Orange Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

Today is the start of a 3 day field training exercise in Ft Drum for my husband and his marines (I know, Ft Drum is an Army base, but they've let the Marines do training there from time to time). What they do in the field training exercise is kind of like camping, except they get to move around in a tank practicing how to shoot things. They will be camping outside, eating MREs (meals ready to eat), and the weather channel is predicting snow tonight. Yes, SNOW. I hope they don't freeze too badly in the tent tonight.

Anyway, I gets a lot of complaints from my husband and his marines that because they eat MREs everyday during the training exercise, they have constipation problems. This is because MREs are highly processed foods and it does not contain a lot of fiber. So this past week I was busy baking these oatmeal cookies for the troops, which should help the constipation problem by adding more fiber in their food. Many of the ingredients in the cookie have good amount of fiber: the orange peels add fiber and flavor, oatmeal add fiber and crunch, and the raisins add a bit of sweetness and fiber as well. It is a delicious cookie too!

This cookie recipe is also a good way to help anyone to get more fiber in their diet, especially kids who are picky eaters and don't eat enough fiber in their food. I also bake these a lot to send to the troops overseas too. Hope you will enjoy it!

Cookies on the baking sheet waiting to go into the oven.

Orange Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins:
(Makes 24 small cookies or 12 Large cookies)

Ingredients:
5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange (finely grated orange peel)
1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cups raisins

1. Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease the cookie sheets.
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed, cream the butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. Add the orange zest.
4. While the electric mixer is running, slowing incorporate a beaten egg and vanilla extract.
5. In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture into the electric mixer at low speed, until a soft dough forms.
7. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the rolled oats and raisins until incorporated.
8. Shape the dough into small patties and place onto the cookie sheets and into the oven. The small cookies will take about 8 - 10 minutes, the large cookies will take 12 - 14 minutes.
9. After baking let the pan cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Transfer the cookies onto a plate and let cool completely.

Yummy! Bake some for you and your love ones today!

Cookie Dough in a mixing bowl