Sayonara Sniffles!

                                                                                                                (gator foot = good luck)

  

So, the taste tester and I came down with a case of the sniffly bitts this last week. I decided to come up with a warm and cozy concoction to try and clear it all up. Not only is the tea delicious, but with three doses both of us are feeling much better. One more dose should do it, and we'll be right as rain! 

                                      
Sayonara Sniffles Tea

¼ cup Chamomile 

3 Tbls. Black Tea

2 Tbls. Lemon Balm

2 Tbls. Peppermint 

Honey

Lemon

Measure and combine herbs. Press with a mortar and pestle, releasing all the yummy goodness. While preparing herbs, its best to think happy thoughts of health and wellness. Ready a tea pot, and fill a mesh tea ball with herbal mixture. Steep the tea for approximately 3 minutes. Breathing in the lovely aroma also helps to open up the sinuses and congestion. After the tea is steeped, finish your cup with a bit of honey and lemon (no milk!). 

Recipe should yield approximately 4-5 servings. Store mixture in a glass jar or air-tight container. 

*Photo credit thanks to NOLAfleur Photography

 

Milk's Favorite Cookie...

I've kind of taken a bit of a hiatus for the last few weeks. Christmas gift baskets had me in a tizzy over pesto and dog treats, fudge and chocolate bark... not to mention the array of cookies and hot cocoa mix! Phew. Had a blast doing it all, but glad to get back to mellow. 

So... I think I might be getting little better at this food photography thing. If at first you don't succeed try, try again! I got a fancy pants new camera for Christmas... which I'm still trying to figure out. (I think the dogs and boyfriend might soon grow tired of my relentless snapping..) Thanks Mom and Dad, I love it!   

Now for the guts. The serious stuff... the cookies. Really, these babies are to. die. for. I pretty much demolished the whole batch, leaving a meager two for anyone else who might want a taste. Peanut buttery and perfectly chocolatey, oatmeal's hot cousin of a cookie! 

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour  

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

1 stick (½ cup) melted and cooled butter 

½ cup creamy peanut butter 

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

1 large egg

½ cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips (I used a mix of bittersweet and semi-sweet)  

Preheat oven to 350° and prep two cookie sheets (either line with parchment paper/silicone mats, or light spritz of non-stick cooking spray) 

In medium sized bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt).

Cream together the melted and cooled butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, in two batches. Fold until just mixed. Fold in oatmeal, then chocolate chips. 

Using a cookie scoop or spoon drop dough balls onto cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan half way through. The cookies should have lovely, lightly browned tops with perfectly chewy centers.