Cookies for Breakfast

Although I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit it, I woke up this morning craving hot chocolate chip cookies. As a mother and mom-mom, I should know better than to eat cookies for breakfast. But, I have a rule about junk food: if you’re going to eat it, it’s better indulge at breakfast, so you have the rest of the day to wear it off. Luckily, I had some frozen cookie balls in the freezer, so all I had to do was microwave them for about 20 seconds, load the cookie sheets and wait about twelve minutes. Mmmmmm.

In case you’re interested in trying the cookie-breakfast thing yourself, the recipe follows:

Vanilla and Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (4 cups at high altitudes)
2 ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 ½ teaspoon soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ c. butter, softened (3 squares)
1 c. sugar
2 c. brown sugar, packed
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 cups chocolate chips
1 ½ c. chopped walnuts
¾ c. cocoa powder
1 – 2 tablespoons water

1) Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and mix until light and fluffy.
2) Add soda, salt, vanilla, and oatmeal and mix until well blended.
3) Add flour and mix well.
4) Add chocolate chips and walnuts.
5) Divide dough into two equal portions.

For Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Use dough without cocoa. Spoon ‘tablespoon size’ portions of dough onto a greased cookie
sheet, or flour hands and roll into 1” balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 14 minutes (depending
on doneness preference).

For Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies:
To one of the equal half-portions of dough add: ¾ c. cocoa powder. Dough will be stiff. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to blend the dough. Roll into balls; flatten with hands or the
bottom of a floured cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 – 14 minutes.

Note: If you like the chocolate-chocolate chip cookies best, double the amount of cocoa and add
to the entire amount of dough.

Note #2: This makes a large batch. I usually bake these two dozen at a time, and roll excess
dough into balls and freeze on cookie sheets. After dough is frozen, place in a large Ziploc®
bags (in a single layer, flat) and store in the freezer. I thaw the ‘cookie balls’ before cooking for
about 20 seconds in the microwave, flatten, and cook at 350 degrees.

Mmmm. As I write this, I’m enjoying a warm chocolate-chocolate chip cookie. What a great way to start the day! This is one way I like to ‘treat’ myself and I think that it’s important that we nurture ourselves with small treats on a daily basis. Some of my favorites are:

A mug of chocolate-mint cocoa
Cold Diet Coke® on ice with a fresh wedge of lime or lemon
Orange-ginger lotion
Lemon or cinnamon-scented candles
A hot soak in the tub with bath salts
Fresh white towels warm from the dryer
Crisp Braeburn apples dipped in a smidgen of caramel sauce
A new book
A fresh journal – I’ve become partial to Moleskine® brand
Brightly colored pens – turquoise, hot pink, hot green
Lunch out with our daughter and grand-daughters
A long walk

You get the idea. Now create a list of your own, and enjoy one of the things on the list today – just for yourself. And if you like chocolate-chip cookies, try eating them for breakfast sometime. It makes the whole rest of your day go better – and remember -- they DO have oatmeal and walnuts in them, so they’re almost a health food.

Mom-Mom