Sunday, December 28, 2025

Grampa's Oatmeal Cookies

 Grampa's Oatmeal Cookies

 

Mr. Giddy, aka Grampa, made the best oatmeal cookies ever.  Soft and chewy, like oatmeal cookies should be. People who don't like oatmeal cookies, or oatmeal, or raisins, like these.


If you ask me, they don't seem so much different than a bowl of oatmeal, so feel free to eat them for breakfast.  But only if you ask me and not a nutritionist.

 INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 cup packed brown sugar (213g)

½ cup granulated sugar (100g)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups all purpose flour (180g)

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

3 cup quick cooking oats (240g)

2 cups raisins (160g)

 

1. Heat oven to 350F. (180C)
 

2.  Mix butter and sugars until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.  
     (Use an electric mixer for crying out loud, it's the 21st century.)

3.  In a separate bowl, stir the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together. 

4.  Add to the butter mixture.  Do it gradually with the mixer running on medium.

5.  Stir in oatmeal.  

6. Stir in raisins,  if you're still using the mixer, so this on slow speed.  It might get too thick and        you'll have to stir it by hand.

7. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (I use a cookie scoop) onto an ungreased baking sheet.  

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  

9.  Cool on pan one minute, remove to cooling rack.   Or a kitchen towel.   

This makes about 40 cookies.  Keep in a tightly covered container to keep them soft.

 

This was based on Quaker Oat's "Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies", the original recipe from the 80s, not the less tasty one they have now.

 

 

 

 

 

Spiked Hot Chocolate

 Spiked Hot Chocolate (AKA hot cocoa)

This is more of a suggestion, not a recipe.

Use your favorite hot chocolate mix.   

Add some cream or half and half.  

Add a shot of peppermint schnapps.  

Top with mini marshmallows or some marshmallow cream.

Seasoning Collection

 SEASONING COLLECTION

 

If you don't want a jar of everything in your cabinet, you can make your own spice blends in small quantities.  Or make large quantities, do what makes you happy.  Just keep your ratios consistent.

 

Pot Roast Dry Rub

Taco Seasoning

Garlic Salt 

Cinnamon Sugar

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Apple Pie Spice

Steak n' Shake Fry Seasoning (Copy Cat) 

 

 


GARLIC SALT

 

GARLIC SALT

Use a 3:1 ratio.  (three parts salt to one part garlic)

3 Tablespoons salt

1 Tablespoon garlic powder or granulated garlic

Pinch of parsley (optional)

Adjust to taste if it's not to your liking. 

Store in an airtight jar.   

Cinnamon Sugar

 

 Cinnamon Sugar

 

Use a 3:1 ratio.  (three parts sugar to one part cinnamon)

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon 

 

If you want it sweeter, use 4 Tablespoons sugar.  which is also ¼ cup or 50g.  

 

Store in an airtight jar.    

 

Interestingly, 3:1 is the same ratio as garlic salt, but it's best not to confuse the two. 

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

 

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

 

3 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1½ teaspoons allspice

1½ tsp cloves

Store in an airtight jar.   

Make about 16 teaspoons. (in case you didn't want to do math)

 

Good for muffins and cake, too. 

TACO SEASONING

 TACO SEASONING

 

 2 teaspoons chili powder

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

 ½  teaspoon paprika

½  teaspoon crushed red pepper, dried*

½  teaspoon salt

¼ black pepper

 

Makes about 5 teaspoons.  Use as much as you like to make it as spicy as you like.

Keep it in a covered jar, unless you want your cabinet to smell like Taco Bell.   

APPLE PIE SPICE

 

APPLE PIE SPICE

 

1 Tablespoons cinnamon

1  teaspoons nutmeg

1  teaspoons allspice 

 

Makes five teaspoons.  If you need more, make more.  Just keep your ratios intact. 

Store in an airtight jar. 

Pot Roast Seasoning

 

Pot Roast Seasoning

This is a dry rub. 

Equal parts salt, pepper, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), granulated onion (or onion powder).   

1 teaspoon each is good for one roast. 

Cherry Limeade

 The Search for Cherry Limeade

Many moons ago, longer than I care to remember, Minute Maid made a sugar free Cherry Limeade that was really good.  But they discontinued it, and I tried some other brands, but nothing was very tasty.

When all else fails, make it yourself.

 

4 ounces lime juice (1/2 cup, 118ml)  One of those little squeeze limes (4.5 oz) will work.

2/3 Cup granulated Splenda (4g) or 16 packets if you're lazy and buy it at Sam's Club like I do.

Water  to make 2 quarts.

Cherry syrup  (I like DaVinci sugar free best) 
Torani is good, and I've used sno-cone syrup.

  

You can use 2/3 cup sugar in place of Splenda if you're a purist. And fresh lime juice. I wouldn't, but you could.

Keep in the refrigerator (duh).  Pour over ice and add cherry syrup to taste.

Concord Foods Lime Juice, No Pulp, from Concentrate 4.5 oz