Cookie Time~Two for the Price of One!

With the heat wave behind us I can now turn on my oven! Wahooo! I have really missed being in the kitchen so my plan for the weekend was to catch up on lost time. I've roasted veggies, made cobbler and not one, but two batches of cookies! My neighbors next door moved back into their house they had been renting out, and I wanted to give them a little "welcome home" so I brought them a plate of a few of each. Leave it to me to have bad timing..I woke her up from a nap. Poor thing is probably exhausted from unpacking. I told her to have a snack and lay back down!



I have been wanting to try this first recipe ever since I bought Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours last year. I think a little thing called Weight Watchers got in my way since cookies of any kind are my major food weakness. Not that I'm not still on WW...... In fact Granola Grabbers sounds pretty wholesome and even healthy. I did use Trader Joes Low Fat Granola because that's what I had on hand and it worked just fine. It was almond flavored which was a good thing because I didn't have the almonds called for in the recipe. I just doubled the peanuts. These were great and its probably a very good thing I waited all this time to make them........TOO YUMMY!


Granola Grabbers
From Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours

Ingredients:
3 cups granola without fruits (since they tend to be dry)
3/4 cups raisins
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/3 cup wheat germ (yes I really had this in my pantry!)
1/2 cup slivered almonds (I didn't have so just added more peanuts)
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain flour

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
2) Put the granola in a large bowl and break up any clumps with fingers. Add raisins, peanuts, almonds, coconut and wheat germ and mix together.
3) Using an electric mixer, turn to medium speed and beat butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat for another 3 minutes.
4) Add the egg and salt and beat until well blended.
5) Reduce mixer speed to low, add the flour and mix just until incorporated.
6) Using a rubber spatula, mix the granola mixture into the batter until well combined. (And I mean well combined...you will end up with crumbs if you don't fully incorporate the granola)
7) Scoop out tablespoons of the dough, pack the scoops between your palms and arrange them on the baking sheets, leaving 1 1/5-inch between them. Flatten the dough slightly with the back of a spoon.
8) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies turn golden brown.
9) Allow the cookies to rest for 1 to 2 minutes before transferrin them to racks to cool to room temperature.

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The next cookie is Randy's absolute favorite. Everytime I make any other kind of cookie he says I should be making these instead. I've mentioned before that his Mom is a great cookie baker and this is one of her standbys. They have a great spiciness and are nice and soft. I have had to guess at the spices since the recipe she gave me said just that...spices, but after a bit of trial and error the official Raisin cookie taste tester has said they are right. Note: If you forget the walnuts you can stick them in the cookie when they are still warm and no one will ever be the wiser....



Darleen's Raisin Cookies

2 cups raisin, plumped in 1 cup hot water
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup chopped walnuts

Soak raisins in water while you mix the rest. Beat shortening, then add brown sugar beating well until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla and continue to beat well. Combine dry ingredients except for nuts and slowly add to wet ingredients, mixing well. Drain raisins and add to mixture along with nuts. Stir in to incorporate. Prepare your pans. I use cookies sheets with a silicone mat, but I think you could lightly grease or use parchment paper with good results. Use a spoon to scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of dough. Allow for a little spread. Cook at 375 for 11-13 minutes. This makes quite a few cookies to repeat as necessary!