My Dad's Favorite Oatmeal Walnut Date Cookies

My Dad loves these oatmeal date cookies.  Every-time I visit home, he asks me to bake a batch before I leave.  I can't argue because they are delicious.  The addition of dates makes the cookies extra moist, chewy, and amazing!

Ingredients

2 sticks butter 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs  1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups uncooked quick oatmeal 1 cup chopped dates 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Mix ingredients in order.   Bake at 350 degrees  for about 8 to 10 minutes.

....and enjoy...especially dunked in hot coffee!  

New to Me Coffee Table

Ever since I bought my new sofa I've been looking for a coffee table....for over a year!  I had this hand-me-down before (in addition to the old love seat) - sure it was nice and compact, but it didn't exactly compliment my more modern sofa:

I browsed the webpages of all of the modern design stores - West Elm, CB2, Design Within Reach, Ikea - and paged through Craigslist ads.  Until I discovered this $15 metal typing desk at a thrift store.

After roaming around the thrift store, I had one of those "light bulb" moments...I should shorten the legs!  How do I execute my idea?   I need a welder!  Thank goodness for Google...I was led to the industrial area of Stockton to a local welding company.

And here is the finished product:

I absolutely love my new (well, new to me) coffee table.  I can roll it about and hide magazines/remotes in the shelf underneath.   If and when I get tired of it, the whole thing wasn't a major investment! And isn't it quite similar to this?  :)

Edible and Festive Fall Acorns

What you need:
* Mini Nutter-Butters
* Chocolate Hershey Kisses
* Chocolate Chips

Assembly:
The assembly is so easy!!  Melt chocolate chips.  Use the melted chocolate chips as "glue" to stick a chocolate chip to one side of the Nutter Butter and a Hershey Kiss to the other side. And viola, you have edible acorns that are perfect for hostess gifts! For presentation decorate a plate with Fall leaves or fun squirrel ornaments.

Modern Perspectives on Preservation

I knew Diane Keaton was a Preservationist, but did you?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-morrison-diane-keaton-20120114,0,3221630.column

But, I didn't know she....lived in a Quonset hut, curated exhibitions, and loves hats.

"Look, I'm a preservationist. That's a hard sell. And it shouldn't be a hard sell at all. It defines us. It may be that the greatest art L.A. has produced is our buildings. We don't even have a survey to define what you can and can't tear down. We'll work on that." - Diane Keaton

Aunt Gloria's Old Fashioned Tea Cookies

I have fond memories of my Aunt Gloria - I consider her to be one of my Grandmothers.  She was the traditional Texan housewife who lived out in the country in the middle of cotton and maize fields.  Every single day she cooked three square meals for her family and lunch didn't consist of sandwiches, but a full hot meal with meat and potatoes.  Beyond that she also made the most amazing cookies, pies, and candy.  These Old Fashioned Tea cookies were among my favorites.  These cookies are made with a cookie press. Buy a cookie press at a garage sale, thrift store, or flea market.  Or you may even find one stored away in your Aunt's or Grandmother's cabinet!  They are delicate and crisp; perfect for dunking in tea and coffee.

There's nothing more beautiful than lovingly warn recipe cards. 

Recipe:

1 ¾ cup sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs

3 cups flower

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Add remaining ingredients. Knead dough on floured board. Chill, roll out on floured board cut out with biscuit cutter. If using a cookie press, mix thoroughly and chill for at least fifteen minutes. Put dough in cookie press. Back at 325 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  

Cookie pressing in progress!

Baked and ready to be dunked in a cup of steaming hot coffee!  Enjoy.

Palm Springs Bound

This weekend I'm headed to Palm Springs with my best friends in celebration of my birthday!  (and no I won't tell how old I'm going to be)  I even have friends who are flying from San Francisco!  I've been waiting for this weekend all summer.  We rented a Mid-century Modern 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house with a pool! Seeing how it's going to be a high of 106 degrees in the desert the pool is beyond key.

Some of our weekend activities will include (in no particular order):


1.  Margarita Control Board's First Annual Margarita Cook-off  (each of us are bringing our own unique margarita recipe)
2.  Bathing poolside
3.  Our fabulous pool
4.  Magnificent views
5.  Mid-Century Modern

6.  Hiking in Mt. San Jacinto State Park. We're taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tram to the top...and it's even historic!  Evidently there's a 30 degree differential between the valley floor and the top of the mountain.  A cool 73 degrees.

I'm off to infuse my special tequila for the weekend!  And no I can't tell what my recipe is yet!


xoxo

Champagne Flights

The amenities Western Airlines included in 1956: reserved seats, gourmet dining, vintage champagne, and orchids for the ladies.  Oh what happened to these days?