Oatmeal cookies with cranberries

Make these and your kitchen will smell amazing.
Cranberries, oatmeal and brown sugar isn't a bad combination!

The dough comes together nicely in this recipe.

The kitchen wench is cooking with cranberries today. I needed something sweet to serve a visitor tomorrow. This recipe comes from the Ocean Spray cranberry bag, modified today slightly since Walgreens didn't have any chocolate chips. Apparently they are a seasonal item. (Whaa?)

Oatmeal cookies with cranberries

2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups craisins
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Beat butter and brown sugar, add eggs and combine. Add dry ingredients (minus craisins and chocolate chips and combine). Once it all comes together you fold in your craisins and chocolate chips.

These bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. You will get about 3 dozen cookies.

After trying these I can tell you they are highly addictive, but not overly sweet...with a nice crumble. Make a batch today.

I plan to do a variation using walnuts. Will let you know how they turn out.

Happy baking!

Chicken cacciatore with perciatelli a la Aunt Char

Tomorrow's lunch. Thank you Aunt Char!

My aunt called around 10:00 this morning and asked if I'd like to join her for lunch. She said she would be making chicken cacciatore with perciatelli. Would I? That is a totally loaded question.

Char makes the most delicious spaghetti sauce of anyone I've ever known. Her secret is salt pork, which some people do not like the idea of. For me, it makes total sense. Buy a small piece of it at the market and freeze it, then put it in your food processor until it resembles the size of peas. Put a couple of teaspoons of it in your red sauce the next time you make it, and you will understand.

It's an out of body experience.

We had some chicken drumettes from Sprouts, and she also served a romaine lettuce salad with a balsamic vinaigrette from Paul Newman. I like that he donates all of the proceeds from his salad dressings to charity. That is a cool thing.

Usually I eschew bottled dressings, but his balsamic vinaigrette is quite tasty. It sticks to the salad, which is not always the case with a standard vinaigrette.

I digress. The kitchen wench is sentimental when it comes to salad dressings, since I used to be a salad chef. In the spirit of full disclosure, this was a paid position...but, it was when I was around 10 years old. My Mom wanted me to feel empancipated in terms of receiving an allowance, so she gave me a job and "paid me for it." I was my family's salad chef.

My aunt and I also shared a bottle of Australian Syrah, but I can't tell you the name of it right now. It's one that you can find at most supermarkets and isn't over $7.00 a bottle.

We agreed that we need to eat in more often to save money. And that will allow us to have more wine with our meals. The kitchen wench is down with that!

French toast with apples and cranberries

What's for breakfast.

This is just a slight variation from a former post of french toast with apples. I cut up two apples (any kind will work), threw in a handful of dried cranberries and nuked it covered for 2 1/2 minutes. This is a great topper for french toast or pancakes. Or...waffles.

I might have to get a waffle iron soon. Rachael Ray has been making waffles lately in all forms. Sweet, savory (with bacon inside) and focaccia-style. OMG. Or, I could just take the lazy way out and go to Lolo's chicken & waffles or Overeasy. Ha.

I digress...On the cranberry bag there are many recipes - one I spotted is for white chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal and cranberries. A visitor is coming next week that I want to impress, and I've been told that serving something sweet and savory can soften a person. Anyways, I'm going to make these soon and post the picture/recipe so you can make them for yourself. Also I was just viewing Ocean Spray's website and they have recipes that use cranberries...you might want to check out, just click here. http://oceanspray.com/

This french toast recipe is the simplest (and perhaps laziest) one I know. I just cracked an egg in a bowl and sliced off 4 pieces from the demi baguette I was eating last night. Then I put two pinches of sugar in with the egg and dipped the bread in, without mixing it. Cook this in a medium high pan with butter - none of the fake stuff - and it will get nice and brown on both sides.

Lately I've been thinking about certain things in life - stresses and whatnot. I was talking to my Mom last night and she said, "You know Gwynne, in life we zig and zag, that's what we have to do to survive." I guess she's true. Moms always know stuff like this.

Happy breakfasting.

Candy Addict and Atlas Shrugged

The Candy Addict has these cool artisan truffles.

The kitchen wench couldn't resist taking home just a few.

They also have local products like Cerreta's candy,

specifically fudge. Yummy.

And, they have a big selection of foreign candies

like Curly Wurly, Malteasers and Crunchie. I'm in love.

Harkins Theatres gets the blame for my

hookey playing today. Valley Art is

the only Harkins location showing Atlas Shrugged.

A couple of months ago I emailed my Dad when I heard Atlas Shrugged had been turned into a movie. He has been reading Ayn Rand's work since he was a young man and admired her philosophy in life (objectivism=pursuit of one's happiness, respect for individual rights & capitalism). She led a pretty interesting life, apparently. She authored We The Living, which is her book that most resembles an autobiography. It's on my summer reading list. That means I'm going to be reading it soon, since it's going to be summer lickety split here in Phoenix (at least that is what the thermometer says).

Anyways, I was checking the Harkins website today (I do this once a week or so to see what's coming out, especially for foreign films) and lo and behold Atlas Shrugged was opening today. Whoohoo! I was able to make it to the first show and it was packed. By the time I got there it was almost 11:15 and just about every seat was full.

What recession?

It was a great flick, I highly recommend you go and see it. You can get details on the cast and story here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480239/

Afterwards I spent some time on Mill Avenue (doing a bit of marketing for my day job). I stumbled on Candy Addict, which has the most amazing selection of commercial candy we all know and like (M&M's, Snickers, Kit Kat), and then they have a big section of foreign candies that you don't see unless you're abroad, which I think is kind of neat. Then they also carry fudge from Cerreta's (local stuff!) and some delicious looking artisan truffles.

If you have a sweet tooth, Candy Addict is the place for you. They also have a "cavity club" card that you get with your purchase. After 4 stamps ($5 purchase) you get 1/4 pound of candy free.

Danger! I fully understand why they call it Candy Addict.

:)

www.candy-addict.com

Women's Financial Group - Wine Women & Worth

Annie Groth, author and motivational speaker shared

motivational tips to WFG last night. She has participated

in triathalons and is getting ready to bicycle from San Fran

to Los Angeles. Really!

If you look closely you will see the flower arrangements

on the tables included peeps. How cute is that?

The kitchen wench has been attending WFG meetings for the past year or so. I really like the format. Typically there is networking for the first half hour, then a motivational speaker comes on (and sometimes has a book for sale) and finally there is more time for networking (and eating).

One of my clients usually attends and introduces me around. Lately I have been inviting new people to the group and introducing them around as well. I figure, we all need to help each other out these days. Last night I was speaking to Stella from Uruguay and another nice realtor (who works for the competition) and they were talking about fees and how much it can cost to hang your 'shingle' at an office in that line of work. I had no idea. The kitchen wench likes to learn, and is humbled by this new information.

National Bank of AZ sponsors this group. They don't self-promote too much, so you don't feel like you have to be a customer at the bank to attend the meetings. I like that. They also really create a forum that is conducive to networking, there are lots of tables where you stand and munch on yummy eats (courtesy of WFG) like cut veggies, chocolate almonds, chicken salad croissant sandwiches and mini cupcakes. I know! And you get to choose from a selection of wines with your meal. The kitchen wench appreciates that. I mean, specifically for the medicinal qualities. Anti-oxidants and all (riiiiight!).

Our speaker last night was Annie Groth, she wrote "A Call to Action, What's Yours" and I took copious notes. Now I just need to parlay them into my actual life.

The decorations last night were so cute, they were done in an Easter theme, so there were peeps, jelly beans and blue M&M's. We were also given a small bag at meetings end to "fill up" and take home. I brought my sweet booty to my brother last night, whose eyes lit up and was pleased to get some Easter treats. Since WFG always gives a gift bag at the end of the meeting, I was able to give my Mom a pretty "see through" pink jewelery bag that was filled with gum (she's an ex smoker so she chews a lot), chapstick and a dark chocolate.

I'm keeping the card holder they gave away last night. Needed one. Thanks, WFG!

https://www.nbarizona.com/Specialty-WFG.jsp

Chicken fried steak @ Hazelwood's bar

The special at Hazelwood's today was

chicken fried steak. Yummy!

My friend Lizzy who also volunteered recently at the Black & White Ball (AZ Hispanic Chamber) invited me to lunch today.

For joy!

In the spirit of not driving all over creation to find somewhere to eat, we chose to eat at Hazelwood's. It was smart, since it's right in front of where I live. About 500 feet. Very practical.

Especially practical if you enjoy trivia night and don't want to drive home after a few black and tans!

We both had the chicken fried steak (cube steak) with mashed potatoes. The whole mess was smothered in a cream gravy with buttered green beans on the side. All for $6.99. I think that's a steal. And I have half leftover for lunch tomorrow, which the frugal kitchen wench appreciates.

Hazelwoods also has pizza, amazing hot wings and tasty/crispy fried zucchini & mushrooms. It's a great spot to grab a bite and have a beer if you want to watch the game - they have lots of TVs inside and outside where there is an enclosed patio. Sometimes there is also live music!

http://www.hazelwoodsfirstplace.com/

Bun Cumpleani Postino! (happy birthday, Postino!)

My Dad is a fan of Postino, so we try

to visit when he is in town.

Postino Celebrates it's 10 year anniversary this month. Happy Birthday, Postino!

They sent me a coupon for a free board of bruschetta (join their e-club to get one) and last night I was there with my Dad and my little sister. We had a combination of salami/pesto, fig/prosciutto and mozzarella/tomato. Then we dove into salads (a Barbara salad for me and I'm not sure what my little sister had but it looked yummy, with arugula I think) and my Dad had a glass of port and him and my sis had creme brulee. And I had an espresso.

Yummy.

The best way to celebrate a birthday...at Postino!

http://www.postinowinecafe.com/