Quarantine Cookies

So....

It's been 7 years since I blogged.  It was my old life.  When my children were young.  I was smitten with taking care of our home, cooking, baking, appreciating the nuances of family.

A lot has changed since then - the obvious things of course, such as my kids growing, graduating high school, one of them college, my husband starting a new business and me changing my career from Photographer-Culinary School Admissions to Photographer-Flight Attendant.  We've aged.  We have all grown apart.  We ventured out into the world in our own directions.  But something has happened that is bringing us home, making us crave family, home, comfort, security and what we know.  The world is not safe anymore.  The headlines are breaking my heart, ruining many lives and taking us back, without warning, to what is important.  Whether we are ready for it or not.

A few weeks ago, I became crazy anxious.  About my health, my family and friends health, the worlds health.  I became crazy anxious about my job and my new work families jobs.  I went back into the kitchen.  I broke out my pots and pans and baking sheets and lost myself in the one thing that has calmed me since I was young... cooking.  It helps.  It takes my mind off of the present and nourishes my soul and feeds my family.

Today, the recipe I played with and eventually fell in love with because it soothes me in the craziness of all that is going on is simple Oatmeal Cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup cold unsalted butter (not room temperature, this is the trick that makes a huge difference)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 and a half tsp. Vanilla
2 cups flour
1 Tbs cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oatmeal

Preheat oven to 410 degrees (yes, really.  410.  It's a good trick for making the outside of a cookie perfectly browned but leaving the center soft and chewy)

Cream the butter and sugars together until creamy.  Then add in the eggs one at a time and vanilla.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients being careful not to over mix.  Make small snowballs with the dough using your hands, about the size of a large egg.  Put about 6 dough balls onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment and sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaked sea salt to top for extra flavor.  Bake for 10 minutes then leave on the pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.