Comfort Food

It's happening on Granny Mountain, the turning of the seasons. I have to admit, I am a winter loving person. I love the cozy feeling of home once the cold winds start to blow, I think it's because I have Missouri blood in my veins! Springfield is in southern Missouri, but winter's there are cold and snowy...and long. You need flannel sheets, down comforters and a good heat source for your house! We lived in an old house when I was growing up. When Winter set in, the windows would "steam" and "sweat" from the huge difference in outside/inside temps. I'd set in the kitchen while Mom would be cooking supper and draw on those dark windows waiting for Daddy to come home. Funny how you remember things like that. But there are a lot of good memories rattling around in this old head of mine! The cooler weather makes me want to bake, bad for me since I also eat...but I love the smell of cinnamon or bread or soup...you get the idea!

Martha Stewart's Comfort Foods Cookbook has some wonderful recipes for the kind of foods that make the house smell delicious! Things like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, potato soup, and a wonderful recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Fall is here so let the cookie baking begin!

These cookies use both white and brown sugar to give that wonderful texture and flavor to the cookie. You can soak the raisins in a little warm rum or cider to plump them if you'd like but that's not in the recipe so I don't want to confuse you!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Comfort Foods by Martha Stewart

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (I used Butter Crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raisins

Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Stir together oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Add oat mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until just combined. Mix in raisins.

Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. I like to use granulated or raw sugar to give the tops a little "sparkle."

Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days. They won't last that long!
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