buy handmade

Zuppe, those cookies were delicious! Autumn brings out the baker in people. Even me. I have an inkling to bake pumpkin bread. And a few weeks ago, I made yogurt scones. Yummy.

Anyway, I have a friend makes T shirt designs. Check out here her creations here: www.amuse.etsy.com

Also, she directed me to this website about a documentary on indie crafters. They're a bit too serious for my tastes, but 8 minute documentary shows some pretty nifty crafts. http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/crafty/handmade_nation_gets_made_69456.asp

Cookie monster

Last week I was excited to make some cookies. I played mad scientist
with this recipe:

1/2 cup shortening (unsalted butter)
1 cup white sugar (mostly organic; I would maybe use less sugar next time)
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 3/4 cups all-purpose buckwheat flour
3/4 cup almond meal (from Trader Joe)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins chocolate chips (half semi-sweet, half
milk chocolate)
1 2/3 cups quick cooking oats

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Grease Lay some foil over cookie sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until
smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the milk. Combine
the flour, almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, gradually stir
into the creamed mixture. Add the raisins chocolate chips and
quick oats; mix until just combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto
the prepared cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 12-15 minutes in the preheated
oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before
removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

I'm only sorry I didn't take any pictures before they were, er, gone!

Questions for the Keebler elves in the crowd:
1. Do you think a mixture of half butter and half applesauce would work? Or would it be too "moist"? (Ewwwww.)

2. What about using less sugar? Would that alter the texture a lot?

Sometimes I be bored

So I had a random, abstract word in my Google search bar, and decided to search for it in Google Maps, on a whim, to see what came up. It's kind of fun, really.

Try it!

The Vartan is Back

Welcome back to network television (of the non-reality-tv-kind)). I spent WAY too much time in front of the TV last week. IMHO: Some big "mehs" included: "K-ville", "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Big Shots" (more below). A major disappointment included: "The Bionic Woman". Some fun times were spent with: "Chuck" (Adam Baldwin as a "Best Buy" saleperson!), "Gossip Girl", "Bones", "Smallville" and "How I Met Your Mother" (which introduced me to the term "tramp stamp"). And damn you "Brothers and Sisters" for making me cry. Again.

So I won't be watching "Big Shots" again, if I can help it. But it appears that Couch Baron on TWOP and I are in agreement that if we were to watch it again (unfortunately for CB, it seems like it's his job to watch it), we would only be watching if for the Vartan. (Check out the funny page 3 of the Big Shots recap -- that's what the link is to!) Even on a show where I guess he's supposed to be alpha-male like, he comes off as so cuddly :).

I missed most of "Chuck" this week due to the NL Wild Card playoff game. I *really* don't want to talk about that. It's 4.5 hours of my life I will never get back. And I think I was actually grieving yesterday. For reals. But like I said, I don't want to talk about it. Back to "Chuck": the Sci-Fi channel reruns the "Chuck" eps over the weekend, I think, so I might still catch it. "Bones" last night was fun, with the Boreanaz acting particularly goofy at the end, which is always a good time. Tonight is definitely Gossip Girl.

And just when I thought I'd given up on network tv...