Chocolate Coma Cookies

I went through a Diane Mott Davidson phase a few years ago. She writes a series about a mystery-solving caterer in Colorado. The books are peppered with recipes, most of which sound pretty good. The only one I’ve tried, though, is the recipe for Chocolate Coma Cookies from “Tough Cookie.”

The cookie dough in this recipe really only serves to hold the goodies together — my idea of a good cookie. So good, in fact, that I’m surprised that I never tried any of the others. Maybe I’ll have to do something about that.

Chocolate Coma Cookies
Makes six dozen cookies
1 cup blanched slivered almonds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, such as Godiva Dark or Lindt
1 cup dried tart cherries
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two cookie sheets.
In a nonstick pan, toast almonds over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for five to 10 minutes until they have just begun to brown and emit a nutty aroma. Turn out onto a plate to cool.
Chop bittersweet chocolate into small chunks and set aside
In a large bowl, combine the cherries, chocolate chips and oats and set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat mixture until well-combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until well-combined.
Add chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, cherries and almonds. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, mix well by hand. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, measure out cookies onto sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies have set and are slightly flattened and light brown.

"Housekeeping"

I wrote about this once earlier, but Blogger seems to have discarded it. Let’s assume it was brilliant and insightful.

I finished Marilynne Robinson’s “Housekeeping” this afternoon. I’d read that it was better than “Gilead,” which I really enjoyed, so I was looking forward to reading it. It was well written, but I didn’t like it as much as “Gilead.” It was so melancholy and lacking hope. I never once thought that the characters might be in for a happy ending. Some might argue that they did find their happy ending, but I’m not buying it.

5 years and counting

I don’t post as frequently as I should but I thought today being the special day that it is (our 5th wedding anniversary), I should put something up for everyone to read and thus know how much I love my wife.

I love Nichole more than (in no particular order):
-The Cubs
-my music collection
-my science
-my sunglasses
-Magnum PI
-sitting around on a Sunday watching golf
-sitting around on a Sunday watching the Cubs
-sitting around doing pretty much anything on a Sunday
-pie, cake, donuts, and any other sweet treat you can think of

Things I love to do with Nichole (Also in no particular order)
-go to concerts, especially at the Blue Note
-watch Poppy sleep in her crib
-watch Poppy play in her excersaucer
-roughhouse like we were still little kids
-watch TV shows we recorded on tape
-try new restaurants
-go on roadtrips (even small ones to crappy places like Rolla!)
-go to church
-walk around Target or Hyvee
-watch MST3K and laughing until our sides hurt
-relaxing on a Saturday morning

Things that I am looking forward to doing with Nichole:
-buying our first house
-making that house a home
-raising Poppy (and whoever else may show up someday)
-moving overseas and seeing Europe
-going to Abigails for dinner tonight
-growing up and growing….more seasoned!

Some song lyrics that I associate with Nichole:

Comes a time
by Neil Young

Comes a time
when you’re driftin’
Comes a time
when you settle down
Comes a light
feelin’s liftin’
Lift that baby
right up off the ground.

from Muzzle of Bees
by Jeff Tweedy

Sun gets passed, sea to sea
Silently, and back to me
With the breeze blown through
Pushed up above the leaves

With the breeze blown through
My head upon your knee
Half of it’s you, half is me
Half of it’s you, half is me

from War on War
by Jeff Tweedy

You have to die
You have to die
You have to learn how to die
If you want to want to be alive

Okay?

from Shot in thr Arm
by Jeff Tweedy

Something in my veins, bloodier than blood

from Razor love
by Neil Young

But I got faith in you,
It’s a razor love
that cuts clean through.
I got faith in you,
It’s a razor love
that cuts clean through.

from The Gash
by Wayne Coyne

Will the fight for our sanity
Be the fight of our lives?