Accidental Oatmeal "Pancake" Cookies by Colleen

Colleen is back again today as guest blogger with an update from her kitchen. Didn't expect to be in the blog already [for the Easy Chocolate Mousse] complete with pictures. You make the process look so tidy and professional-like. Glad it worked out. Our mousse is already gone. There was a fight about it. So yesterday the baking palooza continued with Oatmeal Cookies. I doubled the recipe (from the Quaker oat box) and put in the first batch to bake. To my horror, they went completely flat and spread out all over the pan. I went back to the recipe to see what I left out and surprise, I had doubled everything but the oats. I quickly added oats to the cookie dough that was left. But surprisingly, the flat cookies are very, very good. Very chewy and moist and the flat shape almost makes them look like a praline. I might actually make them this way on purpose next time. Accidental Oatmeal Pancake Cookies 5 sticks butter 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed 1 cup sugar 2 tsp vanilla 3 cups flour 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans 3 cups oatmeal Cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add in the nuts and oatmeal. Scoop with ice cream scoop dough onto pan. Leave room between the cookies so they can spread. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I took them out and left them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes so they could firm up and not tear. I think these could be good for making ice cream sandwich cookies. Make them a little smaller (mine ended up about 5 inches across) and put soft vanilla ice cream between the cookies and freeze. You could dip half into melted chocolate. Or spread melted chocolate in the inside of the cookie and let harden before you put the ice cream in the sandwich to have a little chocolate surprise flavor inside. It also seems like you could do something with cooked/poached pears or apples in spices with these and whipped cream or ice cream for a dessert too. Some accidents are happy. They are getting eaten regardless. You know, they make for an excellent breakfast cookie. With all the nuts and oats, you are doing better than a bagel or donut. Not as good as shredded wheat. Nothing is perfect. Time to carve pumpkins. ---Colleen