Welcome to Cranky Puppy Farm!

This blog belongs to two Gen X-er's smackdab in downtown Kansas City where we've been renovating and decorating two old Victorians built in the 1890's. Our life is filled with 3 demanding Pomeranians (1 of them cranky, of course), honking cars, noisy neighbors and the hustle and bustle of city life but we dream of the day when we can move to our 40-acre farm and hear nothing but the wind and the cows next door. Until then, we're chronicling our triumphs and mishaps here as we try to garden and preserve on 2 city lots, raise chickens, and learn all those things we should have learned from our grandparents. Welcome to our world - we hope you'll stay awhile!

Snowy End to 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

Look at what greeted us this morning!



I told my staff to work from home today, as most people are on vacation, the weather is nasty and we always leave early the day before a holiday anyway.  Up and about early this morning, I headed out to take the girls a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs.  Fat and wet snowflakes were plopping down all around me and the neighborhood was quiet.  Not a soul was out except for me!  So I paused to take some pictures.


Then it was off to get the turkey ready for its suntan in the oven. We lucked out on a trip to Hyvee on Christmas Eve - they had a surplus of young turkeys and were selling them for $6.00! 


And, yes, that's a big ol' fat pat of butter resting on that birds thigh.  I'm drooling just thinking about yummy turkey dinner as the last meal of 2012.  What a better way to end the year than a night in with my honey, a nice dinner, a movie, a roaring fire and fresh snow falling outside?
 
Before I stuck the turkey in the oven, I wanted to try out a recipe for homemade oatmeal creme pies. To my delight, I discovered that I had 3 canisters of quick oats in addition to the one I just bought last weekend.  That's got to be some kind of mandate that I make a ton of these cookies, right?

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Oatmeal Creme Pies

Ingredients (Oatmeal cookies)
  •  2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
  • 1/4 cup shortening\Crisco
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 Tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2-1/2 cups flour
  • 2 cups quick oats


DING!  Cookies are done!
Ingredients (Filling)
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
 
Directions for Cookies:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream brown sugar, butter, and shortening.
  3. Add eggs and mix.
  4. Add salt, cinnamon, and baking powder and mix.
  5. Mix baking soda and boiling water, then add to the bowl and mix.
  6. Add flour and mix well.
  7. Add oats and mix well.
  8. Scoop dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets so that you have rounded heaping teaspoons.  I used my new cookie scoop.  Look at those perfectly rounded cookies.  I'm in love!)
  9. Bake for 10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let the cookies cool completely.

Directions for Filling:
  1. Place milk in a small saucepan on the stove under medium heat. 
  2. While stirring constantly, add flour and whisk constantly until thick. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  3. Stir in vanilla.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and all sugar grains are dissolved.
  5. Add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat it until it resembles whipped cream.  This will take awhile - don't freak out!  Have a cookie while you're mixing.  :-)
  6. Scoop a small amount onto cookies, pressing a second cookie on top.


What do you think?  Look yummy?  Right after I took this photo, it was in my belly.  :-)  And, yep, it was num-num-Y-U-M-M-Y!
 
The filling is to die-for, but you can also skip the effort and just use marshmallow fluff.  To keep the filling from oozing, refrigerate before you eat them.  You can freeze them as well.
 
So how are you going to celebrate New Years Eve?

 

10 comments:

  1. Ooooh, I love oatmeal cream pies! Yours look absolutely delicious. Now I'm craving them like mad haha.

    I bet the girls appreciated the scrambled eggs! I know mine do :)

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    Replies
    1. They nearly knocked me over to get to them. :-) Thanks for stopping by today and happy new year!

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  2. We only got a half-inch, but it's snowing again as I type this. The cookies look awesome and I think are going to be on the menu tomorrow! I wish I had the oomph to cook a turkey today. The old house looks great dressed for Christmas... Have a safe and Happy New Year, J and S!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, we got alot more snow than that here in the city. I'm not even going to tell you how many of those oatmeal pies I've eaten today. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Happy New Year to you and Keith!

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  3. The snow looks beautiful as do the "Little Debbie Cream Pies". One of my favorites from childhood. I'll have to try these. I've pinned the recipe, hope you don't mind.

    Happy New Year CP!

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    Replies
    1. Not at all, DFW. If you try it out, let me know what you think. A Happy New Year to you and yours!

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  4. What a GORGEOUS house!! Stopping in from Keeping Up With Kelsey :)

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  5. House eye candy for the New Year...how perfect! Can't wait to move in!

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  6. Looks Yummy! Happy New Year to you!
    http://theredeemedgardener.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow! Yum! Thanks for stopping by Back To the Basics and leaving a great comment. Following your awesome blog! I wish I lived on a farm. Oh well...One day!

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