Cozy Oatmeal Cookie

The cookie chick is back.  And Happy New Year to all!  There were many roadblocks in my baking over the past month and a half.  I don’t like to make excuses… so I’ll make you a list instead.

1) Christmas cookies – I baked hundreds of random cookies for various people/places/events that frankly I was burnt out.

2) New website drama!  I bought a domain and attempted to create a clear and more functional website for myself and everyone else but I’m so hideously incapable of mapping myself through technology that I got discouraged and found myself in a most depressing dialogue with my laptop: 

Me: NOOO! This relationship is NOT WORKING.  Clearly I don’t speak HTML.  Just make 2 f-ing columns with a picture on top, is that too much to ask?! 

Website: html:<>SM#><%@FJOI%(#$*(@$@^)@&$^(*$($*@K@&.”^*

Me:  RIGHT BACK AT YOU!!

3) I stressed out my lower back from too many cardio workouts which caused two and half weeks of semi-immobile pain that was further aggravated by standing and bending at the neck for long periods of time (the assumed position for cookie assemblage.) 

 But that’s all I’ll say about that.  Enough whining.

 

Hey!  It’s TWO-THOUSAND AND TEN!  Two things I’ve learned about myself so far this year are: 1) The passage of time frightens me.  And 2) I’m comforted by the rain.  I didn’t make resolutions this year – I couldn’t think of any.  I just want to make changes.  You never see change unless you facilitate it to happen – right, Obama?  Yes we can.  And this year – I need to make changes.

I’m not going to lie, I’m feeling overwhelmed and saddened a bit.  But that’s why I’m in cookie therapy.  So as the rain fell outside, I baked the best hug a cookie can give you.   I’ll call it my Cozy-Oatmeal Raisin.  It filled the kitchen with the warm aromas of cinnamon and sugar, and wielded sweet winter bundles of baked dough.  It had been so long since I had baked, and I truly felt renewed and comforted.  Enjoy.

 Ingredients:

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp         baking soda

½ tsp        baking powder

¼ tsp        salt

2 sticks unsalted room-temperature butter

1 cup        brown sugar

½ cup   white sugar

1 tsp         vanilla extract

2 eggs room-temperature

2 cups quick oats

1 cup raisins

½ cup white chocolate chips

1 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

 

Preheat oven to 350°

1st) whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt

2nd) beat together butter...

...and the white sugar until nice and fluffy.

3rd) Then add the brown sugar.

4th)  Once all blended and buttery and sugary and amazing, add the vanilla.

5th) Beat in your eggs one at a time - scraping down the sides so all is grooving together.

6th)  Next add your flour mixture and beat well until you have a lovely smooth batter
7th)  In a separate bowl (you can do this ahead of time) mix together the oats, raisins, chips, cinnamon and nutmeg.

8th)  I like to get in there with my hand... mixes better that way

9th)  Add the all this good stuff to your mixer... and beat just a bit to get it started.  But not the whole time cause I feel like the paddle smushes the chips and raisins.  no no, be gentle with them, we love them.

10th)  Get in there with a spoon and work that bicep a bit.

11th)  Get your bundles in a row!

12th) Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crisp around the edges!

13th) Let cool for a minute before transferring to wire wrack to cool completely.  or just eat em warm with a cup of milk. or coffee. or tea.  mmm cozy.

don't you just want to crawl in there and go to sleep?  Oh to be a cookie.