From Quintus to Saga

Hi all,

Recently made the decision to change my Wordpress site's theme from Quintus to Saga. It seemed time for an update. I've been using the previous theme for around two years, I think.

Since my website is where I post chapters of my manuscript, Quintus had the best features for me. Readable, simple and customizable. Here is a preview of what the theme looks like and what I did to it:

The Saga theme is simpler than the former. It has a clean look and responsive in design. The info in Quintus' sidebar is now hidden under the menu button. Thus, more space is given to the posts. Here are the images:

The free theme isn't perfect, but I like its overall look. Hadn't made a lot of modifications yet. But, hopefully, I'll get to add a banner header of sorts. Am preparing something special for it, though the image is still under the works (keeping my fingers crossed on this one that get to finish it...).

For those who wish to visit the website, its address is gone2write.wordpress.com. It's completely different from this blog since I write random topics here like recipes, updates on what I've written, and opinions.

I haven't actually fixed the appearance of this one, especially the pages here... Sorry... Am juggling work, study, and my personal project (City of Mysts).

If you have ideas you wish to share or queries, feel free to comment. I'll try to respond as soon as I may. :)

Cheers! ;)

Liebster Award

I was nominated for a Liebster Award by a fellow blogger Isabel from The Sunny Side of This. Thanks, Isabel.

It took me a long while to get back to this. I can't say I can continue the trend: 1) my visits in this particular blog is sporadic at best and 2) I don't know anyone who 's new to the blogging world. Still, I'll give it a go in answering the list of questions which were painstakingly thought out for this nomination. :)

1. Who is your blogging inspiration? 

I can’t name all of them. Every writer I see online who blogs is an inspiration to me. As an aspiring fiction writer, their posts help me write better and encourage me to pursue my dreams. 

2. What’s your biggest dream? 

My biggest dream would be to witness universal peace. My second dream is to become a published author. Someday, I would like to hold a finished copy of my book and learn that my work inspired someone.

3. Who’s your idol and why? 

José Rizal. He’s what you call a renaissance man. I would have loved to meet him and talk about his beliefs and convictions.

4. What do you wanted to be “when you grow up” as a little kid? 

Oh boy. I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to be when I was a child. A doctor, professional ballet dancer, writer, computer programmer then teacher.

I was a ballet student for a while but reading and writing were, by far, my favourite hobbies. Then again, I loved to share what I know – specifically, computers.

In a way, I achieved some of my dreams. I taught and am currently taking my M.A. while writing in my free time.

5. Which 5 items you can’t leave your house without? 

Umbrella, wallet, keys, notebook and pen. A girl’s gotta write when a girl's gotta write. ;)

6. Which are the TV Series you’re currently obsessing with? 

Arrow, The Flash, and The Musketeers. I can’t wait for the new season of Game of Thrones and Sherlock.

7. Which is your happy place?

My happy place is wherever I can read or write in my leisure.

8. Which’s your favorite motivational quote of all time? 

“Ignorance is chaos” from the movie Lucy. I find that it’s actually true. If we knew everything, the effect of our negative thoughts and actions around us; the lives, especially the planet’s, we are responsible for; the balance of nature; perhaps, we would strive for peace.

9. What’s your favorite thing about your hometown?

I grew up with the neighbourhood kids. It’s always nice to see a friendly face and know they got your back when you need it most.

10. What do you usually do on a Friday night? 

I unwind. It depends on my mood: writing, reading, watching a movie…

11. Which is your favorite movie and why?

Lucy is my current favourite. Just the possibility of a human capable of using a hundred percent of her brain is something that’s worth contemplating. 



Well, that's about it. I hope you learned a few things about me. 
Nominees for the Liebster Award, good luck! :D

Spice Up Your Salad

Hi everyone :)

It's been a while. I've been recently busy juggling school, work, and writing my manuscript at Wordpress.com and Wattpad. With the impending holy week, I'd like to share a simple salad dressing I invented last week. It's a fusion between Asian and European, I guess. It goes like this:

Ingredients:
1 ½ tbsp Kewpie Japanese Mayo
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Parmesan
Wasabi

Procedure: 
Mix everything together and serve with Romanian lettuce.

Easy peasy, right?

If you have novel recipes of salad dressings, I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers! :)

First Local Online Shopping experience

It's not my intention to write my first bad review when the 2015 has just begun, but here goes...

Despite the feedback I've read from Google, I ordered an Acer Aspire Switch 10 through Lazada Philippines last December 12, 2014. The process went smoothly at first. A representative called to confirm my order and advised me to track its status via their website. They also stated that I would have it within 1-7 days.

By December 16, 2014, I received an email that my order has been fully shipped through a third party carrier 2GO. They supplied me a new tracking number that I would have to enter in 2GO's tracking page. I used it and the website came with 0 search results.

On December 29, 2014, the package came.

Lo and behold! They delivered to me a selfie-pod/monopod. The courier himself knew that it was a far cry from the parcel I was expecting (He has a copy of my transaction from Lazada).  He told me that it must have been switched in the warehouse and would report the incident to the main office. He suggested that I call Lazada to verify the status of my order.

I called Lazada up and told them in detail what had happened. They emailed me stating that I should make sure to accomplish their return form. I wrote a narrative reported of the incident and told them that I hadn't filled up a return form since I never even got to hold parcel. The representative replied that I email them a scanned copy of the return receipt issued by 2GO.

I called 2GO once more only to find out that the status of my order is "refused to accept", which I duly informed Lazada again.

I visited 2GO's tracking page, which "finally" displayed the status of my package. Alas! It states : "UNDELIVERED - Reason: REFUSED TO ACCEPT CANCELLED". I contacted 2GO to verify this new information and was advised that I reorder the product from Lazada.

I'm not sure who's or, maybe, what's to blame in this scenario. I understand that it was at the peak of the holiday season. I was willing to accept the fact that the deliver came late and the item delivered didn't reconcile what's on the paper. After all, it was Christmas. I'm not the only one with the grand idea to order online along with hundreds of other consumers. But the last straw was the status I read from 2GO's tracking page. Firstly, I didn't refuse it. Their courier refused to give me the item. Secondly, I didn't cancel my order. I simply acknowledged the mistake and was willing to wait the correct item to be delivered.

If you're asking me if I'll reorder the product online, the answer is no. It's a waste of time to wait for several weeks only to be disappointed again.

Perhaps I'll order a product from them when there's a distinct improvement on their services.

New and old stories

Hi, people.

It has been quite a while. I've been pre-occupied with the process of publishing Liyanna Book I: The Realms of Ethair, previously known as Journey. What are the changes? Well, the most obvious are the title, my pen name Cecilia Beatriz, and the book cover. The plan is to have my ebook published in Kindle, but since I'm enrolling it in a program, I''ve removed the story temporarily in Wattpad.com. However, sample chapters are still available there.



But why is the statistic for number of reads so low?! That would be my mistake. In my excitement to remove some of the chapters, I kind of deleted everything. So. I had to re-upload it again as a new story. Sorry for the inconvenience.

The release date hasn't been set yet. But, I'm hoping to have it published this month. No worries, I'll post it here once it's available in the market.

Anyway, if you're planning to self-publish your book, in e-publishing platforms like Kindle and Smashwords, I'd say the process is challenging but worth it - if you're seriously thinking about being a writer. You'll also get to know some authors online who made it to the indie publishing route via their blogs and they're very supportive of aspiring writers.

What else? Hmm...

Ah, yes. I've gathered up the courage to edit my ten-year old manuscript. I was very young then, so you could imagine the challenge I'm faced with right now. My ideas weren't as cohesive as it is now and I used terms in a funny way. Hehe.
If you were my classmate who read Villa de Luna, you know what I'm talking about. As for now, I've changed the title to The City of Mysts and edited four chapters. Yehey!

Just click below to read a revamp of my story. Don't forget to tick the star in Wattpad if you liked it. Hoping to hear from you soon.  ;)

Nerd, Geek, Weird...Who?

When I was fresh out of college, being called a nerd would have hit a nerve. I rather preferred to be called a geek then. I have a penchant for gadgets and love to get my hands dirty from exploring the features of a new Tablet to exploring the innards of my computer's CPU. But I'm also a bookworm. My genre ranges from comics and mangas to alternative news. Whenever a subject pops up and I know something about it, I couldn't help sharing what I've read. Moreover, I love word games (remember Text Twist, Hangaroo and the classic Crossword puzzle? I've played those.). Am I academically inclined? I was studious. I didn't compete with anybody, I had high standards set for myself. If I know I can do better, I usually give my best to avoid wallowing in regret for mediocrity. So, perhaps that's where it started. My colleagues called me a nerd.

Recently, I've been to sites which try to distinguish between who is a geek and who is a nerd to a point that one website has an infographic and another even made a study out of it, complete with a graph, stating the similarities and differences of the two groups. It was interesting, but was it worth it?

If you live in a house that is brimming with reading materials from the mundane to the spiritual and born in a family of artists and freethinkers, can you classify yourself as a geek or a nerd? When people catch you wondering aloud why were you born in this world and what it feels like to share a connection with Mother Earth, do they take a step back and ask who are you? Or, do they start saying you're weird?

We have a tendency to put labels into everything in the vain attempt to understand what is in front of us. Thus, we forget that each of us are unique individuals and cannot be truly classified in one specific category.
We have our own set beliefs and principles. We think, speak and react differently to situations. Must I go on?

So, are you a nerd, a geek, or a weirdo?

Or, are you YOU?

Update on Liyanna I

Hello, dear readers.

I haven't been able to visit this blog for a while. There have been changes in the book I've been writing, which you may have noticed in Wattpad. Title has been changed from Liyanna I: Journey to Liyanna Book I: The Realms of Ethair.

The novel is complete and has undergone revisions. Currently, I've been jotting down some key points in book 1 that will be addressed in the next sequel. If you have read my work and have comments/suggestions and questions, please feel free to send me your queries by posting it in the comment box below or through my email.

Thanks. J

New Update: Journey, Chapter 22

After the long wait, it's finally here! J

Juggling work in the office and my other interests, apart from writing, have been quite a struggle that it took a while to finish encoding this part.

The previous chapter ends with Kristina accepting her role as Liyanna. In Chapter 22, the story is in Kristina's P.O.V. Our protagonist will try to use her new position to help Commander Reno in his cause. New and not so new characters will make an appearance, official and secret meetings will be held, and more...

To learn more about it, click on the widget below and start reading.

Feel free to share your ideas and opinions about the story either in the Comment box below or in Wattpad's Comments and Reviews box at the bottom of the web page. Your views on the story matter and may influence certain events in the novel as a whole. Thanks! J

Vegetarian Chili

Last Thursday, 31st of October, Mamá visited her hometown leaving behind the whole family in Manila. With a limited budget for the weekend and after considering available resources and me, the sole pesco-vegetarian, I decided to cook a Sunday dish that everyone could eat.

If you like your food a little spicy, this one's for you. Bon appetit! :)

Vegetarian Chili 

Estimated Times

Vegetarian Chili

Preparation Time: 30 mins.

Cooking Time: 45-60 mins.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 medium onions

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

1 large eggplant (cut in ½-inch cubes)

1-2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

9 oz. chickpeas, drained

9 oz. red kidney beans, drained

2 Tbsp. dried mixed herbs

Salt

Large handful flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Procedure

1. Cook the onions and garlic in olive oil, over low heat in a large nonstick pan for about 10 minutes, until the onions have wilted and softened.
2. Add the chili powder, cumin, and paprika and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes before stirring in the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the eggplant, green bell peppers, red kidney beans, chickpeas, and dried mixed herbs to the pan. Add salt to taste.
4. Stir, bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes to the let the flavors infuse.
5. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Adapted from The Book of Chilies & Stews by Sara Davis

Journey: Chapters 19, 20 and 21 now available

Hello. J

I've been trying to catch up on my writing and ended up encoding most of what I've written so far. Phew! Anyway, I'm trying to make the most out of the free time I have left before I go back to the grind. Hehehe!
Find out the origin of the Black Guards' headquarters in Chapter 19:

The following chapters below are back to our female protagonist Kristina. Now that she's awake, things take a turn for...the better or worse? Here are some excerpts:

To read Liyanna Book I: The Realms of Ethair in Wattpad app, just type this code: 58366003

New Release: Journey, Chapter 18

Tropical Storm Maring had caused a lot of destruction in the Philippines this week. Everyone has been affected by the torrential rains last Tuesday.

At six in the morning, we woke up only to find that flood waters had already entered the ground floor. Jigger, one of our dogs, had run downstairs ahead of us and got disoriented after landing on water. Her head looking down and a foreleg raised. LOL! But she recovered quickly and seemed to enjoy playing in the flood like a little kid. She looked like she just took a bath when she came up to the second floor.

It would have been more amusing if we weren't so harassed in rescuing our things from the water. There was nothing we could do about the family car by then. Sadly, I was not able to help long after slipping down the wet stairs and injuring my foot. The fall was really bad. The whole house heard the impact when I landed on my rear. Thankfully, I didn't fracture anything. I have a nice bruise as souvenir, though.

With nothing to do and to distract myself from the pain, I finished Dragon Heir by Gem Higa in Wattpad. It won the Watty Awards last year, 2010. If you're into dragons and kick-ass heroines, I recommend this to you, dear reader. But beware, the author is currently making revisions to the story.

It's not the only thing I've been doing, though. I continued writing my story. After completing a chapter, it got me thinking of turning the novel into a series. I want to focus on specific issues in this book but there are certain things that keep on emerging as Journey progresses. After giving it much thought, I  finally decided that I would write book 2. I'm really nervous about this because the idea never really crossed my mind until now.

Now that it has a sequel, I've created another title for it. Journey is now part of Liyanna Series. So, if you wish to search for the novel in Wattpad, just type M.C. Babasa (author's name) or Liyanna Series. I'm still open for ideas in the series' title. So if you wish to make suggestions, please feel free to comment below.

To date, I've made certain changes in the overview, posted a Characters list for reference, and the newest is Chapter 18. It's in the point of view of Kristina's friend Mindy.

Journey: Chapter 15 is out!

Hullo, everyone.

I've just posted Chapter 15 of Journey in Wattpad.com. I wasn't able to put it up yesterday since I was out most of the day. It describes the role Merleina has been up to for ages.

What you see online has been encoded and edited in MS Word before it was uploaded in Wattpad. Sadly, I'll be busier very soon with office work. So, there will be less time for me to write. Hopefully, I'll be able to allocate at least an hour of my free time; alternately writing and encoding. The second hour for reading a book or ebook, the third for socializing offline and online, and so forth. Hehehe.

Wish me luck. J

Journey: A Novel

Hi, everyone.

I've signed up in Wattpad.com after reading one of its books, The Awakener by Amanda Strong. It's ideal for light reading. Its history is based on the Bible, so expect quotations or excerpts from the Good Book. But, the author made a good job of the characters not sounding overzealous with religion and I like how the guardian angels and demons were portrayed.
The book also inspired me to write a chapter of a novel I've been trying to complete (one of my projects this year), which became a turning point for me to finally commit with my first novel by uploading it in Wattpad.

I like to write the draft the traditional way - that is, in pen and paper. In my experience, it feels more personal than typing it directly on the computer. So, most of it is either still in my notebook or in my head. But I'll be uploading more chapters soon. :)

Read the book: Journey by M.C. Babasa or continue reading this post for the overview.

Journey 

by M.C. Babasa

Kristina
Her life has always been ordinary as far as psychics go, until she draws the attention of a mysterious stranger, who seems to know more about her than any other person.
But there are others who want something from her that only she possesses. 

Arturion
Impulsively, he offers friendship to Kristina. But when she falls ill, he must divulge his secret to help her.

Excerpt
He stood at least six feet tall, his dark hair and clothes dry in contrast to the weather. He held an umbrella which served more as a costume prop rather than carry out its initial purpose. The rain didn’t touch him not even his “prop”. It seemed to hit an invisible shield surrounding his person... 

Lenguas de Gato

Lenguas de Gato is the Spanish name for cat's tongue, named for its shape and size. It's crispness and rich buttery taste makes it a good complement for ice cream and coffee.

I found this recipe from my Abuelita's possessions, a collection of recipes from newspaper clippings from the fifties or sixties. I tried the recipe as an alternative for disposing egg whites left from leche flan. It's a lot easier than meringues and an ideal gift for special occasions.

Lenguas de Gato

Yields: about 5 dozen

Finished product: Lenguas de Gato

Ingredients

½ c. butter

⅔ c. sugar

1 c. sifted all-purpose flour (if eggs are large ones, use 1 ¼ c. flour)

¼ c. egg whites (2 egg whites)

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add unbeaten egg whites little by little, beating well after each addition.
4. Add flour a little at a time. Then, salt and vanilla.
5. Place mixture in a piping bag with plain tip and drop in oblong form (2 ½ inches long) on a non-stick baking sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove from sheets while hot.

Meringue Cookies

Meringues dropped in rough rounds onto lined baking sheet

We've been making leche flan at home for quite some time using a dozen egg yolks per batch that we were quite at a loss on how we could salvage the egg whites. The first thing that came to mind was meringues.
A recipe was already at hand and I started baking it alongside my sister, who was preparing the leche flan. My first batch was okay considering it was my first time making it. The meringue's middle portion was still soft and whole thing stuck on your teeth when you eat it. The second, the output was the same.
My third trial was a disaster. I left the meringues to cool on their trays to eat dinner. The rainy season had started. When I returned for it, everything was sticky.
The fourth was an improvement. I researched for other recipes and adapted it to the ingredients I have. Moreover, I wanted something less time consuming. You have to make sure that the sugar completely dissolves and not to over-mix the mixture.

I've included some advice, which are based on my research and experiences.

Reminders/Tips

You can use granulated sugar. The recipe below uses caster and powdered sugar. Caster sugar is finer than granulated sugar but not powdery in form. It is easier to dissolve than granulated sugar. If you wish to make caster sugar, use a food processor to refine granulated sugar until it can pass through a sieve/sifter.
Before you decide making meringues, check the weather forecast for rain and make sure your work area is not humid. This dessert does not like moisture.
In preparing ingredients, use clean and dry equipment. 

Eggs must not be cold. Egg whites at room temperature would allow it to expand more. 

Use a weighing scale instead of cups for precise measurement of ingredients. Baking is a science. ☺
Adjust the cooking time, if you wish to make smaller meringues. 

The meringues will weep when cooked on very high heat. The oven's low temperature would allow its shell to set and dry the interior.

Meringues must be cooled gradually, which is why you have to leave them in the oven after baking. You will see cracks on its shell when it is cooled too quickly.
Store them in a dry airtight container.

Meringue Cookies Recipe

Ingredients
6 egg whites, at room temperature

175 g. caster sugar

175 g. Peotraco confectioners’ powdered sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat convection oven 100°C (conventional oven 110°C / gas ¼). Line 2 baking sheets with Glad Cook ‘n’ Bake non-stick paper.
2. In a large clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed with electric beater until soft peaks form.
3. Shift to high speed and gradually add a spoonful of caster sugar at a time. Continue beating mixture until it is thick and glossy or form stiff peaks.
4. Sift ⅓ of the powdered sugar over the mixture. Gently fold it in with a big spoon or rubber spatula. Continue pattern for remaining powdered sugar.
5. Scoop large spoonfuls of the mixture and drop them in rough rounds onto baking sheets.
6. Bake for 1 ½ - 2 hrs. in the oven, until meringues sound hollow when tapped underneath.
7. Turn off oven and let meringues cool inside for 3-4 hrs.

Adapted from:

• Ultimate Meringue | BBC Good Food
• BBC - Food - Recipes: Meringues with clotted cream and strawberries
• Meringues recipe - Kids cooking

Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna

An experiment my mother ventured into after eating a dish similar to this recipe in an Italian restaurant somewhere in Manila.

The family at that time was divided into two. types of diet. The majority are what one of us coined as "any-tarians" since we all enjoy good food and trying out new dishes. The minority, actually two, which I am a part of, has some limited food choices with our pesco-vegetarian diet.

For everyone to get to taste something new, it was better to serve a dish that all of us could eat. The recipe has been modified for personal preferences. We like a lasagna that has more tomato sauce, just like its meaty counterpart. You may visit the websites at the end of this recipe, if you wish to make the original dish.

Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna

Yields: 6-12 servings

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into ½ inch-thick slices

2 large zucchini, cut diagonally into ½ inch-thick slices

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 oz. pre-cooked lasagna noodles

Parmesan mixture

1-2 cups grated Parmesan

¼ tsp. dried basil

¼ tsp. dried oregano

Tomato mixture

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. dried basil

1 ½ medium cans Capri whole-peeled tomatoes

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini w/1 tbsp. olive oil and ½ tsp. salt. Place in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until brown. Set aside.
3. Repeat procedure no. 2 for eggplant.
4. Sauté ingredients for tomato mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add water if needed.
5. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
6. In a 9-inch rectangular pan, cover its base with tomato mixture.
7. Arrange noodles over mixture. Top with eggplant and zucchini, then pour tomato mixture and sprinkle with parmesan mixture. Repeat pattern.
8. On topmost layer of noodles, spread evenly remaining tomato and parmesan mixture.
9. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until parmesan melts and turns golden brown. Cool for 5-10 minutes.

Adapted from:

• Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna
• Meatless Monday: Eggplant-Zucchini Lasagna with Fontina

Short Film: Wing It

I came across this film by accident while watching movie trailers. The makers are actually students from The Animation School.

It's a story about how an inventor successfully created a plane. The animation and music is impressive. In addition, there is humor injected into the plot. Watch the story unfold below:


Source:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARHVR9BkOWU

The Book That Started It All

Source:
http://www.littleladybooksandbits.com

My mother used to read bedtime stories to me and my siblings when we were still small, one of these was the Read it Yourself: Red Riding Hood. Before I was enrolled to a formal school, my mother handed me this book and told me to read it aloud. I was three or four years old then. I was surprised but didn’t dare complain.

My older sister was already attending school. I was a bit envious that she was learning new things and I had to stay home. So, when mother helped her with homework, I was usually there to watch and listen.

I don’t know how I managed to read the story, but I did it. Whether all that observing my sister’s lessons or somehow learning by heart how mother read it to us paid off, I still wouldn’t know. I didn’t perfect it the first time. However, I was told to reread it until I got everything, right down to the pauses for commas and periods. Hehehe!

It felt nice to finally be able to read, another means to pass the time aside from playing, watching television, and observing the activities of adults. Moreover, reading a book wouldn’t get you in trouble, unlike a few of my misadventures caused by a natural inquisitiveness everyone possesses as a kid. In addition, almost every room of the house has books and other reading materials lying around.

The end of the story is: I fell in love with books, which is not that bad considering that most of the family are readers.

Homemade Salsa

The family just loves spicy food. My father got this recipe from a Mexican cooking book and modified it a bit.

Ingredients
2 medium onions (sliced)
1 bulb of garlic (chopped)
118 mL hot jalapeño peppers (sliced)
1 small can pimiento (sliced)
1 large can diced tomatoes (preferably Capri brand)
Salt

Procedure

1. Sauté onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, pimiento, and jalapeño.
2. Season with salt to taste.
3. Simmer salsa, partially covered, under low fire for 15-30 minutes.

Note: We usually add a small amount of vinegar to get the taste right.

Deluxe Oatmeal Cookies

An easy drop cookie recipe

Deluxe Oatmeal Cookie 

Estimated Times
Preparation Time: 15 mins.  
Cooking Time: 9 to 11 mins.  
Cooling Time: 15 mins.  
Servings: About 4 ½ dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
⅛ tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups quick-cooking or rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Sift and combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in small bowl.
3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Beat in eggs; gradually beat in flour mixture.
5. Stir in oats and nuts.
6. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto nonstick baking sheets.
7. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
8. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from Nestlé’s Milk Chocolate Raisinets: Deluxe Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies Recipe