Cookie Factory

This cookie factory is shutting down part of its product line. The labor-intensive process is too much for the proprietor to continue to produce this variety. 

You are only seeing half of this morning's bake. The other half is in a freezer container. The recipe makes over 60 cookies! I shall give it to you one more time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is from an old box. The newer updated version calls for less butter.

The only thing I did different was to add 1 cup of grated walnuts.

Don't forget to enlarge the images!

 

Cookie Alert!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2 sticks BUTTER, softened

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla (pure, not artificial)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

2 cups raisins*  Pre soak raisins by covering with water for about 5 minutes - drain well -  before stirring into mix with oatmeal. 

Optional: 1 cup ground walnuts - mixed in with the oatmeal. 

Heat oven to 350°

Beat together butter, all sugars until creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and add. Mix in well.

Hand stir in oats and raisins* This is the hard part - mix well!

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Hints: Keep bowl of dough in refrigerator between batches. Parchment paper works well under dough on cookie sheet. It lasts for all 6 batches. 

click on image to view larger

Stop in and I'll share a few.

 

Creatin' & Bakin'

Rain sticks are usually made from dried cactus, reeds or bamboo and then filled with pebbles or beans. WHAT! Beans??? Beans are food!  To go on...It is believed that they were used by indigenous farming tribes in arid climates with the hopes of calling for rain for their crops.  NOT HERE!  I'm shaking the heck out of mine to keep the rain AWAY!  (information regarding rain sticks from internet)  It has been a long time since I made any but had two paper tubes from kitchen foil and some sticky tapes from when I made greeting cards, so.....I even went outdoors to gather some pebbles!

It took me most of the morning to bake the oatmeal-raisin-walnut cookies. Now, IF we can control ourselves, 60 cookies should last a month if we each eat one-a-day. Yeah, sure!

please click on image to view larger

Chewey, Warm and a Piece of Heaven

That's what Anni says about my oatmeal cookies. Today was devoted to this project of wholesome goodness. As I get older I get weaker and everything seems to be more difficult. BUT! It is all worth it when I'm finished.

Now understand, I have written several times before about these cookies. That is how wonderful they are. The only things I did different today were to use golden raisins instead of dark ones and I didn't soak them first. I also added about a cup of finely ground walnuts that I had processed and preserved a couple of months ago. I cut back on the oats about 1/2 cup.  And... I used the quick oats instead of the old fashioned variety.

 So believe me the 60, yes there are 60 on this cake platter before we ate any. Five trays of 12. 

please click on image to view larger

Recipe below.. (NOT the one on the lid today. I have saved one from many years ago that I use.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2 sticks BUTTER, softened

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla (pure, not artificial)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

2 cups raisins*  Pre soak raisins by covering with water for about 5 minutes - drain well -  before stirring into mix with oatmeal. 

Optional: 1 cup ground walnuts - mixed in with the oatmeal. 

Heat oven to 350°

Beat together butter, all sugars until creamy.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and add. Mix in well.

Hand stir in oats and raisins* This is the hard part - mix well!

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack.

Makes about 6 dozen.

Hints: Keep bowl of dough in refrigerator between batches. Parchment paper works well under dough on cookie sheet. It lasts for all 6 batches. 

See them begging to be eaten! (And they were!)

Blah Day

No, I'm not depressed, just bored. It rained some last night, froze on the truck and ground overnight, snowed on top of that, and caused more backaches for the Mister. The best part is that we don't have to drive to work these days. Yea! The second best part is that we continue to have power and that means I bake while he blows snow. 

Today it is a batch (from scratch, of course) of oatmeal raisin cookies. Do you know how expensive butter is? Well, this recipe calls for two sticks. Butter makes them just the right consistency and gives the best flavor. YES! I made exactly 66 of these this morning and we ate 6, of course. Gotta keep nice numbers. 

                                                                           (click on an image to view larger)

You would have laughed at me stirring and fighting the mixing in of the oatmeal and raisins! These delights are labor intensive for me. They are worth the work. The Mister had to clear out the end of our short driveway twice today because the road department really plugs it every time they go by. The first clear out at 9AM consisted of very large and frozen clumps and was a labor intensive project for him as well. 

Guess what! It's snowing A G A I N !!!!

'Twas the Day before Thanksgiving...

Today is kind of miserable but it doesn't bother me at all because I'm BUSY! The Mister went outdoors to unfreeze the truck tailgate. He forgot to apply a bit of antifreeze on the gaskets and I need a loaf of bread. Yes, the truck bed is storage for bread until I can find time to make room in the refrigerator freezer. It works well as an extra freezer for us. He also used up an entire container of anti-freeze pellets around the perimeter of the truck and we'll need to replace it soon; we have only one backup container left. Winter has begun at Lake Chrisann.

 I had just finished breakfast and was in the midst of oatmeal raisin cookie preparation when I looked out the window and saw the Great Blue Heron. He comes to our beachfront often. Since I wasn't prepared for taking pictures, a quick hand washing was in order and I grabbed up the camera and took a shot through the window. He saw me and immediately flew away! Back to cookie making.

Please click on photos to view larger.

Near the end of the batter mixing, I have to call for help to stir in the oats and raisins as the batter is too stiff for me. He is so willing, it makes me laugh. He must want cookies! Ya think?

Well, the project of the day is completed.

72 cookies! 

And Pal begged and begged but never touched them and can't eat them anyway, He is one of those dogs that has a sensitive stomach and both he and we would have to pay the price if he were to take a bite! His birthday is coming soon - Dec. 2 -  and he will be 14!

 "Hey, Mom! did you bake cookies - AGAIN?"

 "They look good"

 "They smell good!"

"Are you SURE I can't have just one?"

Yes, it has been a good day.

We wish everyone we know and those we love to have a very happy Thanksgiving Holiday. Pig out! Enjoy your lives together! BE THANKFUL!