"Boscoe's Bakes"... White Chocolate Orange Cranberry Oatmeal Crisps

Yesterday my friend Deb from Smitten Kitchen provided me with the inspiration I needed to decide which cookie to bake for a friend. She posted her fabulous experience making crispy oatmeal cookies from a recipe provided by Cook's Magagzine. http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/crispy-salted-oatmeal-white-chocolate-cookies/#more-497  and was completely in awe with the results. Having made these wonderful cookies previously, but not with white chocolate,  I decided to add the white chocolate and include minced cranberries and orange zest as well.  The results were absolutely wonderful.  With each crunchy bite, you encounter smooth white chocolate married to cranberries with a lovely citrus touch. These highly addictive cookies are great plain, or make a wonderful dunking companion with coffee or milk. I doubled the recipe, only used 4 cups of oatmeal and added 1 cup of "real" white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup of minced orange flavored cranberries and 2 teaspoons of orange zest. The combination of white chocolate, cranberries and orange zest.......Priceless!

The Verdit Is In..........Dorie's Banana Cake and Modified Cheesecake Declared Winners

Tonight I hosted my weekly get together with good friends who have lovingly dubbed this gathering "The Pastry Meeting." And tonight, the Classic Banana Bundt Cake by Dorie Greenspan and my modified White Chocolate Cheesecake from Taste of Home were displayed and digested with mucho gusto.  In fact, at the end of our meeting, the few pieces remaining brought on a "bartering" session which actually got rather colorful!  Comments on the Banana Cake were rich with praise for a very banana flavor, superb texture and perfect moisture. I made Dorie's cake as per her recipe, with one addition.  I added the zest of one lemon. The cheesecake ellicited remarks about the lovely hint of orange, rich texture and creamy decadence.  Even though I personally didn't care for the little remnants of white chocolate chips in the final product, most in attendance loved it!  So, I'll make it again, this time with the white chocolate melted before incorporating, and see what happens.  Either way, both of these cakes were definite winners and will reappear in future episodes of "The Pastry Meeting."