My Cookie Project Recipe 14- Avocado Lovers Unite!

We love avocados. I mean really, who doesn't? Not only are the delicious, they are super healthy for you. I read once that if you had to be stranded on a deserted island with two sources of nutrition, that you should chose lentils and avocados.

Basically I'm just hoping that doesn't happen. I also require diet coke and the occasional glass of red wine for survival.

Avocados were Tessa's first meal, and also Charley's. Now that pureeing is long behind us, they still enjoy an occasional Avo sandwich. They're just around our house alot. So the other day I was laying in bed wondering...I'm sure there's such a thing as an avo cookie!

There is! So today I gave it a try...an avocado raisin cookie.

It's not as crazy as it sounds. The avo basically replaces some of the butter, and gives the cookies sort of a nutty flavor.

I was hoping they would be nuclear green, not so much.


They are good but nothing to write home about. Basically it tastes like an oatmeal raisin cookie to me. I left the walnuts out of the recipe, so maybe that would make them more exciting.

Most importantly, the verdict from the kids is that they are good. So maybe these will be come a regular recipe.

Here's the recipe. Beware that the list of ingredients does not include an egg, but the directions do. I almost missed that detail!

Mid-Winter Vaca to Colorado

I think when most people skip town in the dead of winter they head to some place warm. Nope, we went for the exact same climate. Cold and snowy! Honestly, we were overdue to visit Jeremy's folks and February was just the best time to do it.

We snuck in lunch before our flight and I had to take a picture. Charley ate all 9 inches of a King David hot dog (minus the bun) and french fries, and some fruit snacks on the plane. I thought for sure he might puke.

(Btw, when your baby eats this much your mind automatically thinks of the next day's diaper change. Oh the horror.)

Charley on the plane, not exactly an angel. He wasn't happy that he had to sit buckled into his seat for takeoff and landing, and on the return flight when he was tired and wanting to nap....we are just lucky the other passengers didn't throw him overboard. He finally made himself a little nest on the floor with his feet sticking out into the aisle and slept for a good long time.

Denver:

We visited Jeremy's Mom and Step-dad. There was a tea party, cookie making, swimming, watching Bambi on Pop's computer and snow.

.... oh and more playdoh tiaras

...and cuddling

Is Charley naked in this picture?....yes

These two bicker like an old married couple in the kitchen.

Tessa brought her binoculars and was able to spot many things out Mom-mom and Pop's window. That's my adventure girl.


They set up at tent. We were thinking Tessa might sleep there but she was happier to stay right next to her brother's crib.


The snow play didn't last long in Denver...single digits!

Boulder:

Next we went to Grammie and Grampie's. More snow play but much longer as it was in the 40s!

We went to a great sledding hill and everyone joined in. I wish we had a picture of Grammie flying down the hill at warp speeds.

More swimming too. We went to an indoor water park and stayed until we were all pickled. The same place had an indoor playground. Nobody told Jeremy he was supposed to take his shoes off at the door.

We made valentines, did clay art, chased dogs and ate.

Oh and there's always room for more nudity.

Thanks you grandparents, we had a great time!

Tropical Heat Wave

Today is a high of 52 degrees. FIFTY TWO! Given the tropical heat wave, we decided to head to the park for the first time since probably November.

Sooooooooooooooooooooo nice to be outside!

My Cookie Project, Recipe 13- Darker than Dark

Last week when we were in Boulder, we visited our favorite spice store and stocked up on some good stuff. While shopping Jeremy stumbled upon this...

It's a super dark chocolate powder, hence the title of 'black onyx'.

We all know I'm not a big chocolate fan, and definitely not of dark chocolate. Something about that bitter flavor just turns me off. Jeremy however, was like a blood hound sniffing out a find.

He has a business meeting today and asked if I would use the black onyx in my chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipe for him to take along. My cookies have become a regular staple at his meetings...I'm like the modern day June Cleaver, except Ward didn't have to deal with airport security.

Anyway, I just used the recipe from last time and subbed in 1/3 of the cocoa with the black onyx. The lady at Savory told us not use it on it's own. It was to be mixed with regular cocoa or the cookie won't rise. She did suggest using it straight in a flourless chocolate cake to which I said...bleck.

Doesn't it look like potting soil?

Here's the black onyx on the bottom and regular old Hershey's on top. Note the difference in color!

For good measure I added some little valentine hearts to each cookie. Packed the tupperware up tight for the plane ride and sent Jeremy on his way. He said they were very good. I myself wasn't interested in tasting them.