Everything But the Kitchen Sink...

I don't really post much about cookies.  In fact, I think there might only be one cookie recipe here.  That is not to say that I don't bake cookies, because I LOVE to bake cookies, but they are usually just your everyday chocolate chip variety.  Maybe a peanut butter or an oatmeal here and there.  I did bake some, can I just say it, ridiculously good peppermint bark shortbread cookies over the holidays, and although my intentions were to get them onto the blog, well....you know how it goes.  Maybe next Christmas.  Or maybe a Christmas in July post...hmmm...that sounds like a good plan...

ANYWAY....THESE cookies...happened by chance.  I was cleaning out my pantry a couple of weeks ago, and was going through my baking supplies left over from the holidays.  I had a handful of white chocolate chips in one bag, some dark chocolate in another, as well as a few wrapped caramels.  Oh, and also some toffee baking bits.  A real hodge podge....not enough, individually, for any one recipe.  But what if I put them ALL into ONE batch of cookies?

           So, that's what I did.  I threw all those leftovers into a bowl...mixed 'em all up....

                                                Put them into a very simple cookie recipe....

                                                      And....this is what I ended up with!

                                                     

                                                          Yes, please....with milk!!
                                                       

Everything But the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar (I used dark)
1 cup softened butter (you could use margarine, but, no offense...yuck. lol)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2-2 cups of whatever baking chips you want!  Go crazy!
*Btw...the cut the caramels into fourths

Directions:  Cream the butter and the sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or however you normally make your cookies).  Beat the egg and vanilla lightly in a small bowl and then add to the butter and sugar.  Combine well.  Whisk the flour and baking soda together in another bowl, then add to the mixer. Combine.  Add your baking chips and mix with a wooden spoon.

Now, here is where you need some self-control and patience.  I have found that cookies turn out so much better if you refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, even better if it's overnight.  I almost never go overnight....my patience and self-control has it's limits.

So, now after your dough is refrigerated, and you are going crazy to get your cookies made, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Drop the cookies onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets (I like to use a cookie scoop) and bake for about 10-11 minutes.  Let cool for a minute or two on the cookie sheets and then remove to a wire rack.

Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Cranberries....

So, yesterday was our first day back to school for the 2011-2012 year.  Hard to believe summer break is over...it went by so fast!!  (Not to mention the fact that it is still crazy hot here!)  I wanted to make a treat for the kids for their first day and thought oatmeal cookies sounded like a great plan (what with all the cupcakes and such going on around here lately, ordinary things like cookies haven't been on the baking menu for awhile).  But I also thought maybe I would shake it up a bit and use dark chocolate and cranberries, instead of my usual milk chocolate chips and/or raisins. (Lisa Carroll, if you are reading this...ignore the raisins and cranberries...focus on the chocolate. lol!)

Yep, they were super yummy.  Even Jackson, who is generally sketchy about anything oatmeal related, said, "Mom, you should always make these just like this."  I made half of the batch with just dark chocolate chunks, and the other half with chocolate and craisins....to satisfy all the picky people in my house.

If this recipe seems familiar to you, it's because it is the one straight off the Quaker Oats cannister...has always been and will continue to be my FAV oatmeal cookie recipe......until I find one I like better!

Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and Dark Chocolate

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups oats (old-fashioned or quick cook...I prefer old-fashioned), uncooked
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   In a large bowl (I use my stand mixer), beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy.
2.  Add eggs and vanilla;  beat well.
3.  Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well.
4.  Stir in oats, chocolate, and cranberries.
5.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls (I use my Pampered Chef cookie scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops are light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I think I'm going to go have one right now.  What good is running 4 miles a day if you can't have a cookie every once in a while, right?!

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.