Tuesday, June 28, 2011

the treasure state

the husband and i are having a blast out here in whitefish, mt... it is absolutely gorgeous!! as i blog, i'm looking out at the greenest forest you can imagine backdropped by snowy mountain peaks... accompanied by the most mouthwatering scent coming from the kitchen, ah! i still can't believe we're here! i just wanted to share a couple photos of week 1 of our trip... hope you enjoy!

{on our way! the handsome husband looking out at the columbia river}

{almost there! flathead lake, montana}

{pescado blanco!! this place had the best beef tacos}

{hanging out with the horses!}

{the red caboose!! frozen yogurt + coffee = our new fave place!}


Monday, June 6, 2011

monday pick-me-up: coffee house cookies!


after slaving {or playing ;)} away in the kitchen all weekend, i finally have a yummy cookie that i'm excited to share with you guys!! i've always been a sucker for the coffee + treat pairing but being on a budget, those three dollar cookies just can't be justified on every tea/coffee outing........ {i'm sure you know where this is going} so it was with one of these cravings that i had the idea of coming up with a cookie that tastes like something you'd find at a local coffee house without the huge price tag or the gluten! oh and don't worry, these cookies have been tested on people other than myself. :)

the recipe:
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter
1 cup of creamy almond butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of granulated sugar (use about 1/4 cup more if almond butter doesn't have any sugar added)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour (or regular flour if you like gluten)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups of gluten free quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips



step 1: preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cookie sheet with parchment paper
step 2: combine butter, almond butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla, beat on low setting until smooth.
step 3: in separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, mix then add to the butter/sugar mixture. beat until smooth.
step 4: stir in oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
step 5: drop heaping spoonfuls onto parchment paper, then pat flat with spoon.



step 6: bake for 12-15 minutes depending on your desired texture.
step 7: let cool for about 3-4 minutes, then transfer to plate and enjoy with coffee, tea, or a good ol' glass of milk!

any cookie recipes you'd like to share? feel free to post in the comment section :)
happy monday everyone!