[1] A twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie: oatmeal shortbread cookies with chocolate chips and toffee pieces (photo © Greg McBoat | 50 Things to Bake Before You Die).

[2] 50 Things to Bake Before You Die: The World’s Best Cakes, Pies, Brownies, Cookies, and More from Your Favorite Bakers, Including Christina Tosi, Joanne Chang, and Dominique Ansel (photo © Ulysses Press).

[3] Toffee pieces for baking, ice cream, and dessert toppings. We got them on Amazon.

[4] Semisweet chocolate chips are the norm, but you can use white chips, chunks, etc. (photo © Bella Baker).

For National Oatmeal Cookie Day, April 30th, it’s easy to whip up the classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe, and put a spin on it with:

 
But in the cookbook 50 Things to Bake Before You Die, Allyson Reedy put an even bigger spin on it, by sourcing an oatmeal toffee shortbread cookie—and it has chocolate chips, too. The recipe follows.

The cookbook, just published, can be a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift for your favorite baker…assuming they’ll take the “before you die” part in good humor.

The collection of dessert recipes to us from the greatest bakers and chefs from small-town café owners to fancy restaurateurs to TV show hosts

> The history of oats and oatmeal.

> The history of shortbread cookies.

> Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe and history.

> All the food holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: OATMEAL CHOCOLATE TOFFEE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

This recipe was created by Clyde Greenhouse, owner of Kessler Baking Studio in Dallas, Texas. He ships his cookies, bars, and weekend breakfast pastries nationwide.

He originally created these shortbread cookies as favors for his niece’s wedding. Studded with chocolate chips and toffee, they have layers of flavor plus crunch.

If you’re having trouble finding toffee, simply cut up a Heath bar.
 
Ingredients For 36 4-Inch Cookies
Or 72 2-Inch Cookies

 
Preparation

1. GRIND the rolled oats in a food processor to a mealy consistency.

2. CREAM the sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed and continue mixing until there are no visible butter pieces. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

3. WHISK together the flour, ground oats, and salt in a large bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add these ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds and mix until crumbly in texture.

Add the semisweet chocolate chips and toffee bits and mix until the dough comes away from the bowl and begins to cling to the paddle.

4. TURN the dough out onto plastic wrap and form into a disk. Chill the wrapped dough for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results. The next day…

5. CUT disk into wedges. Using a rolling pin and on a smooth, lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut it into the desired shape.

Place cut the cut-outs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F.

6. BAKE the 4-inch cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, or the 2-inch cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
 
 
Excerpted from 50 Things to Bake Before You Die by Allyson Reedy. Copyright © 2022 Ulysses Press. Reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

This beautiful Persian Rose tea is the signature blend of Nini Ordoubadi, master blender, and proprietor of Tay Tea in Woodstock, New York.

It was her first blend and remains her personal favorite of many wonderful blends she was created over the years.

She blends fine black Ceylon bergamot-scented tea with rose petals, organic rose buds, green cardamom, and borage (the blue flowers in photo #1).

Nini likes to drink it in the morning and afternoon.

A gift for your favorite tea-loving mom, Persian Rose is available in:

 
You can purchase any or all online at TayTea.com.

There are also butter cookies made with Persian Rose tea and garnished with organic roses.

While you’re on the website, look at all of Nini’s hand-blended loose leaf teas: black, green, herbal, and white.

For the connoisseur, there are also 16 single-estate teas from fine tea gardens around the world.
 
 
> The history of tea.
 
 
> The different types of tea.

[1] Persian Rose, a black tea blended with rose petals, buds, blue borage petals (both photos © Tay Tea).

[2] The tea is available in several formats, including this glass apothecary jar.

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Jicama pairs with savora and sweet ingredients. Here’s the recipe for this salad, which adds sweet mango (photo © All Recipes).

[2] Jicama and other crudités with chipotle dressing. Here’s the recipe (photo © Kiwilimón).

[3] Jicama can be eaten raw or cooked (photo © Isabel Eats).

[4] The firm flesh can be sliced and diced in any fashion (photo CCO Public Domain).

[5] Baked jicama fries. Here’s the recipe (photo © Isabel Eats).

Jícama, native to Mexico and Central America, is one of the more under-used vegetables in the U.S. Why not make Cinco de Mayo an occasion to try it, with the jícama salad recipe below.

Like other root vegetables, jícama is no beauty at first glance (photo #3). But slice it open to reveal glistening white flesh (photo #4), which is mild with a slight sweetness and the crisp crunch of a water chestnut.

Its subtle flavor enables it to pair with just about any ingredient with savory or sweet condiments.

Jicama spread from Central America to South America, and has been found at archaeological sites in Peru dating to 3000 B.C.E. [source].

In the 17th century, the jicama vine was introduced to Asia by the Spanish, and it is now found in popular Asian recipes.

> The jicama salad recipe is below.

> More Cinco de Mayo recipes.
 
 
WAYS TO USE JICAMA

Once you’ve peeled a jícama, what do you do with it?

 
 
JICAMA NUTRITION

 
 
RECIPE: JICAMA SALAD

Thanks to Melissa’s Produce for the recipe.
 
Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PEEL the jicama, onion, and cucumber. Dice into medium-sized pieces.

2. RINSE and chop the cilantro.

3. COMBINE the lime juice, olive oil, and pico de gallo. Combine in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and let marinate for 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
 
 
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*Inulin is a zero-calorie, sweet, inert carbohydrate and does not metabolize in the human body.

†You can buy pico de gallo seasoning or make your own. Combine 3 tablespoons sweet paprika, 2 tablespoons ground red chili pepper, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon salt. Use immediately or place it in an airtight jar for future use.