I’ve been holding onto a little piece of news for a couple of weeks now – about a month ago, I entered a cookie contest for a newspaper in the DFW area. A week went by and I got an email saying my cookies (Toasted Oatmeal with Golden Raisins, Pecans and Coconut) made it onto the Semi-Finals! Woo-Hoo! Honestly, I never expected them to even get that far. The next step was for me to take a plate of my cookies to the newspaper office for more judging. Shortly thereafter, I got another email – onto the Final round! Oh YEAH! This time, professional pastry chefs and bakery owners would make my cookies following the recipe I provided (um, talk about nerve-wracking!). Then, I got a call from super-sweet Stephanie saying I WON! Holy cow, this was a total and utter shock! What an awesome surprise…my humble little oatmeal cookie won a contest; now that will brighten anyone’s day!
This is an awesome opportunity because my cookies are going to be sold at a bakery in Fort Worth for 2 weeks this month! How cool is that?! They can even be shipped nation-wide; and all the proceeds go to charity – really cool! I got to have my picture in the paper and everything (that’s a big deal for ‘lil ‘ol me!) – the photo shoot was so much fun…the photographer had me make all kinds of fun poses/faces! I’m just glad they chose a semi-normal looking picture for the article!
Just for fun, here is the article, which includes the recipe (sorry, it’s no longer online!). Thanks again, Stephanie, all the other Fort Worth Star Telegram employees and pastry chefs who chose my cookie and gave me a really fun treat this holiday season!!
Toasted Oatmeal Cookies with Golden Raisins, Coconut and Pecans
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (one stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 – 1 cup (however much you want, really) shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup golden raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, coconut and pecans and spread on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the coconut becomes fragrant, stirring frequently. Let cool. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream both sugars and butter until light, fluffy and smooth. Add egg, half and half and vanilla and blend until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture, the toasted oat mixture, then the raisins. Drop dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in rounded spoonfuls (or you can use a cookie scoop) about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12 -15 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling.
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Yay for you! Congratulations!
Comment by Hayley — December 2, 2009 @ 4:04 PM
That’s awesome! Congrats on your win! I hope your cookie gets sold out each day from this bakery!
Comment by Stacie — December 2, 2009 @ 5:42 PM
Congratulations! Those cookies look amazing!
Comment by Erin — December 2, 2009 @ 9:46 PM
Congratulations! That is so cool!
Comment by Tracey — December 2, 2009 @ 10:17 PM
Aren’t you glad your mother suggested entering this contest?! Looking forward to eating them during the holidays!
Comment by Mother — December 3, 2009 @ 12:34 AM
Congratulations to you and your real winner cookies!
Comment by Quinn — December 3, 2009 @ 4:43 AM
Hi Amy! I just found your blog via Foodgawker today and I love it! Everything looks so delicious and reminds me of home. I just sat here for about an hour reading through your old posts…couldn’t stop myself, or the drool
I’m going to make your Lasanga Rolls and Guaranteed Fudge Brownies for my sick boyfriend tonight. Thanks for all the great recipes and Happy Holidays!
Comment by Lizzy — December 3, 2009 @ 6:50 AM
Congratulations! Great picture!
Comment by bridget {bake at 350} — December 3, 2009 @ 9:20 AM
So proud of you Amy!!!
Comment by Amy B — December 3, 2009 @ 10:57 AM
Congratulations, Amy! That is an AWESOME accomplishment!!!!!
Comment by Jennifer — December 3, 2009 @ 11:02 AM
So proud of you!
Comment by Hornedfroggy of My Baking Heart — December 3, 2009 @ 1:24 PM
Congrats! That is so exciting and the picture is wonderful.
Comment by Jade — December 3, 2009 @ 3:11 PM
How exciting! Congrats!
Comment by Karly — December 3, 2009 @ 7:13 PM
Wow Amy! Congratulations. The cookies look great. My grandsons will be visiting from Texas for Christmas, so I will be baking your cookies. Have a wonderful baking day. I am baking ciabatta, Dorie’s Twofer pie for dinner tonight and the TWD Pear Pistachio tart again for luncheon tomorrow, so I had better get busy.
Comment by lola — December 4, 2009 @ 9:21 AM
Yeh!! It’s so good to have the “Star Telegram” acknowledge what your grandparents already knew-You are always a winner! Love, Nana
Comment by Nana & Grandaddy — December 4, 2009 @ 9:03 PM
CONGRATULATIONS! That’s so awesome! And the cookies look amazing.
Comment by ErinsFoodFiles — December 11, 2009 @ 3:38 PM
My dear little AMY—I am so proud of you, it was such a treat to see you in the Star Telegram! Congratulations!!! I can always say,”I rememeber when….”, now that you are famous!! Really, I have kept up with your blog the last year or so and really ENJOY it. Keep on cooking and blogging!!! Love, Sherri F.
Comment by Sherri F — December 12, 2009 @ 4:41 PM
Thank you, Sherri!! So good to hear from you!!!
Comment by amy — December 12, 2009 @ 6:20 PM
That’s so awesome! What a fabulous early Christmas present!Congratulations : ) So happy for you!
Comment by Paula - bell'alimento — December 14, 2009 @ 3:11 PM
I agree with the judges- these are delicious! I make a lot of recipes from various blogs and usually things don’t end up quite right or they just aren’t that great, but these turned out perfectly the first time. My only substitution was dried cranberries because I didn’t have any raisin on hand, (fantastic, btw) and I think the bf said that this was the best cookie I’ve ever made. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! This is definitely my go-to oatmeal cookie recipe from here on out.
Comment by melody — February 23, 2010 @ 4:01 AM
Thank you Melody! I’m so glad you and your BF enjoyed them!!
-Amy
Comment by amy — February 23, 2010 @ 9:19 AM
[...] teacher. She has a fabulous blog with delicious eats. She won a contest recently and one of her cookie recipes appeared in the Fort Worth Star Telegram; I can’t wait to try them! Definitely pop over and [...]
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