Oatmeal Cookies with Icing Drizzle

I came across this recipe for Iced Oatmeal Cookies on a favorite food blog of mine, Smitten Kitchen.  The SK blogger adapted a cookie recipe from cookbook Good to the Grain.  After following the recipe exactly the first time, I jotted down these changes.  They tested out to make the cookies exactly as I wanted them.  My changes were to eliminate buttering the cookie sheets--this makes for a more browned, crisp cookie than I prefer to eat--so if you prefer this, slather away with the butter.  I'm warning you, however, to watch cookies baked on buttered sheets very closely.  They can burn in an instant.  Additionally, I eliminated the cinnamon from the icing, and used just whole milk and confectioners sugar.  Lastly, these were made smaller than shown on SK, using the Small Pampered Chef Scoop (appx. 1 tablespoon).

Try these!  They're excellent in most any incarnation!

Cherry Almond Cookies

 For some reason, I decided I just had to have cherry almond cookies.  I couldn't find a recipe that was quite what I wanted.  Here's what I've come up with:

Cherry Almond Cookies
makes 6-7 dozen

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup oat flour*
1/4 cup ground flax seed (can be omitted)
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup sliced almonds 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Stir in almond extract.
5. Dissolve baking soda in hot water.  Add baking soda/water and salt to batter.
6. Stir in flours, flax seed, cherries and almonds.
7. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven, until cookie edges are lightly browned.

 *  Make oat flour by grinding oatmeal in the blender, then sifting out any leftover large pieces using a mesh colander.

Pecan Pie (aka: the only thing I accomplished today)

I've tried several different pecan pie recipes.  I've doctored, added and subtracted, then scratched my head and started over.  I think this is a good, solid recipe for a classic dessert.  Some things are just best kept pretty simple.  Try it and let me know if you agree!  I made a few tweaks to a recipe that claims to be that of The Camellia Grill in New Orleans. 

Pecan Pie
makes 2-9" deep-dish pies

10 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup salted butter, melted
2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup cane syrup*
2 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 unbaked pie shells
2 cups pecan halves

1.  Beat eggs with a wire whisk (I use a stand mixer to make the pie filling).
2.  Add salt, butter, syrups, brown sugar and vanilla extract.  Blend well.
3.  Pour filling into pie shells (tip:  don't overfill crusts--leave room for pecan topping and for filling to bubble while baking).  Top with pecan halves.
4.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

*more light corn syrup can be substituted for the cane syrup if unavailable