Oatmeal Crispies

A couple of days ago,while getting ready for school, Elisabeth asked if we could bake cookies when she got home. I told her I'd just used all of my chocolate chips when I made cookies for Evan. She went to the pantry and started scanning the shelves. Then she says, "That's okay, Mom, we'll make oatmeal cookies." So, I started looking for oatmeal cookie recipes and found on in my Pioneer Woman cook book (omg, I love love love that woman!).

So, as I was cooking supper, I got out all the ingredients for the cookies and let Elisabeth take charge!


The ingredients:

1/2 C. pecan halves (I used almonds); 1 C. shortening; 1 C. packed brown sugar; 1 C. sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. baking soda; 3 cups rolled oats.


I did this part (due to not wanting Ebeth near my very large, sharp Kitchen Aid knife). I measured half a cup of whole almonds.

Then I chopped them. I hate chopping almonds, but I was out of pecans. The almonds are fabulous in the cookies, I just like to whine about chopping them.


Okay, now it's time for Elisabeth to do all the work.
First, she dumped the shortening into the mixer bowl. She found this very hard to do since the shortening was so slippery. :)

Then she added the brown sugar.

The white sugar.

And mixed them together until creamy.

Next, in a small mixing bowl, she cracked two eggs...


added the vanilla extract...

and mixed them together.



Julia decided to go through the cabinets and destroy the kitchen while Elisabeth and I were busy. She is so helpful.

Then, Elisabeth dumped the egg mixture into the mixing bowl...

and mixed all of it together. (Please ignore my garbage can. Julia was putting things in it and I just continued to take pictures and would randomly redirect from across the kitchen)

Now, in another bowl, mix together the flour...

salt...

and baking soda.

Mix gently.

Add them to the mixing bowl.

Mix well.


Finally, we are going to add the chopped almonds...

and the oats. Mix for the last time.

Julia has finally decided that she needs in on this whole "cooking" thing, after opening every cabinet door (as you can see in the background).


Now, scrape the bowl to make sure there's no left over ingredients that haven't been blended.


And reward yourself by licking the dough from the spatula. This is Elisabeth's absolute favorite part and probably the only reason she ever asks to cook.

Julia would like some too!

And because she is so daggum cute, I gave her a pinch. Shhh...don't tell the uncooked cookie dough police!

Now, split the dough in half. Take one half and put it on a sheet of wax paper.

Form the dough into a log.

Wrap the dough and chill. Do the same with the other half of the dough. I put ours in the freezer for about 20 minutes. According to the Pioneer Woman, you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to one week and in the freezer for up to 3 months! I find this to be a fabulous idea.

Once they've chilled, cut the logs into 1/2 inch thick slices. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Please, try not to eat them all in one sitting. They are absolutely delicious and so light and crisp that you could probably eat 10 of them without noticing.

Elisabeth is most excited that she is the cook in this post. She would like to do another recipe and have me take pictures of her again. She's so shy, I tell you. ;)