I remember my mom making these yummy treats for my school lunches, and they're still a favorite. At Halloween, we would substitute chow mein noodles for the oatmeal and call them chocolate-covered spiders! They also bring back memories of one of my trips on the schooner Manitou where they were made on the wood-burning stove. The best part about this recipe is that it doesn't involve turning on the oven.
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter
3 cups old-fashioned oats, uncooked
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Drop by teaspoonfuls (quickly, before they set!) on wax paper and cool until set.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Friday, March 12, 2010
1-2-3 Mocha Mix
Why stand in line to pay $4.00 for a cup of mocha? Try this instead. Mix it up, put in a cute jar and give as a gift or keep it for yourself.
1 cup instant coffee (I use Taster's Choice Decaf)
2 cups Nestle's Quik
3 cups instant nonfat milk
Mix together and store in a jar indefinitely. To use, add 3 tablespoons (or more to taste) of mix per cup of hot water.
Variation: To make peppermint mocha, add 40-8o crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
Source: The FlyLady, www.flylady.net, March 2010
1 cup instant coffee (I use Taster's Choice Decaf)
2 cups Nestle's Quik
3 cups instant nonfat milk
Mix together and store in a jar indefinitely. To use, add 3 tablespoons (or more to taste) of mix per cup of hot water.
Variation: To make peppermint mocha, add 40-8o crushed candy canes or peppermint candies.
Source: The FlyLady, www.flylady.net, March 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Pasta with Lemon and Tomatoes
This is my favorite kind of pasta, fresh and filling and delicious and best of all, fast. Literally, it pretty much comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Enjoy!
Pasta with Lemon and Tomatoes:
1 pound dry pasta, any shape (I like to use penne rigate or rotini--the sauce clings to those better)
1 contaniner grape or cherry tomatoes
Juice and zest of two lemons
1 container (about 12 oz.) feta cheese crumbles
Drizzle of olive oil
Fresh chives to garnish (optional)
Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of boiling, salted water. While the pasta cooks, slice the tomatoes in half and put them in a large serving bowl with the juice and zest. Drain the cooked pasta (do not rinse it) and add it to the bowl. Add the cheese on top of the hot pasta along with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine and serve garnished with fresh chives if desired. Can be served hot or refrigerated and served as a light pasta salad.
Yield: 4-6 adult servings
Pasta with Lemon and Tomatoes:
1 pound dry pasta, any shape (I like to use penne rigate or rotini--the sauce clings to those better)
1 contaniner grape or cherry tomatoes
Juice and zest of two lemons
1 container (about 12 oz.) feta cheese crumbles
Drizzle of olive oil
Fresh chives to garnish (optional)
Cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of boiling, salted water. While the pasta cooks, slice the tomatoes in half and put them in a large serving bowl with the juice and zest. Drain the cooked pasta (do not rinse it) and add it to the bowl. Add the cheese on top of the hot pasta along with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine and serve garnished with fresh chives if desired. Can be served hot or refrigerated and served as a light pasta salad.
Yield: 4-6 adult servings
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes
The idea for these cupcakes came from a friend who first gave me the recipe, but I've made some adjustments to make them my own. They're deceptively simple and decadent, and since they don't require frosting they're great for traveling, taking to potlucks, or as a lunchbox treat. Enjoy!
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1 box chocolate cake mix, any brand
1 stick butter, softened OR 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
3 eggs
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
24 mini peanut butter cups (such as Reese's), unwrapped
Confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter or oil, water, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla and beat until well-combined (3-4 minutes on medium speed). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Press a peanut butter cup into the center of each muffin cup until the top of the peanut butter cup is level with the top of the batter. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the edge of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder if you want to make them look fancier.
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Cook's note: I use an ice cream scoop to fill my muffin cups. It makes all my cupcakes a uniform size and my small ice cream scoop gives me exactly 24 cupcakes out of one cake mix.
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes
1 box chocolate cake mix, any brand
1 stick butter, softened OR 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
3 eggs
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
24 mini peanut butter cups (such as Reese's), unwrapped
Confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, butter or oil, water, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla and beat until well-combined (3-4 minutes on medium speed). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Press a peanut butter cup into the center of each muffin cup until the top of the peanut butter cup is level with the top of the batter. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the edge of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder if you want to make them look fancier.
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Cook's note: I use an ice cream scoop to fill my muffin cups. It makes all my cupcakes a uniform size and my small ice cream scoop gives me exactly 24 cupcakes out of one cake mix.
Welcome Aboard!
In the maritime tradition, the captain and officers of a ship usually ate much better than a common sailor and it was a great privilege to be asked to dine at the captain's table. I've been fortunate enough to spend a few long weekends plying the waters of northern Michigan on the schooner Manitou, and on that ship, the galley is always open, warm, welcoming, and has something great cooking. There are no weevils in the biscuits here and very little fancy preparation...just me and my love of great flavors and fresh ingredients. Pull up a bench in my galley and enjoy!
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