because i didn't want to study...

Despite my two midterms next week, I felt no urge to study. I spent the entire day lounging in bed, reading the Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and eating chocolate. I finally started on my Stats notes toward evening, working for about three hours (and taking the occasional break) before deciding to actually eat something real. I steamed some rice, and cooked a pot of Korean soft tofu soup. Yum.

Because I wanted to bake something afterwards (and because Stats wasn't very appealing), I found a new recipe and whipped up a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. My roommate bought SO much oatmeal I had to do something with it. The cookies came out moist and chewy, full of plump raisins and a nice bite from the oatmeal. If I had nuts I would have thrown some in as well, but instead I made a few with dark chocolate chunks. The plain oatmeal raisins were a touch too sweet, but were actually better with the chocolate. I will reduce the sugar a bit next time I make them. I soaked the raisins in a mixture of apple juice and hot water until they're plump. You can also soak them in orange juice or rum, whatever that would rejuvenate them and impart more flavor.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 18-20 cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1 1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup raisin, soaked


Cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Combine the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt - and fold into butter mixture (since I don't have an electric mixer and I hate getting batter stuck between whisks, I found that folding really works). Be careful to not overwork the dough or you'll have a tough cookie. Fold in the oats and the drained raisins.

Drop by spoonfuls (about 2 tbsp) onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The bottom should be browned and the top still soft. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for a few minutes and they will firm up.

They're really tasty, have fun with 'em :)

little eukaryotes...

I started working with yeast a few months ago, baking my first loaf of bread - honey oat. I then proceeded to make a second loaf of honey oat the next day, then a batch of French bread, then cinnamon rolls, raised cakes, Chinese-style buns, etc. I was pretty much hooked on working with yeast. I love kneading the dough, working it from a sticky mess to elastic smoothness; I love the smell of rising bread.

Finding myself deprived of bread when I came home, I set out to make myself something. I turned to my trusted recipe with a few modifications.

Honey Walnut Bread
make 1 9x5 loaf

1 1/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Dissolve honey in warm water, add oil, and sprinkle over yeast. Mix until yeast has dissolved and let sit for a few minutes until foamy. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add yeast mixture to dry ingredients and knead for 10-15 minutes, until dough is elastic and smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm area until double in size. Punch dough down and add in walnut. Place dough into bread pan and let rise again. Bake in 350 degrees preheated oven for 35 minutes. Brush top with a mixture of honey and milk during the last 10 minutes of baking to obtain a golden and sweet crust.

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I used the bread for eggs-in-a-basket the next morning.
I like the yolk runny :)