Whole Wheat Butterscotch Oatmeal APPLE Cookiess

O yes. I created a MASTERPIECE.

Seriously, sometimes my genius amazes me.

Tonight I wanted something sweet, but my cupboards were looking a little bare. I had this great recipe for whole wheat butterscotch oatmeal cookies...so I decided to tweak it and add some fruit! I had a few apples laying around so I peeled one, chopped it up, and decided to throw it into whatever recipe I made.

Whole Wheat Butterscotch Oatmeal APPLE Cookies
Adapted from Heavenly Homemakers

Ingredients:
-3/4 cup melted butter
-1 1/4 cup brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1 cup rolled oats
-1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use king arthurs)
-1/2 cup butterscotch chips
-about 1 cup chopped apple (I used a gala apple) (make sure you peel it before you chop it!)
-Cinnamon sugar mix (optional for sprinkling on before they bake!) (you know, ~1/4 cup sugar to 1tbsp cinnamon!)

Baking Steps:
1) Stir together melted butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl
2) Add egg, baking powder, vanilla extract and baking soda
3) Mix in flour, oats and butterscotch chips
4) Add apple!
5) Place tsp sized balls on cookie sheet and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture, just a pinch on top of each cookie
6) Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees (basically until golden brown...oven times may vary)

Mmm, look at the butterscotch chips and apple chunks!

Ancho Chile Nutella Truffles

Nutella with a kick? Heck yeah!

As a girl who has spent her life living between New Orleans and Houston, I cannot express how much I love spicy food.

Add a small Nutella obsession...and well, these truffles are perfect.

Ancho Chile Nutella Truffles
Makes about 2 dozen


2 4-oz. 70% cocoa dark chocolate bars, broken into pieces (but keep bars separated)
1 13 oz. jar of Nutella
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper

1. Combine one bar of chocolate, Nutella, butter and ancho chile into either a microwave safe bowl or a double broiler. Melt chocolate and mix.

2. Move mixture into another bowl and mix until the chocolate has cooled and is easy to mold. This does take a bit of time. You do not need to continuously mix it but do not let it sit for too long. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

3. Once the chocolate is firm enough to handle, roll into 25 walnut sized balls. If the chocolate starts to get warm, stick back into the refrigerator. Once you have used all the chocolate, place the balls into the freezer for about half an hour.

4. While the chocolate is in the freezer, melt the other chocolate bar. If you are using a larger pan or bowl to melt the chocolate, transfer into a small bowl so that the chocolate will be deeper. Toothpick one of the frozen balls and drip into the melted chocolate, twirling the toothpick so that the ball will be completely covered. Let excess chocolate drop off. Sprinkle paprika, cinnamon, or chile pepper on top. Let the chocolate harden before transferring the truffle onto a parchment lined tray.

5. Once you have created all the truffles, let the truffles sit in room temperature for about 15 minutes and then place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.