Friday, April 22, 2011

Day 51 of 365

This weekend has been girls weekend for the last 10 years or so. But not this year.

Every year my daughter and I have gone away for a girls weekend. We always take three days in April to go on a mini vacation, just the two of us. We've gone to Portland and California, but mostly we go to Sun Valley. We walk around the grounds of the resort, watch some ice skating, and hit the yard sales. There's nothing like going to a yard sale at a multi-million dollar home. We've gotten high quality items at cheap prices and have enjoyed peeking into lives we'll never have. The Gold Mine thrift store in Ketchum has been another not-to-be missed stopped. The things rich people donate!

But this year there will be no Sun Valley, no ice skating, no yard sales. My daughter has to work this weekend and besides, she says, we've already spent enough time together this year. She's probably right on that one - I did live at her apartment with her for two months when I was recovering from my latest surgery.

Not all is lost, though. The school districts in our state took a hard hit last year with budget cuts and most schools have had teachers on furlough days this year. It just so happens that today is a furlough day for my husband. So for the first time we're having a husband-wife weekend. I shouldn't admit this, but I could count on one hand the number of times we've been away together - alone - in the past 26 years of marriage.

This is our first "official" weekend and we've decided to head to the mountains for some rest, relaxation, and writing. (Not that I need rest and relaxation - I get plenty of that at home when he's at work!)

McCall, Idaho is our home for the next few days. Snowy, cold, it's-still-winter-here, McCall. But such a beautiful drive!

And a physical therapy/exercise update: 5 for 5!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Day 50 of 365

We've got to break this sugar addiction we have going on in this house, so today (I think, I plan, I hope) will be my last baking project for a while.

Usually  when I make sugar cookies they go to someone else. My family gets the rejects, but I've never made a batch just for us. So when my husband came home and saw yesterday's Peeps cookies, his first question was, "Who are the cookies for?" and was quite surprised when I said they were for us. We, of course, devoured them for dessert.

Which leads us to today. I went to the trouble on Monday of going to WinCo and bagging my own groceries to get ingredients from the bulk aisle for the White Chocolate and Peach Oatmeal Cookies. Which then, because of the absence of dried peaches, became the White Chocolate and Apricot Oatmeal Cookies. But as I looked at the ingredient list closer in this month's Food Network Magazine, I had to/wanted to make some adjustments.

So today to celebrate (or mourn) my last baking project for a while(?) I'm posting the recipe along with my picture. I use my KitchenAid mixer for all my mixing, but if you don't have one, just use a large bowl to mix the ingredients. (But the mixer sure is handy!) I'm not a recipe writer, so I hope the directions are clear. If not, let me know and I can clarify.

Debz Apricot and White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c oats
3/4 c dried apricots, chopped
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
3/4 c white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350. In mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Scrape bowl. Add the flour, baking soda, and oatmeal and mix until combined. Add apricots, walnuts, and white chocolate chips and mix until blended. Roll mixture into balls (my recipe made 20) and put on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Press the dough a bit with the palm of your hand to make round cookies. Bake 15 minutes or so. Let cool and enjoy!

And a physical therapy/exercise update: 4 for 4.