Peanut butter goodness!

I made these cookies this afternoon and they were sooo good. Very peanut buttery. Usually my oatmeal cookies come out flat and crispy, but they even had a nice texture after baking. I was worried because the dough was really dry and I had to work to form the balls into, well, actual balls and not just dough crumbs. The only adjustment I made for altitude (or maybe just b/c I'm impatient) is cooking them at 375. I highly recommend!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the Mood

I've really been in the mood to cook and bake recently. I think it is partly because we were out of town for so long, and I was craving some home-cooked food by the end of our vacation. And I just really enjoy the act of cooking and trying new things. Chris and I are trying to cut down on processed foods, and he is really good at creating recipes (like the pasta sauce he made last week).

I found a website that I am currently obsessed with. Every recipe on it looks amazing. We are going to make a variation of the chicken pot pie with herbed biscuit topping (http://inncuisine.com) sometime this week. But no Bisquick since it has high fructose corn syrup and I'm pretty sure we can come up with our own biscuit topping.

I'm also on a cornbread kick and just finished making some whole wheat strawberry cornbread muffins. I used the cornbread recipe on the box of cornmeal but did half whole wheat flour and a little extra milk. It was a little like this recipe from another cool website (http://madehealthier.com) I found.

Have you found any good recipes lately?? I know Rachel made some amazing fig-cinnamon swirl bread last weekend, which she shared with Michelle and I after a delectable lunch of taco bell. :)

two good recipes and a great cause

About a year ago I started volunteering at the Matthews House, which serves at-risk youth ages 16-21 who lack significant family support in their lives. The idea is to create opportunities for positive life change for these youth as they make the transition to living on their own. Many of these youth have not had the influence of a stable caring adult. It's a pretty neat place. At first I mentored a 19 year old young woman who constantly impressed me by how together she was and how much she had learned from her rough life so far. Now I go there once a week to hang out with and offer support to any kids who come by the house. It's usually pretty quiet when I go, which I liked at first. Then I was there on the Friday of spring break and there were about 6 kids there - it was much more interesting. Some of these kids have had many problems - both self-imposed and not - but it is neat being a part of something that is hopefully turning them into adults who can have a good life.

Anyway, I'm bringing this up because they're doing a fundraiser (called Cultivate Hope) next Thursday at 6:30. There will be food, beverages, and a garden-themed auction (neat things like handmade flower pots), and a bluegrass band. It's $25 and I can vouch for what a great cause this is. For most of the youth, the Matthews House is their last chance to take control of their lives and shape positive futures for themselves. I hope you'll consider going!

Part two of this blog has to do with recipes. I like to cook things while I'm there so any youth coming by can enjoy them. Here are 2 that I've done the past couple of weeks. I'm hoping you might have something delicious and relatively easy to share. I'm only there 1-1/2 hours so it can't take too long to cook!


Blueberry cornbread (from Womens day magazine - I have no idea why I get this magazine)

Granola (from my friend Kate)
6 cups rolled oats
2 cups coconut flakes
2 cups chopped nuts
2/3 cup wheat germ
2/3 cup bran flakes
1/3 cup sesame seeds or sunflower seeds
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
½ cup maple syrup or honey

Thoroughly mix all of these ingredients. Spread onto lightly greased baking sheets/pans and bake at 325F for 25 minutes stirring the granola at least once during this time. Once out of the oven and cooled for a bit mix in 2 cups of dried fruit of your choosing. Makes enough to fill 2 half gallon mason jars.