oatmeal raisin cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
makes about 30 cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 3/4 cups oats
1 cup raisins (or substitute, like choc. chips)

Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C.
In a bowl, cream together the butter, margarine, and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Separately, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this to the other mixture.
When combined, stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes, until just barely golden.


I made these cookies because, when asking Reach members what their favourite kind of cookie was, both Chris L and Andrew said "Oatmeal Raisin". So I was doomed.
I made for two reasons: to test the recipe, and to gift to Sandra on her birthday (Thursday), even though I do that every year, and every year she complains that she's on a diet and I shouldn't be baking for her. But I'll get her something else and a card, so it won't matter.
When I make these next week (for Reach), I'll also be making my *world-famous* Peanut Butter cookies. The recipe will go up as well.

coconut soup

Coconut Soup
makes 10 servings

3 cans coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
3 cups water
4 tbsp ginger
8 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
juice of 2 limes
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped
tbsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp chopped green onion
2 tbsp cilantro or 1/2 tbsp cilantro paste

Boil coconut milk, vegetable broth and water. Reduce heat.
Add ginger, fish sauce, lime juice, lemongrass, pepper, and turmeric. Simmer for about five minutes.
Add green onion and cilantro. Serve.
Also: You can add chicken or noodles to this soup. For chicken, cut it into strips and add it with the ginger. Simmer about twice as long. For the noodles, use thin noodles that won't absorb too much of the soup. If you're freezing this dish, add the noodles when you reheat it.

inspiration

"Life... is like a grapefruit. It's orange and squishy, and has a few pips in it, and some folks have half a one for breakfast."
- Douglas Adams

I have started a Food blog. For a few reasons:
- the mouthwatering pictures in other food blogs (especially the winners of this year's Food Blog Awards and the nominees for the bloggies)
- I've been cooking/baking a lot lately
- next semester seems pretty easy (Math, Math, French, German), so I'll have time to spare/waste by toiling over this online thing

Looking forward to having lots of fun here.
I'll soon be posting the pics of the Coconut Soup I made earlier today.