We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Cookie Recipe #17 - Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies


These cookies are a chewy chocolate mouthful. The recipe is simple to follow and can be whipped up quickly to satisfy that chocolate craving (every day occurence for me)!
We are having stormy weather here in CA-lots of rain and wind. We even had thunder and lightning at 6:00 this morning! This happens so rarely here that it brought a smile to my face; made me feel like I was back in MI. Makes for a good day to bake...may even make Ham and Potato Chowder for dinner!
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (2 sticks) butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cocoa (I used 3/4 cup because I like it a bit more chocolatier), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats, 1/2 cup chopped nuts.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy; blend in eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in bowl, then pour into sifter over wet mixture and combine thoroughly. By hand, stir in oats and nuts (batter will be stiff).
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should be slightly moist in center and should not be overbaked. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 1 minute before transfering to cooling racks.
Makes about 4 dozen scrumptious snacks.
I found this recipe in a hard-cover small book put out by Hershey's in 1991 called "Hershey's Homemade".
Cookies Rule!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment