Oven, anyone?

Wow!  It's been one of those days! I woke up thinking I'd be able to be a productive child today... since I have to go teach some young ladies a thing or two about cooking tonight and thought I'd get a head-start on things so it wouldn't take so long.  I have decided to make personal pan pizzas with them, and then they all want to know how to fill cupcakes, because we all know they're better that way! :) So, as I was baking the cupcakes {something I do all-too often} my house seriously smelled like it was on fire! I checked several times and the cupcakes were baking just fine... I checked them with 8,6,& 4 minutes left on the timer and I ALWAYS time them for less time to make sure that things won't get burnt! Well, the tops still weren't done, but the burning smell was only getting stronger!  So the common sense in my head is saying something is obviously wrong! I removed the pans from the oven, and decided that perhaps, somehow some batter dripped in the oven! That happens right? Well, not this time! There is nothing in the oven at all that could be burning! I then took the cupcakes out of the pan to cool on a wire rack! Holy HELL!! The tops are mushy and the bottoms are BLACK! I mean.... cupcake liners? Not even recognizable! So guess what!?  I need a new oven! Mine, that I've had for 14 years is in my garage because it has a short in it and there was one in this house when we moved so I figured it was usable until I could get another.  Well, it obviously has "issues" also! So, there is a moral to this sad story! ....errrr. I think it has one!  When things seem to be going wrong all the time..... you should probably just hide under a rock, save up some money, and buy a damn stove!  Yup! I think that's it!

I would have taken some pictures to back my story up... however, the cupcakes were practically in flames as I took them out the back door and straight into the garbage can! Of course, now my house smells like I had an "oven accident" and I'm wishing it was warm outside so I could open windows and turn on ceiling fans! But it is cold and I'm wearing a jacket around so I'm thinking opening the windows is not even an option today! Perhaps someone should invent a "FEBREZE" type spray that will rid the house of the burning food odor! Could we ever be so lucky? Doubt it!

So... to make a long story (that only took 20 minutes to create) short... someone else is baking cupcakes and my productivity is going to be shown by an empty space in my kitchen where an oven SHOULD BE!


Hope everyone has a better baking day than me!

Happy Cooking!
Teauna

Soft & Chewy Oatmeal & Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I have this problem...

I CRAVE, like seriously CRAVE oatmeal cookie dough! I know, I know... weird right? Well, weird or not... it's true! When my brother and I were both still living at home {like forever ago!} we always kept a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer.  When we'd get home from school, we'd take it out of the freezer, cut off a big ole' chunk and eat it! It was so yummy, but the part I found funny is that we never made the cookies... just ate the dough!  I never cared for the cookies much because they seemed to go hard fast and just weren't as good as the dough itself! But I have found THE... I mean T.H.E. recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Oh boy... they are to die for! They are so moist and chewy and they stay that way for quite some time as long as they're kept in an airtight container! I think they'd freeze real well too!  

Let me warn you, this is not a small batch of cookies, however... the dough is so good! I kept a chunk {hee hee} and threw it in a freezer bag and tossed it in the freezer.  Oh what a delightful treat! So, everyone else enjoyed their cookies and milk as I sat in my corner with my bag of frozen cookie dough. 

Alright, so you get the drift. My craving shall be calmed for awhile. But I'll be making these cookies soon because everyone in this house loved them! They are our new favorite oatmeal cookies!

And because I must give credit where the credit is due... Kris Stena!... THANK YOU! For any of you that love to sew, stop by my besties blog HERE and tell her I said HI! She's amazing and so talented! And has an AMAZING cookie recipe too!  

Instead of using chocolate chips, I used chopped P.B. Cups!  But feel free to "embellish" your cookies as you please:)

Soft & Chewy Oatmeal & Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Adapted from Kris Stena's recipe

printable recipe

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup water

2 tsp vanilla

6 cups flour

6 1/2 - 7 cups oatmeal (I used quick oats)

2 1/2 cups chopped Peanut Butter Cups

Cream shortening, butter, & sugar... add eggs. Beat well. Add salt, soda, powder and vanilla. Beat until combined.  Add water and mix thoroughly. Add flour, oatmeal, and chopped pb cups.  You can add nuts, chocolate chips, raisins etc.... Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven.  I used a small cookie scoop and baked them for 12 minutes.  The larger cookie scoop I baked for 14 minutes.  Bake until browned around the edges.  ENJOY!!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

 

Menu Board Monday Edition #11 - Tea's Hearty Lasagna Soup

Welcome back to Menu Board Monday! I love to see you all here!  It's been real dreary around here as I have been feeling under the weather and the rain has been pouring down.... sounds like a perfect day for SOUP to me!  So, I went thru some old recipes on the blog and decided you all should see this one!  Such a simple and yummy recipe! I hope you all enjoy it....

sorry about the picture.... it's directly out of the archives :)

This is a soup that I came up with! It's good and simple! I like to serve it with garlic breadsticks... You could half this recipe. It does make alot, but I like to freeze it!

Tea's Hearty Lasagna Soup
From Cupboard to Cupboard
printable recipe

2 pounds ground beef

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 quarts beef broth

2 cans diced tomatoes (I use 2 pints from my garden, yummy)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

3 cups spiral pasta

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

shredded monterey jack cheese

Brown ground beef with garlic powder in skillet. Drain. In large pot, bring to a boil the broth, tomatoes, and italian seasoning. Add drained ground beef. Stir in pasta and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in parmesan cheese. Garnish with additional shredded cheese if desired... Yields: 8 servings...

Happy Cooking

Teauna

Kids in the Cupboard Edition 2: Bradey's Brownies

Served with cool whip and chocolate chips for garnish :)

Hello all!  Thanks for stopping by for our latest edition of Kids in the Cupboard!  This time, a kid-friendly brownie recipe tutorial starring Bradey! This is a fun recipe for the kids.  And real good-eatin' too for EVERYONE! :)

Before we get to the tutorial I need to announce the winner of our drawing for a SET OF 6 SILICONE BAKING CUPS BY LE CREUSET!
The winning comment is:

The Swainston Family said....
I am sooo excited to see kids in the kitchen.  My kids love to help out in the kitchen! It will be excellent when they are older and they won't starve to death when at college!

Congratulations! Please shoot me an email at teawclark{at}gmail{dot}com to claim your prize!

Bradey's Brownies
adapted from Cook it in a Cup
printable recipe

2 large squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the chocolate and the butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 15 seconds, then stir. If mixture isn't smooth, return to microwave for another 15 seconds and repeat until melted.  In another bowl, using a fork, beat the eggs until thick.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Add the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.  Add the vanilla, flour, and salt and stir until combines.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Place the cups on a baking sheet.  Divide batter between cups.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the tops crack.  Cool for 15 minutes. Eat & Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

I linked up at a fun party here:

Menu Board Monday Edition #10: Baked Penne with Turkey Meatballs

Back about a year ago, I saw a recipe for Turkey Meatballs.  Although they sounded like the "right" thing to do, being healthier and all, I just couldn't get past the thought that they would be perhaps CHEWY like ground turkey can sometimes be.  So, I never did make them.  And now I'd like to kick myself in the butt because let me just tell you, if they were anything like these ones, I really would have liked them.... A LOT!  I am not much of a pasta eater... I mean, I like it, just not very often and it needs to be almost undercooked.? I can't stand soggy pasta.  I'm kinda like my dad like that!
These turkey meatballs are so moist on the inside with just the right amount of seasonings and because they are baked, they have a crunchier outside!  I felt like they were the perfect texture and if I didn't know better I wouldn't have known they were turkey!
I hope you try this recipe! It takes a bit of time, but is well worth the time spent, when you take your first bite!  This recipe makes a full 9x13 pan and could feed an army!
**Don't forget to go HERE to enter to win a Set of 6 Silicone Baking Cups by LeCreuset!**

Baked Penne with Turkey Meatballs
recipe adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard
original recipe from Family Circle
Printable Recipe

1 lb ground turkey
2 cups finely crushed cornflakes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 oz package penne pasta
1 26-28 oz jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix turkey, cornflake crumbs, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until the mixture is well combined.  Shape into meatballs using a cookie scoop.  I used my medium cookie scoop and I got 19 meatballs.  If you use a 1/4 cup scoop then you should get approximately 12 meatballs.  Transfer meatballs to baking sheet; bake at 400 for 12 minutes (15 minutes for the larger meatballs).  Turn and bake an additional 12 (15 for larger) minutes.  Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package, just a minute less. Drain.  Coat a 13x9x2 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; add pasta.  Toss with meatballs, marinara and 1 1/2 cups cheese.  Scatter remaining cheese over dish.  Bake at 400 degrees, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic bread!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna