I Wanna Be a Cowboy......

And you can be my Cowgirl... er, I mean, Cookie....

Bad 80's Music aside, I apologize for not being around the last week. Not only was I tinkering, like a mad scientist, with Hot Air Poppers and Green Coffee Beans, but it appears that after 13 years of living in San Diego, I am no longer resistant to Pacific Northwest pollen... Oye! Whether 'twas sinus infection or an actual cold, I have been feeling wretched for the last week.

Then I suddenly remembered something of importance, through my Sudafed induced haze. (Yes, I crossed the border and got the REAL stuff from Washington cause that Sudafed PE junk is worthless) Anyway, the point is that, though I was doped up on Sudafed, so I could breath, the pseudoephedra cloud lifted just long enough for me to remember that I already had, in my possession, the perfect medication for a sinus issues...

OK, bear with me now, cause my logic is a little questionable (I was drugged up, remember?) So, since sinus pain is the byproduct of the pressure created by swollen membranes caused by a histamine reaction within the blood vessels, I decided that it might be wise to increase my circulation. How do I do this? Well via chocolate of course, cause Theobromine dilates blood vessels. Not to mention chocolate is full of antioxidants and flavinoids which will make me healthier. Right?

Oh, and since I am SO health conscious about these sorts of things, I figured as long as I was at it, I would improve my serum cholesterol levels too by consuming oat fiber. Yeah... Make that arteriol plaque a thing of the past! Thus, increasing blood flow even more... YAY!!! And walnuts, I need walnuts because they contain tannins which are antiviral and antibacterial. Yep, it was settled.... I need Cowboy Cookies.

OK, so my logic is a little twisted, but it made sense at the time. Gimme a break. LOL

I have NO idea why these are called cowboy cookies, but the recipe is my Great Grandmother Ruby's who traveled, via covered wagon, down the Oregon Trail to The Dalles, OR when she was a little girl at the turn of the century (the 1900 one). I assume that she actually KNEW real cowboys, and probably knew why the cookies had been given their peculiar name. Alas, that tidbit of information was not passed down and the internet has been less than helpful in deciphering the mystery surrounding the name. Although I did notice there seem to be a lot of "Cowboy cookie" recipes that include coconut. This perplexes me. Where is a cowboy going to get coconut? Yet another mystery. But one that points to the fact that cowboy cookies may not have been named so, because cowboys ate them. Hmmmm

Luckily, though the origin may remain elusive, at least the recipe has been passed down, intact from G G Ruby, to Grandma Reva, to my Mom and finally to me... Woo Hoo!

So here is my Great Grandma Ruby's Cowboy Cookie recipe. They're good for what ails ya. Oh, and as an added bonus, they go GREAT with Freshly Roasted Coffee... ;)

Cowboy Cookies

8 oz Unsalted Butter
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 Cups AP Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 Cups Quick Oatmeal
12 oz 63% Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (or higher) Not Semi-Sweet, they usually contain milk which will aggravate sinus problems
1 cup Chopped Walnuts

As with all cookies, the best place to start is by preheating the oven to 350 degrees; after which, begin creaming the butter and both sugars together until they are light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until incorporated

Whisk the flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a small bowl, then add slowly to the mix.

Mix until a soft sticky dough is formed.

From here, I fold in the remaining ingredients, starting with the oatmeal.

Once the oatmeal is distributed evenly, add the chocolate chips and fold some more.

Now if your not a nut fan, you can simply stop here.... They will spread a little more in the oven, but they will still be delicious. :)

But I come from a loooooooong line of nut hounds, so I always add the walnuts.

Using a cookie scoop, measure out the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets, keeping at least 2 inches between the cookie mounds.

Bake for 13 minutes, until golden; then cool on a rack.... (although I like them best when the are still slightly warm and the chocolate is still gooey)

I'm not really a Doctor, I just play one on this blog.... So if you are feeling under the weather for any reason. Take 2 of these and call me in the morning. :) It worked for me.

Mangia!!
~~