Warm & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm feeling under the weather today with a myriad of allergy and sinus problems, in turn swimming in Kleenexs at this point.   I'm disappointed because we were going to have my family come over today (they live away, so it's always an exciting visit), but when I woke up with a pounding headache and trouble breathing I knew today wouldn't be a good day for that.  Unfortunately.  So we're going to try to make the visit happen next weekend!

I so enjoy when we have visitors.  Family or friends!  We love having loved ones over to our house while I fix a big meal or watch a movie with some homemade popcorn...or just whatever!  I have to admit that I'm generally a private person ( I don't just spill my problems to just anyone), but I still want our home to  have an open door!!  One day we hope this also goes for our children's friends.  We want to be the "fun house" to come to! :) 

And you know, sometimes it's nice for a girlfriend, sister or Mom to come over and have deep conversation about what going on in life over some coffee or sweet tea.  I think God wants us to be there for the people in our lives.  I know we're all quite busy these days, but when you know someone may be in need of a hug or a listening ear, they should be able to have someone to lean on.   

That someone may be you or I!

Enter these delicious cookies.

I made some of these for Mr. Cozy's parents, who came over for a really nice visit yesterday.  His dad brought his truck over so we could load up some firewood a neighbor-friend was giving us.  While they were doing all the hard work (thanks guys!!) my mother-in-love and I had a cookie with some hot cocoa and a good talk!  It was a good time! 

I decided I wanted to make some cozy oatmeal cookies!  Is it just me, or is there something almost comforting about eating a warm oatmeal cookie?

 I love them with raisins or dried cranberries or nuts, but this time we agreed that chocolate chips sounded the best!  It a perfect combo of the classic oatmeal cookie and favorite chocolate chip cookie!  I decided to add a tinge of cinnamon in these to give it the warmth I'm crazy about this time of year.  This recipe turned out great!  I have to say though, I made just a few yesterday (the ones in the pics) and refrigerated the rest of the dough, and just made a couple more today after the dough been in the fridge 24 hours.  They are better today!  They turned out a little thicker with a richer flavor!!!  So I highly recommend refrigerating the dough before baking...if you can wait that long, that is!

I wanted to show ya'll a bit of my "winter kitchen" nook with my new snowman tea towel Mom gave me for Christmas and my Cookies platter with snowflakes, that I love!  There in front of that is our pretty little red and white hot chocolate maker that was a Christmas gift from my dear friend, Shareen, and her husband.  (Check out her blog if you haven't already!  She is a lovely person all around with some delicious recipes!)  We love to make real hot chocolate on an occasional cold winter's night!  I'll have to feature it sometime. :)

I hope that you oatmeal cookie fans out there get the chance to make a batch of these scrumptious, chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on a chilly afternoon.  I know that you'll love them, too!

Warm & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

• 1 c. butter, softened

• 
  
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• 
  
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 
  
• 2 eggs
• 
  
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)
• 
  
• 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 
  
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 
  
• 1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

• 
  
• 3 c. old fashioned oats
• 
  
• 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 c. walnuts or pecan, chopped (optional)

 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.

Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

 

 Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the

 

creamed mixture until just blended. 

Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips.

 

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.

 

They will spread some, so allow ample room!

 

Bake for 12 minutes in a 325 degree preheated oven.

 

Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before

 

transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Addicting Nutella Puppy Chow & Christmas Memories to Share!

Happy New Year!
Sorry I've been neglecting my blog through the Christmas festivities.  I've really missed sharing all of the fun memories that have been made and recipes that we love!  So here I go trying to rewind and catch you up, my Friends!!!

I wanted to start off by sharing a new recipe I just made on New Years Eve!

How can you improve upon that famously delicious, snow dusted treat of puppy chow?   Well, I have a different version for you that I believe many will think is just as good, if not better!  Nutella puppy chow! I wish I thought of this confection myself, but I didn't.  I saw it on Pinterest and a couple of other food blogs that I love. 

I did tweak it a bit.  I used Nutella and chocolate chips for the base and kept the hazelnuts chopped instead of grinding them, for I like an extra crunch!  Also, I wanted to add a splash of vanilla extract because we're huge vanilla fans.  It only adds an undertone of warmth.  I revised the recipe on here to be like the one I used, and it is sooo good! 

I have it in a large tin I kept out from Christmas, so that we can nosh on it anytime we want a little sweet!  What a perfect frosted snack to start off the new year!  Now, all we need is some real snow!  (Come on, 60 degrees in January?  Eww.)  I'm sure it'll some soon enough, but until then I'm going to be here in my cozy, snowman decorated home!

Nutella Puppy Chow

1 12 oz. box wheat/corn/rice cereal like Chex or Crispix

3/4 c. butter

1 1/4 c. Nutella

1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 c. chopped hazelnuts, toasted

4 c. powdered sugar (may want more or less, to taste)

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In a 350 degree oven, roast hazelnuts until fragrant, about 7-8 minutes

Here you can grind up hazelnuts finely if you want (I chose to keep them chopped)

Put cereal in a large bowl and set aside

In a pan over med-low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter, stirring constantly

When all is melted, remove from heat and stir in Nutella and vanilla until all is mixed in

Add hazelnuts and stir well

Pour over cereal

 I used my hands to stir.  I think it's easier than a spoon, but be sure and not burn yourself!  The consistency will be very thick and take a few minutes to incorporate altogether.  Takes time, but it well worth it!

Dump the mixture into a large paper bag or a gallon sized storage bag and pour in the powdered sugar, starting with a little at a time.  Add more sugar until it's coated enough for you.  I like it to be amost white myself....very frosty looking!

This will keep for a week if stored well sealed.

Enjoy. Every. Clumpy. Morsel!

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I want to share with you some highlights of our Christmas 2011.  We were very blessed this year, being able to go home and visit all of our family!  We received more wonderful gifts than I could ask for or imagine!  God helped Mr. Cozy and I to give some great little gifts ourselves. :) *Fun*

 In our home, Christmas is truly about the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ!  I cannot thank God enough for sending His Son down to earth to literally DIE for our sins (all my sins) and redeem us!!!  Jesus is risen and I can't wait to see Him in my Heavenly home one day with my baby girl and other loved ones!

That's really what "Merry Christmas" is all about!

I have to show you the dessert table at my parents house.  Mom had all of these incredible desserts!  Well, I made the Christmas tree linzer cookies.

There was fresh coconut cake, fudge, pecan pie, Mom's famous chocolate peanut butter balls and chocolate cupcakes!

(Not seen)  Also, wassail and creamy boiled custard.

(Mind you, this is a dinner for just 6!)

There was so much goodness going around in our tummies!

  Mom's table was set beautifully.  It was an elegant candlelit dinner, complete with a little nutcracker for everyone!

The big Christmas tree at my parents.  Stuffed with oodles of memories.  And candy canes.  And lights!!

"Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go!"

It was a beautiful Christmas Eve!  I had to take a picture of the wispy, paint brushed clouds floating in the crisp winter sky!

Grandmother always sets an incredibly elegant table!  It's always candlelit and sparkly.  I love going over there for dinner on Christmas Eve! 

This next one is on Christmas morning after we've opened all of our gifts at my parents.  We've already showered and changed here. 

Christmas morning starts off waking up to my parents singing "We wish you a merry Christmas" outside the door (instead of an alarm.  No joke.  This is a long-standing tradition)!  Then enjoying a homemade peppermint mocha--thanks to my sweet mom!--wearing our new Christmas pj's (of course!) and an exciting couple of hours of opening each present one by one!   

I still LOVE waking up to Christmas morning!  I have to say it's my favorite day of the year! 

I am such a kid.

We've just arrived at my In-Love's house.  Mr. Cozy is tackling the gifts to take inside! 

(Thanks, Handsome!)

The beautiful Christmas table scape at my mother-in-love's house.  I want her eggplant walls!

I'm a happy girl!

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I have to rewind a few more days, and share with you just a few of the highlights of my family's Smoky Mountain Christmas vacation!  It was a dream vacation for all of us to get together and stay in a cabin in the mountains right before Christmas!  I can't thank my parents enough for this trip!!!   It's one we'll never forget...one of the best!!!

We very much enjoyed our huge, yet incredibly cozy cabin!

One night required a Christmas movie and some peppermint hot cocoa! 

Complete in a cute snowman mug!!

Day of shopping at my favorite, The Village.  Here I am with my mom and sister!  We're so excited!

My favorite coffee place in a little nook at The Village.  I felt as though I was in a quaint corner somewhere in Bavaria!  Or in a little gingerbread town. :)  Either way, it's my kind of place!

The beauty of the Smoky Mountains.

I love this one!

My happy parents on our little hiking adventure! I love them!

 It was so beautiful and serene there by the creek. 

Look at this amazing fireplace at Flapjacks!  We ate a big breakfast here one morning.

The Village that I loved to shop at. 

Drinking snicker doodle coffee at my favorite place!

Well, that was just a very tiny glimpse of what fun we had!  It was a trip for the decades, and a Christmas we'll never forget!

The Barefoot Contessa's Shortbread Cookies

Last night I made shortbread cookies for the very first time...this was a very good decision!

These cookies are DREAMY!!!

I chose to make Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa) recipe, because everything I've made of hers has always made me look like a better cook than I really am!  These cookies are so easy to make, and they are incredibly buttery, light and delicious!!!  My husband loves shortbread cookies, and he went wild over these!  Well, we both did!

These cookies are "deceptively light", as Mr. Cozy said, because of all the butter that's actually in them!  I've been wanting to make these for some time, so I thought what's a better time to try a new cookie recipe than at Christmas?!?

So after sugaring half of them and dipping the the other half batch of cookies in tempered semisweet Scharffen Berger chocolate we had to indulge in a couple while watching The Holiday in front of the fire last night.  Sigh. Perfect night with my hubby! 

Today we're enjoying just a couple more with milk and are now going to our neighbor's homes to deliver the rest!  What is better than receiving a surprise tin of homemade cookies around Christmas-time, and perhaps in return you get to spend a little time with people you don't often see!  After that, we will be having a wrapping "party".  Sounds more fun that way, right?!

The Barefoot Contessa's Shortbread Cookies

3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

(I also used some sparkling sugar for sprinkling)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 to 7 ounces "very good" semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

(I used about 4 oz. because I wanted to leave half the batch plain.)

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined.

Add the vanilla.  In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt.

(This sifter has seen better days...)

Add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture.

Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.

 

Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter.

 I used a 1 1/2 in. round biscuit cutter instead.

Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Put half of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.

(This method is tempering. It prevents the chocolate from burning and ensures a very smooth and glossy finish even after cooled.)

Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

 Eat up or Give Away--Either way, you'll get pleasure!