This post originated in a steamy July kitchen, and cemented my belief that oatmeal cookie fans are as rabid, loyal, and sweet-toothed as they come. Original post found here.

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My daughter was headed to a pool party the other night, and I was supposed to send cookies. I opened the pantry door, and from a tall cylindrical box a man wearing a Quaker hat said “Pool party? Thou shalt need oats, of course.”

So I made oatmeal cookies.

There are as many oatmeal secrets in America as there are splattered recipe cards – everyone seems to have a grandmother’s trick or a magazine shortcut to oatmeal bliss. Me? Forget fancy training and hand-kissed organics, because I’d never abandon this pleasure: pulling back the Quaker Oats tab with a satisfying “whh-ch,” getting a nice wholesome whiff, and then turning over the recipe to make Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies.

Oh, there are more glamorous recipes, more wholesome recipes, certainly more interesting recipes. But when it comes to oatmeal cookies, I don’t mess with the oven gods. Simple is best, and tradition rules. Still – one gets creative, and on this particular day I sorely tempted Quaker man’s patience by mixing a handful of white chocolate chips into the dough. He looked at me sternly as they went into the bowl. “Dude,” I whispered, “come on. It’s a pool party.”

I say keep the base traditional – it can hardly be improved – and when white-haired guy’s not looking, throw something delicious in for fun. Here are 25 ways to trick out your oatmeal cookies – not necessarily ground-breaking, but all tasty and all in one place. I guarantee they’ll vanish.

25 ways to trick out your oatmeal cookies

1. add extra cinnamon and chocolate chunks
2. add dried cherries, crystallized ginger and a dash of powdered ginger
3. add chopped dried pineapple and toasted coconut
4. add finely chopped granny smith apple
5. add dried currants plumped in orange juice, and the zest of one orange
6. add chopped toffee bits and toasted almond slices
7. add dried wild blueberries and nutmeg
8. add chocolate chips and pecan halves
9. add white chocolate chips and toasted walnuts
10. add a few handfuls of any Trader Joe’s trail mix
11. add a tablespoon of powdered espresso and cocoa nibs
12. add chopped dried pears and white chocolate chunks
13. add chopped candied orange peel
14. add dried cranberries and pumpkin pie spice
15. add chocolate chunks and salted peanuts
16. add grated raw carrot and toasted walnuts
17. add chopped dates and toasted coconut
18. add chocolate chips, chopped walnuts & mini-marshmallows
19. add about a cup of Rice Krispies cereal
20. Chocolate-Dipped: Bake jumbo cookies and allow to cool. Cut cookies into quarters and dip each pointed end in melted semi-sweet chocolate. Allow chocolate to set, and serve.
21. Oatmeal Black and Whites: bake large oatmeal cookies and cool. Make chocolate and white icings (try these icing recipes). Frost one half of each cookie with dark icing, and the other half with white.
22. Oatmeal Faux Macarons: make small, puffy oatmeal cookies and sandwich two with chocolate ganache. Allow ganache to set, and serve.
23. Orange-Glazed Oatmeal Cookies: make a light glaze by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice, and pinch of grated orange zest. Drizzle over cookies and allow to dry.
24. Oatmeal Cookie Dip: Bake mini oatmeal cookies, and make chocolate yogurt dip: whisk one cup vanilla yogurt with one tablespoon of cocoa powder and one tablespoon brown sugar. Chill for an hour, then serve with cookies and fresh strawberries.
25. Brandied Cherry Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwiches: soak dried cherries in brandy and drain. Add to oatmeal dough; bake jumbo cookies and cool. Sandwich with good-quality cherry ice cream and freeze.

Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie

1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins (if using raisins); mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown – do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

makes approximately 4 dozen, depending on size of cookie

My family loves eggs, and I love to cook them – eggs, not my family.  Most days.  Anyway, this golden triangle works – they crave it, I provide it, everyone’s happy and what’s more, I get to sing the 1970′s “incredible egg” jingle at the stove.  Ooh, you’re gonna love it – the incredible, edible egg.

Wait!  I know, I know, Josie says it’s painful, but – there’s a contest.  Be patient.

Scrambled eggs are fast, user-friendly and a truly versatile player at breakfast, lunch or dinner.  A recent weeknight meal shows why eggs are more than tasty, they’re helpful.  We’d hosted a brunch the weekend before and had leftover bits of lox, red onions, capers and cream cheese.  Poof!  Out came the eggs and the last few bagels.  Chop, heat, scramble, dinner.


Scrambled eggs like to partner with leftovers. They won’t ignore that wallflower stub of cheddar – they’ll whisk it onto the floor. Examine this list and you’ll see the fading jar in the back, those languishing peppers, that sad slice of turkey.  Here’s their chance to shine.

Oh – and that contest? Just leave  a comment below telling me “how you like your eggs” – and for the very bored only, name your favorite post from Simmer that mentions eggs.  Winner will be chosen randomly, but…what a nice search box up there. I’m just saying.

Contest ends Friday, 9/12 at 8 am. Your prize?

This smart little whisk. Brand-new and full of eggy goodness, he awaits your mixing command.

Now, about those 25 ways.

Start by scrambling eggs in your favorite manner; I like to add a bit of milk, stir-stir-stir on high heat, then turn them over a few times to finish on low. In the last few turns, toss in any of these additions, then season to taste with salt & pepper. Unless otherwise noted, most ingredients here should be roughly chopped (meats) or shredded (medium to hard cheeses). All meats and some vegetable add-ins, like red onions or asparagus, should be cooked ahead. Let your taste guide the amounts, and feel free to mix it up – it’s an idea list, so build on it! Whatever you love might be your next successful scramble.

25 Ways to Scramble Eggs

1. scallions, sharp cheddar, sea salt & ground pepper

2. black forest ham and baby swiss

3. roasted tomatoes and fresh thyme, topped with pecorino romano

4. diced salami and white cheddar (you’ll also need 2-3 breath mints)

5. chunky salsa, black olives and avocado, wrapped in a tortilla with a spoonful of sour cream

6. nova lox, capers, sauteed red onions & cream cheese

7. corned beef, hash browns and onions

8. leftover fried rice, plus a dollop of hoisin or oyster sauce

9. chopped grilled chicken and feta cheese, lemon zest and oregano

10. cooked asparagus and blue cheese (Iowa-made Maytag is perfect)

11. roast turkey, wild mushrooms and goat cheese

12. chorizo sausage, green peppers, tomatoes and onions

13. shrimp, green onions and cilantro, topped with Thai fish sauce

14. smoked gouda and apricot chutney

15. crabmeat, green onions and cream cheese blended with a splash of dry sherry

16. cottage cheese, chopped chives, parsley, sea salt and ground pepper

17. crumbled breakfast sausage, red and green peppers, fresh sage

18. roast turkey, tomatoes, bacon and gruyere cheese

19. prosciutto, spinach and shaved parmesan, with a dash of nutmeg

20. cream corn, pepper bacon and green chiles, with a dash of cayenne

21. zorba: mixed Greek olives (pitted, chopped), roasted red peppers & feta cheese

22. green eggs and ham: a dollop of pesto, chopped spinach and smoked ham

23. buffalo: grilled chicken, blue cheese, dash of hot sauce & side of celery

24. ratatouille: sautéed zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant and onions

25. waldorf: peeled and diced granny smith apples, walnuts, blue cheese

___________

Pssst…you, eyeing the little egg whisk! Sorry, the contest’s over – but if you’re enjoying this shell game, go ahead and leave your favorite in the comments. It’s like a Grade AA Extra-Large directory down there. How do you like your eggs?

So I made oatmeal cookies.

There are as many oatmeal secrets in America as there are splattered recipe cards – everyone seems to have a grandmother’s trick or a magazine shortcut to oatmeal bliss. Me? Forget fancy training and hand-kissed organics, because I’d never abandon this pleasure: pulling back the Quaker Oats tab with a satisfying “whh-ch,” getting a nice wholesome whiff, and then turning over the recipe to make Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies.

Oh, there are more glamorous recipes, more wholesome recipes, certainly more interesting recipes. But when it comes to oatmeal cookies, I don’t mess with the oven gods. Simple is best, and tradition rules. Still – one gets creative, and on this particular day I sorely tempted Quaker man’s patience by mixing a handful of white chocolate chips into the dough. He looked at me sternly as they went into the bowl. “Dude,” I whispered, “come on. It’s a pool party.”

I say keep the base traditional – it can hardly be improved – and when white-haired guy’s not looking, throw something delicious in for fun. Here are 25 ways to trick out your oatmeal cookies – not necessarily ground-breaking, but all tasty and all in one place. I guarantee they’ll vanish.

25 ways to trick out your oatmeal cookies

1. add extra cinnamon and chocolate chunks
2. add dried cherries, crystallized ginger and a dash of powdered ginger
3. add chopped dried pineapple and toasted coconut
4. add finely chopped granny smith apple
5. add dried currants plumped in orange juice, and the zest of one orange
6. add chopped toffee bits and toasted almond slices
7. add dried wild blueberries and nutmeg
8. add chocolate chips and pecan halves
9. add white chocolate chips and toasted walnuts
10. add a few handfuls of any Trader Joe’s trail mix
11. add a tablespoon of powdered espresso and cocoa nibs
12. add chopped dried pears and white chocolate chunks
13. add chopped candied orange peel
14. add dried cranberries and pumpkin pie spice
15. add chocolate chunks and salted peanuts
16. add grated raw carrot and toasted walnuts
17. add chopped dates and toasted coconut
18. add chocolate chips, chopped walnuts & mini-marshmallows
19. add about a cup of Rice Krispies cereal
20. Chocolate-Dipped: Bake jumbo cookies and allow to cool. Cut cookies into quarters and dip each pointed end in melted semi-sweet chocolate. Allow chocolate to set, and serve.
21. Oatmeal Black and Whites: bake large oatmeal cookies and cool. Make chocolate and white icings (try these icing recipes). Frost one half of each cookie with dark icing, and the other half with white.
22. Oatmeal Faux Macarons: make small, puffy oatmeal cookies and sandwich two with chocolate ganache. Allow ganache to set, and serve.
23. Orange-Glazed Oatmeal Cookies: make a light glaze by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice, and pinch of grated orange zest. Drizzle over cookies and allow to dry.
24. Oatmeal Cookie Dip: Bake mini oatmeal cookies, and make chocolate yogurt dip: whisk one cup vanilla yogurt with one tablespoon of cocoa powder and one tablespoon brown sugar. Chill for an hour, then serve with cookies and fresh strawberries.
25. Brandied Cherry Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwiches: soak dried cherries in brandy and drain. Add to oatmeal dough; bake jumbo cookies and cool. Sandwich with good-quality cherry ice cream and freeze.

Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie

1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins (optional)

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins (if using raisins); mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. (or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper) Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown – do not overbake. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

makes about 4 dozen, depending on size of cookie