Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies!

More Pittsburgh to come. In the meantime, I tried my hand at baking.

If you ever want to win friends and influence people, make up a couple of batches of these cookies. I start a new job on Tuesday- sort of. It's a lateral move and I'm just going to a different department- Labor and Employment law. I'm moving to a new office on a new floor, and want to start things off right.

2/3 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (can be fast cooking but not instant)
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used a little less)
1 1/4 cup craisins (the organic packs are good if you can find them)
2/3 cup white chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add eggs. In a separate mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt- mixing by hand. Add that to the butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in crasins and chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Cool on cooling rack for 15 minutes, and pack into containers. My mother buys white tins from The Container Store, and layers the cookies in batches in between wax paper. I did the same, but they'll taste just as good no matter how you store them.

They're oaty, fruity and the white chocolate chips add just the right amount of sweetness. This is my mother's recipe, and it's the first time I tried it. I am very proud of myself today- these taste just like moms! The true test will come Tuesday so wish me luck...and the eggs.