Ranger Cookies

This week, I had the help of Carole to make 2 treats.  The first are Ranger cookies.


There are rangers of all varieties: U.S. Army Rangers, Park Rangers, Texas Rangers, Ranger Rick (my personal hero when I was a kid and in my personal bias way better then than now), and so on.  I suppose these cookies might have been for them as I feel they're much like a trail mix cookie and our first introduction to the wonderful world of coconut flake.  If these recipes could have themes through the last several decades, I think it might be when certain ingredients became popular and more available to the masses. 

These cookies have oatmeal, rice krispies, and sweetend coconut flake to make them crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  The cookies were fairly quick and easy to make and had great results.  Again, go with Grandma and do not doubt the wisdom on the recipe card.  It is a little hard to tell when these cookies are done.  I think they're best if they look a little crispy on the edges.  Also, the instructions tell you to make dough balls "about the size of a walnut" - to me this means a little more than an inch diameter give or take.

English Walnuts in shell without the husk.

These cookies do have a nice spread so leave some space and remember the larger the "ball" the larger the cookie and the more space you need.  If I never mentioned it before, any walnuts used or referred to are English walnuts (Juglans regia) and are the type most commonly sold in stores.  Black walnuts (Juglans nigra) are different entirely, from the GIANT pain to get them open (talk to a squirrel), the black/purple dye it leaves your hands (not easily gotten off either), and the rather different flavor.  My grandmother was allergic to black walnuts, hence the reference to English walnuts in most recipes.



Walnut-sized balls added to the cookie sheet




Carole rolling walnut-sized balls





Mmmm, fresh cookies




Cookie!



Butternut Chewies

Another butterscotch brownie a.k.a. blondie or blonde brownie.  This type of brownie predates chocolate brownies (as brownies are typically known today).  According to the Food Timeline website, blondies are typically composed of ingredients that make butterscotch, popular in the mid-19th century.  Brownies were introduced in the early 20th century, when chocolate and cocoa powder were more readily available to the masses.  Supposedly, National Blonde Brownies day is January 22nd (it is not an official holiday).  Guess I missed it by a few months, but better late than never.

This recipe was declared to be better than the Butterscotch Brownies (January 7, 2011) if not eaten within say the first day of baking (but really, unless you're trying to save them to share, who isn't going to eat them immediately?!?!).  So, Butterscotch Brownies are immediate-out-of-the-oven tastiness and maybe a few hours later, these hold their flavor and texture if you need to take them to work the next day (or two); just make sure to keep greedy blondie eating paws out of the pan.  Be warned all those with children - these equal an immediate sugar high!

Once again, this recipe reads like a run-on sentence in my grandmother's handwriting, but after going slightly cross-eyed is definitely worth making and pretty easy too.



This is the whole 13x9 pan.  I took it to work on Monday and my coworkers were only able to sample slightly less than half...