Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

We have been loving these Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies from Our Best Bites! Ben likes "helping" me measure and has requested them as a reward for potty training a few times so we've been delivering a lot of cookies lately :) . It is a great recipe because it only makes about 2 dozen, but is easy to double if you want more. I am still tinkering a bit to get the texture just right but they taste great. I have noted some changes I've made in blue. I plan to try a gluten-free version, but I haven't gotten to it yet. I will update the recipe here when I do.

Recipe and picture from: http://ourbestbites.com/2015/03/coconut-chocolate-oatmeal-cookies/

Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour (I have been using 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, use closer to 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (I have started using 1/2 unsalted butter, all coconut oil seemed a little oily to me.)
1/2 cup Quaker 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats (I couldn't find these so I bought Bob's Red Mill Quick, 5-7 minute, Steel Cut Oats.)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes
3/4 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, combine brown and white sugars, egg, vanilla, extracts, and coconut oil (and butter).  Mix until well blended and add in flour mixture.  When well combined, add in oats, coconut, and chocolate chips and mix until combined.  Use a cookie scoop to portion dough into balls and place baking sheets.  Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are set and centers still appear soft.  Remove from oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.  Yields: 2 dozen.

Caramel Brownies

1 bag Kraft Caramels
2/3 c evaporated milk
1 package German Chocolate Cake Mix
3/4 c melted butter
1 c nuts
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (don't do more...it really it's better)

Combine caramels and 1/3 (not half) of evaporated milk in a double boiler. Melt

Combine dry cake mix, butter, remaining evaporated milk, and nuts in a bowl. Stir until dough hold together. Press half of dough into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 6 min at 350 degrees.
Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over dough. Pour melted caramel on top of chocolate chips and spread all over. crumble the other half of dough on top. Bake for 15-18 min. Cool slightly then chill for 30 min.

*You can either spread the chocolate chips once they've melted before you put the caramel on top but if you don't there are little chunks of chocolate :) yum
*Start melting the caramel first so they will be done right when the bottom part comes out of the oven.
*you MUST chill them in the fridge for 30 min because if you don't they will not set. But don't do leave them in there too much because they will get too hard.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

*I am posting this at David's request.  I also made these with Andria's kids, and they loved them so she requested the recipe a few years back too.  But no, they are not the same if you take everything out of them that makes them good to make them healthier, are they Ann?   ;)  Also, I have tried multiple pumpkin cookie recipes because I love them, and this one is the best.  It beats the others in moistness.  If you like pumpkin cookies, you will love these.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsps pumpkin pie spice (I don't always have this on hand so I substitute a combination of the spices that are used to make pumpkin pie spice: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice; I know this equals more than 1 1/2 tsp, but it turns out well  :) )
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin (use canned pumpkin, homemade isn't condensed enough because it hasn't been processed, will be watery, and won't turn out well; flavor and consistency inadequate)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I usually use milk chocolate)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (opt, I never put these in)

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.  Grease baking sheets.
COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice (or substituted spices), baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.  Beat butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until creamy.  Beat in the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in morsels and nuts.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 15-20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

**Can also use raisins instead of chocolate chips or add oatmeal (would reduce flour to add oatmeal).

Peanut Butter M&M Bars

"Monster Bars"

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter

1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter (Jif good)

3 eggs

Cream together and add:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 1/4 tsp soda

4 1/2 cups oatmeal

Mix, then add chocolate:

1 cup M&M's

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix well.  Press into greased jelly roll pan.  Cook at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (usually around 13-14 minutes is the right amount of time).  It's okay if they are a little doughy when you take them out.  (You want the top lightly browned, but the center to still be just a little wiggly.)  They will continue to set up and are good a little doughy.  Let them cool and dig in.  Also very good for following days, if they last that long ;)

***I fell in love with these a few years ago.  They are SOOOO good.  Peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal..what a perfect combo.  I ate way too many of them when I was training for my first triathlon with Erin.  They also happen to be flourless/gluten-free, much to my delight lately :)  I brought them to the reunion a few years ago when we were camping, and you guys gobbled them up.