Baking Up A Storm!

Happy Sunday to you! I wanted to share my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with you. Also, I really wanted to test out my new apron that I made:

What do you think? I love ruffles! I think it will be perfect for Thanksgiving too - I can wear it around and look cute, and also have somewhere to wipe my hands.

Anyway, back to the cookies. I like this recipe because you only need one bowl for it - no mixing the dry ingredients in one, and the wet in another - it all goes in one pot! Less dishes, in the end.

Its from my favorite cookbook too - The Great American Bake Sale by Alison Boteler. Highly recommended - I have had this book for probably 15 years, and everything in it is awesome. My much loved copy is a bit worse for wear, and being held together by tape, but I think that gives it character. Each chocolate sploch is a battle scar.

The oatmeal in this recipe gives it major substance too - heartier than plain cookies and adds some fiber too!

Another reason I wanted to make cookies was to use out my new cookie scoop! I love it! Totally worth way more than the $1.29 I paid for it - thanks Ocean State Job Lot!

Much less mess, and the cookies came out very uniformly. Would be perfect if I were making homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches, since they would all be the same size! Note to self: make those soon.

As you can see my cookie sheet has been through the wringer but it works just fine.

Ta da! I like to take my cookies out just before they look done - they cook a little more while they are cooling on the pan and it keeps them nice and moist.

Oh yeah, the recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

6 oz package semisweet chocolate chips (actually, I used the whole bag)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed 1-2 minutes. Stir in oatmeal, nuts, and chips. Drop by well rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool 2 minutes then transfer to racks with spatula.

Enjoy! This recipe is a keeper. My cookies are not however, for me at least - I'm sending them off to a certain gentlemen who has a birthday this week!

I'm really loving this apron! I must make more - my own design! No pattern, even. What do you think? Should I do a tutorial?