Oatmeal Cookies: It Was Charlie's Fault

A while back, my parents heard somewhere that there was a recall on some particular dog treats that we happened to give to my dog. Of course, since my dog, Charlie, is basically considered the third child/sibling in my family, my parents reacted by getting rid of the bad dog treats and looking for an alternative. My dad found a recipe online for homemade dog treats and a week later, my mom made my dog essentially his own oatmeal cookies. Of course, there were some modifications, but they looked and smelled eerily similar -- so much so that my dad came home from work that night and almost ate one until we told him they were strictly for the dog.

The recipe called for oats, and since we had so much leftover from the dog's treats, I figured I'd make some cookies meant for human consumption. Again, similar to my chocolate chip cookie experience, I consulted the back of the oats container for a recipe. I'm sure if I searched through my mom's cookbooks or via the internet, I'd find some inspired recipe that would change my perception of oatmeal cookies forever and after, but the recipe was easy, simple and right in front of me, so I was ready to go.

Since my dad is the main oatmeal cookie lover of the household, I catered the cookies to his preference: adding raisins. I could give or take the raisins, but in an effort to prevent myself from eating yet another entire dish of cookies, I figured I'd add them perhaps avoiding that same fate.

The cookies were very easy to make, although adding the oats and the raisins definitely made the dough a heavier consistency than I was used to after making the chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cake.

As usual, I made a mess. No surprise there.
I think managing to keep the kitchen clean while I cook has been more difficult than baking and cooking.

Though the recipe was very simple and didn't call for many ingredients (at least, many ingredients that you wouldn't already have handy in the kitchen), I failed to read one MINOR part of the recipe. I may or may not have overlooked the fact that the recipe would make four to five dozen cookies. I only realized it when I was rolling the dough to put on the cookie sheets. I looked into the bowl with all of the mixed ingredients and had a "huh?" moment. There was still so much dough left in the bowl, despite having put two dozen dough balls onto the cookie sheets already. Oops.

Now, I love cookies just as much as the next person, but there are only three people in my house and one very human-like dog. We do not need that many cookies. You know what would happen if I baked five dozen cookies and left them hanging out on the kitchen counter? I would probably eat half of them and slyly slip one to my dog.

So to prevent what would be an inevitable fate, I froze the rest of the dough and stuck it in the freezer for the next time my dad is jealous of the dog's oatmeal cookies.

They look pretty good, if I do say so myself...and taste just as good!

And here's a picture of Charlie, the dog who provoked it all. As you can see, he has claimed this chair as his own.