Baking up a storm...

...well not really.

But I baked a really big batch of cookies this morning.

Very very very tasty!

Do you bake fancy Christmas cookies?

I don't.

Some years I try to be all betty crockerish.

When it all comes down to it....they try my patience.

They are too fiddly for me. And I really don't enjoy it.

And they never ever turn out the way they're supposed to for me.

Plus, the only one who really eats that stuff around here....

is yours truly.

So no Christmas type baking done around here.

I recently came across a recipe on-line for Oatmeal Chip Cookies that looked pretty delicious.

When I went to make them this morning I discovered I was out of chocolate chips.

You can substitute in raisins and cinnamon. But I was out of raisins as well.

(someone should tell this girl to keep a proper shopping list!)

I did have some white chocolate chips though so I added them along with dried cranberries.

That's about as Christmasy as it's going to get around here for baking! :-)

The recipe makes A LOT. My kitchenaide mixer could only mix half a batch at a time.

Here is the recipe:

Oatmeal Chip Cookies

2 cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 cups packed brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups quick-cooking oats

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs and vanilla

Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Place spoonfuls of cookie dough on baking sheets. (I use my handy dandy pampered chef cookie dough scooper and then flattened the dough with the back of a spoon so they baked nice and evenly.)

Bake at 350 for 11 - 13 minutes or until lightly browned.

Yield: approx 7 dozen

Mmmmmm! They are a bit crispy on the outside and nice and soft and chewy on the inside. Mmmmmm!