What's for Breakfast? Two

Oatmeal-Raisin Cupcakes 

& 

Kiwi Strawberry Smoothie

Last night despite the fact that it was 86 degrees in the house (yeah, no air conditioning) I found myself baking cookies. Smart right? Anyways, I say cookies because my dad has been hosting an optional workshop at work every other week, and upon request I bake cookies for these days as a reward for those who show up and as as incentive to others. This week I made Oatmeal-Raisin cookie cupcakes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. 

So I probably misspeak when I say "I was baking cookies" since my selection was found in a cupcake book but these confections seem to me one part cookie, one part cupcake, and one part muffin. 

The recipe:

3 3/4c. old fashioned oats

2 1/2c. flour

2/3c. oat bran (I used wheat bran instead)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2c. butter(3 sticks)at room temperature

1c. sugar

1c. packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1c. sour cream

1 1/2c. raisins

1c. sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375 or 350 convection

Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk 2c. oats with the flour, oat bran, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

With an electric mixer on medium-high, cream the butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Beat in sour cream. Stir in raisins. 

Transfer 2 3/4c. batter to another bowl and add remaining 1 3/4c. oats and the coconut.

Fill each lined cup with 2 Tbsp plain batter and top with 1 Tbsp oat-coconut batter. Bake 18-20 min or until cake tester comes out clean. 

makes about 30.

This morning to go with my cupcake-cookie I whipped up another smoothie from the Food Network 50 Smoothies booklet. My ingredients were limited this morning as I rummaged through the kitchen but luckily I found a recipe with only 3 ingredients and ice needed - the Kiwi-strawberry smoothie (#11 in the booklet). This smoothie also happened to be the inaugural usage of my new blender, the Ninja Pulse. 

We decided to throw out our old smoothie maker when my dad pulled a piece of the blade out of his mouth after taking a sip of his blended ice coffee. Since then I have been using the old blender which was on its last leg and as also now met the same fate as the smoothie maker. So using this new and powerful machine was quite exciting. I also like that it comes with four single serve cups and a larger container too. The texture of this smoothie turned out perfect. Dare I say the best I've had at home thus far.

Anyways, back to the smoothie. Super easy, super yummy, and healthy too. 

Recipe: 

1 kiwi

1/2c. strawberries (I used them frozen)

1 Tbsp sugar

1c. ice

blend.

makes one smoothie