How to be happy: make cookies.

Don’t buy them at the store. That doesn’t make you work for your happiness. And everyone knows that happiness you work for is far more valuable than free happiness.

Also, I’d like to extend this challenge: when you make the cookies, mash up the butter with a fork. It takes a bit out of you. You learn your limits. Do you really have the muscles in your forearms to turn refrigerated butter to pulp? How long can you maintain the pressure? The cookies I like to make start with butter and brown sugar. Once the butter is softened, then the brown sugar needs to be blended in with the butter.

Don’t use a blender! Don’t use a mixer! Use the same fork and your now sore forearms! But don’t stop there. You have to add the regular sugar now, and that needs to be mixed with the butter as well. Get your trusty fork and get smashing. You might need the eggs around this point. Mix those in too.

Feel the burn in your arms? That’s good. Take a break and mix all of your dry ingredients together. Maybe all you need for that is a sifter and a good bowl, or a good bowl and a whisk. You choose. (Don’t use a sifter on the oats. That would be silly!) Once you’ve got all of your dry ingredients together, then you can mix that all in with your butter and sugar mixture.

Yeah, you know what to do—get that fork. Last but not least, you’ll need to mix in whatever optional ingredients you prefer: raisins to chocolate chips. That might be the tough part. But not for you. Just use your venerable fork and your now massive forearms. Mix it all in and be happy!

 

Oatmeal Cookies Supreme

(Mix in order of listing. Bake in an oven heated to 350 degrees F. 10 to 12 minutes. Makes about 24.)

Two sticks of butter (1 cup)

Two cups of brown sugar

One cup of white, granulated cane sugar

Three eggs

One teaspoon vanilla

 

Four cups of oats

Three and one half cups of flour

One third cup of ground flax seeds

Two teaspoons baking powder

One teaspoons baking soda

One teaspoon ground cloves

One half teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Option1

One cup of chocolate chips

 

Option 2

Half a cup of craisins

 

Option 3

Half a cup of raisins

 

Option 4

Half a cup of peanut butter