Those of you who have been following my blog for several years know that occasionally I publish a recipe, one of the many recipes which I find in a newspaper or magazine and cut out, but never actually use.  I will rip a recipe out of its moorings, thinking that one day I may in fact make this delectable dish, but thus far, I’ve never done so.  I must face facts: I collect recipes, but I don’t cook.  My weakness, however, should not prevent my passing on to readers a recipe that catches my eye, so here goes:

                                           LOADED OATMEAL COOKIES

                      (from some out-of-date women’s magazine in the doctor’s office)

1/4 c. butter, softened                                   3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed                         3/4 c. rolled oats

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon                                    1/4 c. flax seed meal

1 t. baking soda                                            1/4 c. wheat germ             

1/8 t. salt                                                        2 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 egg                                                             1/4 c. dried cranberries

1 t. vanilla                                                      1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted

(Note on ingredients: I like all of the healthy stuff in the cookies, although I might, if I ever actually cooked them, reduce the amount of sugar.  Also, I might substitute raisins for cranberries.  And I wouldn’t bother to toast the walnuts, since I’m going to bake the cookies, after all.)

Preheat oven to 350F.  In large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 sec.  Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Beat in flour.  Stire in rolled oats, flax seed meal, wheat germ, chocolate, cranberries, and walnuts (dough will be a little crumbly, and you will think,”Oh, what have I done wrong!”)  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 9-11 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.  Cool cookies on cookie sheet for a minute and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.  Makes about 30 cookies.

Good luck with this!  If anyone our there in cyberland actually makes these cookies, please let me know how they came out.