Home Again Cookies

Time to own up.

I've decided to write a blog post every day in November. It's part of something called, alternately, NaBloPoMo or NaMoWriMo – a country cousin to the National Novel Writing Month. I don't know if I need to sign up somewhere, or if there is a website organizing the movement. All I know is, I'm going to try to blog every day. Just for the sheer exercise of writing on a daily basis.

I started this blog as a way to journal my way through a confusing year. The year of stepping into the kitchen in some sort of meaningful way. And I get lazy at times, or think I have nothing of interest. This daily-blogging for November will keep me moving. So, let me apologize now for some less-than-stellar posts that are likely to come from this activity. I missed one day, and already am wracked with guilt, but hope to have a two post day soon.

These cookies are delicious, and that seems reason enough to post.

We were away this weekend. I was so happy to see my kitchen tonight. Really, more than usual. From the moment I woke up in the hotel room early this morning, I thought about what I would make for tonight's dinner. Roasted sweet potato and chickpeas and grilled brussel sprouts - two fantastic, easy, tasty recipes I found on the internet this week.

The recipes were so easy, and I really wanted to spend more time in my kitchen, so dessert was in order. I was limited to what was in the pantry, as we had travelled much too much already, and I was not going to the grocery store.

I love oatmeal cookies - they feel almost healthy - whole grains, right? Tonight, I wanted a salty, sweet, soft cookie and I wanted chocolate, and this is what I put together.


Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
makes 3 doz 2" cookies

4 oz butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 c whole milk
1/3 c crystallized ginger, chopped
2/3 c golden raisins
2/3 c semi sweet chocolate chips
2/3 c salted peanuts

Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Preheat oven to 350•
Cream butter and sugar in the mixer.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add vanilla.
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
Add the dry ingredients in two additions, add the milk between the additions.
Stir in the fruit, nuts and chocolate.
Drop about 1 Tbls of the cookie dough out on the parchment, placing about 1" apart.
Bake 15 minutes, until just turning golden.
Cool on a rack.