Kitchen Sink Cookies

Ever wonder where the phrase "everything but the kitchen sink" came from? Apparently it hails from World War II, when anything and everything possible was used to contribute to the war effort.  All metal was used for the U.S. arsenal, and the only objects not recruited were porcelain kitchen sinks (thanks to Meaghan McCarthy for explaining and for Google finding you to give me said explanation).

I do not, in fact, have a porcelain sink, but I do have a cookie recipe that involves just about everything but.  Variety makes me a happy girl, so putting heaps of varying textures and tastes in a cookie is a very good idea in my book.

Using Sara Foster's Classic Oatmeal Cookies recipe as a base, these cookies make use of many pantry staples and can be easily modified for your particular particularities (allergies and whatnot).

Kitchen Sink Cookies

makes 2-3 dozen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/3 cup unsalted peanuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets and set aside (or use a Silpat).
3. Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat until well blended.
5. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl.  Stir to mix.
6. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moist and well blended.  Do not over mix.  
7. Scoop the dough with a 1/4 cup (2 ounce) ice cream scoop or by the heaping tablespoon and drop onto the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.  Press the cookies flat with the back of a spatula to a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
8. Bake 12-14 minutes for soft, chewy cookies; 15-18 minutes for crunchy cookies.  Cool 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.