Happy St. Patrick's Day

I'm not Irish, and I don't have a repertoire of Irish recipes. (Although my dad says that because he's English we must have some Irish in us, go figure). But, since it is St. Patrick's Day I felt like I should make something that feels Irish. I've never been to Ireland, but I have spent some time in England and Scotland. Yes, I know they are different, and I'm not trying to lump all English, Scottish and Irish people into the same group. However, when I think about my visits to those places, I often think of pub food. I think pub food definitely has its place on St. Patrick's Day. Tonight I made shepherd's pie. This is a turkey shepherd's pie, which is a departure from the traditional lamb shepherd's pie (with my variations on Art Smith's recipe in Back to the Table). But, being pregnant and all I'm trying to keep things on the lighter side. If you want a lighter yet still very tasty version of this comfort food, I hope you will try this.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 pounds ground turkey
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, cut into half-inch cubes
2 celery ribs, cut into half-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with their juices
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover by 1 inch with cold, lightly salted water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, add olive oil to large skillet or dutch oven and cook the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic over medium heat, with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the turkey, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, break up with back of wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, peas, chile powder, cumin, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to simmer. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Transfer turkey mixture into 13 x 9 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Mash the potatoes in the pot with buttermilk and butter, adding a few extra tablespoons of buttermilk if necessary to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 tablespoons of chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. (The turkey mixture and mashed potatoes can be made up to this point several hours ahead and refrigerated separately. Place the mashed potatoes in a glass bowl and allow both the turkey and potatoes to come to room temperature before covering and refrigerating. May need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.)  Spread mashed potatoes over turkey and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until juices are bubbling and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining chives and serve hot.

Serves 8

In keeping with the Irish theme I wanted to make something for dessert. Scanning the pantry I decided to make oatmeal shortbread (my adaptation from Martha Stewart's website). This shortbread is very easy to prepare and has a light, crumbly, buttery texture. It's great on it's own, perhaps with a cup of tea. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm pretty sure you could take it to the next level by crumbling it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream with fresh blackberries. I may just have to go to the store to get some...

Oatmeal Shortbread

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons old fashioned oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place oats on baking sheet and bake until very lightly golden and fragrant, about 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. Place 1/2 cup cooled oats, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and process until finely ground, about 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 8-10 pulses. Place the mixture into an un-greased 9 inch cake pan. Press firmly into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with remaining oats and press them gently into the dough to adhere. Bake until lightly browned and firm, about 30 minutes, rotating the plan halfway through baking. Remove from oven and immediately score into 12 wedges with a paring knife. Allow to cool completely in pan. Once cool, cut all the way through along scored lines and remove from pan. Will keep in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Makes 12 shortbread cookies

At the Farmers' Market

When I got pregnant, everyone kept telling me that total strangers would touch my belly. Luckily this has only happened once so far. The woman who did it was coming out of a restaurant bathroom as I was going in, and she seemed a little tipsy so maybe her inhibitions were down. So, fortunately I've escaped the hands of strangers on my belly up to this point. The thing I wasn't prepared for was people staring at my belly and asking questions. I notice this the most when I'm at the Farmers' Market. There are a lot of older, retired folks shopping there, and they often want to ask me about my pregnancy. Some of the questions are silly, such as "Have you got a little one in there?" "Yes," I answer thinking "obviously I'm having a baby, either that or stealing a watermelon."  They want to know what I'm going to name the baby, when I am due, and whether or not this is my first child. Although they will sometimes talk to me for a while as I am quickly trying to do my shopping, I don't mind these little inquiries. There is excitement in their voices as they ask me these questions, and the questions are almost always followed by stories about when their children and grandchildren were born. The overarching theme in all of their stories is that time goes by too fast. They say things like, "It seems like only yesterday I had my daughter and now she has a daughter of her own." And they are right, time does go by too fast. The other day I cried at a wedding when the groom danced with his mom, thinking that will be me and my son one day. I know, I know that is still really far away. But, I appreciate the insight, concern, and joy on the faces of the older folks at the Farmers' Market. They serve as a good reminder to enjoy this stage of my life - the tiny kicks of my baby, preparing his room, daydreaming about what he will be like.

Speaking of the Farmers' Market, there were fabulous lemons there this week. They were a really good deal, so I bought a bunch. I also needed a dessert to take to my small group, so I decided to make lemon bars. These are my favorite lemon bars, my variation on a version I found in Bon Appetit Magazine a few years ago. They have toasted coconut in the crust. Yum! And I've found that even people who don't like coconut like these lemon bars.


Lemon Bars 

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
6 tablespoons cold butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes 

Filling
1 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
5 teaspoons grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt 

For serving
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 x 8 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang (which will help you remove the lemon bars later). Butter pan and parchment. Toast coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Place flour, sugar and salt in food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add cooled coconut and butter and pulse until mixture begins to clump together (it will not form a ball). Place mixture into prepared pan and use fingers to press evenly over bottom of pan. Bake until crust is very lightly golden at edges, about 25 minutes.

While crust is baking, combine all filling ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Once crust is baked remove from oven and pour filling over hot crust. Return to oven and bake an additional 30-35 minutes until edges are lightly golden and filling is just set and springy to the touch in the center. Transfer pan to rack to cool completely.

Using the parchment sling as an aid, transfer the bars to a cutting board. Gently remove the parchment and cut bars into 16 squares. Sift powdered sugar over bars. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Makes 16.

Note: The powdered sugar will be absorbed by the bars after a couple of hours. If not serving the same day, wait and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Easy Cuban Favorites

I used to work for a Cuban woman who is still a close friend. Although I liked Cuban food before I met her, she brought my appreciation for it to a new level. When she traveled to Miami she brought me a small device to make Tostones (twice-fried plantains), special spice mixes loaded with garlic flavor, and robust Cuban coffee. When I got married, she gave me a Cuban cookbook entitled Memories of a Cuban Kitchen by Mary Urruita Randelman. This is a great cookbook filled hundreds of classic Cuban recipes that include Randelman's family's favorites, as well as stories about her family and life in Cuba as a small child. When I open this book, I feel like I have the chance to sit down with a Cuban family and learn more about the culture through its delicious food. I have enjoyed all the dishes that I have prepared using this cookbook, but the recipe I return to most often is one of the most simple. Crushed Potatoes. Potatoes are simply boiled until tender, then crushed and fried in olive oil to produce a golden crust on each side. Topped with parsley, red onions and coarse sea salt, they are delicious. They are great really with any meal in which you might want to have a potato side dish, so I encourage you to try them even if you are not making Cuban food.

Crushed Potatoes

6 medium size new potatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan over medium-high heat boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and place on a clean kitchen towel. Pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet (preferably cast-iron to achieve a great crust) by about 1/4 inch, and heat over medium heat. While the oil heats, cover a potato with a second kitchen towel and press gently with the palm of your hand until you hear the potato crush and it has flattened a bit. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Using a spatula, transfer the potatoes to the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. (Don't worry if some pieces of potato fall off; it will all get golden and crispy, so it won't really matter how intact they remain). Remove and place on serving platter. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley, onion, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 2-3.

Since I'm in the Cuban mood, I also want to include the Avocado Salad that I make quite often. This recipe does not appear in the book, but I order it everytime I go to Versailles in L.A. It's simply an avocado dressed with vinegar and thin onion slices. You hardly need a recipe, but here's how I make it:


Avocado Salad

1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/4 red or white onion very thinly sliced
Red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Lay the avocado slices on a plate. Top with onion. Drizzle with a little bit of vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serves 2.

Game Day

Roy always requests this dip. So, on Super Bowl Sunday, he of course asked that I make it. Good thing that I love this dip too. Think of it as a creamier version of hummus. It only takes a few minutes to make, and I usually have most of the ingredients on hand. I especially like it with Giada DeLaurentiis' version of pita chips, which is included in the recipe below.

White Bean Dip with Pita Chips

1 15 oz can cannellini beans
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup lightly packed basil leaves
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 white or whole wheat pita breads (I used whole wheat in the photo)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Place in single layer on baking sheet. Brush one side of the pita with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, turn pitas over and bake another 8 minutes until they are golden and crisp. Set aside to cool. 

Drain and rinse the cannellini beans. Combine the beans, basil, lemon juice, and garlic in food processor and pulse to combine. With machine running, slowly add the 1/3 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon).

Makes 4-6 appetizer servings.


Note: Once you've made this dip a few times you won't even need to refer to the recipe. Basically, you just need to throw in some beans, lemon juice, an herb, and garlic. I often replace the basil with flat leaf parsley which is also delicious. You can replace the cannellini beans with garbanzo beans. You can adjust the garlic and lemon to your liking. This dip can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. The pita chips can be made one day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

For Dinner This Week

My pregnancy progresses. My energy level is getting a little lower each day, so I haven't been planning out a lot of meals ahead the way I normally do. However, I was watching a rerun of Barefoot Contessa the other day and saw her make this amazing looking butternut squash salad. I knew I had to make it soon, so I picked up a butternut squash at the farmer's market earlier this week. It turned out to be very tasty, so I thought I would share it with all of you. I know I will definitely be making this again.

Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad

3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch dice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
6 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 small shallot minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 cups lightly packed baby arugula
1/4 cup toasted pecan halves (Ina Garten used walnuts, but I had pecans on hand. Both will work well.)
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place butternut squash on sheet pan. Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the squash evenly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until squash is tender and lightly browned, turning once. During the last 5 minutes of baking, scatter the cranberries on the baking sheet. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the vinaigrette.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat combine the apple juice, vinegar and shallots. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture is reduced to 3 or 4 tablespoons, about 6-8 minutes. Off heat whisk in mustard, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Place the arugula in a large bowl, and add the squash and cranberry mixture and pecans. Drizzle with the warm vinaigrette to coat. Toss and divide between two shallow bowls or plates. Top each serving with half of the parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Serves two as a substantial side salad.

I Heart Swiss Chard

I love swiss chard. I could eat it every week and in any preparation. A bonus is that it's very nutritious, so I feel good eating it too. I should also mention that I'm five months pregnant.  While I enjoy healthy foods, I've been trying extra hard lately to make sure that the baby and I are getting plenty of fruits and veggies. I was at the Farmer's Market earlier this week, and there was some beautiful chard there. I was also in the mood for something Mexican, so I remembered the swiss chard tacos my mom had made from her Rick Bayless cookbook. I know it sounds like an unusual filing for a taco, but it's delicious. Rick Bayless knows what he's talking about. Here is the basic recipe:


Swiss Chard Tacos

1 large bunch swiss chard
1 large red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, depending on your taste
12 corn tortillas, preferably freshly made from a Mexican grocery store
1 cup Queso Fresco or any crumbly Mexican cheese (Feta also works well and is what I used in the photo)
Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa, recipe below

Rinse the chard and cut out the tough center stems. Pile the remaining chard leaves and cut crosswise into 1 inch strips. Set aside. Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions. Saute onions until they start to become golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and stir for one minute. Add swiss chard, 1/4 cup of water and pinch of salt. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Remove lid, return the heat to medium and continue cooking the chard until the water is evaporated. Add additional salt to taste.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas. The easiest way is to wrap the entire stack in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic freezer bag. Do not seal the bag. Microwave on high for one minute or until steaming hot. Transfer to tortilla warmer or plate with another plate placed on top to act as a lid to keep warm until serving. Fill the warm tortillas with some of the swiss chard mixture, a sprinkle of cheese and a spoonful of salsa.

Makes 12 tacos. 


Note: This is a great light meal, and I like to serve with some black beans and avocado on the side. Also, if your husband is a meat eater and keeps commenting on how great the tacos are, but that they would be even better with some meat, feel free to add some shredded chicken.


Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa

8 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, still in paper skins
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place tomatillos and garlic in broiler-proof baking dish. Place under broiler until charred and softened, about 10 minutes, flipping over halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove garlic cloves from their papery husks. Place garlic, tomatillos and any juices from the pan into a blender. Add chipotle chilies and salt. Blend until smooth (be sure to take the cap out of the top of the blender to allow steam to escape). Season to taste with additional salt if necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use. This makes over 2 cups meaning you'll have extra to use later. Try on scrambled eggs in the morning.

Chocolate Pecan Macaroons

After all the holiday indulgences I've been wanting to eat lighter, healthier food.  However, I was having a sweet craving the other day, so I had to come up with something that was light but would satisfy my sweet tooth. I had some coconut in the refrigerator leftover from some holiday baking that I had done. So, I decided to make my go-to macaroons. I saw this recipe on Martha Stewart's Everyday Food on PBS a few years ago, and I've made a couple of tweaks to the recipe. These macaroons are ridiculously easy, and made without butter, flour or egg yolks, they are a bit lighter than other cookies I could have made. So, if you are in the mood for something sweet but don't want to totally abandon some of your new year's resolutions, try these.

2 eggs whites
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
36 pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a standard muffin pan with cooking spray.

In medium bowl whisk together the egg whites, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until combined. Add the coconut and chocolate chips, and gently stir with a fork until all the ingredients are well combined.

Spoon the mixture into the pan, dividing evenly. Moisten your fingertips with some water and gently pat down the mixture. Arrange 3 pecan halves on each portion, pressing them down slightly to adhere.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until pecans have begun to brown and cookies are set. Cool 10 minutes in pan on wire rake. Use a small knife to loosen the edge of each macaroon. Place them on the wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 macaroons.

These can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Pesto Please

If I was left in charge of the plants at my house, everything would be dead. While I can cook, I can't grow anything to safe my life. Even those house plants that are supposed to be fool-proof seem to die under my care. Fortunately, Roy is a good gardener so we have some lovely plants both inside and outside of our home. He always makes sure to grow some edible plants for us to use in the kitchen - a variety of chilies for him to make salsa with and some herbs for me. Every year he manages to take care of three large basil plants that provide us with an abundant amount of the vivid green leaves. 

This means that during the summer I make a lot of pesto, and we eat a lot of pesto.  I know that many people freeze their basil and/or pesto for use throughout the year, but we somehow manage to eat it all during the summer. That may have something to do with the fact that Roy and I would be happy to eat it every other day.

It's now December and I haven't thought about pesto recently as our plants are finished for the year.  However, the other day I was watching Lidia Bastianich make pesto on TV and I was practically drooling. I really felt a strong desire to have pesto after that. Luckily, we had some friends come over on Sunday, so I had a great excuse to make pesto. And, basil is available year round in my market so it was easy to pick up some.

I grew up eating pesto, and my family has always followed this basic recipe:

Basil Pesto

2 1/2 cups lightly packed basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet or oven until lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Place the pine nuts, garlic, and basil in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Add the cheese and pulse just to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes enough pesto to dress one pound of pasta. 

Note: This pesto is on the thicker side, which means that it lends itself well to other applications such as spreading it on a crostini. When you use it to dress pasta, you may need to add some of the pasta cooking water and you will want to add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon or two of butter. Yes, I said butter. I know that is not traditional at all for pesto, but my mom always threw in a pat of butter right at the end. Linguini is my favorite pasta to have with pesto, but this will work on any shape.

My Favorite Cookie, Two Ways

Mom’s Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone’s got a favorite cookie, and you probably love the ones your family made. Well, these are the cookies I grew up on. We ate them all the time. This cookie dough was always in the freezer, ready to be baked at a moment’s notice. Eating them fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk is pure bliss. And it’s not just my family who likes them. I’ve made them for countless people and everyone has loved them. I even made them to take to a friend’s BBQ last summer where I saw a guest eat one, and then proceed back to pile seven more in his hands. I’m not exaggerating! To me these are the quintessential chocolate chip cookies. No matter what your favorite cookie is, I’m sure you will like these.

1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pound brown sugar

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla

3 eggs

6 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 12 ounce package milk chocolate chips

1 12 ounce package white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Using a stand or hand held mixer beat the butter and sugars together for 4 - 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. On low speed slowly add the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Drop the dough in rounded tablespoons onto the sheet spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool on sheet five minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Once cooled, these cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for several days.

Makes about 7 dozen cookies

Notes: This obviously makes a lot of cookies. You will definitely want to freeze most of the dough. I usually bake a dozen, and then lay out 5 or 6 pieces of wax or parchment paper and divide the dough onto the paper. Wrap the dough portions in the paper and store in a freezer bag in the freezer. These will last for several months in the freezer. When you are ready to use, simply let the dough portion thaw in the refrigerator. Also, my mom and I agree that the cookies actually come out slightly better after the dough has been frozen. It’s like all the ingredients had a chance to get to know each other in the freezer.

It’s important to use the best quality ingredients you can find. Good chocolate chips really make a difference here. I also find that cookies in general come out better when I bake them one sheet at a time instead of two. 

The $20,000 Cookie

A couple of years ago I ran across a recipe in Bon Appétit that was very similar to my mom’s cookies except that in addition to three types of chocolate chips, this cookie also had oatmeal, cinnamon and fresh cranberries. “This is the holiday version of mom’s cookies!” I thought excitedly. I knew I had to make these cookies as soon as possible.

Well, I ended up making dozens and dozens of these cookies that Christmas. At the time I was working at a non profit that did community development with youth and families in an urban community. I was in charge of fundraising, and we wanted to think of a way to visit our donors and wish them a Merry Christmas. The CEO and I decided that it would be a nice idea to bring a small gift with us on each visit. I decided that homemade cookies would be the best. Over the course of a couple of weeks we visited 20 donors, and each night I was making cookies for the next day, plating them and wrapping them in cellophane.

We had wonderful visits with each of our donors, but one stood out above all the rest. We visited one man at his office. I handed him the plate of cookies and he invited us to sit down in cozy leather chairs and chat for a while. As we were preparing to leave he got out his checkbook and wrote us a check for $20,000. We were blown away! While I’m sure that the generous donation had more to do with our efforts in the community than my cookies, those cookies became known as the $20,000 cookies at our nonprofit.

That was several years ago, but I continue to make those cookies every Christmas. While mom’s cookies suffice most of the year, the oatmeal, cranberries and cinnamon make for an extra special cookie around the holidays. As this recipe makes about five dozen cookies, I also freeze most of the batch when I make them. Having the dough in the freezer saves me a lot of time if we have visitors around the holidays, or I need to bring something to a party.

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups old fashion oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. Using a stand or hand held mixer beat the butter and sugars together for 4 - 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. On low speed slowly add the flour mixture and oatmeal until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Drop the dough in rounded tablespoons onto the sheet spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool on sheets five minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Once cooled, these cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for several days.

Note: The original recipe in Bon Appétit says to drizzle the cooled cookies with melted chocolate. I did this when I made the cookies for the donors, but typically I don’t bother with it. If I’m giving the cookies as a gift, it’s a nice touch. You may want to consider it if you want to make the cookies look a little more special for any reason. Simply melt a couple of ounces of white or milk chocolate in the microwave (stirring every 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn), or over a double boiler. Then transfer the melted chocolate to a small zip lock bag with a tiny hole cut out of the corner. Squeeze out the chocolate to drizzle over the cookies.

Enjoy!