Winter Break

I was in dire need of some winter sweetness...more snow in the forecast, we scraped ice off the driveway for 4 hours on Sunday, just ready for a break. So, I made my all time favorite scratch made cookies....oatmeal raisin.  These actually turned out to have some variation to them that made them even more delicious.  I used Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain cereal instead of oatmeal.  And I added dried cranberries, half & half with the raisins.  They are chewy in the middle, crunchy on the edges, and just the right amount of sweetness.  So yummy.  There's really no need to buy the slice and bake dough, which is full of chemicals and foreign ingredients when these are so easy, delicious and have so many ingredients that are healthy for you.  Okay, there is a bit of sugar in there, but otherwise, pretty good for you.  Cookies never last long in this house, but I managed to have a few of these for myself :^)...Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2 c flour (I use white whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 c unsalted butter (or if using salted, omit above sea salt), softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 honey (or you can use 1 cup total sugar if you don't want to use honey)
1 c brown sugar
2 large eggs (preferably fresh from the farm!)
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats (not instant, or give Bob's 5 Grain Cereal a try, it makes lovely texture and flavor)
1 1/2 c raisins (or 3/4 c raisins, 3/4 c dried cranberries)
1/2 c pecans or walnuts (optional)

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Whisk dry ingredients, set aside.
3. Combine wet ingredients with mixer on low
4.  To cream, increase speed to high and beat until fluffy and lighter in color
5.  Stir flour mixture into the creamed mixture until no flour is visible (do not over mix, cookies will be tough)
6.  Add oats and raisins and/or cranberries, stir to combine
7.  Using large tablespoon (like a soup spoon, not measuring spoon) drop dough by tablespoonfuls (using about 2 tablespoons of dough) onto a greased or non stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart, they will spread a little
10.  Bake for 11-13 minutes depending on the size of your cookie and individual oven until golden but still moist beneath cracks on top.

Makes about 36-40 cookies