Recipe: Oatmeal Craisin Raisin Breakfast Cookies

If you like the chewy breakfast cookies at Wendy's, you will probably love these even more. My mom, Rose Wride, created this original recipe to copycat the cookies mentioned above, but in the process, she improved it. To learn more about my amazing home-economist, recipe-book author mother, click here.

Oatmeal Craisin Raisin Breakfast Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1-1/4 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon molasses 

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and molasses until light and fluffy. 

3. Stir in all-purpose flour, soda, salt and cinnamon until just moistened. 

4. Add the rolled oats and mix well.

5. Stir in Craisins, raisins and walnut pieces. Dough will be stiff and slightly sticky. 

6. Drop by spoonfuls about 2-inches apart on a baking sheet, and bake 12-14 minutes in a 350-degree oven until golden on the edges. The centers will look slightly shiny and undercooked. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cookies finish cooking on the pan for about five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Cook's Note:  Molasses keeps these cookies soft and chewy. Store covered at room temperature for up to one week. These cookies freeze well and maintain their soft, chewy texture--just pop them into a ziploc, and then set the ziploc on the counter to thaw 30 minutes before you want to eat them. If the cookies look like they will spread too much, stir in a rounded tablespoon of flour before baking.

Meet My Mom: Rose

My mom, Rose Wride, is one of the most talented cooks and bakers I know. Whatever gifts in the kitchen that I possess can be directly attributed to her. She cooked and baked from scratch every single day for her six children, even though she worked full time.  

She has a bachelor's in home economics, and can sew, cook, bake, invent, clean, decorate, and cut hair. As the Director of Home Economics for Vita-Mix, she wrote The Versatile Vita-Mix cookbook published in 1993. Though she now works for the USDA, she continues to test recipes and make the most delicious meals and baked goods. I wish she could run a Bed & Breakfast, or even a bakery.

She is the real deal, and her talents and gifts have inspired me since I was a little girl wanting to learn to do the same things she did well.

So when you see a recipe with my mom's name next to it, like Rose's Rolls AKA Best Rolls Ever, you should definitely try it. Her recipes will make you famous within your circles.

Recipe: Candied Popcorn

Candied Popcorn

by Heath Lee

3 bags Butter Lover’s microwave popcorn, popped

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. dark Karo syrup

1 t. vanilla

handful nuts (optional)

Remove old maids from popcorn and place in large bowl. Boil butter, sugar and Karo syrup for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. 

Pour over popcorn and stir well. Devour! 

Shake the unpopped kernels out of the bag.

Don't open the bag until you shake, shake, shake.

Use a bowl with plenty of space for mixing.

Melt butter, sugar, and karo syrup.

Consistency when it begins to boil.

Consistency after boiling 2-3 minutes.

 

Pour and stir thoroughly.

Stir until coated evenly.

Recipe: Sticky, Chewy Caramel Corn

Sticky, Chewy Caramel Corn

by Heath Lee

2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 c. butter

1⁄2 c. corn syrup

1 t. vanilla

20 c. popped popcorn (microwavable)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over popcorn, stirring until thoroughly blended.

Cook’s Note: Heath’s trick is to use microwave butter popcorn because it adds a burst of butter flavor. You know you want to make some!

Shake unpopped kernels from bag...

...before opening the bag.

Start with microwave popcorn, butter flavored.

Pour, stir unto coated evenly, and enjoy.