This post has moved to my new website. You can find it HERE.

 

Are you ready to try the BEST oatmeal cookie in the world? My friend, Liz, over at The Fresh Plate shared her recipe for "The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies," and after making them myself, I have to agree with her... they really ARE the best! My husband, who is not a fan of oatmeal cookies, gobbled these right up! I did make them on a whim, and did not have all of the ingredients in my pantry, so I made some substitutions to her recipe. Here is how I made them:  

Ingredients: 

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 c. Craisins (dried cranberries)
• 1 c. butter
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• 1 c. white sugar
• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 1/4 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. chopped pecans

Directions: 

1. Combine the eggs, Craisins, and the vanilla and almond extracts in a small bowl. Liz said to "cover and let stand for about 4 hours. The longer the better." Well, I listened to her "the longer the better" advice. I snapped a lid on the bowl, stuck it in my refrigerator overnight, and made them later the next morning. The cranberries plumped right up! 
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F).
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together, then sift the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda in, and stir into the butter/sugar mixture.
4. Stir in the Craisin mixture, oats, and pecans.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I use my 1 T small scoop for this... it looks like a mini ice cream scooper, and works great for making uniform size cookies!)
6. Bake for approx. 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. In my gas oven, they baked for approx. 12 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may need to make adjustments. I would set your timer for 9 or 10 minutes, and then check them. 
7. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
8. Enjoy! 

It's week three of Sneaking Christmas. I went big this week! I just couldn't resist. Not Christmas tree big, but big enough that anyone who walks through our front door will take notice and bust me in 2 seconds flat :)

Isn't he the cutest thing? He was a gift from my sister-in-law, and was made by her very talented mom. I get excited every year about putting him out for all to see! This year, he greets all of our visitors in our entryway.

What did YOU do to sneak Christmas the past week?

And now, for a sneak peek of what's coming Thursday! Many people have asked me to post it. You ask, I listen (as best as I can!) Sooooo.... be sure to check back here this Thursday for...



...the best homemade laundry detergent ever! I've tried several, and have found the BEST. I will never go back to my {old} favorite store-bought detergent again! (And tomorrow I will have a scrumptious cookie recipe for you!)

This post has moved to my new website. You can find the recipe HERE.