Back By Popular Demand - The Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Okay, so I technically I've done this recipe before, last Christmas. But I've had several people inquire about my Oatmeal Raisin cookies of late, and I thought I'd do an updated version. So, it now features new and improved instructions and, of course, lots of deliciousness. This recipe started as a rather basic one I found in some old recipes of my grandmother's that I tweaked a bit until it was just right.

What You'll Need

Supplies

Large mixing bowl                                                     Cookie sheets

Wooden mixing spoon                                                2 Table spoons

Measuring cups                                                          Spatula

Measuring spoons                                                      Wire Rack or paper towels
Cooking Spray

Ingredients

2 sticks butter                                                            1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar                                                            1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs                                                               1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp vanilla extract                                                  1 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour                                                         3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 tsp baking soda                                                      1 cup raisins

Now Let's Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Place your 2 sticks of butter in the large mixing bowl.  If the butter is not already soft, microwave for a few seconds until it has softened but not melted.  It's very important that you don't allow the butter to melt, as this will ruin the consistency of the cookies. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the softened butter. Only add the white sugar, not the brown; this is important for the texture of the cookie. (Stop looking at me like that; it is!). Beat the sugar and butter together until butter is creamed.

Mmmmm..... Buttah!

Add the 2 large eggs and 2 tsp of vanilla extract to the mixture.  Use real vanilla extract; the fake stuff just isn't right (yes, I know it cost more; stop whining and add! *cracks whip*). Stir the eggs and vanilla in until the mixture is fairly even.  Try to use room temperature eggs.  The colder the eggs are the more likely it is that your butter will start to clump up, creating a slightly lumpy mixture.  If this happens, stir the mixture until the clumps are as small as possible (you may have to break out the whisk).  It's not a really big deal, but it will help you mix the other ingredients in more thoroughly later.

Don't those eggs really make you want to click and pull up the slideshow?

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of flour and add it to the mixing bowl.  Add 1 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg to the mixing bowl. Then, measure out 1 cup of light brown sugar, tightly packing the sugar into the measuring cup as much as possible.  When you have a full cup of tightly packed brown sugar, add it to the mixing bowl. (You're welcome to use dark brown sugar, but it changes the consistency and flavor a bit, so you might have to play with it to get it right).  Mix all the ingredients together, making sure everything is evenly distributed and there are no dry patches or liquidy spots. It a fairly dry dough, so it'll take a bit of stirring (and muscle) before you get it all mixed.

Now, add 3 cups of old-fashioned oats to the mixing bowl. It's important that you use old-fashioned only, as the quick oats or instant oatmeal varieties are just not the same and will mess the recipe up. (You whippersnappers and all this new-fangled nonsense *shakes cane*). Measure out 1 cup of raisins, packing as many into the measuring cup as possible and add them to the mixing bowl.  The fresher the raisins are, the more their flavor will pervade the cookies, and the tastier the cookies will be.  Mix in the oatmeal and raisins until they are evenly spread throughout the batter.

Spray your cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray to ensure the cookies won't stick (unless you're using a no-stick pan, in which case leave it alone).  Take your two regular table spoons; use one to get a heaping spoonful of dough and use the back of the other spoon to scrape the dough onto your cookie sheet. I prefer these cookies to be pretty big, which allows them to remain soft and chewy.  These cookies will definitely spread, so I typically do about 12 per sheet.

Spaced 3 x4 along the pan, with at least an inch between

Bake at 350F for 12-13 minutes.  I always bake one sheet at a time to ensure even cooking and prevent burning. Allow the cookies to sit for a minute or two before removing them from the cookie sheet; this will prevent them from crumbling since they're very soft. Use your spatula to remove the cookies and set them on a cooling rack (paper towels on the counter will do) to cool completely.

Voila! I now have a belated plate of Father's Day Oatmeal cookies for my Da (who's been away on his honeymoon for the actual day). The recipe makes around 3 dozen cookies, depending on size. Store in an airtight container to ensure freshness and preserve the cookies' chewy goodness.  Or, serve with a big glass of milk and nom!

   

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Okay, okay, so to eat this Irish Soda Bread, technically you have to slice up the loaf.  Semantics.  Prior to tonight, I had never had nor really thought much about Irish Soda Bread.  I've read books, plays, and the like that mentioned it, but it never really occurred to me to try making it.  Let me just say, "Thank goodness I finally did." Because, yum. I got this recipe from the back of Karen Marie Moning's Dreamfever, though I did alter some ingredients and procedures to make it better. (I also left out the book's call for wriggling Unseelie flesh.  You're welcome). Irish Soda Bread is a thick bread, leavened (made to rise) by using baking soda rather than yeast.  Traditionally the bread simply consists of the base bread; however, additions of items like raisins or nuts can be made, as you see here.  I imagine that the bread would go really well with a nice stew, since the thickness would help sop up any broth.

What You'll Need

Supplies

Large mixing bowl                                                        2 butter knives

Whisk                                                                            Small bowl

Measuring cups                                                             Wooden mixing spoon

Measuring spoons                                                          Large cast iron skillet

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour, + some for shaping              4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick)

2 Tbsp sugar                                                                 1 cup raisins

1 tsp salt                                                                        1 large egg

1 tsp baking soda                                                          1 3/4 cup buttermilk

Now Let's Make Irish Soda Bread

Whisk away

To begin, preheat the oven to 425F. Take your large mixing bowl and add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk these ingredients together until evenly smooth in texture.  You can also use a sifter and sift them together, but whisking is just as effective with a lot less hassle and is less bulky.

Cut the butter into large chunks and soften it very slightly (about 10 seconds in a microwave if it wasn't already softened). Plop that into the flour mixture. Now, if you happen to have a pastry cutter around use that (fancy pants), otherwise, cut the butter into the flour mixture using your two butter knives.  When you get frustrated with that smash the butter into the flour mixture using the whisk (cause those wires are about the same as a pastry cutter, let's face it). When you're done, run your fingers through the mixture to make sure you've taken care of any large chunks of butter.  The flour mixture should now have a course meal texture (also known as chunky flour).

Once your butter is sufficiently cut in, add the raisins to the bowl and mix them in using your hands (if you're squeamish about sticking your hand - clean I hope - in food, you'll need to get over it quick; it only gets messier).

Buttermilk

Crack an egg into your small bowl and beat the egg.  Add this to the flour along with the buttermilk.  Stir with your wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed in and dough is stiff.  Lightly flour your hands and begin to gently work the dough into a ball shape.  Do NOT knead the dough; if you over work it the soda bread will be tough. (unless of course you like to nosh on concrete) If the dough is too wet to work, gradually add small amounts of flour, working it in with your hands gently until dough is workable.  Keep in mind that you may need to wash the dough off your hands to form it completely, since the dough will stick to the dough on your hands rather than shaping.

When ready, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface (aka counter). Shape the dough into a round loaf.  Grease the cast iron skillet using what remains of your stick of butter. Just use the stick to do it, don't grease it with the whole thing). Rub the butter on both the base and sides of the skillet, but do not coat too heavily.  Place your dough in the center of the greased skillet.  Using one of your butter knives, score the top of the loaf in the shape of an X in order to open the loaf and allow the center to cook through.

Irish Soda Bread

Bake the loaf at 425F for 40-50 minutes until the bread is golden brown. You can tell if it is done by inserting a knife into the center; if it comes out clean, your soda bread is cooked.  Serve in slices with butter or along with a stew.  I for one, will be serving it next week along with Brunswich Stew. (Not the exact same loaf! Blegh.)  Mmmmmmm.  What would you serve it with?

Presented by my fabulous assistant