At Home My Way

RECIPES AT THE TOP - CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM! Here's how I make the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies EVER - AT HOME MY WAY: Best Oatmeal Cookies EVER! 3/4 cup butter (use the real thing - I use salted butter), ( softened to room temp ) 1 cup dark brown sugar ( I didn't have brown sugar so used 1 cup regular sugar and added 1 teaspoon molasses to my creamed ingredients.  Light brown sugar works fine also.) 1/2 cup regular granulated white sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon regular table salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups oats (old fashioned oats-uncooked) 1 cup raisins (+water for cooking them) Directions (I use a wooden spoon to mix these up): FIRST - Preheat oven to 375° . NEXT (don't skip this step)-Put the raisins in a little pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then shut off the heat. Let them sit 15 minutes - just while mixing your cookie dough...

First, a disclaimer... I am NOT a cake baker.  I am a mom, wife, daughter, friend, home cook, but not a pastry chef, cake decorator, or anything like that.  My attempt at baking cakes is purely for fun and for my eating pleasure. This weekend I wanted cake!   I have for you today the mother of all cakes.  This cake even worked out for me, a non cake baker.  I had never baked a two-layer cake that didn't crack in the middle or slide off the plate.  I usually only have success with sheet cakes or those in 9 x 13 pans, or cupcakes.  But this weekend I wanted a two layer cake.  Something pretty that I could be proud of.  I didn't want over the top sweet, so I opted to only frost between the layers and on top.  This also saved a lot of potential anxiety for me because frosting the sides causes me lots of stress!  This cake was a great success - on all levels: Delicious?-yes! Chocolaty?-yes! Moist?-yes! Great crumb like bo...