I am going out of town on a business trip. For the entire week. This causes a predictable pattern of behavior here on the homestead—every time I take wing and fly. I start mentioning my trip at least 3-4 weeks in advance, but no one acknowledges it. I mention it daily, to no avail. It never fails that when I pull out the suitcase and start packing, four set of big, brown eyes look at me, dumfounded. Denial is a powerful thing, but it only works for awhile, and then reality sets in. “You’re LEAVING? For a WEEK? But what are WE supposed to do?” Now I can understand this reaction from the canines, but the humans have no excuse. Deep down inside, they knew.
Of course this reaction is designed to tug at my heartstrings, and it works every time. I am making cookies this afternoon. Oatmeal cookies are perfect for this time of year, and the dark brown sugar and sweet red pomegranate add a depth of flavor that makes the cookies a little out of the ordinary. Just so my people have a little taste of lovin’ while I am gone. And so I don’t feel quite as guilty leaving them to fend for themselves. Poor things.
Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Brown Sugar and Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 1 stick plus 6 tbl.butter
- 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned Quaker oats
- 1 5 oz. package dried pomegranates
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until mixed. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, then with mixer on low speed, add to butter and sugar mixture. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Add oats and pomegranates and mix well.
- Drop dough by generous teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, and then cool on a wire rack. Yields about 4 dozen cookies.