Nutella Oatmeal

Nutella

Photo Courtesy of: http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkg9xi6Z6y1qgur4bo1_400.jpg

My granddaughter thinks I'm cool. Hey, she's 13, and most days I'm sure she thinks I'm a fossil, so I will gladly accept that "COOL" title and wear it proudly! What makes me so cool in her eyes? Well, I made her a yummy breakfast. Doesn't sound very exciting or cool? What if I told you I found a way to combine two much-loved ingredients into one yummy dish and one of the ingredients tastes like dessert? Well, that's what I did. I know oatmeal doesn't sound very exciting, but I made it with Nutella, that chocolatey hazelnut spread that most of the free world is mad about. If you've never tried Nutella, you might want to make this dish your first foray into the world of Nutella. Think how cool you'll be!

Ingredients:

1 cup quick oats (one-minute kind; if you use long-cooking oats, adjust cooking time and liquids)
1 1/2 cups water*

1/2 cup half and half* (or lower fat milk)

1/8 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. butter

dash salt

3 Tbsp. Nutella*

*You may adjust these to suit your preferences. Some people like thinner oatmeal and some like thicker. Likewise, you may like more of a Nutella kick, or less. This is an easy recipe, so adjust to your liking.

Bring water, half and half, sugar, butter and salt to a boil. Add oats. Cook for one minute to one and a half minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat and add Nutella; stir until well-blended. Spoon into two serving bowls. Allow to sit a minute or so to complete thickening. Serve while hot!

Boys Love Cookies & Remembering Patrick

Today is a day filled with memories, deep longing and sadness for me and my family. Six years ago, today, our beautiful son passed away. He was 26 years old and had battled a "mysterious" illness from his Junior year in high school. Finally, years later, he would be diagnosed with the same illness that took my mother's life and that I battle daily...a misunderstood, multi-symptom intruder called "lupus." It has been an unwelcome visitor to my family for many, many years and has robbed me and my family of so much...my son, my mother and my health. There are different kinds of lupus, but my son, mother and I were diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, its organs and systems, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys. For more information on lupus, go to the website of an organization of which I am a Member and Advocate: The Lupus Foundation of America. The LFA estimates that 1.5 million Americans, and at least 5 million people worldwide, have a form of lupus, with those numbers climbing daily. Please find out more about this disease and what you can do to help by visiting the LFA.

Remembering Patrick...A Beautiful Soul

"Tears in Heaven"

Eric Clapton

(Who lost his own son.)

Boys loves cookies...my little boy did, even when he wasn't so little anymore. He loved oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies the best. So, in tribute to my son, here is a great cookie recipe that combines both. I would give anything to have him sit down at my kitchen table with a plate of my fresh-from-the-oven cookies again. I love and miss you, son, so very much...and I always will. If there are cookies in Heaven, I know they are even better than mine.

Oatmeal Raisinets® Cookie Tower

Can't Eat Just One!

Oatmeal Raisinets® Cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. rolled oats
• 3/4 c. chocolate covered raisins (Raisinets®...I love the DARK chocolate, but you can use your choice of dark or milk chocolate)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 

Take Your Pick...

I Chose Dark Chocolate

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture.

Cream Butter, Brown Sugar,

Egg and Vanilla

Creamy, Yummy Batter

Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the Raisinets® and Walnuts



Stir in the oats, Raisinets® and walnuts.

Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart. Place baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Okay, confession time...I was in such a hurry to make these beauties, I didn't refrigerate the batter at all! They turned out fine.)

Into the Oven They Go!

Bake cookies in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the tops look a little undercooked (I usually go a full minute under the least amount of time recommended when baking cookies...that's why I have a reputation for such good cookies that are never hard!) Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Yes...yes these ARE that GOOD! Mmmm.

Now, all you need is a glass of cold MILK!