Spring Training and Vanilla Salted Peanut Cookies

Nick has played on the town soccer team for four years now, two seasons a year.  This year, we decided to add a little baseball to the mix.  The first practice was this past Saturday morning, and we were on the field bright and early, for three hours.  Madeline and I set up camp in a far corner, out of the way from stray flying balls, and settled in.  I can’t tell you how proud of Nick I was.  When I originally signed him up, I can’t say he was too happy about it.  He’s never played before, and was apprehensive about it.  “What if I can’t hit the ball?  Or miss a catch?  Or don’t know which way to go?”  Nick is my thousand-question-much-trepidation baby.  To appease the fears, we all took turns practicing with him and taking him out and going through some basic rules.  Me. His Uncle.  Jamie.

When we got there Saturday morning, his team had one of his school classmates on it, so that helped.  But something happened.  He dug in.  Became completely and fully engaged.  Raised his hand.  Volunteered to go first.  Swung the bat.  Had fun.  So, so very proud of him.

Madeline watched Nick play for the first solid hour, and every time she saw him running, she stood up to cheer for him. Love that about her.

And now to switch gears … let’s talk cookies.  When I first made these Vanilla Salted Ranger Cookies, they were for Jamie to take to the guys in the prison GED class that she teaches.  I gave Nick a few and packed the rest up for her to take with her.

A few hours later …

“Are there any more?”

“No, Nick, I gave the rest to Jamie to take to school.”

“Aww man!  I liked those.”

So of course I made them again the next day.

The recipe comes from one of those special edition magazines.  This time, Ultimate Cookies 2009.  A fun little cookie that apparently rates pretty high on the tastemeter of your average seven-year-old.  The recipe makes approximately five dozen cookies, so if you need a lot for something (upcoming bake sale anyone?), this would be perfect.  I did halve the recipe with no problem.  Slowly making my way through the recipe backlog, this one is a new recipe I tried last month.

Tomorrow?  Trampoline fun and Engagement Chicken.

Vanilla Salted Peanut Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Ultimate Cookies, 2009

3/4 cup shortening
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in flour.  Stir in oats.  Stir in peanuts, raisins and coconut.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Let stand for 2 minutes on cookie sheet.  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.