oatmeal cookies

There are certain recipes that every baking enthusiast should master. In my head, I have an imaginary list of these dishes. It's divided into categories and under the cookies subtitle, you will find oatmeal raisin cookies. Since this recipe was not checked off, I recently decided to make them.

After researching recipes, I selected Ina Garten's variation with pecans. Over 50 people have raved about it on Food Network and I have to agree, it's a simple method that yields spectacular results!

Oatmeal raisin cookies are great for mailing to a friend because they are durable and hearty. While they make a wonderful afternoon snack or sweet on-the-go breakfast, my favorite way to enjoy these cookies is in an ice cream sandwich made with vanilla ice cream. Whatever way you eat them, you can't do it without the recipe: get it now.

With all of the talk of cookie exchange parties, I couldn't resist making one of my favorites, oatmeal with chocolate chips, hazelnuts and cocoa nibs. I love the texture of oatmeal cookies but can't stand them with raisins so I began experimenting with different additions. It started with only chocolate chips and slowly grew to other ingredients.

After many trials, the conclusion was clear: creamy chocolate chips, roasted hazelnuts, and crunchy cocoa nibs all nestled in a chewy oatmeal cookie. The nibs are not completely necessary, but do provide a more intense chocolate flavor without amplifying the sweetness. They are essential for any chocoholic. If you want to add a little more to your oatmeal cookie keep reading.

• Must make: oatmeal cookie milk shake. — Chow
• Is Eric Ripert the most interesting man in the world? — Eat Me Daily
• Padma Lakshmi denies that there is a gender bias on Top Chef. — Grub Street
• Grant Achatz on why wine and food pairings matter.— The Atlantic
• Learn more about Gourmet's Adventures With Ruth. — Gourmet
• Meet the Fojol Brothers, an interesting street food truck that operates out of Washington DC — Serious Eats
• Yesterday President Obama and Bill Clinton enjoyed a healthy lunch at Il Mulino in New York City. — Eater
• What do you consider to be the top 10 food cities in the world? — The Epi-Log

When monthly moodiness strikes, I fight back with baking. Having fought the symptoms of PMS in the past by making a batch of banana muffins, I went to the kitchen to see if I could bake a cookie to ease my symptoms. I created a pretty healthy oatmeal cookie that you can eat relatively guilt-free when the craving strikes.

Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 have been found to fight the moodiness that often rides in on the "crimson wave," along with breast tenderness and bloating. Aside from the cramp-busting mineral potassium, bananas contain vitamin B6, as does oatmeal. Peanuts are high in magnesium and add a little protein to these cookies as well as a bit of calcium. Omega-3s ease cramping, so I added some flax meal into the mix. Flax also adds a bit more B6. Nothing related to PMS would be complete without a bit of chocolate, so I added some chocolate chips too.

Check out the recipe and the nutritional information on these cookies when you read more