Raisin Molasses Oatmeal Cookies Recipe & Baking Playlist

Remember those juicy raisins I was hankering for in the grocery store? On Monday I put together a recipe for soft, chewy, oatmeal, raisin, molasses cookies. This is my own recipe. I know, I amaze myself sometimes. These my friends are amazing!

You need to mix some up and have two or three cookies. Playing in the background, of course, will be this baking cookies playlist I made on Spotify.

Raisin Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Molasses 

3/4 cup Butter or Margarine 

1 egg 

 1 1/2 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda 

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Ginger

1/2 teaspoon Cloves

1 teaspoon Cinnamon 

1 1/2 cup Quick Rolled Oats  

1 cup Raisins 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.

Cream sugars, butter (or margarine), molasses and egg in the mixer. (I find Molasses hard to pour...I was going for 1/4 cup but might have gotten 1/2 cup) Measure in dry ingredients. Mix. Stir in quick rolled oats & raisins.

Form balls and arrange on baking sheet. Press fork in centre. If you find dough sticky wet your hands slightly before.

Bake @350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Yesterday's prompt for blog-tember was to make a playlist. I of course was up way too late the night before watching a movie with L then up at 4 am with J and then up with the sun again. Since it was Ls day off we pulled together a diaper bag and wisked J into her carseat & picked up breakfast sandwich & coffees & we were off to the big city for a full day of shopping. When I got home, re-heated lentil soup that I had made the day before & made dinner, played with J and put her to bed I listened to a pile of music and composed this playlist. I had wanted to post it yesterday but the day got the best of me. So now I'm a day behind in the blog-tember challenge but I will catch up in time.

Baking Cookies Playlist 

(Click on Baking Cookies Playlist above to be taken to Spotify to hear the full playlist for free.)

I hope you enjoy!

Classical Listens & Nervy News

Lately I have been really into listening to classical music. Classical music helps me to unwind when I get all wound up. It also inspires and propels me.  I officially slept last night from 9 pm until midnight and then from 4 am until 5 am. I've been negotiating all things contractual & financial around here while L is at work. This is a huge stretch for me! I think our house will be officially listed on Monday and we have paid a deposit on a new build.

We're building a house!!

Oh my!! I should be dancing around and celebrating but to tell the truth until it is all official it really is nervy! The world of mortages and mortage providers is something I have very little experience in. Since we haven't sold our other house yet we need a completion mortage. I think today's meeting with the bank went well, I just have to acquire two more pieces of "evidence" in support of our application.

Here are three of my top listens this week.  I hope you will enjoy this selection and discover some new favorite listens.

Hans Zimmer- Maestro

William Byrd-  "Agnus Dei - Mass for five voices"

Lindsey Stirling -

River Flows in You

Lord of the Rings Medley

Here are some other great modern classical listens:

• The Piano Guys

• Yann Tiersen

• Brian Tyler

I hope you enjoyed my classical musical selection today! You probably recognized some of the scores. Do you have some classical recommends for me to listen to?

I'm linking up with the blog-tember challenge for this prompt today. 

And if you haven't seen this video on YouTube yet you really need to watch it and laugh.

Shuffle, Bob and & Sway to the Music

Saturday, Sept. 5: Put your iTunes/music player on shuffle and share the first 10 songs that play.

1. I Got A Name - Jim Croche, Invincible Soundtrack 

I love, love, love this song. I don't know if my dad used to play this song when I was growing up but somehow whenever it plays it brings me back to my earliest years,  It reminds me of the big wood cabinet General Electric stereos. Our green shag carpet. Plaid couches. Alternately triumphant, wandering. "I Got a Name" was the theme song for the film Invincible starring Mark Wahlberg. I love that movie. 

2. Style- Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is fun. L does not like her music and declares a Taylor Swift free zone. Whateve! I like her old Hollywood glam, retro vibe, her signature cat eye makeup and classic red lips. I'd love to go to a Taylor Swift concert. 

3. For You- Serena Ryder 

I rarely go to concerts, but I went to Sererna Ryder's and fell in love. Swoon. I had to buy her album. Her dusky-throated mountain-top voice is so heartfelt and deep. She has something like eleventy-seven octaves in her range, and fires them all at you in concert. Her songs play tricks on you, because they start out light and gentle and before you realize it you’re moving to the music. 

4. Life for Rent- Dido

The music of Dido reminds me of me twenties. I played her music non-stop then. For that I keep her around. Although gee this song is a little depressing. Very few singers I know almost all the words to their songs and when I'm in the car by myself I like to pretend I can sing. 

5. Skyfall- Adele

Oh this song is so James Bond. I love to play Adele when I do my hair and makeup. Is that odd? 

6. Like a Fool- Kiera Knightly Begin Again soundtrack. 

Who knew Kiera Knightly could sing? I love acoustic singing so it was no wonder I loved her voice on the Begin Again soundtrack. It's raw, hesitant, unique and somewhat of an enchanting, fragile, folky mix. She reminds me of Suzanne Vega.

7. All I Want For Christmas is Us- Tristan Prettyman & Jason Mraz

Somehow Christmas music always comes up when I shuffle. Usually classical too. I'm surprised we haven't a full mix of classical and Christmas Music here. I love Tristan's smoky alto.  I'm a huge fan of Jason Mraz and his influence is felt. Can you already tell I love singer songwriter acoustic type music? This was a new found favorite Christmas song that I'm sure will play prominently this next year again when I can figure out how to separate the Christmas music into its own playlists.  

8. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri 

I often play this album when I'm puttering around the kitchen. I like the emotive ballads. It almost has an acoustic feel with the piano and string instruments. 

9.  A Little Party Never Killed Nobody- Fergie, Q-Tip, GoonRock

This one...oh hello, not my usual acoustic, folky fare! It's from the soundtrack The Great Gatsby, which was the best for its 1920s Art Deco glam vibe. This song is fun to get your dance party on.

10. My Desire - Jeremy Camp 

I like the music of Jeremy Camp. He's got a deep voice and it ushers you into worshipful reverence.

I included the links to youtube versions of these songs for your listening pleasure.  Do you have plans for the Labor Day weekend? What current tunes are you listening to?