chocolate chip oatmeal crunchies

Sometimes I just need to bake cookies.

And by need I of course mean want. There are about 5,093,782 other things that I need to do right now. Ok, maybe more like 5, but 5 is still a lot. It’s actually a whole hand’s worth of things! However, the only thing I actually want to do is to bake cookies. And then to eat them save them for other people.

So that’s precisely what I am doing right now, as I type, because multitasking is one of my strong points.

It has been quite the whirlwind of a week. As I mentioned in my last post, I spent last Thursday-Tuesday with friends in Boston. It was spectacular in every way. We celebrated my birthday, visited Sam Adams, explored the city, drank good beer, cooked Easter brunch, watched Disney movies, and participated in the Boston Marathon as spectators. There may have also been a game of Disney Trivial Pursuit followed by a dance party to Edward Sharpe’s Home with pineapple guitars and cat wand batons. I have the most amazing friends.

Here is a pictorial summary of food, drink, and fun sites from the weekend: Also, before moving on I must say that watching the Boston Marathon was truly inspiring. I yelled. I cheered. I shed a tear (or two). There were a handful of people from my run club, Calhoun Beach Run Club, and all of them did absolutely amazing. I was so proud to see them run by and screamed my lungs out for them. Unfortunately, with the already ridiculously loud and fantastic crowd I don’t think any of them actually heard me. But seriously, it was a truly wonderful and humbling thing to observe. It made me want to sign up for another marathon and train with my friends. Philadelphia in November, perhaps? We shall see…

From Boston I headed straight over to Buffalo, NY for work. It wasn’t too busy and it wasn’t un-fun. It was actually quite productive and successful; however, it just wasn’t home.

BUT now, as of a few hours ago, I am home. In my kitchen. Where I belong. Baking cookies.

Thursday nights are really good nights for baking. I don’t know why, but I feel like I tend to bake a lot on Thursday nights. Maybe because it’s just so close to Friday that it practically feels like the weekend, meaning I can stay up late and bake cookies. Or maybe it’s because I feel like I deserve a baked good (and perhaps a glass of wine) after almost successfully surviving another week. Or maybe because I want to bring my co-workers a Friday treat. Or maybe because it is just a random coincidence with no actual meaning behind it.

All of the above could be true. All of the above could be false. On this specific Thursday night I decided that I just needed to bake cookies.

The butter, sugar, eggs, and chocolate chips were calling my name: “Jenna, you have been gone for so long! Use us! Stir us up in a bowl and put us in the nice, hot oven so that we can turn into beautiful, delicious cookies!” Ok, ingredients. I hear you. I will grant this wish of yours.

Side note: I am not crazy, I promise.

Except that I am crazy… in love with these cookies. I didn’t stop with just chocolate chips. Oh no, not tonight. I also threw in some oats, corn flakes, and nuts. They are the perfect balance between crispy and chewy with the little hints of chocolate in each bite.

This recipe is a tried and true one that my mother has used for years. They are always present at our somewhat special-ish occasions: high school graduations, summer gatherings, road trips, etc. I once asked for a recipe and she sent me a pictures of it jotted down on the front and back of an old index card. This fact makes me love them even more. I did add a little bit more detail to the recipe, just for you.

So the next time you have the sudden urge or need to bake, make these. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. As you can see in the picture of my mom’s recipe card, they are “yummy :)”