Oatmeal Cookies with Variations

Photo by adriennethecook, flickr

Who doesn’t like moist, chewy oatmeal cookies? And you can add some chocolate chips or raisins or nuts to make your own signature cookie. Try this recipe…a favourite in my family for many years…and see what you think! (Parentheses are for South African readers)

Ingredients 
1 ½ cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
1 tsp salt
1 cup softened (not melted) butter (not margarine)
¾ cup granulated (caster) sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
½ tsp water
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups rolled uncooked oats (Jungle oats)

Method 
Heat oven to 375F (190C). Grease two cookie sheets (baking trays).

Sift together flour, soda, salt. In a separate bowl, blend together butter, sugars, vanilla, and water, then add beaten eggs. Slowly add flour mixture, beat together well.

Now stir in oats and whatever additional ingredients you may wish to use (put no more than 2 cups of additional ingredients in).

Drop half-teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet such that cookie dough balls do not touch each other. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, remove immediately from cookie sheet with a spatula and place on rack to cool.

Makes 6 to 8 dozen

Additions: 
1) 2 cups chocolate chips
2) ⅔ cup white chocolate chips, ⅔ cup milk chocolate chips, ⅔ cup semi-sweet (dark) chocolate chips
    (my personal favourite)
3) 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts
4) 2 cups dark raisins
5) 1 cup raisins, 1 cup dried cranberries
6) 1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (another fave)
7) 1 cup of M&Ms or Smarties
8) Reduce egg by 1 and add ⅔ cup cinnamon-infused applesauce
9) 2 cups chopped soft dried fruits like cherries, apricots, apple slices

Tender, flaky, homemade biscuits

This is a delicious recipe and easy to make. You can cut the recipe in half if you have a small family because these have no preservatives and therefore don't keep longer than 24 hours...but don't be surprised if there are no leftovers!!

Photo by dineanddish, flickr

Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
1 ½ tsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ¼ cups buttermilk*
⅓ cup vegetable oil (not olive oil)

Method: 
Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
Sift together dry ingredients.
Add 1 cup buttermilk (reserve ¼ cup) and stir, then slowly stir in oil.
Mix together until all is incorporated but do not knead.
This makes a VERY soft dough, so handle it gently.

On a floured board, pat or roll out to 1" thick.
Cut 2” or 3” diameter rounds and place on greased cookie sheet.
Brush tops with reserved buttermilk.
 Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Serve hot with butter (hint: break them open with your fingers or a fork, don’t cut them open with a knife. They are very tender and flaky inside.)

*If you don’t have buttermilk, sour milk works fine: add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, allow to stand for 10 minutes for the milk to curdle, stir and use.


VARIATION

Scones

To make scones, use the recipe and method above but add up to ½ cup additional sugar to the dry ingredients (sweetness depends on your taste) and cut at least 4” diameter rounds.

Use the scones, split, for strawberry shortcake bases, or serve them warm and buttered with strawberry jam and whipped cream for a real English-style tea.