Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies... With Cream Cheese Frosting

A few weeks ago, my friends and I got together for some wine, gossip, and eating. I, as always, volunteered to bring dessert. I was then going though recipes to try on my Pinterest page (do you follow me, you should? I have a great eye for food that's delicious... and not always good for you). The Viking and I were discussing options, I wanted these apple sauce muffins I used to make as a kid and he asked for oatmeal cream pies... Vikes went into the kitchen to see if I needed any oatmeal, while I inventoried what I needed (apple sauce, obvs.) and informed me that I have two big containers of oatmeal. Each container is two pounds... I have FOUR POUNDS of dry oatmeal. WTF. How does that even happen? Clearly I need to cook with more oatmeal... because four pounds of oatmeal isn't going anywhere.

So, I combined a few recipes of apple sauce cookies and oatmeal cookies, then found a few apple sauce oatmeal cookies. None of the ones I tried turned out well, so I created my own. As always, you are welcome.

Here's what you'll need:
1/4 C of soften butter (1/2 a stick)
1 C of brown sugar
1/2 C of white sugar
1 egg
1/2 C of apple sauce (I like the old fashioned, well blended, smooth type)
2 1/4 C of flour

1 3/4 C of oatmeal
1/2 t of baking soda
1/4 t of baking powder
1/4 t of sea salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your cookie sheets with silicon, parchment paper, or spray it with some cooking spray (these guys are sticky!)

In a large bowl, cream your butter and both sugars together until smooth. Combine the rest of your wet ingredients (apple sauce and egg) until the batter is smooth. In the same bowl, add one cup of flour and one cup of oatmeal, and the rest of your dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt). Mix until smooth. Mix in the rest of your flour and oatmeal, a little at a time, until everything is well blended.

Scoop out your batter (with a spoon or ice cream scoop) onto your lined cookie sheets. Keep them at least two inches apart - these guys have been known to spread out.

Bake for 14 - 16 minutes. Let cool (for 30 minutes) and frost! I recommend cream cheese frosting. 

                                    

Cream Cheese Frosting Perfected

Generally on Sundays, I try to attempt a new recipe or two. The fruits of these labors are then brought to dinner with family or friends that night or to work the following day. When you bring homemade cookies to the office, it's hard to have a bad Monday. From there, I have been known to discuss how relaxing I find baking. The speech then goes into "two sticks of butter, a cup of sugar" and I rattle off cookie ingredients with a giant smile. (I'm fully able to admit I lurv creating things in my kitchen).

You know what goes great with cookies? Frosting. As many of  aware, cream cheese is the best frosting ever.  If you disagree, clearly you're a communist I suggest you try this delightful frosting. It's so easy and adds the perfect sweet tang that you didn't even realize you cookie needed. 

Here's what you'll need:

1 8oz block of Neufchâtel cheese

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

Use a stand mixer or hand mixer, add you softened cheese and one cup of powdered sugar. Mix it on low (you don't want ALL the powdered sugar exploding). Once it's well blended, add the next cup of sugar and the vanilla. Blend and blend. It magically turns into a smooth shiny frosting. Yum! Feel free to add more powdered sugar if you like your frosting a little dryer. (I do mine by look and taste... Because I've apparently had a ton of practice).

Yep, that's it. If you haven't jumped on the Neufchâtel bandwagon, welcome to it. It's just like cream cheese in flavor, but it's made with milk, versus milk and cream - like cream cheese. Being that it is milk in the fermentation process (cause that's how cheese is made...), it had less fat that regular cream cheese. It's also a little more moist than cream cheese. It's fantastic. 

A little food coloring and a piping bag and you'll have the perfect cupcake frosting too! But this batch goes to some delightful cookies!

Frosted Cookies

                                         

Oh The Places You Will Work

If you're anything like me, and I suspect you are - you have a job. At this sometimes delightful place where you work, you probably work with other people, right? For those of you who are stay at home parents or work from home luckies, this doesn't really apply to you, but I suggest reading on. You never know when you'll find something entertaining or helpful (and I'm aiming for both!)

I work for an awesome company, in an absolutely beautiful office. With that being said, it is a small office of just a handful of people. We see each other for hours on end with, at times, minimal outside interaction.  Since we here at NattilyNatalie discuss fashion, fare, and FORM - let's go over a few handy tips to make your work life a little less frustrating... and maybe a little more fun!

Work Selfies Happen

Starting You Day

- Have you noticed some people park in the same spot everyday? Don't take their spot. Some people are very particular. There is always plenty of parking (or even company or city assigned spots). Keep those in mind.

- Some people are morning people. Some people are not. Some people need a lot of coffee to function. Those of us who are morning people (Oh, oh! Meeee!) sometimes need to make a little effort to keep our water cooler chatter to a minimum, until your usual work companion is ready for pleasantries. 

- Did you fight traffic on your way in? Me too. Everyday. Glad to hear a little about it, but there is little need to discuss bad traffic every morning adnasum. 

- Having a bad morning? Fight with your significant other? Hungover? Leave it at the door. If you can't,  give a quick "hey guys, I'm going to have a bit of a quiet morning." Your coworkers will understand.

- Altenatively, if you have a normally chatty coworker who is acting a little odd, a quick "Everything okay?" Is more than okay. But please make sure to give them space if they need it. They may not want to share details with you. 
- If you're grabbing coffee, donuts, danishes, whatever for breakfast of a snack - don't be a jerk. Ask if anyone else wants something.

Day-to-day

- Hey guess what? You are at work to work... So I actually recommend doing that for the majority of the time your are in your office, if not the whole time. Coworker interaction is inevitable. Feel free to be friendly or brief - it's about your comfort level. You definitely want to be pleasant, but don't be afraid to end a conversation.

- It's really normal and natural to have a little crush on a client or coworker. DO NOT ACT ON IT. Seriously. It's the best way to ruin your career. 

- If someone (be it coworker or client) is making you uncomfortable, say something to them. Or your manager. Or their manager. Key point: tell someone.

- Are you the one in control of the music at your office? Lucky you. May I advise, play it softly. No one wants to have to yell over your uns-ing house music, nor do the want to have to try to think around it. Keep it PG, keep it quietish, and please don't play the same 5 songs over and over again. 

- If you are sneakily watching videos, don't try to make everyone else watch them. Especially if they are inappropriate. Even if you don't find them inappropriate. 

- Don't whistle or sing along to the music. Zero people want to hear it. Zero.

- Try to keep your bodily activities (post lunch brushing and flossing, nose blowing, etc.) in the restroom. Seriously. Kinda gross. Yes, we all do it. But eugh. 

- Can I second that recommendation of brushing and/or flossing post snack/lunch/whatever?  Especially if you had a fragrant curry or a giant bowl of hummus (I'm certainly guilty of eating both). Regardless of the space you are working in, you probably have another human who has to come near your work space, and people have sensitive noses. You get my gist. 

- Don't mess with the air conditioning. If you are cold and everyone is cold, fix it. But if someone is complaining about being hot and you are freezing, go ahead and bring a sweater or jacket into the office. I recommend a light wool blend.  ... I live in Florida. The coldest it gets here is in August - because everyone's A/C is set to 64 degrees. 

- Keep your eyes on your own work. Unless someone invites you to look or asks you how to do something, consider it Noneya. (As my lovely friend M says, it's Noneya Business).
- If you're going to be on your phone, try to be subtle. No one wants to see their employee blatantly off task. Use the restroom, like everyone else.

End of The Day

- We're all in a rush to get home. It doesn't hurt to chip in and be a team player. But, if someone says no, don't pressure them into letting you help. They might be working on a confidential project or want the extra time at the office.

- If you office is going for a group outing post work unless you are ill or out of the office - you MUST go. It can be a great thing for your career. Though keep in mind, these are coworkers, not your best friends. Keep it appropriate.

- Last, whatever you do, don't cut anyone off in the parking lot. Not cool.

To review: keep it PC, be conscientious to your coworkers, and for the love of all things holy, DON'T whistle. 

What's For Dinner: One Pot Turkey & Bean Chili

The name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but yum! This recipe has been handed down from my great grandfather (seriously) to my grandmother, who shared it with her daughter-in-law (my mother). The best part about this dish, besides it being really yummy, is that it is incredibly easy to personalize to your flavor palette. My grandmother makes it a hearty beef and tomato chili, my mother a spicy, low sodium turkey chili, and my sister makes it vegan! I personally am a huge fan of beans in my chili, but I also make mine a white chili. 

Technically it's name could be One Pot Three Bean White Turkey Chili. We all know it's an absurd name, so we just call it chili. 

For my One Pot White Chili, here's what you'll need:

1 lb of lean ground turkey

1 medium white onion

3 cloves of garlic 

1 8oz. can of tomato sauce

3 Cans of beans (I like pinto, great white northern, and black)

1 C of chicken stock (Or 1 can of cream of 
chicken soup, if you are feeling naughty)

1/4 tsp of cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp of red pepper 

1/2 tsp of taco seasoning

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Dice your onions and garlic and throw them in a big pot over medium-high heat. Once the onion starts to soften (and someone inevitably yells towards the kitchen how good it smells) add your meat and start to cook it. (Your meat can be fresh or frozen. It doesn't matter). 

While cooking your meat, chop it with your spoon into little pieces. Once it's starting to brown a little and look cooked, add your secret ingredient: tomato sauce. I don't know why it works so well, but it does. It adds that certain je ne sais quoi.


Add you chicken stock or cream o' chicken (seriously, just use what you have) and your beans. Canned, fresh, two cans, five cans - at this point it's entirely up to you what you like in your chili. Give your pot a big ole stir.


Now it's time for seasoning! I generally eyeball it, so the measurements at the beginning of the recipe are estimations.  Anyway, add paprika, red pepper, and cumin. Stir it again and see what you think. Then, add some taco seasoning (because yum) and some salt and pepper. Stir it again. Let it simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

That's it. So easy and so good! From my family to yours.