Five-Star Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

This is a recipe I've been tweaking for the last five years. Since I've perfected it, I haven't shared it with anyone. In fact, when my boss asked me for the recipe, I brought her some frozen cookie dough instead. This recipe is my baby. It originally started out as a basic oatmeal cookie with dried cherries. The Captain complained, so the cherries were switched out for raisins, various nuts were experimented with, pecans were voted the best. It's taken dozens of trials to get the right ratios--so here it is!

You'll need: Butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, oats, pecans, and raisins.

Btw, I doubled the recipe and made an irresponsible amount of cookie dough, don't be intimidated by the pictures. Cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar

 Add the eggs--large is the standard size for all baking recipes 

Stir until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract and the almond extract

 Add the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, and mix until completely combined--don't forget to scrape the bowl every now and then

 Add the raisins

 And the pecans--we like big pieces of pecan, so I just tear them in half as I add them to the measuring cup

Mix it well, then add the flour--to avoid a flour cloud, start and stop the mixer repeatedly until it starts to combine

It looks good, but don't eat it yet (raw eggs = salmonella)

Carefully mix in the oats--I've tried standard vs instant oats, they all seem to work fine; quick oats are what we keep on hand.

Same mixing concept as the flour--short bursts until it is all combined (unless you don't mind cleaning oatmeal explosions off the counter...). If you're doing this by hand use a sturdy utensil--its pretty thick

An ungodly amount of cookie dough, right? You can flash freeze it on a cookie sheet

After about 20 minutes, move them to a zip lock bag, they will keep in the freezer for months

Now you can enjoy a freshly-baked cookie whenever you want

 Chill the dough for about 20 minutes before baking

These delicious cookies will be slightly crispy on the edges, and moist and chewy in the center

The almond extract is the secret ingredient that highlights the raisins and the pecans

Best of all, since they have oats (high fiber), eggs (protein), nuts (omega 3s), cinnamon (heart healthy) and raisins (fruit), you can eat them for breakfast! Totally healthy, right? Well, maybe not, but after trying them you will be convinced by almost any excuse. They are that good.

Five-Star Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

Ingredients: Makes 3-4 dozen cookies

• 1 cup Salted Butter
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 1/2 Tbs Vanilla Extract 
• 1/2 Tbs Almond Extract
• 1 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tbs Cinnamon
• 1 cup Pecans
• 1 cup Raisins
• 3 cups Oats

 Directions: 

1. Cream together butter, sugars, and eggs. Add vanilla and almond extracts, beat until smooth
2. Mix in salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add raisins and pecans, mix until well combined
3. Stir in flour, then oats
4. Chill dough for at least 20 minutes before baking
5. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes

Cinnamon Chips

When I was a kid I use to love visiting my grandmother over summer vacation. My mother and I would fly to a far away city and stay for weeks. We would go fishing for crawdads, take day trips to Juarez, and visit long-lost relatives. My grandmother spoke no English, and I spoke no Spanish; so it was always an adventure. My grandmother was a gifted baker--she made the best bread pudding, and prize winning peach cobbler. Today I'll be sharing one of her less glamorous recipes. Cinnamon Chips. Ok, I just made that name up. The authentic version is called a Bunuelo; but, I'm pretty sure real buluelos aren't made with flour tortillas...

You'll need: Flour tortillas, sugar, cinnamon, and oil

Cut the tortillas or leave them whole...I like 'em chip-shaped 

While the oil is warming up, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bag

Kick the kids out of the kitchen. Heat about an inch of oil--if you use a deep pot there is less mess from popping and splattering. When its hot, put in a few pieces--just don't crowd the pan

 

Flip 'em over and take them out to drain on a few paper towels

Don't let yours burn like mine. After a few seconds of draining, drop them in the bag and shake around to coat

Repeat.

Try them with a drizzle of honey

Sugar, on fat, on flour. Love it. 

After the oil has completely cooled you can strain out all the little bits and use it again. I like to use a mason jar with a coffee filter that's secured with a band. No need to clean up a strainer--my kind of cooking!

Whew. Now that dessert is out of the way I can start thinking about dinner!

Ingredients:

• 6 Flour tortillas
• 1 c sugar
• 1 Tbs cinnamon
• cooking oil 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in deep pot
2. Cut tortillas and set aside. Combine cinnamon and sugar
3. Cook tortillas until golden, set aside to drain
4. Coat tortillas with cinnamon sugar 

Candied Nuts

This is a recipe that I always get requests for. It's so addictive my family can polish off a whole batch in just one weekend. Make the Costco-sized batch, you won't regret it.

So here goes, for these candied nuts you will need: sugar, water, cinnamon, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and nuts (I used almonds and pecans, but you can use whatever strikes your fancy)

You want to use a heavy bottomed pot to keep things from burning. Heat the water on medium high heat (around 7 on an electric stove) then add your sugar and salt

Next, the cinnamon

At first, the cinnamon will be hard to incorporate

Don't panic yet, it takes a minute...

 

It's starting to smell good in here! Soon it will start to boil up

 This is when you add the nuts

Have a cooking mitt nearby--the syrup will bubble up, pop, and burn you. My hand turned bright red, up past my wrist, before I had to suck it up and use a pot holder

Let the nuts simmer for a while, this allows the extra water to evaporate and it gives everything a nice toasty flavor. Stir continuously or it will get too toasty (aka, burnt). When it gets harder to stir and your spatula leaves a void as you scrape the bottom of the pot, then it is time to add the remaining sugar and vanilla. If it is too grainy you can add a couple tablespoons of water

 

Shut off the heat and  turn out onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper

Shoo away your suddenly starving family, it's too hot to eat

After about 20 minutes, it will be cool enough to taste

 Yum! Break it up and pack it in some mason jars (or any airtight container)

I wrapped some in cellophane for my neighbors

In an airtight container it can keep for months--it usually never makes it past 3 days though. It makes a beautiful gift and holds up well in the mail. Just be careful who you give it to--they'll probably ask for more!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Water, plus 2 Tbs as needed
• 4 cups Sugar, Divided
• 2 Tbs Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 5 cups Raw Nuts 
• 2 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
2.  Combine 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3 cups sugar in large pot on medium high heat  until simmering
3. Add in 2 Tbs cinnamon and stir until combined 
4. Add nuts and stir constantly to prevent burning, turn up the heat to high
5. When water burns off and mixture is hard to stir, lower the heat to medium and add in 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbs vanilla
6. Mix well until completely coated, if the mixture is too grainy you can add in 2 Tbs water
7. Turn off heat and turn out onto cookie sheet

These end up tasting a bit like Boston baked beans. In the next few weeks I'll be sharing a similar recipe that uses egg whites instead of syrup. They are different but just as addictive, stay tuned!