Cherry, Almond & Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup blanched, chopped
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats, almonds, coconut and cherries until just blended.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets, about 6 to a sheet.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes rotating half-way through. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Baklava is an impressive looking dessert.  It’s crisp sweet layers of dough encasing crunchy, salty nuts all enrobed in a honey syrup is simply irresistible.  The best part is that baklava is not as hard as it seems.  The phyllo dough isn’t hard to work with as long as you keep it covered with a moist towel in between removing sheets for layering.

You can use any combination of nuts in the baklava.  Pistachios seem to be traditional, but I have seen recipes that use all kinds of nuts.  I like the combination of pistachios and almonds here.  The amount of butter you use may seem like a lot, but you need it to get all the layers to stick together properly.  Give in.  Use the butter, and love the butter.  You know you want to.

Pistachio and Almond Baklava

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 8 ounces chopped roasted almonds
• 6 ounces chopped roasted pistachios
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside.
3. Unroll phyllo dough.  Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work.
4. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
5. Top with two sheets of dough, brush with butter, then layer with nuts after you have 6 layers of phyllo. The top layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep.
6. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan.
7. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
8. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool.

This chicken fried steak is a bit different.  It is homemade.  It is comforting.  And it is delicious. I got the recipe from a woman I met here in Amarillo.  She grew up here and remembers having this at least once a week if not more often when she was a kid.

This is beef country, people.  A great deal of the economy depends on it.  I wake up on many mornings and can smell the feed lots when I let the dog out.  My grandpa Marvin appropriately calls it the “money smell”.  Texans love their beef, but Amarillo-ans LOVE their beef.  This may be a stereotype, but it’s a stereotype that is true and in no way negative.  Beef is good, and so is chicken fried steak.

The gravy recipe is not all hers, she admits.  She once watched an Alton Brown show where he added fresh thyme to the gravy.  Intrigued, she used it the next time she made her gravy and hasn’t gone back since.  You can’t help but love Alton Brown.  He stays true to what a dish originally was and only adds to it if it really and truly makes it better.  You wouldn’t catch him adding something weird like lavender to a chicken fried steak gravy, but I am sure some ridiculous chef out there has.

Cheryl wasn’t very specific in her measurements, but I think it all turned out OK.  I am a big fan of recipe following, so the term “some flour” kinda freaks me out.  But really when you think about it, the ingredients in chicken fried steak are simple and do not require a lot of measuring.  If it sticks to the steak, then that’s how much you need.  If there are naked spots, then you need more.  Pretty easy.

I served this with mashed potatoes and steamed green beans.  A few slices of buttered Texas toast would have been a good idea, but I was not quite on top of things enough to get Texas toast when I was at the grocery store.

Here is Cheryl’s recipe for the steaks and Alton Brown’s Gravy.

Cheryl’s Chicken Fried Steak

• 4 pieces of tenderized round steak, pounded thin
• 2 cups flour
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• 1-2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2-3 eggs, beaten
• vegetable oil

1. Whisk the flour, salt and pepper in a large, wide dish.
2. Whisk the eggs in a seperate large wide dish.
3. Dredge steaks in flour, then eggs, then flour once more.
4. Let the steaks sit for a few minutes while you heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium high heat.
5. Cook steaks in oil for about 5 minutes, flip and cook for about 3 minutes more.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a 200° oven while you cook the remaining steaks.

Alton’s Creamy Gravy

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

1. After cooking the steaks, heat the remaining cooking oil and tasty bits left over medium heat.
2. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging.
3. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan.
4. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken.
5. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. S
6. eason to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.

The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.

As is my habit with Daring Bakers challenges, I waited until the last minute to make this dessert.  Thankfully I read through the recipe on Monday of this past week and realized that I would need at least 4 days from start to finish to complete it.  Each component requires your attention and an overnight chill.  Conveniently, the components can be prepared and chilled for a few days in advance.  So I made a plan for how to get this done without going crazy.

Day 1: Make the Savoriardi Biscuits (Ladyfingers)

Day 2: Make the mascarpone

Day 3: Make the pastry cream and zabaglione

Day 4: Whip the cream and assemble the tiramisu

Day 5: Consume your masterpiece

This was a fun and truly challenging dessert.  I would never have even thought to make my own mascarpone cheese if I hadn’t been told I had to!  How exciting!  Making my own CHEESE!  I did have some trouble with this task.  My cream took forever and a day to heat.

And I made the poor decision of lining my strainer with white paper cocktail napkins.  I did not have cheese cloth, I couldn’t find my coffee filters, and it was 11 pm.  I got desperate, and I paid the price.  Little bits of napkin were trapped in my chilled cheese and required some messy extraction.  Luckily, no one found any napkin pieces in their serving of tiramisu.

Other than the cheese, nothing else gave me any trouble.  I had made pastry cream before, so that didn’t phase me.  The zabaglione was a really cool thing to watch change in consistency as it cooked.  I love cooking for this reason.  Combining simple ingredients to create something altogether new is incredible.  I used brewed espresso instead of marsala wine here with great results.

The lady fingers were also something I had made before.  I was only able to get 27 cookies, so I think my egg whites must not have been whipped enough, or I folded them too vigorously into the batter.

When it came time to whip the cream and assemble the tiramisu I was in for something delicious.  I did not know how delicious until I’d combined the mascarpone, pastry cream, zabaglione and whipped cream and took a little taste of the light caramel colored cream.  It is something special.  The tanginess from the lime juice in the cheese is surprisingly perfect.    It isn’t overly sweet, it is rich and very smooth.  The savoiardi biscuits are delicate, but hold up well in the finished tiramisu.  This is a dessert I will make again.

TIRAMISU

(Recipe source: Carminantonio’s Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings

To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
mascarpone cheese mixture
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder

MASCARPONE CHEESE

(Source: Vera’s Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese

Ingredients:
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Method:

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
Vera’s notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it’d been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.
Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.

LADYFINGERS/ SAVOIARDI BISCUITS
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2″ to 3″ long) ladyfingers.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner’s sugar,

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5″ long and 3/4″ wide strips leaving about 1″ space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner’s sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Ingredients:
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk

For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don’t worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.

To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8″ by 8″ should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.

Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.

I found these donuts to be very simple and delicious.  The texture was delicate and sweet.  I liked the coating of cinnamon sugar and the contrast of soft donut to crunchy sugar.  The slight nutmeg flavor is perfect.

This recipe is from allrecipes.com and I followed it word for word.  Well, I guess I refrigerated the dough for more than an hour.  It was more like 2 hours.  But I don’t consider that a modification.  I consider it more like bad planning.  With the good results I got with the increased chilling, you could probably make the dough the night before and use it in the morning.  I love things you can make ahead of time.

Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 quarts oil for deep frying
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup white sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg.
2. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Heat oil in a deep heavy skillet or deep-fryer to 370 degrees F (185 degrees C).
4. On a floured board, roll chilled dough out to ½  inch thickness. Use a 3 inch round cutter to cut out doughnuts. Use a smaller cutter to cut holes from center.
5. Fry doughnuts in hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil to drain on paper plates.
6. Combine the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ cup sugar in a large re-sealable bag. Place a few warm donuts into the bag at a time, seal and shake to coat.  Enjoy with a nice cup of coffee.

Having so much fun with our friends made me sad to live so far away from those people, but also so very happy that we still enjoy each others company and keep in touch despite the distance.

When you travel, you are often required to eat what is quick and convenient.  Our day of travel on Sunday found us having breakfast at Starbucks, and lunch at the McDonalds in the DFW airport.  Here are my reviews of both of these fine food establishments.

Starbucks:  On Sunday morning we headed to the airport to catch our flight back to Amarillo.  We decided to pick up coffee and breakfast at Starbucks on the way to San Antonio.  I was just going to get a cappuccino and a muffin, but then I noticed that they also offered breakfast sandwiches and wraps.  I’ve seen these before, but never at a time when I needed breakfast so I had never thought to try them.

There are about 5 different options, including the Huevos Ranchero wrap that Ben ordered and said was “OK”.  I had the Turkey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich which is an egg white, white cheddar cheese, and turkey bacon on a whole grain english muffin.  It wasn’t bad, but not great either.  The bacon was kinda crispy, the egg wasn’t too rubbery, the cheese was warm and melty, and the muffin was pretty tasty with nice crunchy egdes.  It wasn’t the best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had, but it wasn’t the worst.  It didn’t leave me feeling overly full , but it didn’t leave me unsatisfied either.  I think it is the perfect size for pre-travel breakfast, and it wasn’t too greasy.  No one wants to get on a plane after having scarfed down a short stack, eggs and sausage.  And no one wants to be the person sitting next to that person either.

McDonalds (@ DFW):  When we arrived in Dallas it was 2 o’clock.  We were hungry, and since our plane left in 30 minutes, we were not about to stand in line at the Chili’s and miss our flight.  McDonald’s it is!

I was more than a little disappointed in the situation here.  NO salad.  NO grilled chicken.  NOT well stocked in the kitchen, I see.  So, I ordered a cheeseburger Happy Meal…and I didn’t even get a toy. Come on!  That is why you get the Happy Meal.  Toys make people happy.  No toy = no happy.

The burger was what you’d expect from a simple McDonald’s cheeseburger.  Plain bun, small patty, yellow cheese that is only partially melted, a splat of ketchup and mustard in the center of everything with 3 pickles (without seeds…interesting).  It was, however, comforting.  It brought me back to being a kid except that I actually liked the mustard on this burger.

I was feeling very ambitious as I began looking for recipes and was set on making a King Cake.  Unfortunately, I didn’t think that I’d have time to make one after work unless I wanted to be up until the wee hours of the morning since the dough has to rise for about 2 hours.  I should have made it anyway because with just two people, I had a much better chance of getting the baby and being Queen for a day!

I settled on jambalaya.  Jambalaya is a Creole dish with Spanish and French influences.  These cuisines were meant to be combined.  I have only been to New Orleans once.  I went with a couple friends in college the year before Katrina.  We ate great food.  There is something wonderful about the flavors and ingredients that they use that is just incredible.  I wanted to go to Emeril’s Delmonico, but we were college students on a college students budget.  We did eat beignets at Cafe du Monde and got powdered sugar all over ourselves as we drank chicory coffee.  I loved every minute of that trip.

This dish is very simple and quick.  There is no seafood in this jambalaya, but you could easily add shrimp to the mix during the last 5 minutes or so.  I would decrease the sausage to 1 pound if you decided to add about 1/2 pound of shrimp.  Another ingredient that is common in jambalaya is tomatoes.  There are none here, but I will consider adding a can of chopped tomatoes with the juice next time I make this.

The flavors are great and not overpowering or too salty.  I did not use the cloves because I thought I had some, but I was wrong.  I am sure that would have been a great addition, but it was just fine without it.  The moisture is just about perfect.  I did add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth after about 20 minutes of cooking because it looked like it would be a bit dry.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

Courtesy of Bon Appetit, 1997

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds of chicken pieces
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped green bell peppers
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 ½ to 2 pounds kielbasa or other fully cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups long-grain white rice
• 6 ½ cups canned low-salt chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to platter.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high; add onion, bell peppers, parsley and garlic to pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add sausage, bay leaves, chili powder, thyme, cayenne pepper and cloves; sauté until spices are fragrant and flavors blend, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir to coat.
4. Pour broth over rice mixture in pot. Add chicken; press to submerge in liquid. Bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper and more cayenne pepper, if desired. Serve hot.

Here we are before the day began.  The weather was great, and the snow was the best Ben has ever seen by New Mexico standards.  I had such a great time!  Who knew that I would ever get a renewed love for skiing?   This statement will come back to bite me sometime soon, but I must say this…I like to snow ski.  If Ben hadn’t encouraged me to try it again, I don’t know if I would have.  Thanks, Ben! 

Speaking of Ben…his favorite cookie is the classic oatmeal raisin.  I have become enamored of this cookie as well during our 7-year relationship.  The hearty oats in the butterery dough with tart, sweet raisins is delicious and utter perfection.  I made a few hundred of these cookies as favors for our wedding in 2006.  My lovely and incredibly helpful aunts and cousins from California came in about a week before the wedding and helped prepare the 250 packages of cookies in cute cellophane bags and tie them with blue and brown ribbon and a “Carrie & Ben” hang tag.  I found them to be adorable, but I don’t know if people even noticed them.  Oh well.  I guess there are things you make for your wedding that you put incredible blood, sweat and tears (or butter, eggs and flour) into that no one really notices…

Back to the real subject here, cookies!  Sometimes you want a plain and simple oatmeal cookie.  No extras, nothing to take away from the pure goodness of the oats, butter and warm brown sugar.  These cookies fit perfectly in that simple, no frills category.  I used a recipe from allrecipes.com with one change; I used half butter and half shortening.  I think it yields a more sturdy cookie while maintaining the lovely butter flavor.  These cookies are incredibly easy and crazy good.  The amount of salt in this recipe surprised me a bit, but it was wonderful against the sweet sugar.  A little salty-sweet is great in a cookie.

Soft and Simple Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar.
2. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.