Best Oatmeal Cookies Ever and a Pretty Stand

Oh hello. I've missed you. I've sorta been in limbo all weekend.

This is what keeps going through my head....... should I pack for our trip, organize the house for our house/dog sitters, go shopping, bake something yummy, cook a homemade meal (I've been slacking in that department), go grocery shopping, read my book, work on my window project, catch up on blog reading, clean, or do work for school. Oh, but how do you choose.

Yesterday we decided to do a bit of shopping. I didn't find anything for the house but I did find a cute embroidered skirt and a ruffly beach cover-up for the trip. I won't go into details about the worst shopping experience ever: trying on bathing suits after a winter of baking treats and then eating them all. :S

I did wipe the sawdust (basement reno) off of my elliptical machine a few nights before I went to look for a bathing suit. I had to workout like a hunchback since Alex moved the machine into the furnace room with the lowest ceiling of all time. My head only hit a pipe (probably with asbestos on it) twice. I thought a solid 20-minute hunched over workout would get rid of, you know, the jiggly bits. I guess you have to go on more than once for that to happen. Doh.

Anyway, I made the best oatmeal cookies of all time that you must try.

Oatmeal Cookie Kings

(With a few little tweaks)

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/oatmeal-cookie-kings-recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt (I use a bit less)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter*
1/2 cup shortening*
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla crush (I use 1 teaspoon of vanilla)
2 large eggs
3 cups quick-cooking oats**
3/4 cup nuts, dried cranberries, or apples
(I add 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips OR 1/2 cup coconut)

*You may use 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter rather than 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup shortening, if you prefer.

** The texture changes completely if you substitute old-fashioned (or thick oats) for quick-cooking oats.

 
Directions
 
In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, sugars and vanilla(s). Beat in the eggs, then the flour mixture. Add the oatmeal, nuts, and fruit, if using, and mix well.

Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake the cookies in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until they're a very light golden brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven, and cool them on a rack.

Makes: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

The little stand is from a local shop. It was a bit expensive but I  saved up all the loonies and toonies from in the couch and in the laundry machines and in Alex's pockets so that I could finally get it. It makes cookies look pretty.

P.S. How's your weekend going? Hope you didn't have to try on any bathing suits. ;)