A Rare Sight and a Good Recipe

On a clear day, you can see.....um......about 230 miles! Yup, for the first time in nine years of traveling up this highway to go to church, we looked out to the west this morning, and there, on the horizon....clearly visible to the naked eye....

....about 230 miles away, was the top of Mt. Rainier!

After living under a layer of fog since mid- January, it's amazing what shows up after a good rain! Sorry the picture doesn't do it justice. My smart phone is not my usual first choice for a sight like this. Check out the link for Rainier and read all about it.

Here is a snap from the U.S. Geological Service.

This one is shot from the Puyallup Valley which grows more tulips than, well, anywhere else you can imagine.

Anyway, we always know the Cascades are over there to the west of us. We can often see the Stuart Range on our way over to Ephrata, and I've assumed for years that Rainier might be visible....but not until today, did we see it. What fun!

Okay, enough of that. Ever need a lot of cookies quick? I know. When you do, you can just run over to the store and get some pre-mixed cookies and, Bob's your uncle....you've got a lot of cookies. I guess I could do that, too. I just didn't want to.

These "Less Sugar Oatmeal Chunkies" are based on a "Highland Oatmeal Cookie" recipe from an old cookbook (American Home All-Purpose Cookbook edited by Virginia T. Habeeb, 1966). I tripled it to make enough cookies for the "Quilter's Tea" we are having tomorrow here in Odessa. 

I make these up as a sugar-free addition to the stock of cookies we're going to have on hand from the members of the guild. What doesn't get consumed tomorrow, can go into the freezer for later treats.

"Highland Oatmeal Cookies"

1 c. sifted AP Flour

1/2 t. Salt

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1 c. Butter, softened

1 c. Brown Sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c. White Sugar

1 Egg

2 t. Vanilla

1/4 c. Water

1/2 c. chopped nuts

1/2 c. Raisins

3 c. Rolled Oats

Cream the butter, sugars, vanilla and egg well until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients and stir until mixed. Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto greased cookie sheets and bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool slightly before removing from pan to cooling racks.

"Less Sugar Oatmeal Chunkies"

Replace the Brown Sugar with 1/2 c. Brown Sugar "Splenda"

Replace the White Sugar with  1/4 c. "Truvia for Baking"

If doubling or tripling the recipe, you'll need a bigger bowl and will need to mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Place the dough in a ziplock bag and roll into a log form. Keep refrigerated or frozen if you don't want to bake them all at once. When ready to bake, cut open the bag(s) and, using a heavy chef's knife, cut the log into 3/4" wafers. Cut each wafer into four equal chunks, spread out on the cookie  sheets and bake about 17 minutes until lightly browned.

You've got cookies! And having less sugar, these can make a very nice "pocket breakfast" when you don't have time to stop and eat. Just grab your latte and you're all set!