salted white chocolate and coconut oatmeal cookies

I don't know if you noticed, but our mayor and governor are not getting along. All, or most, bones of contention seem to revolve around NYC public schooling.

I am currently embroiled in the process of looking for, and choosing, a school for my Kindergarten-bound son. It is the topic of conversation on all the playgrounds.

Where have you applied? What school are enrolled in now? What are you looking for in a school?

Between the G&T test, lotteries, and being out of district, everyone seems anxious.

Or maybe it is just me.

I toured a local charter school the other day. Charter schools has been a hot topic in the news. Publicly funded, privately run schools.

I found the school I toured efficient and super animated. I also found it very competitive; each student seemed to be up against the others to find the best answer, sit the tallest (in yoga), be the most attentive. Positive reinforcement.

The pros are: good test scores, well behaved children, accelerated learning environment, more teachers per students. The cons are: a lot of pressure, long hours, young inexperienced teachers.

Salted White Chocolate and Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Makes 20 cookies, adapted from Averie Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch salt, optional and to taste
• 1 cup un-sweetened shredded coconut, loosely laid in 
• 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup Ghiradelli white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the egg, coconut oil (if it's solid, briefly microwave enough to obtain 1/2 cup melted/liquid state oil, measured like you'd measure any other cooking oil), sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, optional salt, and whisk to combine.
2. Add the shredded coconut, oats, flour, baking soda, and stir to combine.
3. Stir in the chocolate chips. They'll have a tendency to slip out of the dough and fall to the bottom of the bowl, but keep folding them into the dough.
4. Form 16 equal-sized mounds, about two heaping tablespoons of dough each. Gently squeeze the mounds to ensure the dough is tightly packed and the chocolate chips are well-embedded. The dough is slightly crumbly yet oily, but comes together when squeezed.
5. Place mounds on a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking; no exceptions. The coconut oil needs to re-solidify in the fridge. Do not bake with warm dough because the cookies will spread and bake thinner, flatter, and you could have oil puddles.
6. Preheat oven to 350F, line baking sheets with Silpats, or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet). Bake about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and the tops are just beginning to set, even if undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. The shredded coconut is prone to burning so keep a close eye on the cookies. Do not bake longer than 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies because they firm up as they cool, and as the days pass they'll dry out quicker. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
7. Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.