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, November 16, 2010

Cookie Recipe #318 - Cranberry Oat Squares


Since cranberries are abundant in the stores this time of year, it's a good time to make today's recipe. A filling of cranberries and raisins nestles between a bottom and top layer of a sweet oatmeal mixture.

Ingredients: 12 ounces cranberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup cold butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups oatmeal flakes, pinch of salt.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, cook cranberries with granulated sugar until soft, about 5 minutes. Puree with a potato masher and cook 10-15 minutes. Add raisins and continue cooking 2 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and add to puree; cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cover with plastic wrap; let cool.

Meanwhile, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter into dry ingredients and mix (with fingers, or you could use a pastry blender, but fingers are much more fun!) to make a lumpy batter. Mix in brown sugar and oatmeal flakes (again with fingers).

Spread half of batter into a 9 inch square cake pan evenly, pressing down. Cover evenly with cranberry puree, and then with remaining oat batter.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes and let cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Makes 9 squares.

"The Ultimate Cookie Book", Tormont Publications Inc., Montreal, Canada, 1997.

Cookies Rule!!!

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