Care Package #20: Cabin Fever Cookies and North Georgia

I should have posted this before now, but it has been a busy few weeks (really, is anyone surprised by that?). Last week I tried yet another awesome recipe from the best snack cookbook in the world! I give you Cabin Fever Cookie Bars:
1/2 C brown rice flour
1/2 C old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4C chopped walnuts
1/3 C canola oil
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 C M&M candies

Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine flour, oats, salt, baking powder, walnuts and M&Ms. In a separate bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x9" pan and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool then cut into bars.

Since this was the box that Brian would get right before Easter, I had to add some candy as well. It was a terrible temptation to have that many Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Eggs around the house, but they all made it into the box.



Last Friday Piedmont College had their first Career Day, and I volunteered some time to talk to folks about budgeting and credit. The turn out was a little lower than expected, but I was glad to help out.

Seeing Piedmont again was fun, but the best part of the weekend was getting to visit with my friends and staying at Timbrook, the Dover's farm. I'm sure that I am not the only person who feels this way, but staying on the farm is my idea of a perfect, relaxing get-away.

Suzanne's home cooking is yet another reason to look forward to visiting. My last trip to the farm back in May 2009 was the first time that I used her wood stove to cook an egg for breakfast. Food just tastes better when it's cooked on a fire.

Two of the grandchildren spent some time riding horses (and even the mule, Molly) on a beautiful spring day.


On Saturday we took a nice little road trip up to North Carolina and stopped at an overlook for this stunning view. I can't decide which I love more: a mountain view or living near the beach.

A helpful and entertaining post.

April is Financial Literacy Month! Check out a great article that offers some easy steps to do some financial spring cleaning: It's time to spring clean your money savannahnow.com

Now for the entertaining part (not that I don't find money topics entertaining, because I do even if most other people don't...). Have you heard about the Peeps Diorama Contest? No? I tend to lose track and miss it each year too. But you can check out the top finalists here. Some very clever Peepers out there!

Care Package #19: Half Domes Cookies and misc.

A few weeks ago we had a great group of University of Florida students volunteering at the CCCS office. They were part of the Florida Alternative Break program, and spent their Spring Break working with us. They were a wonderful help and seemed to enjoy their time in Savannah. As a "thank you" I had the group over for dinner their last night in town. As much as they enjoyed the food and snacks, Harley was the real hit of the evening and I was afraid they would try to dog-nap her!

Miriam has been curious about the kinds of goodies that I've been sending Brian, so she came over last week to help me make the Half Domes Cookies. It came as no surprise that they are delicious, and she brought a big bag home.

Half Domes
1C butter
1C brown sugar
1C white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2C wheat flour
2.25C old fashioned oats
1tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
1C chocolate chips
1C dried cranberries (I used coconut instead of cranberries)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Combine all dry ingredients. Beat together the butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and blend well. Drop teaspoon-sized scoops onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Canetha and I made an excellent batch of the granola and she was looking forward to using it as an ice cream topping. Baking is always fun, but baking with friends is even better!

Spring has officially sprung here in Savannah. The flowering trees are in full bloom, forsythia and daffodils are spreading their cheery yellow petals, and the birds are a rucus chorus even before the sun rises. I have to say, I think this is the most beautiful time of the year in Savannah. Don't believe me? Come on down and check it out for yourself!

CCCS in the news

Here is a nice little piece in the local news about couponing. I'm getting better at it (meaning I'm saving money, but have also stopped buying things that I don't use just because I have a coupon and it's on sale!).





I've been doing a lot of reading about all the credit card and overdraft changes. My boss, John, and one of our clients was just on WSAV talking about the same topic.

Credit Card Reform?

Just a little something to tickle the brain...

Care Package #18: Spirit Lifters and St. Patty's Day goodies

Shame on me for not taking a picture of these delicious treat, but they didn't hang around long enough to pose for the camera!

Spirit Lifters
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C baking flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C quick oats
1/4 C wheat germ
1 TBS grated orange rind
1/2 C softened butter
2 eggs
1 C walnuts
1/4 C raisins
1/4 C flaked coconut
1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips (did a half and half mix of chocolate and butterscotch chips)

Preheat the over to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, wheat germ and orange rind. Beat the eggs, butter, walnuts, raisins, coconut and chocolate chips together and add to flour mix. Pour into a 9x9" parchment lined pan and bake for 35 minutes. Let them cool completely then cut into squares.

Next time I make these, I will cream the eggs, butter and sugar together first, then mix it with the other dry ingredients and see if it all blends better. They were still really, really yummy and I can see why they are called Spirit Lifters: after a long day on the trail (or slaving away at the desk) snacking on a few of these bad boys would really lift my spirits!

I also threw in a can of corned beef hash, for St. Patrick's Day. Kinda lame, I know. But I didn't think Irish soda bread would have made it over without developing a nice, green mold accent (not the kind of St. Patty's effect I was looking for) and beer is a no-no. I also sent a box of chocolate/peanut butter pretzels that came in a kinda greenish-blue box... any points there?

Care Package #17: Niagara Bars

I'm kicking myself. I am absolutely beating myself up...for not using this book before now! I think I have a crush on my cookbook. Everything that I have made from Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin' is just awesome. Even if you're not vegetarian, you will LOVE these recipes. Even if you're not into backpackin' you can still enjoy yummy snacks at home or work. Niagara Bars

2 2/3 C Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 C plus 1 TBS whole wheat flour
6 TBS baking flour
1/2 flax seeds (called for sesame seeds, but I didn't have enough, so I mixed flax and sesame)
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C powdered milk
1/2 C canola oil
3/4 C honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C dried, chopped fruit (cranberries and pineapple)

Preheat to 325. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a saucepan over low heat, warm the oil, honey and vanilla (stirring well to mix the oil) then add to dry ingredients. Stir well and pat firmly into parchment lined 9x13" pan (I find that covering the mix with some parchment paper and pressing down on a spatula works very well). Bake for 30 minutes, let cool and cut into bars. Store in ziplock baggies or airtight containers.

Brian has already gotten these and said the guys loved them again. Why are you still reading this? Go out right now and buy this book!!