Bear Heart Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Today, 16th November 2009, is our 2-year wedding anniversary. Or, as I prefer to call it: 730 days as Mrs Cox. Adrian arranged for us to stay a night at the Shangri-la Hotel. People wonder why would we do that given that our apartment is literally a stone throw away from the hotel. At least Shangri-la is at the other site of the river as our apartment; we get to see different view of the city from another angle.

Since it's our anniversary, and upon Mr Cox's permission, Mrs Cox decided to "take the day off" and not cook for the day. So we rode the apartment boat to the hotel, stormed straight into the Next 2 riverside cafe for breakfast buffet; we got a Spa appointment at 9.30am. Breakfast was good although Mr Cox thought "nothing is as good as your cooking".

We had a 3 1/2 hours couple spa treatment. It was way too long. I was terrified when they placed the 5th layer of mask on my face after the 8th cleanse (or whatever they were for). It was a huge relief for us when the masseurs finally let us go.

The rest of the day was spent chilling by the pool, eating free snacks and drinks at the club lounge, and watching TV (we kind of have this thing with TV while we travel to make up for the lack of TV back home). It wasn't exactly an exciting day but we both felt refreshed by the end of it. I think the occasional isolation from the "world" is necessary for the soul.

Someone once told me honeymoon is over after two years of marriage. There may be certain truth in that. In any case I prefer to see our marriage as an adventure. I'd be straight up lying if I say everyday has been great in this two years. But every time we fight it makes our relationship stronger than before; it makes me appreciate our relationship even more; I come to realize how truly I am in love with this man.

I panicked the day Adrian told me he had plan for our anniversary. What should I do then? I thought of a symbolical way of telling Adrian my wish of truly becoming one with him - no "he" no "I"; just "us". I'm keeping a little privacy here as to what I gave him. Along with that, as a gesture to commemorate our anniversary, I baked this oatmeal cookies in Bear and Heart.I adjusted the recipe to suit the Bear and Heart molds. You may double the amount to make 18 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 50gram of butter, soften at room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
• 1/2 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp pure Vanilla
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
   
2. Add a pinch of salt to the softened butter. Beat together with sugar until creamy.
   
3. Stir in egg, pure vanilla, flour, baking soda and oatmeal. The dough should not be too sticky.
4. Fold in chocolate chips, walnuts and cranberries.
5. Transfer dough into molds or drop by rounded teaspoons onto parchment paper.
6. Bake for 20minutes if using molds, or 7 - 11 minutes for cookies-size.