I’m crazy addicted to Rick Bayless’ Mexican Everyday. It has taken over my life, or, at least my meals. Living a half-mile from a fantastic Mexican grocery with fresh, authentic ingredients helps. Last night, I tried the Mushroom-Potato Crema with Roasted Poblanos. It’s a creamy soup that’s low on fat and calories. I wish I pulled out the SLR to take photos, but I just snapped a few on my little Panasonic point-and-shoot before sitting down to dinner.
I know that in the photo, the salad looks better than the soup, but the soup was definitely far more interesting. The Yukon golds give it a buttery flavor naturally and while these particular poblanos didn’t quite deliver the rich roasty flavor I was hoping for, I’m sure it had to do with the fact that what I used was definitely in it’s last days. Bayless suggest adding crispy crumbled bacon as a garnish. If I hadn’t had bacon on both Saturday and Sunday, I might have heeded his advice.
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It’s a gray day in Chicago. Here are some flowers to brighten your day.
I think these may actually be called “Scotchies” because instead of raisins or chocolate chips, these oatmeal cookies have butterscotch morsels. Mom should really get props for these because it was a phone call from her, frantically searching for an oatmeal cookie recipe, that inspired them.
The Back Story
My mom had recently moved, and in that process has lost her go-to recipe. She called me and asked me for mine.
Until this moment, I never had a recipe for oatmeal cookies, because I had never made them. Until about a year ago, I rarely, if ever, baked.
So, I flipped through the Joy of Cooking and began reading the ingredient list aloud. She scoffed at the ratio of butter to flour, but said she’d try it anyway. About two hours later, she called me, her mouth full of cookies. “Oh. My. God. Meghan, these are the best cookies I’ve ever had.”
She was right about the OMG exclamation. These cookies are chewy in the middle and crunchy around the edges. They’re fragrant with nutmeg and cinnamon and satisfyingly sweet. Be sure to enjoy at least one fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk.
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