Homemade Oatmeal Pies

I spotted this recipe in the October 2017 issue of Southern Living magazine. I enjoy the magazine and would recommend it to anyone. I love the cookbooks. They are my go-to sources when I'm looking for a special recipe. They should fill every cooks kitchen shelves.

This recipe looks like it will be fun to try. I think I'll leave out the toasted pecans though. I love pecans but generally prefer my cookies pecan free.

Homemade Oatmeal Pies

1 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups uncooked regular rolled oats
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Salted Caramel Buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter and sugars with a heavy-duty stand mixer on medium speed until creamy, about two minutes; add eggs and vanilla, and beat until just combined. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined, about 10 seconds. Stir in oats and pecans.

Using a 1 1/2-inch cook scoop, drop spoonfuls of dough 3 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Or use your hands to shape dough into 2-inch balls.) Bake in preheated oven until golden but still soft in the center, 9-10 minutes. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets; remove cookies to wire racks, and cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Pipe or spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons Salted Caramel Buttercream on 1 flat side of half of cooled cookies; top with remaining cookies, flat side down, pressing gently.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

16 caramel candies (such as Kraft)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar

Microwave caramel candies and 1 tablespoon heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH until mixture is smooth and melted, about 1 minute, stirring at 3-second intervals.

Stir in additional tablespoon cream. Cool at room temperature until lukewarm, about 30 minutes.

Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt. Beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with the caramel mixture, beating on low speed until blended after each addition. Add 1 tablespoon cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach desired consistency, if needed.

Refrigerate the pies before packing away to keep the filling firm.

Makes 24.

Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

 Thank you Kraft for sharing this recipe!!! It's in my stack of magazine recipes to be added to this blog. And you even included a beautiful photo! Simple. Easy. Love me some Coconut Cake!

photo by kraft

 Classic Angel Flake Coconut Cake

   

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

2-2/3 cups  BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (7-oz. pkg.), divided

1-1/4 cups  cold milk, divided

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Coconut Cream Flavor Instant Pudding

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1/4 cup  powdered sugar

1 tub  (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

 

HEAT oven to 350°F.
PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 2 (9-inch) round layers, stirring 2/3 cup coconut, 1/4 cup milk and dry coconut pudding mix into batter before pouring into prepared pans. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
MEANWHILE, beat dry vanilla pudding mix, sugar and remaining milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Stir in COOL WHIP. Refrigerate until ready to assemble cake.
STACK cake layers on plate, filling with layers of 1 cup of the pudding mixture and 3/4 cup of the remaining coconut. Frost top and side of cake with remaining pudding mixture. Press remaining coconut into pudding mixture. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Makes 18 servings.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

This sounds like a wonderful recipe. Let's see: bacon, hash browns, cheese. Yeah. Sounds good to me.

This is another great recipe from Kraft. I love their kitchen tips as well. With this recipe came the suggestion for crushing 30 RITZ Crackers and mixing them with 2 tablespoons of melted margarine. Then sprinkle the mixture over the casserole before baking. Sounds like a tasty variation!

 

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

 

4 slices OSCAR MEYER Bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 package (30 oz.) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed dream of mushroom soup
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream
1 1/4 cups KRAFT 2 % Milk Shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses, divided

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COOK bacon, onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. or just until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer to large bowl.
ADD hash browns, soup, sour cream and 1 cup cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining cheese.
BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until heated through.

Food Facts

Frozen hash browns come in 2 shapes - small cubes which are called Southern hash browns, and shredded which are called country-style hash browns.

White Chocolate Fudge

This is another great recipe from the folks over at Kraft. I would love to try this with the variation using red and green candied cherries rather than the cranberries. Perfect for Christmas!

 

Also, I'll substitute pecans for the almonds. I love almonds but we have pecans in abundance here in the Deep South.

 

One of the things I love so much about Kraft recipes is that they always includes tips, such as using red and green candied cherries. Or telling us what to do with that leftover sweetened condensed milk. Be sure to check out their website for more great recipes and tips.

 

White Chocolate Fudge

2 pkg. (6 squares each) BAKER'S White Chocolate

3/4 cup canned sweetened condensed milk

1 cup coarsely chopped PLANTERS Almonds, toasted

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. orange zest
 

LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends extending over sides. Microwave chocolate and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 min. or until chocolate is almost melted; stir until completely melted.
ADD remaining ingredients; mix well. Spread into pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
USE foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting to serve.

What To Do With Leftover Sweetened Condensed Milk

Store leftover sweetened condensed milk in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve over cut-up fruit or hot cooked oatmeal. Or for extra flavor, stir into your cup of hot brewed coffee or tea instead of regular milk.

 

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

This recipe comes from the folks over at Kraft. What a wonderful Hash Brown Casserole recipe!

One thing I love about Kraft is that they always include tips and such with their recipes. Check out their website for many other recipes.

For an extra twist on this casserole, Kraft suggests crushing 30 RITZ Crackers and mixing them with 2 tablespoons melted margarine. Just sprinkle it over the top of the casserole before baking. Yum!

 

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

 

4 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 pkg. (30 oz.) frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream

1-1/4 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheeses, divided

 

HEAT oven to 375ºF.
COOK bacon, onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min. or just until bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Transfer to large bowl.
ADD hash browns, soup, sour cream and 1 cup cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining cheese.
BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until heated through.

Four-Cheese Lasagna

This is another one of those wonderful recipes from Kraft. If you haven't already signed up for their free e-newsletter, which is filled with wonderful recipes, you should!

photo by:

kraft

 Four-Cheese Lasagna

 

1 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, softened

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese

1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1 egg, beaten

1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

 

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BROWN meat with onions in large skillet. Meanwhile, mix Neufchatel, cottage cheese, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan and egg until well blended.
DRAIN meat; return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and oregano; simmer 5 min. Remove from heat. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan; cover with foil.
BAKE 50 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 40 min. Let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.
Makes 12 servings.

Chicken Florentine Casserole

This is another wonderful dinner meal from Kraft. It doesn't take long and it sure beats fast food (which sometimes seems much easier!) Give it a try. You might find that dinner time isn't such a hassle after all.

 

Chicken Florentine Casserole

 

1 tsp. oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

3/4 cup milk

2 cups cooked farfalle (bow-tie pasta)

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

4 slices Oscar Mayer Bacon, cooked, crumbles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir 6 to 7 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in all remaining ingredients except bacon.

 

Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole sprayed with cooking spray; cover.

Bake 25 minutes or until heated through, uncovering and sprinkling with bacon after 15 minutes.

Kraft suggests serving the casserole with a mixed green salad.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli

This is another one of those wonderful recipes from KRAFT. It almost sounds too simple and easy. But, then, that's what we all need some days.

 

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 package (14-oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups Kraft 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Savory Garlic Cooking Creme
1/2 cup milk
24 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine chicken, broccoli, Cheddar cheese and cooing creme in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cover.

Bake 25 minutes. Meanwhile, mix cracker crumbs and butter.

Stir chicken mixture. Top with crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Makes 6  servings of about 1 cup each.

Kraft suggests serving this casserole with a green salad or fresh fruit.

Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

This recipe comes from KRAFT and it's a special one for some folks I love. Personally, I avoid jalapeno peppers. Nothing fun for me about hot, hot, hot. That isn't true for everyone so this recipe is for them.

 Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 onion chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 can (15 oz.) enchilada sauce

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained

1 teaspoon garlice powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 package (8.5 oz.) corn muffin mix

1 package KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese with a Touch of Pheladelphia, divided

HEAT oven to 350ºF.
BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet. Stir in next 4 ingredients; cook and stir 3 min. or until heated through. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish.
PREPARE muffin batter as directed on package; stir in cheese. Spread over meat mixture.
BAKE 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in center of cornbread topping comes out clean. Cool slightly.

Make Ahead

Prepare meat mixture. Refrigerate 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 1 month. When ready to use, spoon into baking dish. (Thaw first, if frozen.) Top with muffin batter and continue as directed.

Special Extra

Bump up the flavor by stirring chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or chopped fresh chives into muffin batter before using as directed.

Lasagna Bake

This is another on of those great Kraft recipes. I'm not a big fan of leftovers so this recipe is perfect for me. I can cook exactly enough without having to eat it for days and days.

Lasagna Bake for Two

2 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup undrained canned diced tomatoes (about 2/3 of 14.5-oz. can)
2 Tbsp. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend, divided

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.

Meanwhile, brown meat with onions and garlic in large nonstick skillet. Add tomatoes and cream cheese spread; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture just comes to boil. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup shredded cheese; stir until melted.

Drain noodles. Spoon 1/3 cup spinach mixture into each of 2 (2-cup) ramekins; top with noodle, letting excess noodle extend over rim of ramekin. Top each with 1/3 cup spinach mixture; fold noodle back over dish to cover filling. Repeat until all filling is folded between noodle layers; top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

This is another one of those wonderful pasta recipes from Kraft. The company also passed along a wonderful guide for preparing the perfect pasta.

"Follow the package directions to ensure that enough water is used for cooking the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but still a little firm to the bite), stirring frequently. To prevent pasta from sticking, add it slowly to plenty of boiling water and stir frequently while cooking. Adding oil to the cooking water is not recommended because some sauces may not cling to pasta coated with oil."

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

3 cups mostaccioli, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

Bake 25 min. or until center is set.

Makes 4 servings.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

This is one of those easy meals -- and no, quiche is not just for women. I don't really know where that got started but it's just not true. Making men don't think it's "substantial" enough for them. Whatever. Just serve it with a nice salad and it's a great meal. If you really want to make it festive, Kraft suggests adding 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers to filling before pouring into the pie crust.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup each chopped onions
1 cup chopped broccoli
5 eggs
1/3 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1/3 cup milk
1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 frozen deep-dish pie crust (9 inch)


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place vegetables in skillet sprayed with cooking spray; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

Beat eggs, dressing and milk in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in vegetable mixture and cheese; pour into pie shell. Place pie shell on baking sheet.

Bake on baking sheet 40 to 45 min. or until center of quiche is set and top is golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before cutting into slices to serve.

Makes 6 servings

Beef Burrito Skillet

Found this recipe on the Kraft foods site. I think it sounds wonderful. And easy. And quick. My kind of meal!

Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large green onion, chopped

Brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

Add seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and onions.

Makes 4 servings.

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

This recipe comes from Kraft Foods. Everyone needs a really good dip recipe. Kraft suggests serving the dip with cut-up fresh vegetables or Tortilla chips. Of course, I'll always go for the chips. I know it's not the most nutritional but they are my weakness.

Kraft also suggests that when you serve this dip at a party, pour the prepared dip into a small slow cooker and set the temperature on low. This keeps the dip warm for several hours. Just be sure to stir it every now and then to avoid hot spots.

Cheesy Spinach and Bacon Dip

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 lb. (16 oz) VELVEETA, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz pkg) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 can (10 oz) RO*TEL diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
8 slices OSCAR MAYER bacon, cooked, crumbled

Microwave ingredients in microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 5 minutes or until VELVEETA is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 3 minutes.

And it's only 70 calories per 2 tablespoons (not counting the chips!).