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GOODNESS
Cinnamon: Cinnamon comes from the bark of a tropical evergreen, just like its cousin cassia. It has an ancient pedigree, even being used to embalm a few pharaohs. That may not sound appetizing, but it has been found to be good for the heart, the stomach and the joints. Not impressed yet? Well consider that it also seems to mimic insulin and therefore helps diabetics moderate their sugar levels. So don't be shy with this tasty and healthy spice.
Cloves: The dried buds of a tropical evergreen, cloves are a wonderful blast of fragrance and flavor. They were the first known breath fresheners, but have a long, rich history in the spice trades. These sweet but pungent buds can overwhelm a recipe, so beware!
Nutmeg: What would egg-nog be without nutmeg? But this sweetly aromatic spice is good for much more. As well as flavoring cakes and fruity desserts, it works wonderfully with strong vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower.
Nutmeg quickly loses it's flavor when ground, so get whole kernels and grind them just before using them. The taste is a sweet blend of woody pine and cloves.
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Recipe

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 14

ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 dash ground clove
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups chopped pecans
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat). Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips. Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 11 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.