Monday, February 09, 2009

Coping With Chocolate-Glazed Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies


Say your cat is deathly ill and you rush it to the vet. Several days, a surgery, and many procedures later, you find out that the bill is going to be to the tune of $1000 dollars. Oh, and it's coming out of your savings for that trip to Italy in 2010.
Do you...

A. Smile, hand over your AMEX and remind yourself that pets are people too. Italy can wait. Like its wine, it only gets better with age.

B. Grind your teeth, curse all things furry under the sun (vets included), but pay the bill anyway.

C. Resort to childish tactics: crying, swearing, arguing, flirting, etc..., and hope that they will lower the bill. (They don't.)

D. Sign the credit card slip, walk out the door, straight into a drug store and fill a basket with chocolate. (Thank goodness it's Valentine's soon and the place is stocked!)

You can probably guess my coping strategy. Yep, "D" lots of chocolate. M & M's (the big bag), Lindt Extra Thins, Nestle chocolate eggs, you name it, I bought it.

Note that all of the numbers above include paying the inflated veterinary bill. Somehow there are no other options. Grrr. Don't get me wrong, we're happy to have our Cassis home again, but had we been a little better informed of certain common complications that can occur in neutered male cats, we may have saved ourselves the stress and money*.

Anyhow, that is the very short version of how I found myself looking for ways to use up lots of chocolate. Having just mixed up a batch of our family favorite chewy oatmeal-raisin cookies with Noah, and watching him top them with M&M's, I decided to melt a some of my Lindt Extra Thins on top as the cookies were cooling on the rack. The results were rather delicious:

The 70% cacao sliver of chocolate melted in the oatmeal cookie's warm hug and created the most tantalizing and perfectly square glaze on the round cookie. The few left on the cooling rack that did not get devoured hardened nicely again, which helped for stacking and storing.


It's fun to watch them melt...Now if you'll excuse me, I've got lots of chocolate to eat.

Cinnamon-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Glaze

makes 3 dozen large
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut
3 cups oatmeal (not quick or instant)
1 cup raisins
36 Lindt thins, 70% Cacao

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Combine and add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in coconut, oatmeal and raisins and stir just to combine.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes until edges start to brown slightly. Tops will still be slightly raw. (I like to under-bake my oatmeal cookies so they are chewy as opposed to crispy.)

Let cool on pan for a minute or so and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Place a Lindt Thin on the top of each cookie and watch them melt.

Allow cookies to cool completely and wait for the chocolate to harden before transferring cookies to a tin.

* * *

*UPDATE: Attention cat owners! For a detailed look at what happened to Cassis the Cat and, more importantly, how to easily prevent it from happening to your cat, visit my sisters' blog My Mini Zoo. Miranda is well schooled in this area and gives a complete rundown on what every cat owner should know --and what vets don't necessarily want you to know. Seriously, don't go through what we did; educate yourself now!

Cassis sleeping in our bathroom sink. What a wack!

32 comments:

Culinary Wannabe said...

First off - love the new site!! Really great job! And I'm so sorry about your cat. It's amazing what the vet costs. I had to take our dog to an orthopedic vet and thought I was going to faint at the site of the bill. Your coping mechanism seems highly effective though!

Anonymous said...

I'm perusing your site as I wait for said cat at 6 :30 AM :)Such is the trials and joys of owning a pet, my hope is that he gets better and you have many stress free days ahead with him! The new header looks great... so fun :)

Anonymous said...

I applaud your coping mechanism! I think chocolate goes a long way to curing whatever ails you, even when it's an unexpected bill from the vet. Love your new banner, too, and the site design is great.

Anonymous said...

I like your new header, and it really stands out from all the others...
Plus, i've been looking for ages for a chewy oatmeal raisins cookies recipe, I'm going to try this soon!
For your vacations in Italy : have you considered home exchange? That would probably be a good way to save the money you had to spend...

LyB said...

Oh, my. That is one steep bill. Go on and have all the chocolate you want, you deserve it. :)

Those cookies sound fabulous, with or without the chocolate on top. I love, love, love your new header! Oh, and I really did make the lemon cake, it was sooooo good, thanks again for sharing. :)

Anonymous said...

I have a neutered male cat, so I'm curious what these "common complications" are that I should be aware of, in the case of future illnesses. The cookies look awesome, and I'm glad your little guy is okay.

Michele Humes said...

Wait, when did the new header image happen? I love it. Did you draw it?!

I like the geometric effect of the squares. So much more chic than, say, 2 extra handfuls of choc chips.

How is kitty?

abigail @ Paper and Cake said...

mmmmm...yummy chocolate.... mmmm... im kind of in a trance?

LOVE love love the new look! the illustration is hilarious. nice changes aimee!

Aimée said...

Hi Culinarywannabe- Thanks! It took long enough, but I love the site too!

Hi Miranda- Let's hope so. Glad you like the banner.

Hi Lydia- The chocolate helped, but it wasn't a cure-all! I'll pass along the complements on the site to my hubby who worked hard to make it so nice.

Hi Melanie- Just be sure to under bake them and get them in an airtight container as soon as they cool and they will be chewy.
Hmm, home exchange, good suggestion!

Hi Lyb- Glad you like the header! Mmm, lemon cake-it's great eh?

Hi Phoebe- Seriously, email me if you want details/a warning. I didn't want to gross out my readers to much!

Hi Michele- It happened late last night and is the original work of jessicaspring.com. Cassis is so-so, under close observation.

Hi Abigail- Thanks so much!! That means a lot coming from an expert like yourself. Isn't the header fun? Not too serious..

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Yikes!! That is exactly the reason why my children don't have a pet. I can't afford it!!! I can barely afford the kids....LOL!

The melting chocolate does look good!
~ingrid

Lucy said...

Love the new look! Its such a shame about the huge bill though...hope the chocolate helped a bit! The cookies look so neat with their perfect square glazes - delish!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear - I'm so sorry about your cat!
2nd - your chocolate is being put to wonderful use. Those cookies look amazing!

Rachel@fairycakeheaven said...

ooo loving the new look, it's all freah and clean and lovely!

I know what you mean about the cats and we've had the same thing happen to us, you'd never not look after your fur though I'm sure! And the choc must have helped!!

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your cat. We had a bill shock experience with our cat last summer. My husband's still waiting for his new computer. :P Your cookies look fabulous though!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Great way to change your mind in making those beautiful cookies. I also like your new banner.

Maria said...

Sorry about your car. I am glad you are coping with chocolate. Love the new look by the way!

Deborah said...

Oooh, you've got to love those vet bills!! But these cookies look amazing!!

Kimberly said...

Aimee,
I've been reading your posts for a couple of months now...your new header and background are lovely.

I just like checking your blog out because I have 4 kids and Lord knows we have food under the table, and not just the high chair :-)

Zaak said...

Great new look Aimée.

There should have been a get in the time machine option and apply for a cat's wish foundation.

The cookies, as good as they look, wouldn't cheer me up about the cat. I don't particularly like cats. They are kind of like larger, lazier rats. I'm sure your Cassis is charming though...

Aimée said...

Hi Ingrid- This is the first significant amount we've ever spent on pests -oops!- pets.Let's hope it's the last.

Hi Lucy- Thanks. The chocolate is doing it's thing, yeah.

Hi Kirsten- Thanks!!

Hi Rachel- Why thank you, I was aiming for fresh and clean. :)

Hi kamailsfood- Ah, so you've been in this boat.

Hi Helene- Baking is always the best distraction!

HI Maria- Thanks!

Hi Deb- You must be a pet owner....

Hi Kimberly- Four kids, wow, that sounds like fun! Thanks for reading.

Hi Zaak- He's an all round good cat, and those are few and far between.

creampuff said...

Normally I suck at multiple choice questions but I knew it was D ... yayyy ... I get a cookie!

Delicious! (Sorry about the cat ...)

Nurit "1 family. friendly. food." said...

Hi Aimee,
It’s my first time on your blog. These look gorgeous.
I love your introduction/about me page. Seems like we have a few things in common… http://www.familyfriendlyfood.com/2009/01/foodbuzz-24-24-24-5-stars-dinner-at.html
;-)

Nurit "1 family. friendly. food." said...

Same thing happened to me a few years ago with my cat. My reaction however was a combination of A,B, and C, but no chocolate. How frustrating it was to spend money I can't really afford. And I was still paying my college loans... Ouch. And I wasn't a good baker at that time.

Patricia Scarpin said...

I'm sorry about your cat, darling - I don't have a pet now, but did as a kid and my dad went to extreme situations to take care of it because of my brother and I.

These cookies are fabulous - and so is your new template! Loved it!

Anonymous said...

I'm happy your cat is safe and sound! I know how you feel - one of our cats got sick over the holidays, and while vets cost a fortune, there's no price to high to help the little furry friend.

Those cookies sound like an awesome cure - I'd eat them, sick cat or not!

And your template is great - love the illustration at the top!

Anonymous said...

If anyone would like additional information on Cassis's condition and how you can prevent it in your own cat visit my blog at http://myminizoo.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/health-feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease/

Emily said...

Cassis! I love that cat.

These cookies look delicious. I love the thin chocolate on top.

Emily said...

OH! I forgot to tell you I like your new look!

kickpleat said...

love your new design! good work :) and this cookie looks delicious.

Hayley said...

I love these, and your new site is beautiful. So clean and crisp. Thanks for sharing!

Cheryl Arkison said...

Melted in the cookies warm hug... I love it!

Aimée said...

Hi creampuff- That's right! The cat is better now, thanks.

Hi Nurit- Thank for stopping by UtHC!
So sorry about your cat!

Hi Patricia- Ah, the family pet. How sweet! Glad you like the new look.

Hi Kim- Thanks! Hope your cat is doing better...

Hi Em- Thanks. Cassis is much better now.

Hi Kickpleat- That means a lot coming from you. Thanks!

Hi Hayley-many thanks!

Hi Cheryl- :)

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