Fruity oatmeal cookies

These are tasty, and almost healthy enough for breakfast cookies. They end up chewy, not crunchy and - for this very lazy baker - they are mixed by hand.

Adapted from Cape Cod Oatmeal Cookies in The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (hands down the best cookbook ever - if I could own only one cookbook, this would be it).

1 c whole wheat flour
2 c uncooked oatmeal
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
2 ripe bananas mashed
1 T vanilla
1/2 c melted butter
1 c dried fruit (I used a combination of cherries and cranberries)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, oatmeal, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Arrange by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake until edges are brown - about 10 minutes.

Pdog does some laundry

She hasn't quite gotten the hang of folding a fitted sheet yet.

P.S. Don't worry, sheets and towels were dirty. And no, the dog isn't allowed on the bed.

Venison stir fry

I made this up with what I had in the fridge/freezer but it turned out really good. I marinated some venison round steaks in roughly equal parts soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and sriracha and quickly grilled them (3 minutes) in a very hot grill pan. I have this pan and I love it!

While the venison was resting, I sauted some cabbage with a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil. I didn't stir too frequently and used a very hot pan which gave a nice combination of crunchy and caramelized.

Once the cabbage was done, I sliced the venison, tossed them together with some scallion and was done. I ate mine with out rice, but rice would be good - especially if you serve with a little extra sauce. This was sort of made up, but I would definitely make again. The strong spices are great for the venison (and would be yummy with cheaper cuts of beef too).

Swamp cooler

Also thought about calling it gator blood...

Perfect for the steamy days we've been having (and will continue to have til October...).
Hibiscus tea, shot of gin, splash of St. Germain. The St.Germain adds a touch of sweet, but sometimes I add a little extra sugar. I just discovered pure fructose in the bulk section - its perfect for drinks because it dissolves instantly, even in cold drinks.

Prairie Creek

We went on a hike last Saturday day with a group led by the obedience class instructor. It was fun and we met some new folks. We have been working on Prairie walking without pulling and she did a good job - this was the first time I have taken her out without pinch collar/gentle leader/easy walk harness etc. Our instructor taught me a trick about tucking the leash under the dogs front leg - it definitely helped slow her down and not pull.

The hike was really nice, the first bit was in a planted pine area that is being restored, and the majority was in a cypress swamp. Its been pretty dry here, so it wasn't very swampy. Tons of ticks though, so I guess that is par for the course around here - they were all BIG too. Several bit Prairie, but I guess her preventative treatment is working because when I pulled them off, they were dead.

We had a picnic lunch afterwards (Prairie got to eat lots of carrots) and we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

Pizetta

Quick and healthy - zucchini pizetta. My grocery store has these great flabreads in the bakery section - the keep for a long time in the freezer and are perfect for whipping up a quick pizza (and are a great standing for naan).

I lightly grilled some zucchini and topped the flatbread with a few spoonfulls of pasta sauce, zucchini, and a sprinkling of parmesan. Just 5 minutes under the broiler and its done. This would be great with all sorts of fresh veggies and cured meats. Yum.

Surprise!

There was a small mystery shrub in the backyard that I hadn't been able to identify. When my mom and grandparents where here, I asked them but they didn't know either.

Any idea?

Surprise! Its a gardenia! And FULL of blooms. Its growth form and leaves are different from the gardenias that I am familiar with, so this was a total surprise. Wish my mama was here - these are her favorite flower.

Cornbread pan

One of my favorite things about meals at my grandmother's house is the guarantee of  fresh, homemade bread. And her cornbread sticks are legendary - crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.

My mom (I think) gave me a cast iron corn stick pan - despite repeated seasoning attempts (including reseasoning by my mom) it has never performed satisfactorily. The cornbread always sticks and it is difficult to clean so I don't often use it.

Recently my grandmother gifted me with a cast aluminum, teflon coated corn stick pan. I made a large batch of cornbread and had a chance to test the two pans. We have a winner!