He told his mom about how good these cookies are!!!

My mother in law makes wonderful desserts. As the matriarch of the family she enjoys baking her yummy delights for her family on special occasions almost as much as she enjoys telling you "No" when you ask for her recipe. To be honest most of her recipes are on brittle pieces of paper with really vague directions only she would  understand anyway. Not to mention I think they are just suggestions for how to bake this or that.
She is an Old School baker, you know, the kind we all aspire to be. Maybe that will put into perspective on just how giddy I was when I mentioned my new cookie recipe to her and she informed me my husband had already been bragging about them. I felt like I was about to fall over, or jump up to do a jig, or cry tears of joy. As I am sure some of you wives know that feeling of finally comparing to your mother in law's kitchen skills. That moment when you gain that notch on your apron strings! It's empowering for sure. Needless to say I am proud of myself enough to share this recipe with you.

My oatmeal cookie recipe, I now proudly refer to as my, He told his mom how good they are, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies is as follows:


Ingredients

1 Cup Salted Butter (softened)
2 Cups Turbinado Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3 Cups Rolled Oats
1 1/2 Cups Raisins

Preheat oven to 350*
In a mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time then add in vanilla, scraping down the sides of bowl with rubber spatula as you go.
In a separate medium bowl, mix flour salt and baking soda together. Add into butter mixture in thirds making sure to scrape down sides each time. Mix till just blended. Add in oats and raisins and mix until incorporated.
Using a cookie scoop or large tablespoon, place cookies an inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or so. Keep an eye on your cookies and take them out when you think they are just underdone. They will  have give when you push down on the top. Let the cookies set up for 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks.

This recipe makes approximately 64 yummy cookies

Honey Oat mask

Its winter time and that means winter dry skin. Here in Oklahoma the wind comes sweeping down the plains to make your skin even dryer. You could bathe in lotion and still get dry skin just looking outside. Needless to say my face has not been as soft and smooth as I like.  Whats a woman to do? The answer is: freak out everyone in your house by putting food on your face.

Honey is great for your face because:

Clarifying- Opens pores for gentle cleansing

Anti bacterial- Good for blemishes

Anti Oxidants- Fights free radicals that lead to aging

Moisturizing-  Soothes dry skin 

Some of the reasons Oats are good for your skin:

Moisturizing- oatmeal contains healthy fats great for skin 

Healing- can help heal small abrasions

Soothing- helps relieve that dry skin itch

Cleansing- gently cleanses pores

This mask is gentle enough to use several times a week. The longer you leave it on the better. I would at least keep it on for 15 minutes, but you could go for 30 if you have the time. It is messy so stay somewhere that you can easily clean up drips. You could also just do this with the just honey or just the oats mixed in enough water to make a paste and still have a great way to heal and pamper your skin.

Love,

Ashley B.