Today it's wind and rain. I turned the heat back on in the house, and since that wasn't doing a good enough job of warming me up, the fireplace is on, too. I think the weather is confused, because to me, this doesn't seem like spring wind and rain. This feels like fall wind and rain. The rain I can deal with, because - being a native Oregonian - it's in my blood to become immune to rain. It happens. A lot! Which is why our grass is always greener than any other state! But what I don't care to deal with is the wind. The wind makes the rain feel colder and more harsh and carries awful side effects with it. For example, yesterday, the rain caused my satellite tv to act out. Today, it's blown over my trash can and is snapping my flowers off their delicate little stems in my hanging flower baskets that Josh just bought me. I'm none to happy about that. And if that's not enough, I feel as if the weather is causing me to be moody.
The nice thing about this weather, and this is the only nice thing I can think of right now, is that because it's so cold, windy, and wet, there is a need, a strong need, to feel comforted. What's more comforting than an oatmeal cookie. It may not be a flashy chocolate chip cookie with its intoxicating smell of cookie dough, but it's the kind of cookie you can curl up with on the couch with the fire roaring while you enjoy every bite (and you're not worrying about chocolate chips melting and staining your fingers, clothes or furniture). This here cookie, is the faithful backup cookie, but revamped! This oatmeal cookie has flavor bursting out of its oats!
It's moist, warm flavors just beckon to be enjoyed. So, today, that's what I'm going to do - sit back, and relax with a non-chocolatly, but equally flavorful oatmeal cookie.
Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
6 TB unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 TB Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. If you have a silpat, line your baking sheet with it, otherwise use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Combine in a small bowl, the oats, flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy. Measure in the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla, and beat. Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart onto the lined baking sheets. Bake until the edges are golden, about 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a baking sheet for a few minutes until set, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
