Angie's Brittle - Happy Holidays

Oh man, It has been a rough few weeks! Traveling, work, Christmas shopping, more work, baking (and mailing), even MORE work, so many December birthdays, and not to mention I dropped a full bottle of vinegar on my toe (which is now bruised and probably broken). I kind of just want to throw my hands in the air and say "I give up world!" But, I can't because..............SANTA'S COMING!!!!

This is absolutely, hands down, my favorite time of year! Spending time with family, holiday parties, TONS of cooking and holiday treats, decorations, presents and best of all, traditions. We have several established traditions in our family, but we're always creating new ones. One of the best traditions though, are the holiday goodies that our families make. We always get delicious Italian Pizzelles from the Hubby's Mom and Spicy Chex Mix (aka Trash) from my Mom. One of my favorite traditions that crept into our family several years ago is Angie's Brittle.

Angie is an old family friend of ours who knows how to make brittle! My mom fell in love with the brittle and started making it every Holiday. I now have taken over the tradition and wanted to share with everyone! Salty, sweet and very chocolatey, it is a cracker-based brittle. Usually I make this with saltine crackers, however since going gluten free, I now use a basic GF cracker and had no issues. If you don't have a gluten issue, then go with the saltines. You can also top the brittle with a different type of nut like almonds, pecans or cashews. Sometimes I add on dried fruit, like goji berries.

On behalf of the Hubby, myself and our families, we wish everyone a wonderful  Holiday Season and many delicious treats!!

Angie's Brittle

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes


2 sticks butter (16 Tablespoons)
1 cup brown sugar
Cooking spray
1 sleeve saltine crackers (or gluten free crackers similar to saltines - I used these)
16 ounces favorite chocolate chips (dark, milk or bittersweet)
1 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped)
Sea salt (suggested if using GF crackers)

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray (the more you spray, the easier it will be to remove the brittle).
Spread the crackers in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. This will start to thicken and turn brown like a caramel. Pour the butter mixture over the crackers and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook as the brittle will burn easily.

Remove the brittle from the oven and pour the chocolate chips on top of this immediately. Let the chips sit for a minute, and as they melt, start to spread them out with a spatula. This will create the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the walnuts (or favorite nut) and sea salt. Let this cool for about 10-15 minutes and then place in the freezer to harden.

When frozen, carefully remove the foil from the brittle and break into pieces. Store in a freezer bag or container in the freezer until ready to serve. This keeps the chocolate from melting!

30/30 - #1 Strawberry Pie

I'M 30!! Hard to believe that I have officially entered another decade of my life. Instead of being sad and depressed about getting older, I am excited! Life is good, especially in the kitchen ;)

So here it is, the favorite everyone has been waiting for, the #1 recipe in my Top 30 favorites - Strawberry Pie! Not just any strawberry pie, but my Grandma's Strawberry Pie!

This pie doesn't just taste amazing, but it brings me back to my childhood every time I make or eat it. When I first started KettlerCuisine, this was one of the recipes I knew I had to post. I struggled with the recipe for a while since Grandma didn't leave very detailed instructions, but relied on my experience in the kitchen and my Aunt Liz to figure it out. I miss you Grandma!

During strawberry season, I make this pie almost every week. Poor Hubby doesn't get much variety on desserts during that time, but he doesn't mind it. At the peak of the season, I don't even add sugar to the strawberries, I just let their natural sweetness shine through. I couldn't think of a more fitting #1 favorite for the Top 30 than Grandma's Strawberry Pie.

I CRAVE it every year, I MAKE it every year, and I DEVOUR it every year! 

Find the recipe for Grandma's Strawberry Pie here.

Here are other favorite strawberry recipes:

• Strawberries with Lemon Honey Ricotta
• Strawberry Almond Tart
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
• Grown Up Fruit Salad
• Strawberry and Cream Scones (Smitten Kitchen)
• Honey Balsamic Strawberry Galette (Honey & Jam)
• Strawberry Meringues (Bakers Royale)
• Strawberry Jam (Deliciously Organic)

OK, now time for me to go celebrate! Hopefully you have enjoyed seeing me every day for the past month, but I am going to take a little break now and party!!

30/30 - #3 Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Cooooooookies!!! This recipe is definitely not gluten free, but is my favorite cookie from growing up. Like myself, my Mom doesn't bake except during the Holidays. Ever year, I get so excited for these Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies. They are amazing and worth the wait!

I've made these cookies so many times, and so many times I've found myself thoroughly enjoying them. In fact, there have been many times when I find myself out of one or two ingredients, but have made substitutions with no problems. This recipe is very versatile, which makes it great to have on hand. I've substituted gluten free flour for regular all purpose; maple sugar for brown sugar; pecans for walnuts; dried cranberries for dried cherries; and so on. 

Even though we are six months away from the Holidays, I might have to make these cookies for a little birthday treat!

2 more days!!

Find the recipe for Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies here.

30/30 - #6 Peach Bourbon Crumble

Aspen and the FOOD & WINE Classic have been amazing! I love my bestie for experiencing this with me. There will be plenty of pictures and stories to share once I wrap my head around all the exciting events. But for now, I bring you #6 and a Peach Bourbon Crumble!

I came up with this recipe in the middle of peach season last summer amongst the abundance of delicious, sweet, juicy peaches that were at the market. Last Summer, the Carolina's experienced one of the best peach seasons in years, so I was buying them right and left and making whatever I could come up with!

Peach season is just around the corner, so I thought it would be a very appropriate recipe to include in my Top 30 list!

5 days until I turn 30!!!

Find the recipe for the Peach Bourbon Crumble here.

30/30 - #15 Kettler Pumpkin Bars

There isn't much to say about today's favorite. It is possibly my favorite recipe that was "handed down" to me from my Mother-in-Law. I'm constantly blogging about how I am surrounded by wonderful cooks. My Mother-in-Law is certainly one of them, she is a phenomenal baker. I have learned many things from her in the kitchen over the past 10 years, including out to perfect the Kettler Pumpkin Bars. These light, fluffy and slightly spicy treats are perfect for the Fall, or just any ole' Friday!

You can find the recipe for Kettler Pumpkin Bars here.

Happy Friday!

Strawberries with Lemon Honey Ricotta

If you live anywhere in the vicinity of North Carolina, then you know that Thursday was a complete rainy mess! Buckets and buckets of rain fell from the sky all day and all night. It was a disaster and a miracle that our house didn't float away. We survived and somehow, the sunshine found its way through the clouds this morning and the sky was a vibrant blue and everything was electric green. 

Waking up to blue skies always makes me appreciate my surroundings and excites me to get outside (before the heat gets here)! I knew exactly what I was going to do waking up this morning - strawberry picking.

I absolutely adore strawberry season! There is no better tasting fruit at the peak of its growing season than a tasty, sweet strawberry.

Every year on the blog, I usually include a few strawberry recipes during April/May to highlight the ripe fruit. Last year, as I was adventuring in Gluten Free land, I made a Strawberry Almond Tart. The year before that I shared my all-time-favorite recipe, Grandma's Strawberry Pie (which I am planning to make tomorrow with all of my fresh-picked strawberries). This year, I decided to go a bit more simple since time is valuable and the strawberries are so delicious. I had some fresh ricotta from the market, which I sweetened with local honey and some lemon zest. The balance of the sweet strawberries and the creamy ricotta comes together for a very nice fresh, light late Spring dessert.  

Strawberries with Lemon Honey Ricotta

Yields: 2 servings Prep Time: 5 minutes

Fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered1/2 cup Whole milk Ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

2-3 teaspoons honey

2 Tablespoons Pine Nuts, lightly toasted

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the Pine Nuts. Watch them closely, as they will burn quick. Once they become slightly fragrant, remove from heat and the pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the Ricotta, honey and lemon zest together until well combined. Place a small amount of this in another small bowl, layer with strawberries, then more Ricotta. Add the Pine Nuts and bit more lemon zest on top. 

If your strawberries are not extremely sweet, you can drizzle a bit more honey on top as well.

Strawberry Recipes to also try:

• Grandma's Strawberry Pie
• Strawberry Almond Tart
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
• Grown Up Fruit Salad

Betty's Date Pinwheels - Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Cookies, cookies, cookies everywhere! Yes, it's that time of year again! Time for the Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap!

I discovered this massive cookie swap last year and made my Cherry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies for three lucky bloggers across the US :) Since last year, I have really improved my baking skills to include pies, cakes, muffins and of course cookies. I was on a roll the other weekend, baking up a storm of Christmas cookies. My kitchen was covered in powdered sugar and softened butter. 

It is amazing how popular you become in your office when you bring in treats every Monday. Not to mention the Hubby is loving all these cookies that magically arrive on our doorstep. We first received some Brownie Drops from Satisfy My Sweet Tooth. I had to hide them so Hubby and his buddies wouldn't devour them before I could get pics for this post!

        

We then received some delicious Cinnamon Pecan Tea Cakes from Being the Secret Ingredient. These were moist, flavorful bites that were perfect with my morning cup of coffee (yes, I had some for breakfast)!

As for my contribution to the Cookie Swap, I went back in time. I have written about my grandmother in several posts and what an amazing cook she was. She especially had a knack for baking and didn't even write down recipes, just made things from memory and sensory. A favorite in my family are the Date Pinwheels, which basically mixes a sugar cookie with a shortbread cookie and fills it with a fruity, nutty paste. I had to track down the recipe from my Aunt Liz so I could test it for the swap. TEST RUN APPROVED!!

These cookies do involve a few extra steps, but they are totally worth it, especially if you are a date fan. Eating them just made me miss her even more! I hope that all the recipients of my cookies enjoyed them (I know at least one of them did since she sent me a note the day she got them). These cookies are very special to me, so be sure to include lots of love when you make them.

Betty's Date Pinwheels

Yields: 25-30 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

7 oz (200g) pitted dates, chopped
1/3 cup water
1 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a small saucepan, bring the dates, water and 1/4 cup of the sugar to a simmer and cook, while stirring for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Set this aside and cool.

In a standing mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and rest of granulated sugar until light in color. Stir in the egg, vanilla, salt and sifted flour and baking soda. Mix until all the ingredients are combined. 

Split the dough in half and roll each dough ball out until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Spread some of the prepared date paste and gently roll the the dough to create a log. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 375F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Unwrap the dough logs and slice into 1/4 inch thick cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack until room temperature.

The Best Pumpkin Pie

It's Thanksgiving Week!! Nom nom!!

This year is especially amazing because for the first time since Ryan and I have been together (thats almost ten years), we have our parents all together in the same city! Well, technically, neighboring cities, but still, they are super close, which means NO traveling! My mothers and I are preparing a huge feast for Thursday, including two, I repeat, TWO turkeys! 

There are many amazing dishes about Thanksgiving, but the highlight for me every year is pumpkin pie. I just can't get enough of it! I am actually eating it right now as I write this post!

I love the creamy, spicy, silky pumpkin, loaded with freshly whipped cream. For the past several years, this has been my contribution to the family meal. Once I found this recipe, I never turned back. It is tried and true and delivers delicious dessert experience every time.

This pie recipe is based off of a local bakery, but I add more spice for a bolder flavor. I make this recipe at least three times a year!

Here is a sneak peak at our Thanksgiving menu (or what I like to call the Kettler/Hegele Project):

• Deep fried turkey
• Roasted turkey (brined)
• Gravy (regular and gluten free)
• Stuffing
• Oyster stuffing (recipe coming soon)
• Roasted garlic smashed potatoes
• Bourbon bacon Brussels sprouts
• Sweet potato salad with maple dressing
• Green bean casserole
• Rolls (regular and gluten free)
• Cranberry sauce
• Pumpkin pie
• Chocolate chess pie
• Apple pie (gluten free)
• Pumpkin trifle
• Cherry torte

Yea, this will be a Thanksgiving to remember. Let the cooking begin :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Not only do I give thanks for my wonderful family this year, but I am thankful for my readers and supporters. This blog is a special part of my life and it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you! 

What are you cooking this Thanksgiving??

Pumpkin Pie

Makes: 9-inch pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes

1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin (or 1 can)

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or gluten free all-purpose flour)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

unbaked pie crust

whipped cream

bourbon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325F and prepare the pie crust (scratch made or store bought). In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, eggs, sugar and sweetened milk. Once this is combined, stir in the butter.

In a small bowl, mix the flour, spices and salt until well blended. Stir this into the pumpkin mixture and pour into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes until the pie is light golden on top and firm to the touch (set in the center when shaken). 

Cool the pie on a baking rack and serve at room temperature or keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I like to serve mine with a little extra sprinkle of cinnamon and bourbon whipped cream.

How I made this gluten free:

One of the challenges for me this year is to try and maintain my gluten free diet. Luckily my Mom and brother also have the same dietary restrictions, so several of our dishes will be GF friendly. 

For this pie, I was able to find a pre-made gluten free pie crust at Whole Foods. I then also substituted gluten free all-purpose flour in the recipe. It was still delicious and amazing.

NY Times Purple Plum Torte

Oh Smitten Kitchen, you did it again! You brought a wonderful recipe to the surface and to my attention! I saw this and thought, this would be a good "cheat" recipe. 

I have been so good about getting back into my gluten free diet since returning from Costa Rica (and yes, those posts are coming soon). I just knew this recipe was going to be the one to throw me off, and it was! I behaved though, I only had a little bit and shared the rest of the cake with Ryan and friends. 

Since I wasn't born when this recipe first appeared in the NY Times, I was excited to try it for the first time considering the praise it received from Deb herself and millions of NY Times readers!

Deb wasn't lying when she said this was an easy, no-fail recipe. It has simple ingredients, minimal dishes and utensils needed, and cooks perfectly every time! I couldn't find the Italian plums that she refers to, but used regular plums instead and it turned out fine.

This would be a great early Fall dessert or a nice sweet brunch addition. For the recipe and story behind it, hop over to Smitten Kitchen.

Happy plumin'!

Purple Plum Torte

Yields: 1 9-inch round cake
Recipe found at Smitten Kitchen

Peach Bourbon Crumble

Millions of peaches, peaches for me

Millions of peaches, peaches for free

Look out!!

Even though I haven't posted in a while, doesn't mean that I am not cooking and eating to my little hearts desire! Work has just been busy and kept me from writing about it.

But I'm never too busy to give some food love to my followersI There is no better food love than that of a fresh, juicy peach in the summer time! And there are millions of them right now (according to the Presidents of the USA....come on 90's music fans). I put this boozy doozy together last weekend and had to share.

For all my gluten free friends or anyone with a food allergy, don't forget about the Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Expo this Saturday in Durham, NC. There will be tons of yummy treats and entrance is only $10.

Peach Bourbon Crumble

Yields: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

butter for greasing skillet/pan (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten free all purpose flour)
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted, chopped
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/3 cup natural cane sugar
5-6 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
3-4 tablespoons bourbon (depending on desired booze level)

Preheat the oven to 375F, with a rack in the middle. Butter an 8x8 square baking dish and set aside.

Cut a small cross in the bottom of each peach, just piercing the skin of the fruit.

Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place each peach in the boiling water for about 30 seconds and quickly remove and set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Use a fork to stir in the melted butter. The mixture should form into a few patties, then wrap in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill at least ten minutes.

Skin the peaches by pulling the edge of the peach skin (near the cut at the bottom) with a small knife and your finger. The skin should peel off easily. Slices the peaches and set aside.

Make the filling by whisking together the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the peaches and toss until evenly coated. Wait three minutes, add the bourbon and toss again. Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, remove the topping from the freezer, and crumble across the top of the peach bourbon mixture.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden and the fruit juices are vigorously bubbling along the sides. Wait at least 30 minutes for the crumble to cool before serving.

Chocolate Coffee Stout Lava Cakes

Marriage. It can be amazing and challenging at the same time. It is a partnership that takes two people contributing equally. This is something Ryan and I have learned from two great marriages. 

Today, my parents celebrate 43 years of marriage! That is quite an accomplishment, one that Ryan and I look forward to achieving one day. 

I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the other big anniversary in our lives, 34 years. Ryan's parents would have hit 34 years of marriage this past month. Easy to see that we have some amazing role models in our lives and for our relationship. 

I started this blog when we got married, in an attempt to capture recipes that we both enjoyed. After more than a year, it has grown to be something that we both contribute to. Something that has brought us together with food, excursions and, most importantly, compromise.

So in honor of our parents and their everlasting love, I am sharing this romantic lava cake recipe. We once made this on a date night and felt like it was most appropriate for the occasion. 

Happy 43rd Anniversary to Rose and Chris!!

Happy 34th Anniversary to Desiree and Dave!!

Chocolate Coffee Stout Lava Cakes

Yields: 6 cakes

Adapted from Beeroness Chocolate Mint Stout Lava Cakes

3.5 oz (100 g) Dark Chocolate 70% (used Green & Blacks Organic Dark 70%)

10 T butter (1 ½ sticks)

⅔ cup Chocolate Coffee Stout

2 teaspoons espresso powder, split

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1 cup powdered sugar

⅓ cup cocoa powder

¾ cup flour

2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425F and butter six souffle dishes very well. We like to soften butter and spread around with our fingers to evenly coat the dishes.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add in the beer and 1 teaspoon of the espresso powder, stir to combine.

In a bowl, whisk the 3 full eggs and 3 additional egg yolks with the powdered sugar. Whisk well to combine and pour the chocolate mixture slowly over the egg mixture and stir well to combine.

Sprinkle cocoa powder, remaining espresso powder and flour over the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Divide the batter equally amongst the souffle dishes. Do not fill more than ⅔ full. Press a few chocolate chips into the center of each souffle dish. At this point you can make ahead and store in the refrigerator.

Bake at 425F until the outside is set, but the inside is still liquid (about 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of the dishes). When it looks like the cakes need a few more minutes, then they should be done.

Run a butter knife around the edge of the cake and place a plate on top of each ramekin. Quickly turn it upside down and lift the ramekin to reveal the cake. Serve immediately with fresh whipped cream or berries.

If concerned about flipping the cakes out of the dishes, serve in the ramekins and start by pressing the spoon into the center to reveal the chocolate “lava.”

Cocktail Month: Vodka Root Beer Floats

I thought about how I should wrap up cocktail month here on Kettler Cuisine and then it hit me, end the month like you end a meal...with dessert! For the final installment of Cocktail Month, I present the Vodka Root Beer Float! It's a nightcap and dessert in one!

The Hubby and I have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in the kitchen experimenting with different cocktails this month. But even more, we have enjoyed all the great comments and praise from our followers and friends! Thank you for all the comments and pictures sent!!

So, to recap Cocktail Month on Kettler Cuisine:

• Tuscan Sunset
• Basil Grape Crush
• Cilantro Pineapple Julep
• Cucumber Chill Martini

The days of boring vodka tonics are over! Get in the liquor cabinet and play around with flavors and combinations. It's hard to go wrong :)

Vodka Root Beer Float

Yields: 1 drink


1 shot vodka
Root beer
2 scoops vanilla gelato or ice cream
Chilled glass

For best results, start with all cold ingredients. We like to chill our glasses in the freezer for about 30 minutes before making. There are two ways to make a root beer float, either start with the ice cream or start with the root beer.

We like to start with the vodka and fill the glass 2/3 full with root beer (leaving room for ice cream), then add the ice cream scoops on top, it bubbles up and starts to blend together pretty quickly! The result is a boozy, delicious, creamy dessert beverage.

Birthday Almond Cake

Birthday Post!!!

Anyone that knows me, understands my affection for birthdays, especially my own! I love to be with friends and family and eat cake. I didn't want to squander all the hard work I have made over the last several months going gluten free, so decided to make a gluten free cake. At first, I didn't have high expectations, but then I discovered serenity/paradise.

I came across Heidi's almond cake recipe and realized that it was gluten free. I was very hesitant at first since it only had 5 ingredients, but after making this cake was blown away at how delicious it was! It had a very similar consistency of a pound cake, but not nearly as bad for you!

Yum Yum and Happy Birthday :)

Almond Birthday Cake with Buttermilk Glaze

Recipe from 101 Cookbooks

Yields: 3 cups cake batter or one 8-inch cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

2 tubes of almond paste (14 ounces total or about 1 1/2 cups)
5 large eggs, whisked
45 grams (about 1/4 cup) corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons buttermilk
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch pan or bundt pan very well. 

Break the almond paste into a food processor and pulse a few times until small pebble-size pieces form. Add in the eggs and process until smooth. Add in the cornstarch and salt, pulse a few times, then add in butter and pulse a few times more. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until a deep golden. Test the cake with a toothpick (should come out clean). Let the cake cook in the pan on a cooling rack for 20-30 minutes, then remove from the pan.

To prepare the glaze, whisk all the ingredients together until free of lumps. The consistency should be thicker so it will stay on the cake.

Oatmeal Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is a special day. A special sweet little girl turns 2!!

Two years ago, Ryan and I got to meet our sweet Goddaughter for the first time. Avery has been such a blessing in our lives, always bringing us joy. Can you tell by my cheesy smile how happy she makes me...

Since that amazing day in the hospital when we first got to hold her, we have watched her grow into an intelligent, sweet little girl. Of course our little princess has her Diva moments, but she is surrounded by a family that loves her, which only makes her project more love!

Little Avery LOVES her sweets, so in celebration of her second birthday, we thought we would make special cookies, for a special little girl! Bonus, these cookies just happen to be gluten free!

We can't wait to officially celebrate with everyone this weekend and many more special memories with Avery.

Happy Birthday Avery! Uncle Ryan and Aunt Jessie love you!!

Oatmeal Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Trader Joe's recipe

Yields: 24-36 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes

¼ cup butter, room temperature

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup sugar

3 cups TJ’s gluten free rolled oats

½ cup brown sugar

6 oz chocolate chips

2 eggs

½ cup sunflower seeds or chopped nut

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter or almond butter

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter and beat until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and baking soda and mix well. Add peanut butter and mix. Stir in oats, chocolate chips and seeds or nuts. Place tablespoon full of dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes until lightly brown around edges.