cranberry orange chocolate chip cookies

Life has been super busy lately. I suppose everyone's coming out of winter hibernation, but I swear I've never felt so popular! - so many get togethers and work events and birthdays...yes birthdays...I have a semi-large immediate family (I'm the youngest of 3 sisters & 1 brother; Brad's the middle child of 3) so once you add the neices & nephews in there are 28 people which means 28 birthdays to feel guilty about not sending a card/gift to in time...in April alone there are 4, then 4 to follow in May...! I wonder if anyone will mind if I just bake presents from now on... :-)

My dad's birthday was Easter weekend and I still haven't seen him to celebrate with yet which is why I've invited my parents for dinner this week. My dad is the most moderate person you'll ever meet - so even tempered, so laid back, so how I wish I could be! - so when it comes to his eating habits, naturally he's the same. My siblings and I grew up hearing his famous mantra "everything in moderation" which meant he ate plenty of fruits & vegetables, but didn't skimp on the sweets either. One of his favorite sweets my mom makes him are oatmeal raisin cookies, so when I happened upon this recipe I couldn't wait to try out for him, luckily I made them just in time for his birthday celebration.

These cookies intrigued me because of - you guessed it - the lentils used instead of butter. They came out delicious, almost muffin-like. I can't wait for him to try them!

Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 1/2 C flour
1 t. baking soad
3/4 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3/4 C mashed cooked lentils
3 T water
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 C oats
1/2 C cranberries
1/2 C chocolate chips
1 t orange zest

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl. In bowl of electric mixer on medium speed, beat lentils & water for 30 second. Add sugar and beat for another minute. Add egg & vanilla; beat 30 sec. Add flour mixture; beat 1 minute. Stir in oats, cranberries, chocolate chips and orange zest. On greased cookie sheet, drop dough by 1 T 2" apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

I saw the best idea for packaging baked goods - take empty coffee containers, oatmeal containers, breadcrumb containers, etc. Wrap in fancy paper using double sided tape to hide seam and voila a super easy, stylish way to share your baked goods with others - no more wondering where all your tupperware's gone to!

recipe adapted from first magazine