Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats

1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pecans


In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add to butter mixture until combined. Mix in oats. Then add dried cranberries, coconut and pecans.

Scoop dough onto wax paper and roll into a log, about 2 inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice dough into 1/2 inch pieces and bake for 9 minutes.

Goat Cheese Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

This amazing recipe came from my sister, Lisa. This salad is fresh and tangy and so, so good. 

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Fresh ground pepper

Mix Dressing ingredients well and set aside.

Combine:

5 oz. sping mix

1/4 cup chopped candied pecans

1/4 craisins

1/2 cup mandarine oranges

About 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

To make the pecans, roughly chop and add to sauté pan with 1 tablespoon sugar. On medium heat let pecans sit until sugar starts to melt. Watch closely! Once sugar starts to melt, give it a stir until all sugar granules have dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool on a plate.

Drizzle salad with dressing and toss. Save any extra dressing and nuts (I usually make a big batch) in airtight container for two weeks in fridge (nuts can be stored in freezer and saved longer).