Butterscotch + Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies were my first cooking experience with a newborn! One of my best friends, Ashley, was stopping by the house to meet Audrey and it just happened to be her 30th birthday. And I must say that Ashley has never looked better! It sounds cheesy to say, but Ashley has one of those personalities that just shines. She pretty much always has a contagious smile on her face - a fact that my friend, Stacey, and I discussed on Sunday. What's even more impressive is that her smile is genuine. Even when things aren't going her way, she puts her best foot - and her bright smile - forward. She reminds me that the glass is always half full.

I decided to put on my Moby wrap, place Audrey safely inside it, and make birthday cookies for my sweet friend. The cookie making was a success, though the whole process took significantly more time than it would have three weeks ago! That's okay, though, because this beautiful daughter of mine is worth the extra minutes spent in my favorite room of the house!

What I don't have are pictures of these cookies. In the past, this would have stopped me from creating a post, as I would have waited to make the cookies again to get a picture. But I am practicing an adapted line from Stacey's recent blog post: Better finished than perfect. Instead, I will share two of my favorite pictures of the birthday girl and me.

Happy Birthday, Ash!

Butterscotch + Oatmeal Cookies
Kelley Gondring

In a large electric mixing bowl, cream together:
2 eggs
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add:
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Once dry ingredients are evenly incorporated, mix in:
2 heaping cups rolled oats
1 scant cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup toffee chips

Drop by the spoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire cooling rack immediately.

Eat up!