Chocolate Muffins

Chocolate Muffins
This recipes is a slight adaptation from Anne Jisca, original recipe here.
Makes 20 muffins

2 cups oatmeal
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1.  Mix dry ingredients.
2.  Mix wet ingredients.
3.  Mix wet and dry together, fold in chocolate chips.
4.  Bake in muffin tins at 375 for about 15-20 minutes.
5.  To freeze: Cool to room temperature and place in desired freezer safe container.

Snack Cookies

I hesitate to post recipes because I'm afraid they're not gourmet enough.  I decided to get over myself and start posting.  My recipes are not gourmet, but they work and they're good enough and maybe you can improve upon them to your liking.  So, bring on the recipes....

Snack Cookies
adapted from 30 Day Gourmet's Big Book of Freezer Cooking (Breakfast Cookies)
Makes 16 cookies


If you can't tell from the names, these aren't sweet dessert cookies.  These are hearty snack cookies.

1/4 c oil
3/4 c peanut butter
1/2 c honey
1/4 c applesauce
2 tsp vanilla
2T ground flaxseed + 6T water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
2 c whole wheat flour
2 c oats
1/2 c dark chocolate chips
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c chopped walnuts

1.  In a large bowl, cream together oil, peanut butter, and honey
2.  Add applesauce, vanilla, and flax/water mixture.  Mix well.
3. Stir in salt,cinnamon, and baking soda.
4. Add 1/4 c flaxseed, whole wheat flour, and oats.
5.  Dough will be thick.  Stir in chocolate chips, cranberries, and walnuts.
6.  Using 1/4 cup dough, form into small patties and place on baking sheet.  I like to use a baking stone.
7. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until cracked on top and golden brown.  Cool on baking racks.  Note that cooking time may vary if using a metal baking pan instead of a baking stone.
8.  To freeze: After cooling, place in desired freezer safe container.  Thaw at room temp and enjoy.

Back to Freezer Cooking

Wow, it's been awhile, hasn't it?  Well, I'm not going to promise another post soon, but I wanted to share my latest batch of freezer cooking with you.  I tried some new things this go 'round.

1.  I froze mashed potatoes.  Some people say "Yes! Freeze mashed potatoes," and some people say, "No! Don't freeze mashed potatoes."  So, I tried it myself and it worked just fine.  (Oh, and by "mashed potatoes" I technically mean "whipped potatoes."  Mashed potatoes, whipped potatoes...I guess that's for another blog post.)

2.  In the spirit of decluttering my house this year and not wanting to spend all of next month's grocery budget on freezer cooking, I tried to find recipes to use what I had on hand.  Bring on the wild rice and lentils!  I found a recipe for Lentil and Wild Rice Loaf.  We ate it the other day, and you know what?  It was delicious!  And the bummer, oh, I should know better than this--I didn't follow the recipe and I didn't write it down!   AHHH!  But, what I think I did was replace the basil with 1T Montreal Steak Seasoning.

3.  And the reason I had Montreal Steak Seasoning on hand is for this recipe.  This is a rice and lentil replacement for ground beef, veggie crumbles, or textured vegetable protein.  Much cheaper, much healthier.  Again, I was quite impressed.  So far, I've only made it into taco "meat," but it worked great and we're big fans of "Mexican" style food around here!  Next up, I'll try it in spaghetti...



Until next time....

Happy Cooking