Oatmeal Raisin Crisps

This weekend has been about the balancing act of relaxation and productivity. It's a delicate harmony to achieve; so often the scale tips in one direction over the other. Either nothing gets done and guilt is felt the moment you turn away from the television or computer. Or, everything gets done but, with no detox from the stressors of the week before, Monday morning is definitely started off on the wrong foot.

At times this balance seems impossible to accomplish, especially if you happen to be like me.

I woke up early on Saturday morning to go to the gym. Though I set my alarm for seven (two full hours later than I get up on weekdays), the sun hadn't yet thought about rising and the morning was darker than the dead of night. I struggled to pull myself out of bed and wipe the sleep from my tired eyes. It wasn't exactly the start to the day I imagined. Nevertheless there were muscles to be worked, so to the gym I went.

I juggled the rest of the day between working and falling asleep midway through episodes of reality TV. Sometimes I managed to do all three activities at the same time (does this make me good at multitasking?). Despite the spontaneous and unsatisfying naps, a lot more work (or stressing about doing work) was done than relaxing. Balance was not achieved.

Today, thankfully, was a different story. I slept in until after the sun had said its hellos and, after a week of little sleep, it was exactly what I needed. I started off my morning with a honeycrisp apple and pumpkin spice latte. Even though several hours of work followed shortly thereafter, the day felt brighter. It was brighter.

And that made all the difference. Though I accomplished more today than I did yesterday (I even had time to make you a batch of cookies. It's true), I hardly feel like I spent more than a few moments surrounded by my endless to-do list. My attitude made all the difference. I think that just might be the secret to balance after all.

Well, that or caffeine...

These Oatmeal Raisin Crisps have a dark depth of flavor. The cookies are made with heaps of oats, plenty of raisins, and extra molasses to bring out a deeper flavor. The cookies spread out quite a bit while baking, making them relatively flat and the edges crispy. If you are anything like me, you might just find yourself reaching for a second (or third) from the cookie jar.

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Rocky Road Cookies with Almonds and White Chocolate Chips

I recently tried my hand at a bit of woodworking. You should know, before I begin, that I knew absolutely nothing about the subject. And truth be told, after all the fuss and mess, I still don't.

I wanted to create a new tabletop to play around with for my food photography. I was feeling uninspired with my current two choices: wooden dining room table and slab-of-wood-I-stained-that-looks-a-lot-like-dining-room-table. A change was in order. While place mats can be fun to experiment and play around with, I no longer wanted to be restricted to photographing something on a 15 x 11-inch surface (tougher than it looks!). Thus, my mission to create my own tabletops began.

I think this officially takes me from "enjoys food photography in her spare time" to "slightly obsessed." You'll still love me even if I am a little crazy, right?

After dropping $20 on five planks of wood, I was at a loss of what to do next. The wood sat in the garage for two months while I tried to figure out what to do with it. It got wet. It warped. It'll add character, I told myself when I tried to dowel all five pieces together and they refused to match up. It'll add character, I told myself when creating deep grooves and divots while mishandling a belt sander in an attempt to smooth the warped surface. It'll add character, I told myself when I accidentally dropped the heavy tabletop on cement and cracked one of the corners.

It'll add character... right?

I think that's going to be my new woodworking motto.

After painting the surface white and letting it dry, I christened it by photographing these cookies. And it was beautiful. Until, of course, I picked up one of the cookies after setting it on the table. Turns out you need to seal wood or the buttery goodness in your baked goods might just leave grease stains. Oops.

Well, there's always something new to learn. And if you are like me and trying to do woodworking, turns out there's everything new to learn. Um, does anyone happen to know how to get grease stains off wood?

Have YOU tried anything new lately?

Since I have an allergy to tree nuts, "Rocky Road" has eluded me for most of my life. I've lusted over this flavor in ice cream shops and bakeries for far too long. It's about time I did something about it. So today, that's exactly what I did.

Though these Rocky Road Cookies do not feature walnuts or marshmallows—the staples of that classic Rocky Road flavor—I don't think you'll mind. I think you might be too busy finding and nibbling at every last crumb to notice. Since I'm a little burnt out on marshmallows (yes, it's possible! I blame this, this, and this), I substituted in white chocolate chips instead. I feel that white chocolate chips have a texture better suited to cookies than marshmallows, while marshmallows have a texture better suited to ice cream. It's a personal preference, but I feel like it makes all the difference.

These Rocky Road Cookies with almonds and white chocolate chips may not be your traditional Rocky Road cookie, but it doesn't make them any less enjoyable. A rich chocolate cookie is absolutely stuffed full of white chocolate chips and almonds. Each bite showcases all of these flavors at once, providing your taste buds with a Rocky Road experience. Plus, these cookies kind of look a little rocky. I suppose that's what I get for stuffing them (too) full of flavor!

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Bizcochitos

Did you know New Mexico has a state cookie?

Massachusetts does, too.

I discovered all of this when I was looking up state foods a few weeks ago. I must admit I'm a little jealous. My home state doesn't have a state cookie. Or a state cake (I'm looking at you, Maryland). Where is the baked goods love, North Dakota?

Massachusetts has wisely called dibs on the coveted chocolate chip cookie. Though there is not an "official" recipe, it's generally agreed upon that the cookie should include a few dried cherries. Pennsylvania very nearly had a state cookie, but the legislation has been held up. You see, the Pennsylvania House and Senate are in disagreement over whether to choose the chocolate chip cookie or the sugar cookie. It's a tough decision. They've even met three times to discuss the issue, with no success. It's a cookie stand off.

I imagine a decision of this magnitude must keep the legislators up at night.

In my personal opinion, I think Pennsylvania should pick the sugar cookie. Be a little original, Pennsylvania; there's no need to copy Massachusetts. Better yet, why not bring both cookies in on the next legislative session and cast a vote on the spot?

New Mexico, on the other hand, has chosen a state cookie I can respect. The Bizcochito is deeply rooted in the history of New Mexico. The recipe itself was developed by the first Spanish residents of New Mexico to reflect the local customs, culture, and flavors of the area. Over time, the Bizcochito has become a special occasion cookie served during weddings and religious holidays (particularly Christmas).

Though I hadn't heard of the Bizcochito until a few weeks ago, after making it I can agree that this cookie is definitely noteworthy. The Bizcochito stands out to me as incredibly unique, both in flavor and texture. A true Southwestern cookie.

The Bizcochito is a cinnamon anise shortbread cookie. Though the cookie itself is not very sweet, the cinnamon sugar topping rounds this out. The texture of these cookies are much more flaky than any shortbread cookie I've ever experienced. The flavors, too, are unique for a cookie. Orange zest, cinnamon, ginger, and anise come together to create this delicious ensemble. After you take a bite, a faint sprinkling of cinnamon sugar will grace your lips (which is only proper to lick clean)—the perfect ending to a perfect bite.

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