The baking experience

So the other night I really wanted to make cookies. And not the kind you buy in the dairy section of Publix and then break apart and bake. No, I wanted to try cookies from scratch! (Ok, I'm not sure if they were technically from scratch. I mean, I didn't make the flour or anything. So what does it really mean to say you made something from scratch?? That should be a topic for another day). So my cookie experience began with picking Lacy Oatmeal Cookies out of the Mrs. Fields Best Ever Cookie Book! On a side note, this is a great book - so many cookies to choose from!

The last time I tried baking cookies - several years ago - they came out disasterous. Maybe it was because I almost put actual coffee grinds into the batter rather than instant coffee, which the recipe actually called for. I don't remember what else went wrong with that recipe, but needless to say, my dear husband told me "please, do not bake again." So I took his advice . . . until now. With all of the cooking I've been doing lately, I thought maybe it was about time to try my hand at baking again. Well, I did have some issues . . . but at least I didn't mess up the ingredients. That's a step up isn't it?! Ugh - maybe I'm just not cut out to bake!

Lacy Oatmeal Cookies
Yields 8 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup quick oats (not instant)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar (and this is why I don't make my own cookies - you have to actually see how bad they are for you!!!)
1 stick salted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Cover cookie sheet with foil, then coat with nonstick vegetable spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.



3. In a large bowl, combine sugar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed to form a grainy paste. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and blend just until combined.









4. Drop dough by teaspoons onto cookie sheets, 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Let cool, then peel off cookies with your fingers.

**Um, ok, so here is the photo of my first batch. As you can see, they sort of spread together . . . like a cookie cake. I guess I put too many on the baking sheet at one time. Well, they may not look pretty, but they sure did taste good!



Here is my second batch - well, really my third batch. My second batch sort of burned a little - I put them in for 12 minutes. So this is my third batch, which was put in for only 9 minutes! I also only baked 5 cookies at a time so they wouldn't spread into each other. Perfecto!



5. Be sure to respray the cookie sheet between batches.

So I had some complications again. But, I think that with some more practice I may be able to nail this baking thing! They did turn out delicious!!!