Cookies and Conferences

I leave tomorrow morning for my history conference in Texas. I am presenting, for the first time, my research on Quanah Parker. I am a bit nervous, which I am usually not at conferences, because I'm not talking about the Lubbock Cotton Club. The C.C has been my life for over three years. I have presented something on the Cotton Club at every conference I have ever been to excluding one.

I am also leaving Mia and my husband alone together for the first time ever. To say I'm a little nervous is the equivalent of saying I am a little bit opinionated..

So b/c I'm leaving, I have lots to do before I leave. I'm leaving David all sorts of detailed notes and stacks so that Mia won't show up to Mother's Day Out wearing an NRA t-shirt....(shudder!)


Here are notes, pjs, value cards, and of course Mia's favorite toy ever, the glow-sea horse that plays classical music. (She sleeps with it every night and most naps)

I have also been making food so Dave won't order pizza for the 2 days that I'm gone. But, being a sweet wife, I've also made him cookies. My new cookies! They're quite delicious. I've been working with the recipe for a while, trying to find a way to get cookies with the right amount of crunch but also the right amount of "melti-ness."
**Melti-ness is the word that I have developed for cookies that aren't raw but not crispy. I developed it when trying to bake non-raw cookies for one of my girlfriends.**


Here's the recipe:
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 c. packed brown sugar (I use dark brown sugar, but you could use either, I just like the deeper flavor)
1.5 tsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 c. semisweet chocolate chunks/chips (If you want sweeter, use milk chocolate chips)
.5 cups chopped pecans
.5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheet with wax, parchment paper, or a silicone mat, set aside.
2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
3) Using electric mixer, beat together, in another large bowl, butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well incorporated. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined.
4) With rubber spatula, fold in chocolate, pecans, and oats.
5) Drop 2-inch balls of dough, spaced 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 12-16 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned, rotating the sheets halfway through.
6) Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Enjoy!!!