If you use margerine instead of butter, does that mean they're vegan? Except for the cream cheese frosting, which would be such a shame to leave out because it can make anything taste amazing. I forgot the step to flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass so they look a little funky, but they still tasted amazing! They almost melt in your mouth...no wonder they're called meltaways!

(Inspired by Landee See, Landee Do)

Here's another great Pinterest find. These cookies only have four ingredients, and they are super easy to make. No eggs needed! If you use margerine instead of butter, does that mean they're vegan? Except for the cream cheese frosting, which would be such a shame to leave out because it can make anything taste amazing. I forgot the step to flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass so they look a little funky, but they still tasted amazing! They almost melt in your mouth...no wonder they're called meltaways!

(Inspired by Landee See, Landee Do)

Chocolate chip cookies are always a classic favorite, and has there ever been a more famous recipe than this one from Nestle Toll House? Anyone remember that Friends episode?

Monica: Well, I mean what about friends of your grandmother’s? Wouldn’t they have the recipe?
Phoebe: Well, y’know I may have relatives in France who would know. My grandmother said she got the recipe from her grandmother, Nesele Tolouse.
Monica: What was her name?
Phoebe: Nesele Toulouse.
Monica: Nestle Toll House?!
Phoebe: Oh, you Americans always butcher the French language.

It's a little different than the Martha Stewart recipe I tried here. I can't really tell you which one I prefer so I guess you'll just have to try them both!

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets or one lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

(Inspired by Very Best Baking)

Chocolate chip cookies are always a classic favorite, and has there ever been a more famous recipe than this one from Nestle Toll House? Anyone remember that Friends episode?

Monica: Well, I mean what about friends of your grandmother’s? Wouldn’t they have the recipe?
Phoebe: Well, y’know I may have relatives in France who would know. My grandmother said she got the recipe from her grandmother, Nesele Tolouse.
Monica: What was her name?
Phoebe: Nesele Toulouse.
Monica: Nestle Toll House?!
Phoebe: Oh, you Americans always butcher the French language.

It's a little different than the Martha Stewart recipe I tried here. I can't really tell you which one I prefer so I guess you'll just have to try them both!

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. 
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate morsels.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets or one lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

(Inspired by Very Best Baking)

A friend of mine has a grapefruit tree in his backyard and gave me a load of them. What else could I make with grapefruits besides juice? Cookies! These were a little unusual, but a nice combination of tart and sweet. Nice and light and perfect for spring time. The original recipe is for cut-out cookies, but my dough was a little sticky so I just dropped the dough instead.

• Grated zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large egg yolks

1. In a small bowl, combine zest with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in reserved zest-sugar mixture. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.
3. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.

(Inspired by Martha Stewart)

A friend of mine has a grapefruit tree in his backyard and gave me a load of them. What else could I make with grapefruits besides juice? Cookies! These were a little unusual, but a nice combination of tart and sweet. Nice and light and perfect for spring time. The original recipe is for cut-out cookies, but my dough was a little sticky so I just dropped the dough instead.

• Grated zest of 1 Ruby Red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large egg yolks

1. In a small bowl, combine zest with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and remaining sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in reserved zest-sugar mixture. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.
3. Turn out dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.

(Inspired by Martha Stewart)