I hit Desperate Mom Mode sometime in October when I realized Mikey and Nico love breakfast about as much as I do. (Not at all.) Of course, they would gladly eat Sugar Pop Chocolate Fruit Loops with Dinosaur Marshmallows every day if I let them, but I don’t let them so they’re out of luck. Occasionally I do find a cereal they’ll eat (Gorilla Munch is a go-to), but the bloom fades on the rose fast and I don’t think eating cereal every day for breakfast is healthy. Mikey likes Greek yogurt for days at a time, and then gets sick of it. Nico has a ridiculous gag reflex and yogurt is one of the Red Zone food items, so that’s out. Waffles and pancakes are okay, but not favorites. Toast is a mystery. One day it will be delicious, and the next day it remains uneaten. Eggs are great until they aren’t, and I get that since I’m hot and cold for eggs, too.
This is all at best tangentially related to Jessica Fisher’s book, Not Your Mother’s Make Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. Mikey and Nico’s disdain for breakfast is a long-winded way for me to explain why I made her Breakfast Cookie recipe. If these boys won’t eat cookies for breakfast, then I toss my hands up in the air and say let them starve. (Yeah, right.)
I met Jessica through blogging. In fact, she is the blogger who invited me to the Shutterfly party I attended in December. It was there she gave me a copy of her book with a promise there wasn’t a can of soup or processed cheese in sight. She was right! So far, so (very) good. There are even quite a few gluten free recipes and three menu plans for bulk cooking that result in 25 meals you can eat throughout the month(s).
I already have my own versions of quite a few of the recipes in the book, so what I was looking for was a book that would teach me how to freeze and reheat. I never do either one since I’m terrified of poisoning my family. I take erring on the side of caution to the extreme, so the hand holding is a welcome addition to the book.
This cookbook will get us through baseball season. The practices are regular, but the games can be right after school, late at night, 10 days apart or right on top of each other. If you’re not organized, dinner is a nightmare. The first year I floundered hard. We ate late and poorly. Last year I upped my game and came up with a few super fast dinners. This year I want to do one better and have a few dinners ready to pop in when we get home from practice and games. There are some elegant recipes like Lemon Chicken Tarragon, but I’m looking at burritos, soups, chilies, and other meals that take minutes to reheat. Sometimes we don’t get home until well after 7:00pm. Lasagnas are great, but they take 45 minutes to reheat. Purpose: defeated.
But I digress. Harvard Common Press is giving away a copy of Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook to one reader who leaves a comment on this post. The giveaway is open to anyone over 18 and in the US. The giveaway is open until next Wednesday. I’ll announce the winner shortly after that, probably Friday, and I’ll email the winner, too.
Jessica gave me permission to reprint her Breakfast Cookie recipe. I made it and the boys love it so far. Fingers crossed.
Breakfast Cookies
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar (don’t pack it or they will be too sweet–my opinion)
3/4 cup coconut oil (or butter or vegetable oil)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup ground flax seed meal
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup chopped nuts of your choice1. Preheat the oven to 350�F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the honey, brown sugar, and coconut oil. Blend well. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients.
3. Drop the batter by tablespoonsfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops are set and golden. Cool on racks.
Freezing instructions:
Place the cooled cookies into gallon-size-zip-top freezer bag. Store in the freezer. Cookies can also be packed into sandwich-size bags and then placed in a larger freezer bag, to make them that much easier to grab and go.
To thaw and serve:
The cookies thaw in a few minutes at room temperature.
EDIT: Congrats, Val!
