Cookies for Any Weather

What do you do on a cool, rainy, spring afternoon? I bake! Last weekend I wanted to be outside in the flower beds and enjoying spring weather but the temperatures were cooler than many days we had in February. So baking made the day seem warmer and more friendly, and my family certainly appreciated it! And then, when Sunday brought the most beautiful weather, we enjoyed cookies and milk on the deck.
It's forecast to be rainy again this weekend, so here are two of my favorite cookie recipes for you. I've used this Chocolate Chip recipe for several years and it is the best I've found! The addition of an instant pudding mix seems to keep the cookies soft and adds a nice flavor. And the oatmeal even makes them seem a little healthy. I often vary the flavor of pudding mix with the season - lemon pudding mix and white baking bits for spring; chocolate pudding mix and white baking bits; or in the fall, pumpkin pudding mix and cinnamon baking bits. I recently saw a new pudding mix flavor, Red Velvet, in the grocery store that I'm anxious to try in these cookies.
The bar cookie recipe is a new one this year. I've searched for the 'perfect' Blond Brownie recipe for a while, and this may be it. As an Extension Educator, I was once asked the question "How do you keep cookies from going stale?". I was stumped! Cookies never have the chance to get stale at my house and it's hard to imagine that happening. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do.

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

 1 cup butter, softened  (I use 1 stick butter, 1 stick margarine)

¾ cup white sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1 ¾ cups flour

1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (1/2 bag) chocolate chips

Combine the oats, flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream fats and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool.

Chippy Blond Brownies

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

Spread into a greased 11p-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.