90 Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and one kitchen, to go, please...

Since I missed school on Friday, and since my kids were absolutely fabulous for their subs while I was gone...  I made reward cookies.  Ok, ok, all those pure-hearted teachers out there, I hear you.  Yes, I realize I am teaching them that they should expect rewards for good behavior and reinforcing that extrinsic motivation is all that matters, but... one word: COOKIE.  Mmmmmmm!  Sometimes we do somethings for the people we love just because we care and we're thankful.  This is one of those times.  As hard and crazy as my job can be, I wouldn't have one if it weren't for my kiddos, and I'm truly thankful for their attitude over the last week.  So there, they're "thank you" cookies, not "bribe" cookies =).

These cookies come from a recipe that my Grandma Horn passed down to my mom, who gave it to me (the BEST KIND!!).  My Grandma was quite the baker in her day... she always had a cake out on the counter (how, oh HOW was she so SKINNY?!), and her recipes have become something of a legend.  My Grandma Copenhaver is an amazing cook too; she's got a few recipes in lined to go up on here!

These are considered a "drop" cookie, if I'm not mistaken...  Meaning, they are shaped with two spoons and dropped onto the cookie sheet.  Also, they're easy to over-bake.  Lots of drop cookies are easy to over-bake (in my humble opinion), and they taste like dirt of you do... so there's your fair warning =)

Evelyn's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (use the REAL STUFF)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (again, use the REAL stuff)
2 to 2 & 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
3 cups quick oats
12 oz. milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Cream butter and shortening.
2. Add sugar, eggs, water, and vanilla, to butter and shortening, and beat well.
3. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into the creamed mixture and blend.
4. Slowly add oats and then chocolate chips until combined.
5. Refrigerate 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
7. Drop cookies onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes until just barely golden brown.
8. EAT all of them as fast as you can so you don't have to share. =)

Is there anything better than a counter full of cookies?!  (And wine... we're always well-stocked!)

And I LOVE my newly remodeled kitchen (you'll see real pics soon, I swear!), buuuut... I wouldn't mind cooking the lovely little gems in this kitchen:























Don't you think that would be nice?  Me too =)

Hopefully this doesn't make you drool too much this morning!  Happy Tuesday, friends!

Roasted Chicken with Thyme and Goat Cheese

Let the above picture whet your appetite for the tastiest chicken recipe I've made in AGES. I made this on Biggest Loser night last night (yes, my friends and I are nerds, we know - but reality TV is so ADDICTING!) primarily because one serving has only 325 calories!! What?! Yes, it's true. Also, I am IN LOVE with goat cheese, flavored, plain, as a garnish or straight (don't judge!), in a box, or with a fox... I'll eat it any way it comes. The original recipe comes from Cooks.com, but of course, I changed it all up to the way I like things. =)


Ingredients:

5oz. Goat Cheese
20 Pearl Onions
1 tbsp dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 can Artichoke Bottoms in water
5 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
Olive Oil for drizzling

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Slice artichoke bottoms into 6 pieces and remove skins from the whole pearl onions. Scatter in bottom of small roasting pan.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on artichokes and pearl onions. Lay chicken breast on top, salt and pepper (can you ever have enough Salt-n-Peppa? Ooooh baby baby!)
4. Sprinkle thyme over chicken
5. Crumble 1 oz of goat cheese over each chicken breast
6. Drizzle everything lightly in olive oil
7. Pour broth into the bottom of the roasting pan
8. Roast for 50 minutes or until no longer pink in center

Holy wow, we were in taste-bud heaven here tonight. This was light, flavorful, and perfectly filling. I'd suggest serving this with a brown rice pilaf and fruit salad... Mmmmmmm! And friends, that's what was on our kitchen table for two last night!