Big Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies

Back to school days are just around the corner and whether your family is doing school in person or on-line or virtual or blended or home (or some other option that I’ve overlooked), I think we can all agree : school breakfasts are a struggle.

 

As a mom of 4 (with 3 in high school), my 2 biggest school morning breakfast obstacles are TIME and TASTEBUDS. I’ve tried smoothies and pre-made breakfast tacos, over-night oats and yogurt/granola parfaits – and it never fails, someone (or all) is unhappy. All of those complaints left me determined to develop something that met all of our criteria.

A couple of years ago, about this time of year, I thought “What about cookies for breakfast? I bet they’d love that!” Inspired and hopeful, I decided to play with the base of an oatmeal cookie and began sneaking in a few ingredients that would please their tastebuds AND feed their brains.

This recipe is packed full! Nuts and fruits, whole grain oats + a protein boost (thanks to collagen peptides). These Big Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies fuel the brain AND charm the taste buds. BONUS?? This recipe makes enough cookies to last the whole week!

BREAKFAST COOKIE TIPS FOR SUCCESS ::

 

After several recipe test runs, I’ve landed on a few perfect techniques that promise to produce the perfect breakfast cookie:

• start with room temperature butter and melted coconut oil (they cream into the sugars wonderfully)
• lightly beat eggs and mashed bananas into the creamed fat + sugar (this keeps the fat from ‘breaking’)
• once the dry ingredients + nuts + dried fruit are added, be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl (this ensures a consistent dough)
• refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour before baking (this allows the moisture to disperse into the oat flour for a more moist, tender cookie)

 

One more tip that simplifies school mornings is to pre-scoop all of the dough at once, refrigerate the dough balls and bake as needed.

A little banana, a little nutty, a little sweet; delicious enough to please even the pickiest eaters. Whole grain, protein-packed, stuffed with nutrients; healthy enough to boost your students toward success. These cookies are a school-morning slam dunk! 

Looking for another simple breakfast recipe? Try these Stone Fruit + Cream Cheese Puff Pastries.

Banana Nut Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c sugar
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 4 oz coconut oil, melted
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2-3 t vanilla
• 2-1/2 c ground oat flour
• 2 c flour
• 4 scoops collagen peptides (8 T) (optional)
• 1 t sea salt
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 c dried berries or raisins
• 1 c walnuts

Directions:

• If preparing within the hour, preheat oven to 350°. Combine sugars and fats in the bowl of a stand mixer. After whipping these ingredients together, add mashed bananas, eggs & vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder & collagen. Add dry ingredients to the stand mixer slowly to combine. Be sure to scrape the sides and continuing to mix until evenly incorporated.
• Stir in the dried fruit and nuts.
• Using a 2 ounce scoop, drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate 1 hour to overnight. At this point you can either store in freezer bags and freeze up to 3 months or bake.
• To bake, place 5-7 cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet 2″ apart.
• Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
• Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
• Makes 20 – 2 ounce cookies.

* if dough balls are frozen, bake 16-18 minutes @ 350°.

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source https://www.sinkology.com/blog/big-banana-nut-breakfast-cookies/

Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Kitchen

If you’re like many of us, there are plenty of things left on that summer to do list. Somehow, time has sped by faster than usual. Even with less opportunities to travel and more time in our homes, one of our favorite spaces has still been left underused: the outdoor kitchen.

An outdoor kitchen fully merges food preparation and mealtime in the most idyllic setting with plenty of space. Even indoor kitchens with an open concept layout simply can’t compare to the wide open feel an outdoor kitchen provides. As the chef, you feel a part of the party, rather than hidden away as you prepare each dish. Not only that, we love how an outdoor kitchen creates the most ideal restaurant patio vibe in the comfort of our homes. But in order to create that perfect dining out feel, follow these three steps:

 

First thing’s first: properly ventilate.

Yes, you read that right. If you have more than a freestanding grille in your backyard, you’ll need to take some extra steps to ensure cooking grease, excess smoke, and heat don’t damage your beautiful outdoor kitchen. Yes, you are out in the open air, but those damaging elements can – and will – wreak havoc without the proper care. We recommend placing a set of vents on two sides of your grille and prep area. The vent location itself will depend on the kitchen’s shape and size. In addition to these side vents, be sure to install a vent hood. Keep in mind, this outdoor hood will be a bit bigger than your indoor range. Aim for six extra inches on each side of the range or grille.

Then, focus on ongoing climate control.

While we can’t install air conditioning, an outdoor fan is the next best thing to keep you and all your guests happy from preparation to after-party. Not only will it provide a cool breeze on the hottest August afternoons, it will support your ventilation system and keep the bugs away. With plenty of options to choose from, ranging from fully installed ceiling fans and wall-mounted fans to smaller, more mobile pedestal fans, you can control your setting to suit the time of year and weather conditions. 

 

Lastly, protect your outdoor kitchen for years of kitchen entertaining.

Without walls to protect your gorgeous granite countertops and stainless-steel sink from the elements, you’ll want to invest in a reliable removable cover. While not necessary every single day of the year, it’s important to cover in the off-season and in any case of inclement weather. Luckily, there are many cover options to choose from. And, there are quite a few companies that specialize in custom covers, so don’t worry if your outdoor kitchen is anything but standard. 

If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor kitchen, it’s about time you use it. Because, soon enough, we’ll be back to winter…really stuck indoors. Let’s commit these last months of the summer to creating a backyard dining paradise. With these three steps, you’ll be ready to create the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.

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If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper, fireclay farmhouse sink or granite sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.

The post Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Kitchen appeared first on Sinkology.

source https://www.sinkology.com/blog/get-the-most-outdoor-kitchen/

Our Apron Front Sink Install

Our friend Jen Fancher, @notinggrace on Instagram, recently updated her kitchen with the Josephine All-In-One Kit and shared the process with us.

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We Added an Apron Front Sink to Existing Granite Counters – Here’s how we did it!

I dreamed of having an apron front farmhouse sink for years and would spend hours drooling over the sinks that I thought I could never have. When I reached out to Sinkology to see if this was a possibility – they made my dreams come true!

Before we remodeled our kitchen, the one thing I hated most was the sink. It was black enameled cast iron and had lost it’s glaze and was starting to rust.

Believe it or not, that sink is actually clean! It had seen better days and to be honest, it wasn’t the one I dreamed of.

When I found the Josephine Drop In Fireclay Sink, my entire design for my kitchen renovation came to life. I loved that the fireclay material has strength and durability, while also creating the beautiful farmhouse aesthetic I was hoping for.

We had just one big issue. Our granite counters would either need to be replaced or cut to fit my dream sink in place. But new counters weren’t in the remodeling budget.

So how can you put in an apron front sink if you aren’t replacing your granite counters? Yup, you have to cut out the granite!  YIKES! But Yay – because we could do this – and so can you!

STEP ONE: Remove the old sink.

Using a razor blade, cut through the old silicone around the edge of the basin and unhook the plumbing. Don’t forget to turn off the water!

As you can see, after we removed the sink, we had one strip of granite across the front that needed to be trimmed.

STEP TWO: Cut the Granite.

The most important element of this step is the planning. Measure and measure again. We traced the outline of the sink on a piece of cardboard to ensure the right fit. For our counters, the cut out mostly fit – but we did need to trim some of the previous granite that was too short.

Now here’s how we did this – and let me start by saying that we did not take pics because this does create quite the mess.

So let me paint a detailed picture for you.

Suit up with protective gear: Ear protection, eye protection, and dust masks are essential. Since this is a messy job in a recently finished kitchen, we came up with a creative solution. We taped some plastic drop cloth to the counters and then tented ourselves. Yup, you read that right.

We put the plastic drop cloth over our heads, while wearing goggles, ear muffs, dust masks – my husband holding the tile saw and me manning the shop vac and squirt bottle to cut down on the amount of dust that went everywhere.

It was a sight, but you know what? It worked!

Here’s the aftermath.

STEP THREE: Cut out the top of the cabinet.

Check your measurements again before cutting. We were lucky in having a drawer front that was easily removed. All we needed to cut out was the top brace of the cabinet front. We used a reciprocating saw, but a hand saw would also work.

Now we were ready to do the final step to fit the sink.

STEP FOUR: Notch out the granite for the apron front sink.

We taped off our cut lines and suited back up. These small cuts were the trickiest, but still easy to do! Handy Tip: The painters tape helps give a sight-guide to move the saw along a straight line.

The entire process to this point took just about an hour including measuring, cuts and clean up.

Dry fit your sink to make sure it fits. We did this often and made adjustments as needed.

STEP FIVE: Install the sink.

Apply a liberal amount of silicone, carefully drop in the sink, and let it sit before installing your plumbing.

We left ours to cure overnight.

STEP SIX: Install your Faucet.

What I love about Sinkology is that they offer this as an All in One kit, which includes the sink, faucet, drain strainer, non-scratch scrubber and Sinkology Fireclay Care IQ kit! care kit.

This one came with the Pfister Wheaton Sprayer Kitchen Faucet in Stainless Steel, but you can also choose from many different styles they offer.

I think the faucet looks beautiful and my kitchen looks so much brighter now with this sink!

On this side of it – we’d do it again. Simply take your time and prepare well and you can have a stunning result like this one.

I am in love with my kitchen and now have the apron front sink I have always dreamed of!

 

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If you have any additional questions during your search for the perfect copper, fireclay farmhouse sink or granite sink, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for more helpful tips and design ideas.

The post Our Apron Front Sink Install appeared first on Sinkology.

source https://www.sinkology.com/blog/our-apron-front-sink/