Chewy, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies (Tell your husband they're lactation cookies and THEY'RE ALL YOURS!!! MUAHahahahhhh!)

With my first child, nearly 3 years ago, I had such an oversupply of milk that I was changing my nursing pads every few hours. I was seriously like this chick...

Now, on my 2nd child, I'm working more, dealing with an illness in the family, and am away from him for more time than I'd like. My supply has definitely taken a hit and while I admittedly care a little less and don't pump like I should, I have less than 1/4 of the frozen stash that I had with the first. It's scary.

I attended the Big Latch On in Michigan over the summer. There was a sample of similar cookies in my goodie bag and they were AMAZING. I even called her to order some for me and a client.  After winning a batch from one of her competitors (NO comparison. None. They were terrible) I decided that maybe I'd try my hand at making my own.

1 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c oats (not quick cooking)
1 c chocolate chips
2-4 tbsp brewer's (NOT nutritional) yeast (I used 3, I might cut down to 2 or 2.5)

Preheat oven to 350*f
Mix the flax seed meal and water in a small bowl. Let set for 3-5 minutes.
Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, until creamy.
Add eggs and mix well.
Add flax seed mixture and vanilla, beat well.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda and salt.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture, about 1/4 c at a time, mixing between scoops, until all has been incorporated.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
Scoop onto a baking sheet (I have non-stick and didn't need any greasing). I used Pampered Chef's Small Cookie Scoop. The cookies are perfect sized.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until you see some JUST BARELY golden tips on the cookies.
Remove from the oven, let cookies set 1-2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
ENJOY and pump pump pump! ❤

Easiest, Most Scrumptious Pumpkin Muffins EVAH.

I was searching for a pumpkin bread or muffin recipe the other day that had any number less than 3 eggs. Most call for 4. I had 2. Boo hoo hoo. ANYWAY, on Food.com (formerly recipezaar.com) I found one! It called for ZERO eggs! WOOT! (Believe me- when you eat these things, you'll catch my excitement!)

The original poster stated that she acquired the recipe from a Weigh Watcher's meeting. GAG! But, alas, unlike most of the other healthy (read: ICKY) muffins, these haven't caused me to become good friends with The John, aka toilet.

Without further adieu, THE EASIEST MOST SCRUMPTIOUS MUFFIN RECIPE EVAH!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 18 oz. box cake mix, suggested: yellow, white or spice

(I used Dunkin Hines Butter Recipe Golden*)

*Because I used a non spiced mix, I added the following

1 tsp cinnamon, ground

.5 tsp nutmeg, ground

.5 tsp ginger, ground

Mix all ingredients until creamy. I'd suggest using a stand mixer as your arm will become VERY tired. Divide into lined muffin cups. *** Bake as directed on the box. I got 22 muffins.

***To jazz up the place, I decided to top the muffins, pre-baking, with a Crumb Topping recipe from the same site.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c brown sugar, packed

2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

In a separate bowl, mix ingredients, using fork or pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly. Top each muffin as evenly as possible.

http://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-muffins-12521

http://www.food.com/recipe/caramel-apple-pie-with-crunchy-crumb-topping-3577

(Sorry about the poor picture. I hate posts without pictures, but I didn't anticipate putting this on the blog.)

Ooey Gooey Snack 'Cake'

Whether you make this 'cake' for breakfast, snack or dessert, it's both nutritious AND delicious!

Breakfast:

1 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tbsp sugar or other sweetener

1 tbsp rolled oats

1 pinch baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp yogurt, low fat

2 tbsp fruit; berries, pineapple, peach, etc.

Spray a microwavable bowl with cooking spray. Place yogurt, and dry ingredients; mix well. Gently add fruit. Place uncovered, in microwave.  Cook on high for 1 minute. Serve warm. (microwave ovens do vary, please watch your item carefully. if it is not done, add a few seconds at a time)

Dessert:

1 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tbsp sugar or other sweetener

1 tbsp rolled oats

1 pinch baking soda

.5 tsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp chocolate yogurt, low fat (I used yoplait whips)

caramel sundae topping

Spray a microwavable bowl with cooking spray. Place yogurt, and dry ingredients; mix well. Place uncovered, in microwave.  Cook on high for 1 minute. Serve warm, drizzled with caramel topping

(microwave ovens do vary, please watch your item carefully. if it is not done, add a few seconds at a time)

I did not take a picture, as it isn't much to look at. ENJOY! mmmm.

The below is estimated, based on the 'breakfast version':

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 158.8

• Total Fat: 1.1 g
• Cholesterol: 1.6 mg
• Sodium: 68.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 36.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.5 g
• Protein: 3.2 g

Banana Split Freezer Dessert Trifle-esk Thingie

**2/2/11 SO! According to my Live Traffic feed to the right, THIS is the most popular post found off of the web. If you've made it, please leave a review to let me know if you loved it, hated it, changed it, etc. I'd like to know YOUR opinions! Thanks so much!

I walked in on someone talking about a banana split dessert at work the other day. She said it was AWESOME, though it wasn't actually a banana split. So here it is, my challenge piece, the Banana Split Freezer Dessert Trifle Thingie.

3-4 bananas

1/2 gal Neapolitan ice cream (the kind in the box)

1/2 c chopped nuts

1 c chocolate chips

2 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs (divided)

1/2 c butter

1 1/2 c evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 16 oz Cool Whip, thawed

2 c powdered sugar

Cover the bottom of a 11x15 or 13x9 in pan with 1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs. Thinly slice bananas and place over crumbs. Slice ice cream into 1/2 inch slices and layer next in the pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Place in the freezer until frozen solid.

While freezing, melt the chocolate chips & butter in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Add powdered sugar and evaporated milk. DO NOT BOIL. Cool mixture slightly. Remove pan from freezer and add chocolate as the next layer. Freeze again. Remove from freezer, cover with Cool Whip and sprinkle with remaining crumbs.

Keep frozen, remove 5 minutes before serving.

(not my photo)

Drunken Apple Crisp and Drunken Squirrels

So- I come home from a lovely trip up north to realize that we've had torrential rains, flooding my back yard and causing the ground to become so soft- that my beloved apple tree has toppled over. You should have seen it in the spring- so many flowers, you could hardly see the leaves. Ahhh, so beautiful. Because of it's size and age, many of the limbs were almost touching the ground, creating a serene canopy under the tree- peaceful, quite and private. Yes... just you and the mosquitoes. And a chair, and a book, and a citronella candle... Anyway, we had grown to love this apple tree.

Two years before, the year we moved into the house, the apple tree had blossomed and given a bountiful harvest as well. So many apples had dropped on to the ground that we couldn't keep up with picking them up. Unbenounced to us, some of them had become fermented.

Wild life- mainly squirrels- began to eat the apples to fatten up for winter. Apparently, they had no prior knowledge (or maybe their memory served them well from prior years) of the fermentation process of these apples and the effects of eating them. On any given day, you would see 3-4 of them, nibbling, scavenging, playing, toppling over and falling out of trees. That's correct, DRUNKEN SQUIRRELS. Like a college kid after too many beers, they too were falling over drunk. I have video. I'm giggle-snorting the entire time. Hilarious.

Anyway, the squirrels drunken-ness really has nothing to do with the recipe, except for the same source of their good time, is the basis for the recipe below. Without further adu, I give you the Drunken Apple Crisp!

Ingredients:
5 cups apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
1/4 cup amaretto
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar

Topping:
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter (melted)

Directions:
1. Toss the apples with the amaretto, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar.
2. Mix the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter in a separate, large bowl.
3. Place the apple mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish and pour the topping on.
4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes.