Eileen, oatmeal cookies are one of my favorites, although my kids always wanted buttterscotch chips in them instead of raisins. I did convince them raisins were OK when I started using chocolate covered raisins, LOL. I'll have to give your recipe a try, I like the recipes with old fashioned oats and a ratio of oats to flour that is at least equal, or more oats than flour. They have that chewy texture that I like best. Annie

Lol Ann you and my mom, she despises raisins. She'd sooner eat a chocolate covered cockroach! Even craisins make her nauseous. I've never 'plumped' a raisin - sounds fairly lascivious ;-). Most recipes I've used them in call for them to accompany the dry ingrdients before adding liquids. The drys seem to collect in the wrinkles [they look like brain sulci to me] and maybe that dry attracts the fat liquids ala the roux process? because the raisins in my recipes are never tough. But heck I may have to try it out! Plump on! BTW I like goldens over regular or reds personally.

I grew up on 2,000 acres of grapes in CA. They all went to SunMaid's raisin plant in Selma. Raisins can be confusing. Virtually all of CA's raisins are from Thompson Seedless grapes...including golden & the dark raisins. The color depends on the drying process. The original sultanas came from the Middle East but, in America, all of our raisins are Thompson Seedless...unless you're buying imported. /tricia

Ok, after typing in the above "recipe" I found my original: The origin of the gin-soaked raisins cure is shrouded in urban legend, though this famous home remedy got a boost from legendary newsman Paul Harvey. Although this remedy dates back many many years, the kinds of pain that have been relieved or eliminated after taking the gin-soaked raisin formula include migraine headaches, gout and arthritic pain. Many experts will tell you this is nothing but a placebo effect, but any herbalist can easily spot the science behind it. It would stand to reason that the alcohol in the gin would extract the medicinal compounds in the rai sins, just as it does in other herbal tinctures. But why specifically GIN and Golden raisins? Gin started out as a herbal medicine before it was adopted as an alcoholic drink by the manufacturers of spirits. Even today, while there many varieties of gins, juniper still remains a common ingredient to impact the flavor to all of them. Gin is a spirit flavored with juniper berries. Juniper berries were first used by the Greeks and then later the Egyptians and Romans. In fact, the use of berries as medicine is believed to predate their use in food preparation. Some of the notable medical uses of juniper berries in alternative medicine include its use as a diuretic and appetite suppressant. It is also used in the treatment of arthritis and rheumatism. Juniper berries are rich in vitamin C, catechins, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene, betulin caryophyllene, limonene, menthol, rutin, and delta-3-carene. These are all anti-inflammatory compounds. Since gin contains alcohol, it is an effective solvent in traditional medicine. Gin is often used to extract the active ingredients of barks, leaves, roots and other plant plants used as herbs. Besides water, alcohol is the other popular solvent for obtaining and dissolving herbal extracts. Gin makes an especially good candidate as an alcohol for herbal extraction. Golden raisins also contain several anti-inflammatory compounds: ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), cinnamic acid, coumarin, myricetin, quercetin, and loaded with antioxidants such as resveratrol and vitamin C. Raisins also contain ferulic acid, gentisic acid and salicylic acid — known pain relievers. In addition, raisins contain potassium and calcium, both of which help protect against bone de-mineralization. The basic powerhouse of nutrition, properties found in raisins are numerous - Iron, Zinc, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, B vitamins, Anthocyanins Golden raisins are treated with sulfur dioxide in order to slow down the browning process. After this, they are either oven-dried or flame-dried. Sulfides left on the grapes after drying are thought to provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Sulfur is common in many other treatments for arthritis. The exact causative pathways of arthritis and arthritic pain are unknown, and there may be many mechanisms in the body that are affected in the development of arthritis. Perhaps the synergy between the various natural compounds in the drunken raisins remedy creates a communication with the body to allow it to heal on a complex level that modern science cannot yet analyze or address. RECIPE: Put one packet of golden raisins in a shallow glass container and pour enough gin into it to just cover the raisins (I never use THAT much gin I just stir them up well every day!) Let the raisins absorb the gin and the remaining liquid evaporates, about 7-10 days to allow the raisins to steep in the gin.(about 5 days is enough) Allow all the gin to evaporate before putting the gin-soaked raisins a container. Originally it said, to take 9 raisins daily, but I just use a small (very small) spoon full, one in the morning, and one at night. I find it works best, if I take it close to every 12 hours. Moni now: Yes, I take them. I take two small teaspoons full daily, 12 hours apart. I started out with the 10 daily, but didn't have any satisfying results in 4 weeks. I went up to 10 in the morning, and 10 in the evening... but not at decent intervals as I do now. The 12 hours between made a HUGE difference for me. I actually wear a watch with a 12 hour timer going ALL THE TIME, because for me this works. Went from 10 or more pain full stabbing pains in my hands/fingers hourly to about 10 or less pains monthly. I am an avid believer. First time to the liquor store for Gin; I was asked, what I need it for, and they said, here, this is what people buy for it and was handed a small bottle. Now, I just buy the big bottle, cause it's more economic that way. Dump a box of raisins in a pie pan, or other glass or porcelain flat container (not metal), and pour gin over. Let it sit for 3 to 5 days, stirring once or twice daily. Put in mason jar, or other tightly lid container and keep on a shelf. Yes, no need to refrigerate! I even take a small bottle like a film container size with me, when I know, I might not be home when my timer goes off. I hope, this works for every one as well as it does for me. Moni