Author Archives: cookingwithcandi

Saucy Stuffed Shells – Baked and Meatless

Posted on January 22, 2013 | 1 comment

Shells 004Shells 007Shells 009Shells 010OK you must be thinking is she kidding Stuffed Shells? gotta be the most fattening food to eat , and it probably is outside of lasagna, baked ziti and the like. Super delicious and sometimes you just hafta roll with it. I wanted a crowd pleaser, vegetarian and something that can easily be made ahead and frozen.  My mind wanders to yummy, gooey food with a lot of cheese because who doesn’t love a lot of cheese. Ah , yes Stuffed Shells.  I wouldn’t cook like this all the time, but once every blue moon no one is getting hurt, right? I served with a salad , no need for bread and butter here. Homemade Maple Syrup Salad Dressing ( see on blog) and it was really pretty awesome. Took a few hours to prepare, mostly because I made my own sauce ( Sunday night sauce) but feel free to use a jar of prepared sauce if you must. This is a perfect meal to make ahead of time, and just pop into oven.

Of course if you love it with meat you can make a meat sauce and follow same directions.

Ingredients:

1 box Jumbo Shells ( you won’t use all but a lot of them break, etc.)

1 lb. Ricotta ( I used Part Skim)

1 lb. Mozzarella Shredded ( I used Part Skim) if you can obtain fresh mozzarella and shred it that would make it even better! whatever works for you

1 cup grated Parmesan ( any kind you like)

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*marinara sauce or any red sauce I made my own and use my own recipe. If buying sauce and there are some delicious good sauces out there, you’ll need at least 1 jar and maybe a 1 1/2 jars. I make a big batch of sauce and freeze the remainder. It’s nice to have a little extra sauce in case you need it when you re-heat the stuffed shells.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Prepare Pasta , cook for between 12 and 15 minutes, you’ll want them soft but not undercooked at the center. Drain pasta and cool for easy handling.

Combine ricotta, 1/2 of the mozzarella, 1/2 of the Parmesan, parsley and egg in a bowl. Taste for Salt and Pepper.

When shells have cooled down, fill them with rounded spoonfuls of cheese mixture and arrange them seam side down in casserole dish. I used a 9 x 13 Pyrex. Top Shells with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella and grated cheese. Place shells in very hot oven . You can turn on broiler for last few minutes , it should be slightly browned and bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Delicious!

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Cream Cheese and Lox/Salmon Appetizer

Posted on January 20, 2013 | 1 comment

Winter '13 colorado 023Winter '13 colorado 020Winter '13 colorado 021Winter '13 colorado 022This is an appetizer that I used to make all the time and then for some reason stopped making and am now starting to make again! It’s funny how that happens. It couldn’t be easier and it looks so good. It’s good if you’re looking for something new to make, very few ingredients and all you’ll really need is a good sharp knife for cutting rolls. Out here in Colorado I was able to get very soft extra large tortillas, they work really well. If you can’t find very soft ones, just use regular tortillas or wraps. If you can’t get large just use small ones.  Look at photos, just lay salmon on top of cream cheese in a row starting at the top and go to just before the bottom of tortilla. One 4 oz. package will probably go for 3 large tortillas and 4 small. Good for 4 – 6 people.

Ingredients:

1 4 oz. package of salmon ( or 4 ounces lox)

whipped cream cheese (just easier to spread than bar cream cheese)

1 package of large soft tortillas, or just any size tortilla will do just fine (or you can just use any kind of wrap bread)

Directions:

* see photos (for best description)

Take out tortilla , spread whipped cream cheese all over the tortilla, place  slices of salmon starting at the top and go to almost bottom, and then roll up tortilla ( like a wrap) I cut off the ends, and then slice tortilla into app. 1 to 1 1/2″ pieces. App . 5  pieces per tortilla.  Refrigerate till ready to eat and you’re good to go. Put on a pretty plate with some lemon wedges and you’re good to go.

*you can add diced up red onions, or capers. Your call. I just did cream cheese and lox and they were perfect.

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Sunday Night Stew on a Tuesday Night

Posted on January 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

I bought some Beef Stew Meat from Whole Foods, and was trying to decide what to do with it . It was Tuesday night and freezing out here in Colorado . We were caught in a frozen snap of weather and there was no way I was venturing out of the house again with temperatures dropping below O. I love to make my beef stew in the slow cooker but no time for that. This does need three hours but the slow cooker needs at least 6 .  If making in the slow cooker you’ll need more liquid. I will say that the key to a good stew is cooking a long time. This is super easy to make and I even got Joel to eat the turnips because he thought they were potatoes, but he knew better and asked so I had to fess up. He ate all of the carrots and all the turnips on his plate, maybe because I cut them up small? who knows. It does my heart good to see him eat a vegetable, any vegetable. I served with egg noodles, but must say mashed potatoes would be pretty awesome!

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Olive OIl

1 tablespoon Butter

2 lbs. Beef Stew Meat ( Chuck Roast cut into Cubes)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 whole medium yellow onion, diced

4 oz. Tomato Paste

1/4 cup Red Wine

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar* not totally necessary but rounds it out somehow

4 cups Beef Stock ( Broth) * you may need more if sauce thickens too much, you can always add a little water

4 whole carrots , peeled and diced

2 whole turnips, peeled and diced

* I cut this whole recipe in 1/2 for just the two of us, and it was perfect.

*use whatever vegetables you’d like , it doesn’t matter, I like the turnips because they have a potato like texture and parsnips will fall apart easier.

Directions:

This recipe all took place in one pot, Le Creuset dutch oven for everything.( simply the best possible pot to own)

I like to pat my meat dry before seasoning, it helps to form a crust. I salt and pepper pretty liberally. (just a little tip)

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add butter, and as soon as it is melted, brown half the meat ( or as much as you can at one time without crowding) until the outside gets nice and brown and forms a nice little crust. Let it sit for a couple of minutes , then turn it as it browns. Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate on the side. When all of the meat is browned, just set it aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pot, stirring to coat it, and scraping up all the brown bits as you go. Cook for a few minutes till onions become transparent , add the tomato paste to the pot, and swirl around stirring it into the onions. Stirring constantly , pour in the beef stock, red wine and Beef Stew 012Beef Stew 016Beef Stew 018Beef Stew 021Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef back into pot, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered for at least 2 hours. If liquid starts to evaporate during this period , add more stock a little at a time, or water if you have no stock.

After the 2 hours of simmering, add the turnips and carrots to the pot. Stir to combine all ingredients, taste for salt and pepper,  cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes I simmered for an hour. Sauce should be thick but not too thick, you can always add a little broth/liquid.

Serve hot in bowls with noodles, rice, mashed potatoes or alone. It should serve 6 nicely this way.

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Lemon Garlic Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Posted on January 16, 2013 | 4 comments

Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 001Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 002Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 007I made this recipe last night for dinner. It was rather tasty and pretty simple. It cooked in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours. Chicken falling off the bone goodness. I used 2 breasts and 4 thighs. Joel likes the dark meat and I like the white meat. I served with brown rice and brussel sprouts, and freshly made cranberry sauce. We sat down to dinner and then I sadly forgot to photograph the end results! (You’ll just have to imagine and go by my pre photos.) Sorry. If you own a slow cooker you may want to consider this as it is fairly healthy alternative to heavier fare but still a delicious treat on a winter’s night.

*also I am obsessed with the spice Za ‘atar since discovering it. You can easily substitute oregano and then just increase your salt.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast split, skin on and bone in (2 pieces)

4 chicken thighs

2 teaspoons Za’atar spice (or oregano) but Za’atar is so very good

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon butter (you can use all olive oil if you’d like)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups chicken broth (reserve more in the event you’ll need it, I didn’t)

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon was perfect)

1/2 cup white wine

Directions:

Pat chicken dry, making sure it’s dry is very important. Just roll up in some paper towels and let it sit for a few minutes while you prepare other ingredients.

In a small bowl, I mixed dry spices together  and rubbed all over the chicken ,making sure to cover well.  I browned chicken in hot oil and butter for about 3- 5 minutes per side, just crisp it up to seal in flavor. Place chicken in slow cooker. (I always spray my slow cooker with Pam for easy clean up.) Use a pair of tongs to move chicken around because a fork can and will pierce the skin and let out all the good juices.

In that same skillet on stove, mix in the broth, lemon juice, garlic and white wine and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan as you go (scraping up all little brown bits). Let it boil for a few minutes, then pour over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high for 3 – 4 hours, I cooked for the full 4 hours.  I was home so I turned the chicken once; this is not necessary but I couldn’t resist playing with it. If it looks like broth is evaporating, you can add some more (I didn’t have to).

I served over plain brown rice, and chicken literally was falling off the bone. I did de-fat gravy, but honestly there was very little fat.  If you would like a thicker gravy remove chicken at the end, add 1 tablespoon of corn starch mixed with a little water and thicken it up, add more corn starch if you’d like. I didn’t, because it was delicious as it was. Nice and light.  I did de-fat the gravy using a gravy de-fatter (great little gadget), I also strained excess garlic and anything else that may have fallen into the gravy. It’s not necessary and you can use a slotted spoon to take out chicken, and a ladle to add gravy.

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Veggie Soup with Rotisserie Chicken – Perfect Winter Soup

Posted on January 14, 2013 | 2 comments

Winter '13 colorado 002Winter '13 colorado 003Winter '13 colorado 006This is a soup, and a little like a stew, and I think Rachael Ray calls it a stoup, because it’s a little bit stew and a little bit soup. I combined a lot of different recipes for this one, and used a lot of ingredients from the pantry as well. I served alongside a toasted baguette with goat cheese. A perfect ending to a chilly day and just in time for soup season!  And did I say filling? it is a meal in itself. There are a lot of ingredients, but it really did make this soup wonderful. I enjoyed the prep, it’s very therapeutic and it’s not difficult at all.   I find it is very very important to read through a whole recipe before starting to cook, because you don’t want any surprises 1/2 way through and I always set out all of my ingredients before I start cooking, don’t want to be running around looking for an ingredient. You can also substitute wherever you’d like in this recipe using ingredients you would prefer. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 whole Rotisserie Chicken ( skin and bones removed and shred meat) (store bought is perfect here) unless you are in the mood to roast a chicken.

Olive Oil

1 4 oz. package of diced pancetta– I thought it added a delightful layer of deliciousness but not if you are opposed to using it

1 medium yellow onion ( diced)

3 carrots , peeled and diced

3 stalks of celery , diced

2 1/2 cups of diced peeled butternut squash

4 cloves garlic  minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 15oz. can cannellini beans , drained and rinsed

1/2 cup dry white wine

baby spinach leaves ( I only used a little bit, but feel free to use whole 8 ounces) Kale would also work beautifully here

1 cup small pasta , like ditalini. I used small elbows because that is what I had on hand.

2 Tablespoons Pesto , I happen to have some frozen, but buy the store bought one if you don’t happen to have this on hand.

1 baguette or crusty type bread

6 cups of chicken broth, hold on to the extra 2 cups because you may need them

2 bay leaves

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

*freshly grated Parmesan Cheese ( optional) for serving

Directions:

Heat 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large heavy pot ( Le Creuset) or any Dutch type Oven. Add the pancetta and cook for about 6 – 8 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally , until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic and thyme, and cook over medium heat. I cooked for about 12 minutes till everything started to break down and soften.

Add the can of tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, bay leaves, I added 2 teaspoons of Kosher Salt and about 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. You can taste later and add if you need more. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for app. 45 minutes to an hour.

I cooked pasta separately till al dente.

Discard bay leaves, add pasta , beans and shredded chicken to soup. Heat through. Soup should be quite thick and if it’s too thick add some more chicken stock or some water.  Just before serving if you’re using it add in the spinach a little at a time, I used very little because Joel really doesn’t care for it, use as much as you’d like, keep stirring. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Check for salt and pepper.

Serve in nice large shallow bowls, with bread on the side. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you’d like.

I sliced a baguette on the diagonal and brushed olive oil on both sides, Baked in the oven at 425 degrees, turning bread once , total cooking time about 8 minutes, took bread out and spread some goat cheese on each slice and put back in the oven for about 4 minutes. Delicious!

 

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Spatchcocking the Chicken –

Posted on January 11, 2013 | 5 comments
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I have wanted to roast my chicken this way for quite some time, but always fall back on the standard. I have posted the standard way under Good Old  Roast Chicken.  You’ll need to remove the backbone of the chicken , and I am not that great with butchering so left it to the butcher in Whole Foods or whoever you go to. Just ask the butcher to remove backbone ( I discarded it or save it for making stock)  and cut chicken in 1/2. This removal of the backbone of the chicken is known as spatchcocking , simply put,  you roast the chicken in about 1/2 the time as conventional methods with the maximum crispiness to the skin, and very moist chicken is achieved.  I used my more shallow Le Creuset pan and chicken fit snugly in which is what you want. You don’t want it in too big a pan, just make sure your pan is flame proof , a 12 inch cast iron skillet is also perfect.  This is really easy, and I must give credit where credit is due, I got my inspiration from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook. I changed it a bit by cutting the chicken in 1/2 but used the times it posted and it was sheer perfection.  Crispy and moist! Served with fresh cranberry sauce and roasted potatoes.  You’ll have to turn your exhaust fans on for this one . By the way did I mention prep to table in an hour???

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken cut in 1/2 and remove backbone ( app. 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lbs)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (app. 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound)

sweet paprika

olive oil–1 to 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil for the pan

*feel free to play around with seasonings of your choosing. Thyme , garlic and lemon are always perfect

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. I dried the chicken pieces with paper towels on both sides. The drying is very important for maximum crispiness.  I put about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in Le Creuset pan. Lay the chicken breast side down on a seperate plate and with a brush pour a little bit of olive oil over the chicken and salt and pepper and paprika , then turn over to breast side and add a little oil and salt, pepper and paprika. I used clean hands and rubbed the chicken to make sure the spices and oil got all over . Be liberal with the salt, they say 3/4 teaspoon per pound and that is just a guideline, but it’s about right.  I then put pan on the stovetop and heated up the olive oil in pan , you’ll want oil very hot so that chicken will sizzle when you put it in breast side up. You will now place pan in the oven with the chicken. The 2 halves of chicken fit snugly in the the pan.

I cooked at 475 degrees for the first 20 minutes, chicken should start to crisp up, I then flipped it over to the other side for another 10 minutes. Then put it back in the oven for about 15 minutes breast side up till it was finished cooking.  My total oven time was 45 minutes!  Use tongs to handle chicken because you don’t want to pierce skin, you’ll lose too much liquid that way. I removed from oven , checked meat thermometer for the right temperature ( 165) in thigh,  and removed from oven and let it sit for another 10 minutes. This was restaurant worthy chicken for certain. See photos, though they don’t do the crispiness justice. My oven was hot enough at 475 degrees, when you flip chicken over check the crispiness and make sure it’s not burning, so you may need to lower to about 450 or raise to 500 to get it to brown perfectly. My chicken didn’t stick at all due to drying out the chicken and preheating the pan. Total cooking time should be anywhere from 45 – 60 minutes.

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A new spin on Chicken Parmigiana -in the Skillet

Posted on January 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Went to ski today and didn’t feel like going out to eat, and didn’t feel like a big food shop. Grabbed a package of thin chicken cutlets and said I’ll figure it out , and I did. Didn’t have mozzarella in the house, and I never use jarred sauce ( not that there’s anything wrong with it) and if you’re going to use it this would be a fine time to use it.Winter '13 colorado 026Winter '13 colorado 027Winter '13 colorado 029Winter '13 colorado 031Winter '13 colorado 035 I did have a big chunk of fresh parmigiano reggiano, always have diced tomatoes in the can, always have garlic and onion. So this is what I did. I recommend it for a little something different, and a little lighter than the traditional Chicken Parm. Perfect Sunday night meal before sitting down to 2 hours of Downton Abbey.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 package of thin skinless chicken cutlets app. 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts

all-purpose flour

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

4 cloves garlic , minced

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3/4 cup Red Wine (whatever is open, I used a Malbec)

1 28 oz. can of diced San Marzano Tomatoes ( I used Cento Chef’s Cut )

1  Tablespoon Sugar (I use this to cut the acidity of the tomatoes) it’s optional

app. 1 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese

Pasta of your liking , I used thin spaghetti

Directions:

I put some flour on a plate with some kosher salt an black pepper. ( if I had to guess about 1/2 cup flour) Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and combo is hot, add chicken breasts and fry until a nice golden color, about 3 – 4 minutes per side.

Remove chicken breasts and place on a plate pat off oil and cover with aluminum foil.  I have a warming drawer and placed in there, this drawer rarely gets used so I am happy to justify it every once in a while) if no warming drawer just keep it covered.

Without cleaning out pan you just fryed chicken in, add onions and garlic, stir for a few minutes till onions soften and become transparent,  don’t burn garlic. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan ( scraping up the bottom of the pan, getting all the bits up from the bottom) Allow wine to cook down for another few minutes. Pour in diced tomatoes and stir to combine all ingredients. Add sugar, salt and pepper, I also added a little crushed red pepper ( I love to add this to sauce) Allow to cook for at least 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally. If you’d like you can add some italian herbs to this sauce, sometimes a little basil, a little oregano, and sometimes the italian herb mixture from Spice Islands. ( just another thought)

While sauce is cooking , cook pasta according to directions. Save a cup of the pasta water just in case your sauce is too thick, you can thin out with a little pasta water.

After about 45 minutes, you can lay the chicken breasts on top of the sauce in the skillet, and I completely covered them in grated Parmesan. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. I let it simmer until cheese was melted and chicken was thoroughly heated through.

Place pasta in bowl, and put some sauce over pasta, and place chicken breasts on top. Serve immediately.

This will probably serve 3 – 4 people. You can probably add a little more chicken ( 1/2 lb) and you’d still have enough sauce and could squeeze it in the skillet.

A very large skillet is a wonderful thing to own. Mine is All-Clad and I love it.

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Sesame Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Posted on January 6, 2013 | 1 comment

It was Monday night, and was deciding on what to prepare for dinner when I realized that I love stir-fry and hadn’t made it in a while. Don’t worry if you don’t have a wok, just a large frying pan will do fine. I used my large frying pan. It’s not an exact science but you will need certain key ingredients. I decided to make it and foraged through my pantry, I was missing a few things but substituted a few other things and it worked out just fine. It was delicious .I would have liked bok choy and some other chinese vegetables but used what I had. I had a little red pepper, a few mushrooms and broccoli. Onions would be fine too. Almost any veggies you like, and obviously tofu can be substituted for chicken. This is what I did. If using tofu, use the extra firm type.

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp. soy sauce ( I always use reduced sodium)

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

5 tsp. honey

1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, I had butcher cut it into strips or you can do it yourself

4 Tbsp. Canola Oil possible . you will need about 2 to cook chicken and then another 2 to cook vegetables, but you may need a bit more, I try to use as little as possible to start you can always add

2 green onions, white parts only thinly sliced and reserve the green tops

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger ( which I didn’t have , so I used powdered ginger, not as good but it will do)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth ( again you may need a little more but I was able to make it work with 1 cup)

2-4 tsp. cornstarch ( I didn’t have this either so I used 3 tsp. flour and it worked)

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

vegetables ( whatever you like) broccoli, cut into florets, bok choy, baby corn, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, snap peas, etc.

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds ( just put sesame seeds in a small frying pan and brown up, watch them it happens quickly)

*1 tsp. chili paste (optional) but adds great flavor

Directions:

in a medium bowl whisk together 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. sesame oil and 2 tsp. honey , add cut up chicken , toss then marinate for about 1/2 hour

In a seperate small bowl, whisk together broth, remaining soy sauce, 1 tsp. sesame oil,  remaining honey,   vinegar and *chili paste. After whisking together I put in a small saucepan and heated it up till it thickened , I started with 2 tsp. of corn starch and added as it needed to thicken,  cook and stir for about 4 minutes till it darkens in color and gets thick. I let it just sit on stovetop till I needed it.( just stir it occasionally)

Heat up 2 tsp. canola oil in large skillet/wok  and cook chicken in hot oil until browned through about 6 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Transfer to serving plate

In same skillet as chicken heat 2 more tsp. canola oil add white parts of onions, ginger, and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes at medium high without burning. Adjust heat. Then add remaining vegetables and stir fry till they begin to cook , when vegetables are cooked, add chicken and pour sauce over chicken . Cook for a few minutes, and I served over brown rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion tops.

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Posted on January 4, 2013 | 1 comment

This is a re-blog of a really light, tasty recipe. Just when you’ve had enough of all the heavy stuff from holidays and vacations. Give this a go, it’s very simple and very tasty.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

I have archives upon archives of saved recipes. Some days I just go through to see what I’d like to make next. I often come upon old ones which I’ve totally forgotten about. Other times, I cut out new recipes that I’m eager to try. But this one came to me through our friend, Drew (Susan’s husband). He got into cooking a few years back, found this recipe and turned me on to it. It is light and flavorful. What a ringing endorsement. For a while, it was very much a part of my repertoire. Then, for no apparent reason, I just stopped making it. But recently, while going through some older chicken recipes, I came across this one again. It really is simple–very few ingredients, and a perfect dinner served with rice and a vegetable. It is originally from Rachael Ray with a few changes on my part. If you’re not fond of rosemary…

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Old Fashioned Goodness

Posted on January 2, 2013 | 3 comments

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 054Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 061Oatmeal Raisin 002

I have made many oatmeal raisin cookies in my day, but this one just suited me perfectly. I like a crispy cookie and I really think the secret behind this one was refrigerating the dough. This is a combination of many years of baking oatmeal raisin cookies. No chocolate in this one and no nuts, I do it differently when I add chocolate to my oatmeal cookies. I made this for New Years Eve because if you just want a little something sweet , it’s perfect. Who doesn’t like a cookie? I actually had this dough in my freezer from another time. I just put dough into a freezer bag, if you put it in smaller amounts you’ll be able to take dough out for a dozen cookies at a time. If you would like you can double this recipe ( this recipe should make 2 dozen) This cookie bakes up in about 12 minutes, but you’ll have to check after 10 minutes. Edges are crispy and cookie is soft at the same time. Perfection!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter softened

2/3 cup light brown sugar , I have to admit I only had dark brown sugar and they were perfectly fine. I think they look better with light brown sugar though.

1 large egg ( room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon table salt ( I know it’s a lot but I like how it comes out)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats ( not instant)

3/4 cup raisins

*optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In bowl of mixer, (or electric hand beater) cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the butter/sugar mixture, and stir in the oats , raisins and walnuts with a spoon by hand.

I usually chill my dough for a while at this point, clean up the kitchen and go about my business. When I’m ready I scoop cookies using a small ice cream scooper , and I am now addicted to the Silpat liners which I use for baking . If you haven’t bought these use parchment paper. ( I highly recommend making the investment in Silpat liners they are worth every penny)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and when oven is ready bake for 10 – 12 minutes. I baked for about 12 minutes actually. You’ll have to check at 10 minutes depending on your oven and how cold the dough was when it went into the oven.

Cookies should be at least 2 inches apart, or they will melt into one another. They should be golden at the edges but still a little undercooked on the tops. Let them sit on the baking sheet till they cool down ( at least 5 minutes) .

Yummy! Joel loves Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and he loved these. Great with a glass of milk, tea or coffee.

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