Chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies

I buy the large cans of oatmeal only because I love oatmeal cookies. Plus, if you put oatmeal in cookies that makes them healthy, no? My recipe is based upon one I found online that says theirs was based on a Test Kitchen recipe. I haven't verified that but I thought I'd just let you know. I have also halved the recipe. We make cookie in our house in half batches a) because 2 people shouldn't eat an entire batch of cookies in 2 to 3 days (and who are we kidding because we so will), and b) I'm too lazy to form and place that many cookies on the trays and rotate them through the oven. I'm not sure what it is. I love to mix cookies, but hate to get them on the trays.

Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cups dried cranberries (I used Trader Joe's dried cranberries with orange flavor)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cocoa powder. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer until creamy. Mix in granulated and brown sugars. Beat for 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in egg. Using a wooden spoon mix in dry ingredient mixture. Stir in rolled oats and cranberries. I would also add in chocolate chips here, but I didn't have any. It could use a stronger chocolate flavor.

Keep your baking assistant away from mixed cookie dough. She ate about 3 cookies worth of raw dough. Don't worry. You've got a better chance of being struck by lightening than you do dying from eating raw cookie dough.

I scooped out 2 tbps of dough, rolled into a ball and placed them 2 inches away from each other. Next time I will make the dough balls bigger and much closer together. These cookies do not spread much as the cook. Use parchment paper or Silpats to keep cookies from sticking to the tray. Use magnets to keep your parchment paper from rolling while you add cookies. Remove magnets before baking. Duh.

At this point I would like to say that if you are baking cookies and do not own a roll of parchment paper or Silpats you are missing out. I spent years scraping (and ruining) cookie sheets and even hesitated to make cookies fearing the clean up. Go get some. I love mine.

Bake cookies for 16 minutes at 350. I recommend eating them warm. Not that they are bad once cooled. They're just so much better still warm.

Shameless picture of the apron that I made and love. I make big messes when I'm in the kitchen.

Green salsa

15 or so tomatillos
2 sweet onions
2 or 3 hot peppers
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt to taste

Makes roughly 2 1/2 cups salsa.

Remove papery husks from tomatillos and cut into meduim size chunks. Remove stems, too. Cut up onions the same size as well as the peppers. Make sure to remove stems and seeds from peppers. Use caution when cutting peppers. Don't rub your eyes and consider using gloves.

Put all veggies in a Pyrex roasting pan. Broil in the oven. Stir occasionally. Continue until the veggies begin to blacken then remove.

Use a blender, wand mixer or Cuisinart to blend to a desired texture. I prefer it to be uniform and smooth. Salt to taste and add cumin. Eat.

Can be eaten with chips, put on tacos or put on chicken before cooking.  Or with a spoon. I don't know how well it stores or freezes as we rarely don't consume it all.

As always feel free to add and subtract veggies and/or seasonings to your own tastes.