Mrs. Fields & iVillage 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest (686 photos) Oatmeal Cookies (86 photos)

The Omega Oatmeal

The Omega Oatmeal 1 �� cups unsalted butter, softened 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs, preferably omega-3 enhanced �� cup milk 2 tsp double-strength vanilla extract 6 cups quick oats 1 1/3 cup white flour 2/3 cup whole wheat flour 3 Tb wheat germ 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 3 1/2 cups walnuts (~1 lb), toasted and chopped 3 cups oversized, quality milk chocolate chips, such as Guittard Combine oats, flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a standing mixer, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, beating until fluffy. Mix in milk and vanilla. Gradually add oat and flour mixture until fully blended. With mixer on low speed, add nuts and chips to incorporate into dough. Using a �� cup cookie scoop, drop onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and flatten slightly. Bake @ 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Makes ~3 dozen large (2.5 oz) cookies. My first after-school job was working for Mrs. Fields in our local shopping mall. That was more than 20 years ago and it was my introduction to baking: my hobby, my stress reliever, my passion. Mrs. Fields taught me many things that I now consider essential to good baking, such as the importance of using quality ingredients. Now, for even the most casual gathering, I won���t use anything but the finest quality butters, sugars, nuts, and chocolates. My friends and family always show their appreciation by never leaving a crumb behind. Now that I am married with a pair of toddlers and a job teaching at the local community college, baking is more important to me than ever. Trying to balance my family���s love of chocolates and sweets with good nutrition has lead to some interesting recipes. The one I am contributing here is a variation of an oatmeal cookie that came from my husband���s Midwest family: a delicious oatmeal, toasted walnut, and chocolate-chip cookie with the benefits of extra whole grains, fiber, and heart-healthy omega-3s. Each cookie contains more than 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids. I am proud to offer ���The Omega Oatmeal��� to be considered for the Mrs. Fields 30th Anniversary Cookie.