Last weekend there was a slight chill in the air and I got fall fever. I picked out a great fall cookie, a big chocolate chip, oatmeal, cinnamon cookie. I was so excited. I started the batter, followed the recipe and then read: "Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight". So disheartning. Delayed gratification. This one is so good though. The refrigeration is important, without it, the cookies will spread way too thin - and like I said, this is a big cookie. It started to spread a little bit towards the end as my dough softened up. When you're not scooping up 1/4 cup cupfuls, put the dough in the refrigerator to help it stay firm.
Monster Chip Cookies:
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
3 cups flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 tsps baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups nuts (I omitted the nuts, as this was for me, and I can't do nuts)
In a large bowl, cream shortening, butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Sir in chips and nuts. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned and center is set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.
#356 Very chocolaty pb brownies
A shortcut creation that caused nothing but problems. My plan was for this to be a quick bake so that I could bring it over to my friend who is confined to her house since she broke her foot. I should know by now that when I try to fit too much into a morning it's all gonna go to hell. And it did. I tried to start some laundry, start dinner in the crock-pot and get this pan of brownies into the oven before walking the 5 year old to school (at 9:30). It seemed doable. But I also had to get myself ready for the day, feed the 3 little minions breakfast, get the toddler and preschooler dressed (the 5 year old is pretty self-sufficient in that area), brush teeth and hair. All was going well until the dreaded phrase of "get your shoes on". That's when my middle child, the one who knows better than any of the other three how to manipulate me, how to control me and how to break me decided not to cooperate. I'm throwing stuff into the crockpot, whipping up the ingredients for this recipe and then call down to the 3 year old again to come down and get shoes on. The 5 year old and 1 year old are ready. After the 4th or 5th time (at this point we should be half way through the 3 block walk to school), the 3 year old comes down - in her dress shoes. Experience and hindsight tells me I should let it go - no big deal (even though I discussed with her the night before how we can't wear our dress shoes to play and run around in). I automatically said "gotta take those shoes off. Put your tennis shoes on". 3 year old does take the shoes off. Then screams at me, and sits and glares. And this girl can glare (and not budge). At this point I lost my cool. We should be at school now saying goodbye to 5 year old. 3 year old will not get shoes on (I tried to force them on). So I yell out to 5 year old - get in the car, we gotta drive. I pick up the 3 year old without any shoes and strap her into the carseat. Grabbed the toddler - and we drive the 3 blocks (really it's 2 1/2 blocks) to school.
But I did get the brownies into the oven before we left - that's a win, right!?
