Baking Day!

Saturday I told FG, "I'm so happy today!" I was finally able to get back into the kitchen and bake. I was seriously bummed the day before when I didn't have a cookie in the house (except these interesting Strawberry Milkshake Oreos - eh). I had to use up the rhubarb from my mom's yard and I really wanted some cookies in the house! I had been leafing through this giant cookie cookbook that I got as a gift a couple of years ago. I don't know that I had ever looked through it before! But in it I found a few yummy recipes I am anxious to try. I debated on Friday evening which one of the final two to choose. I let myself decide when I woke up on Saturday morning.

I made buttermilk pancakes, with blueberries for me, for the fam for breakfast. YUM!

Then I got down to business and made these two beauties!

First: Mom's Rhubarb Streusel Cake

adapted from 1,001 Delicious Desserts for People With Diabetes

(I made this for my dad and took him 1/2 the cake)

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb, 1" pieces

1/4 cup raisins

STREUSEL TOPPING

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tbls quick cooking oats

2 tbls flour

2 tbls cold margarine, cut into small pieces ( I used butter)

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter until crumbly.

Beat margarine and sugar, add egg and vanilla. Mix in combined dry ingredients and spices, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry ingredients. Mix in rhubarb and raisins.

Sprinkle with streusel topping.

Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13" pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes and drizzle with glaze of powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract and milk until thinned, glaze consistency.

If you like spice cake, you'll love this. The rhubarb is very subtle and not too tangy. It gives you a nice little surprise when you bite into a tender piece of it in the middle of the cake. The cake is also very moist!

Next I made these yummy cookies. I have a feeling they will be requested often by friends and family! FG told me they were too big but I like the size actually.

Buffalo cookies

adapted from The Great American Cookie Cookbook

1 cup butter flavor crisco, melted (ok I JUST saw that part. I didn't melt anything and I used 1/2 cup regular shortening and 1/2 cup real butter)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbls milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup corn flakes crushed to about 1/2 cup

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup flake coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheets (I used my silpat mats, of course!)

Combine shortening/butter, sugars, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat until well blended. Add eggs, beat at med. speed until well blended.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add gradually to shortening mixture at low speed. Stir in oats, corn flakes, chips, nuts and coconut. (I mixed these in a bowl before adding to the wet mixture. Actually DD did that part as she wanted to help and that was a good job).

Fill ice cream scoop that holds 1/4 cup with dough or use 1/4 measuring cup and level with a knife. Drop 3" apart onto baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges but still soft in the center. Do not overbake. Cool 3 minutes on sheet before removing to counter top (or foil sheets on counter) to completely cook.

These are very yummy, cripsy on the outside but still chewy in the center. 6 people have tried them so far and every one of them bites into them and says "Oh my!". Definitely a keeper!