If Sarah Palin Were a Cookie, What Kind Would She Be?

I've been a litte down since the 4th.  I'm disappointed, although not surprised at the way things turned out.  That said, there is one person in all of this that I have a lot of respect for - Sarah Palin.  I don't believe that she is presidential material, at least not now.  Who knows what could happen over the next four years, but what I think she is really good at is inspiring Republicans.  I admit I was very excited when I heard her speech at the convention.  I really like her a lot because she is down-to-earth, she sticks to what she believes in, and she has handled all of the criticism much better than I ever could.  I think its sad the way she has been attacked by liberals and the media, especially since the election.  They wouldn't be picking on her though, if they didn't see her as a threat.  That's why I think we should put her to work campaigning for a solid conservative candidate and we'd have the next Republican President in office in 2012.  Anyway, I think Sarah Palin has good things in store for her and four more years of experience can only help her.  

On a lighter note, I thought a batch of cookies is just what I need to cheer up.  If Sarah Palin were a cookie, what kind of cookie would she be?  I looked at several recipes, and none of them seemed quite right until I found this recipe for Oatmeal-Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies.  It is from Cooking Light Magazine.  These cookies are made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, sweetened dried cranberries, and semisweet chocolate chips.  Seems fitting to me!

Makes 36 cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup regular oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (I used fat free plain yogurt)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg whites (I used 1/4 cup egg substitute)

3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flours, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Place sugar, butter, and sour cream in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth (I used my Cuisinart food processor and pulsed until smooth).  Add vanilla and egg whites, beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, stirring until blended.  Fold in cranberries and chocolate chips.  
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (took only 13 in my oven) or until edges of cookies are browned.  Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

I thought these cookies turned out very well, and they're pretty healthy for cookies (ONLY 88 CALORIES EACH)!  I added the cinnamon, it was not included in the original recipe.  I think they would also be good with cardamom.  I made them in my Cuisinart food processor, which helped make them less chunky (I didn't chop the cranberries first).  I think I would make them again without chopping the cranberries.  They turned out chewy and moist with a hint of tart/sweet cranberries, cinnamon and chocolate.