Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

For most of my life, I basically hated oatmeal raisin cookies. I thought the raisins totally ruined the delicious oatmeal cookies. Recently I had a hankering for oatmeal raisin cookies, and came across this recipe. With a little tweaking, I think this one is definitely a keeper!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
as adapted from Mary Ellen at Whisk Together

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 c. oatmeal*
3/4 c. raisins**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the flour, powders, and salt. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add in the vanilla and egg and mix on high until light and fluffy. Add the dry mixture into butter mixture about 1/2 c. at a time until completely mixed in. Stir in oatmeal and raisins.

Drop dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for about 11-13 minutes.

*You can use either quick cooking or old fashioned oats. I've used both and the cookies turned out fine each time.
**I used three little boxes of raisins. This isn't exactly an exact science. You can leave the raisins out, exchange them for something else (cran-raisins, chocolate chips, etc), or add more/less!

Honey Coconut Rice Pudding

Recently, I've been trying out new recipes. Combine that with the need to make a light dessert, and I settled on this recipe for rice pudding! I have never had rice pudding before, and the ingredients in this one sounded so delicious, I just had to try it. End result? DELICIOUS!

Honey Coconut Rice Pudding
recipe courtesy of, and slightly adapted from, Fujimama

1 3/4 c. light coconut milk
1 1/2 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. Japanese rice (also called Sushi rice--NOT Jasmine rice!)
2 Tb. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tb. honey

Mix together coconut milk, 2% milk, rice, sugar, and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir continuously so the rice doesn't stick to the pan. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. Keep stirring!

Remove saucepan from heat and add honey. Let pudding stand for about 5 minutes before splitting up into 4 separate bowls. Add more honey, if desired.