Double Chocolate Cranberry Chunkies

These are one of my favorite cookie recipes EVER. I found the recipe in a cookbook that was a Christmas present a few years back (The Great American Cookie CookBook), and it quickly became a cookie added to the list of "To Make Often." A friend asked for the recipe, and I realized I've yet to share it on here, so without further ado:

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teas. baking powder
1/2 teas. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teas. vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks or large chocolate chips
3/4 dried cranberries or dried tart cherries
Additional granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and alt in small bowl; set aside. Beat butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl of electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks and cranberries.

3. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Flatten dough with bottom of glass that has been dipped in additional granulated sugar.

4. Bake 11-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool cookies 2 minutes on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

Makes about 1 dozen (4-inch) cookies.

Note: I never make them as big as the recipe calls for, and they cook about 10-12 minutes still.

Baked Oatmeal

I added a bit of cinnamon and some vanilla extract for flavor and switched out the walnuts for almonds. Unless you really like your oatmeal sweet, I'd suggest halving the amount of brown sugar.




Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup raisins
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk 
• 1/2 cup applesauce
  
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  
• 1 large egg, beaten
  
• Cooking spray
  

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Cooking Light 
OCTOBER 2003