Monster Cookies

A few weeks ago Jason had the opportunity to receive further training in Biblical Counseling. The training was a week long and was in Indiana. Aside from the fact that he was away from us for a week, it was a great time of growth and training in an area that Jason is gifted and very interested in. Needless to say, it was a blessing!

Now, we all know how much I LOVE to bake! Seriously, I really enjoy making yummy goodness and sharing it with those I love the most. Jason once said jokingly that food was my spiritual gift. We laughed, and then I thought, ‘You’re right! You’re absolutely right!’ If someone has a baby I am the first in line to take them a meal. If a friend or family member has a birthday I am all excited to make them their favorite dessert. Jason even claims I won his love over with my Eggplant Parmasean…which I’ve made only one other time since then ;) I truly enjoy cooking and baking!

So, when I knew Jason would be riding in a van packed with 10 other people for 6 hours I thought I’d better make them something to sustain them on the long trip! What better to make than Monster Cookies?!?!

This recipe is MASSIVE, and I mean MASSIVE! I once counted out how many dozen cookies this recipe makes and it came to 14! That’s right, 14 dozen cookies, roughly 168 average-sized cookies. One could potentially halve or even quarter this recipe, but where’s the fun in that?

I make the recipe, in its entirety once or twice a year. In fact, I have a huge stainless steel bowl that I inherited from my Grandma Beverly, whose spiritual gift was also food, which I use for such occasions. If you do indeed attempt to make this recipe I suggest two things: 1) using a hand mixer to blend all of the ingredients, up to the addition of the oatmeal and 2) chilling the dough-I’ve found the cookies turn out better if the dough has been chilled first.

Luckily, I had planned ahead and purchased all of the proper ingredients, thanks to Aldi, so when the ‘Blizzard O’ 2011’ set in I was ready to bake, bake, bake! We stayed in our jammies all day and baked cookies. At 6pm I put on jeans for the first time all day, put cookies in paper bags that said ‘Happy Snow Day’, and Micah and I delivered them to our neighbors. Jason took the remaining cookies on his trip and they received rave reviews! Maybe someday I’ll muster up enough guts to enter them in the Iowa State Fair.

Yummy dough all ready to bake!

That's right, 12 eggs! Thank goodness for Aunt Phoebe and her chickens...she keeps me in business.

Prepped and ready to go!

Jude's favorite hangout. He stayed her all morning watching the neighbors try to dig out their driveway. There were snow drifts as high as 5 feet in some parts of the yard!

What's not to love about this little guy?!?! He melts my heart!

Micah and Daddy enjoyed some extended blocks and cars time while I baked!

It just so happened that Micah had on his monster pj's! I promise, I did not stage this!

Here’s the recipe, for your enjoyment-and No, that’s not a typo, it really calls for 12 eggs and 3 lbs. peanut butter!

Monster Cookies

12 eggs 8 tsp baking soda

2 lbs. brown sugar 3 lb. peanut butter

4 cups white sugar 18 cups oatmeal

1 lb. butter- do not use margarine

1 T. vanilla 1 lb. M n M candies-plain

1 T. Karo 1 lb. choc chips

In a large dishpan, mix in order given. Drop by large spoonfuls or ice cream scoop on a greased cookie sheet, flatten. Bake at 350 about 12 minutes, check at 10 minutes, do not overbake!

Note: this recipe does not call for flour. Yield dependent on size of cookies.