Wooden Spoon Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know when you go over to a friend’s house for a meal and you say “this is so good, can I have the recipe?”  90% of the time it gets lost in the car, amongst receipts, or maybe you didn’t like it THAT MUCH.  But then there are the times that you really mean it!  These cookies were from a specific childhood memory.  It’s kind of fuzzy, but the stories always get better that way right? 

It was a typical Monterey day, grey morning with expected afternoon sun.  It was summer, because we didn’t have school, and we were all going with mom over to Kristen Thurlby’s home in Carmel, CA.  She had such a natural way about her.  She took special interest in us kids, and we remembered that.  I remember she made this KILLER corn salsa, which would have been enough worth remembering, but more was to come.  We had a pleasant lunch, we sat well behaved and engaged in the adult discussion when we could.  Then she got out her oboe and played it for us (the things that you remember…) and then THERE WAS DESSERT!  Dessert at lunch was always a treat!  Just a little something extra special.

She brought out these cookies that appeared to be oatmeal raisin cookies.  Being “that girl” who ate around the raisins, I confess I was a little disappointed.  Until she confirmed that they were CHOCOLATE CHIP CINNAMON OATMEAL COOKIES.  Now we were talkin’!  I was ready to start a food blog right then and there.  It was the classic “OK kids, just one.”  But we all, adults included, just couldn’t stop ourselves.  They were literally the best cookies we’ve ever had.  And yes, this still stands.  One of these days I’ll run into Kristen and she’ll hear of the legend they hold.  We still speculate about the name, but Kristen got the recipe from a friend named Tweety. 

Now for a few special things about these cookies: USE AS LITTLE METAL AS POSSIBLE.   Kristen was very specific on that (from what my little jr. high brain can remember) “oh and you have to use a wooden spoon!!” she shouted as we loaded up the car with our tummies full, clinging to the recipe.   I've even used plastic bowls, but the magic is in the hand stir of the wooden spoon.  So here are the rules:

1.    1)      Stir all ingredients by hand: burn extra calories for the extra cookies…
       2)      Mix with a wooden spoon, not a mixer
       3)      If possible, use plastic bowl as well
       4)      Go heavy on the cinnamon
       5)      Take them out right before you think they should, then let them cool/finish on the sheet
       6)      These cookies are EXCELLENT frozen.  Strangely enough, next to hot out of the oven, it’s my favorite way to eat them!
       7)      Hide from husband.  Well… he’ll find them either way!
   
   
   
   
   

Tweety’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heat oven to 350

MIX TOGETHER BY HAND:

2 sticks butter (room temp!)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

THEN ADD and mix:

2 eggs

THEN ADD and mix:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp + some more cinnamon (the secret to these cookies!)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

THEN ADD and mix:

2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla

THEN ADD and mix:

½ a bag + some chocolate chips

Bake 8-9 min.  Let cool.  Enjoy now or freeze for later.