Ranger Cookies

We love cookies!
At our house, we love cookies! Almost every Sunday, Caitlin (or sometimes someone else--we all love being in the kitchen) bakes a batch of cookies. For years, our favorite has been the recipe for chocolate chip cookies found on the package of the butter-flavored Crisco sticks. That's a good one--lots of brown sugar and we bake them on stoneware. Sometimes we use M&M's instead of chocolate chips. YUM! Then, about a month ago, I found this recipe for Ranger Cookies. I don't know where the recipe came from. It's been in my untried recipe file for a while (blog idea--how I organize my recipes). It is our new favorite and we've made them every week since! They are very hearty and a little bit oversized. The pecans and coconut toast up very nicely in them. Once we were out of Corn Flakes and used Rice Krispies--still good! We took a plate to our piano teacher and her husband called us for the recipe. They are so good we can't get enough of them. Give them a try and enjoy!


Ranger Cookies
Liz Merrell
2 c. flour
¾ t. baking powder
¾ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2/3 c plus 3 T. butter (8 1/3 T.)
½ c. shortening
1 1/3 c. light brown sugar
2/3 c. sugar
2 large eggs
2 ½ t. vanilla
2 c. rolled oats
2 c. corn flakes
1 ¼ c. chopped pecans
1 ¼ c. shredded coconut
10 oz. Chocolate chunks (optional)
Preheat oven to 375. Grease baking sheets.
In medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and shortening until lightened. Add the brown sugar and the sugar and beat until very smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until evenly incorporated, then stir in the flour mixture until it’s incorporated.
Finally stir in the oats, corn flakes, pecans, and coconut. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes.
Shape the dough into golf-ball-sized balls with lightly greased hands. Place on the baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart and pat down to about ¼" thickness.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 11 minutes, or until brown. (note: the original recipe didn't include the chocolate chunks, but what is a cookie without chocolate?)

What we do with our free time now. :)

Thanks to Santa, we are now the proud owners of a Wii. This is new for us--never had a video game system before. We are enjoying it immensely! Some of us take it too seriously and some of us don't like that our athletic ability is labeled as good as an 80-year old. Benj has made Mii twins--two tall thin men with black spiky hair, white t-shirts, and both named B-man. Sometimes they play against each other in baseball. We don't know which one is better. We all have our favorite sports--I actually enjoy golf and bowling and Jace is learning the ins and outs of 'Madden 08'. Erin has had friends over for a Wii party. Fun times ahead!