Made with ♥ Monday: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The other day I woke up with a massive craving for raisins. Believe it or not, this is not the first time this has happened. Once, while selling raffle tickets in a supermarket, I ate an entire bag of yogurt covered raisins (and haven't been able to touch them since). Rather than resort to my old ways, I stocked up on raisins (sans yogurt or whatever that stuff actually is) and old-fashioned oats and decided to put together a little parting gift for Fall.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

original recipe here

Ingredients

Makes about two dozen cookies

1/2 cup softened butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 and 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup flour

1 handful raisins

The original recipe uses miniature M&Ms, which I have to admit sounds pretty delicious--but when you're in a raisin mood, nothing else will satisfy the craving. Alternatively, you might be in a dried cranberry mood, a walnut mood or a coconut mood (it's totally normal if all your emotions correspond with food, right?). With a dense, chewy base like this, pretty much anything is going to taste good (now say you're in a broccoli mood - you may want to save that batch for yourself.).

First off, cream together the butter and sugars until they're nice and smooth. You can use an electric mixer but I find a spatula and some determination works just as well. Mix in the egg and vanilla until well blended, then slowly stir in the dry ingredients. The dough might seem a little hard to work with at this point - just another reason to roll up your sleeves and get messy.

Chill the dough for at least an hour. This is the most difficult part, hands down, but take comfort in the fact that it will soon be worth it. Read a book, call up a loved one, start on that English 101 essay that's due next week and you haven't even started on... See! There are just so many ways to fill an hour. I stuck the dough into the fridge and then moved it to the freezer to keep the leftovers cool in between batches. Bake at 325F for just over 10 minutes (the bottoms are quick to burn so don't wait for the edges to start to brown) and cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

I had a friend ask if it was mandatory to play music (which I always do) while baking. I think a little bit of music sets the mood - for instance, if you're going to blast hardcore death metal, your cookies may turn out flat and crispy just to fit in. The groovier the music, the chewier the cookie, in my mind. So for these, I'd recommend blasting The Black Keys' album Brothers. It's got plenty of soul to make your baking just a little bit extra delicious (not that you need the help, I'm sure).

With snow in the forecast and Christmas on my mind, the hint of cinnamon makes these cookies the perfect farewell to a cozy, adventurous and sweet Fall. I can't wait to see what Winter brings.

A plate full of oatmeal cookies in bed. Can you see why I don't want to study?

Gratitude

I have been having a rough couple of days. The kind of days when you look in the mirror and you don't want to be that person anymore, but you can't seem to do anything about it. The kind of days when you feel so trapped in your own skin that it seems unnecessarily painful to get out of bed in the morning. The kind of days when your devilish, self-defeating survival instinct encourages you to arm yourself with biting words and sharp thoughts about that creature in the mirror who insists on wearing your face.

The only solution I've found is gratitude.

I know this isn't exactly earth-shattering news, but sometimes accepting all the anxiety and depression and choosing to focus on other things instead is the only way I can move forward. So each day I keep a running list of the good things. The things I have to be grateful for.

Yesterday:

1. Awkward jokes over breakfast
2. Clicky heels
3. Cozy sweaters
4. Learning new languages
5. Pajamas (always)
6. Ice skating
7. Welcoming winter

So that's it. The rain is back and my room is cozy and warm. Some days are good and some days are less good but I am trying my very best to be grateful.

Made With ♥ Monday: Banana Bread

I firmly believe Sophie Dahl is a witch. A good witch, of course, the kind that leaves steaming hot dishes outside the homes of little children who've been good and curious about the world. Her life itself sounds like some kind of magic: she's a former model, writer, chef, author of the fabulous cookbook Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights, and she just so happens to be Roald Dahl's granddaughter. Like I said, magic.

Whenever I'm in need of some direction in my life or a moment of serious cheering up, I turn to Miss Dahl's wit, wisdom, and best loved banana bread.

Sophie Dahl's Banana Bread

This recipe is one of those deliciously simple ones that you just know is going to turn out. Basically you take all your ingredients, mix them together, pop it in the oven and wait about an hour. There you go: Steaming hot, straight from the oven, crispy-but-chewy and oh so delicious with a dollop of butter. Not to mention the intoxicating smell that's specially designed to ward off the November blues.

Ingredients:

5 1/2 tablespoons butter, soft but not melted
4 ripe bananas (give these a good mash)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 handful chocolate chips (if you've got a particularly sweet tooth)

Like I said, step one is just to mix everything together. Save the baking soda, salt and flour for last. I'd recommend a sturdy wooden spoon - or just find three friends with heaps of exam stress to work out, arm them with forks and stand back (I think someone almost lost an eye. Which, to be honest, isn't exactly the kind of secret ingredient I'm interested in, thank you very much).

After all that is said and done, bake at 350F for a good hour if using a loaf pan. We made ours into a banana cake in an 9x11 (or something like that) pan and it only took around 45 minutes. Good to keep an eye on, but also one of those recipes where you can really just sit back and wait. When the smell starts to get especially delicious, it's probably ready. Poke with a fork to test.

Before:

And after:

Oh, the glorious invention of the oven. Not to say that the batter isn't pretty good on it's own. This is definitely a recipe meant for licking the spoon. Nothing like a hot oven to keep you safe against the November winds. Happy baking.

On University: Week Nine

It's crazy how you can visit all sorts of university websites, read the Maclean's post secondary special, talk to every graduated person you know (no, just me? I must admit, applying to universities brought out the most manic side of me - my best quality, really) and you still won't have the faintest idea what you actually do at university. Eight weeks in and I'm still trying to figure that part out. But I've come close to what I think is true for me.

1. You study.

You study a lot and you study hard or else when midterms start you go absolutely crazy, lock yourself in your room with a textbook and don't come out except to eat and, on occasion, have a conversation that doesn't revolve around your impending gap year (because at this point, teaching English in Peru sounds like the only valid life choice). You might not know what you're going to major in, you might hate every single one of your classes, but you study anyways because there's really no other option.

2. You meet people.

You meet people from all over the country, all over the world, studying things you've never even heard of before with names you can't remember or pronounce and families, hobbies, pasts that you may never find out (that gets pretty heavy for a first conversation. Most people just start with, "Hey, my name's Erika" and leave it at that. I am not most people). The crazy thing about constantly meeting so many new people is that a few of them are probably going to become your very best friends. You start talking and all of a sudden you're laughing about something stupid or spending twenty minutes deciding what to eat for dinner or ranting about your crazy profs and you realize that they have carved out a piece of your life and changed it for the better.

3. You figure things out.

This is definitely the most difficult, most time-consuming, most rewarding process of all. You leave behind everything comfortable and definite and sure and you have the opportunity to completely redefine who you are and what you care about. Which can be... a little terrifying, to be honest.

You're surrounded by so many opportunities, so many clubs, classes, parties, sports, and other things to get involved in, you have to decide what matters to you. Are you going to stay in and study? Are you going to go out and get totally hammered even if you're underage? Are you going to sit with a stranger and introduce yourself? Are you going to become a vegetarian? There are an infinite number of what ifs with nobody but you to answer them.

Every choice you make while you're here is completely your own. Your old life can seem pretty far away at times, but it's important to remember that you don't have to completely abandon the person you used to be just because there are newer, cooler, more sophisticated and educated versions out there. That's something that I am still coming to terms with: How not to cast your old life off like an over sized t-shirt that you stole from your brother's closet for days when you just want to lie in bed and watch movies. Going to university doesn't mean you'll stop having days like that - if anything, they might become more frequent and certainly more appreciated. But if you decide that t-shirt just doesn't fit anymore, this is the place to do something about it. University is the time in your life to pack the very best, most interesting, most passionate parts of yourself in your suitcase and leave the rest behind.

Things will get rough. You might consider quitting, hopping on a bus, catching a flight, going somewhere where you aren't being challenged and defeated and worn out over and over and over again. You might crave solid ground - people who know you, people who get you.

But, like I said, you figure it out. That may be the most important thing I've learned over the past eight weeks - you come up against some crazy difficult impossible things and you keep on going because you've made it this far you've got a lot farther to go. And that might be intimidating or overwhelming or bone-chilling terrifying, but it can also be so, so good. I'm so looking forward to more classes that inspire me, teacher that challenge the way I think and people that make my day shine. Because no matter who were were or where we came from, we are all going through this crazy process at the same time, on the same mountain top, and we might as well get through it together.

We are all figuring it out.

Friday Find: The Hastings Warehouse

As soon as I stepped into The Warehouse on Friday night, I felt about a million times cooler. I shed my former, nerdy self and became all kinds of edgy, hip and interesting. My back may have even grown a leather jacket. Who knows. It was recommended by a friend who joined me, and good thing too or I would've walked right past. The front of the building is all glass and easy to confuse with a crowded bar or night club. Just my scene.

The place was packed so we ended up sitting at the bar where we were entertained by two very lively, very fascinating bartenders. They whipped up all kinds of concoctions for the other customers - most of whom were wearing some combination of skinny jeans, leather, studs, boots, tattoos and/or piercings. The place just oozed of coolness.

Sitting on a bar stool, awkwardly balancing my bag and coat on my lap, knocking back glass after glass of water (on the rocks), I should have felt massively out of my league. But I never did.

Sure, the decor and customers were definitely the stereotypical artsy/urban/hipster Vancouverites I've become used to feeling inferior in the presence of, but everyone I spoke to was warm and friendly. The menu is straightforward - appetizers, burgers with a choice of sides, some more exotic stir fries, desserts and a couple of salads. But, as my friend put it, "Who would order a salad in a place like this?" Truer words have never been spoken.

I had the pulled chicken sandwich and yam fries, and my friend ordered a veggie burger. My food was absolutely delicious. Honestly, I'd forgotten how good simple, straightforward, greasy food can be. I had a bite of the veggie burger and it was alright - nothing outrageous. There were a few other vegetarian options, but if you're willing to eat meat, I think hamburgers and friends are where the Warehouse really shines.

The best part? All the dishes are $4.95. ASDFJKL right?! Maybe that's why it was so packed. The Hastings Warehouse also offers all-you-can-eat Taco Tuesdays for about $7. Need I say more? It's located at 156 W Hastings; if you want good food with a side of big city vibes, I'd definitely check it out.

After a night of good food and new discoveries, I was happy to bus back in the dark, pressing my face against the window to take in the city lights.

Made With ♥ Monday: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I spent my Halloween curled up in the kitchen with the sweet smell of cinnamon guarding me against any number of ghouls. I've never understood the appeal of scary movies and I am always the first one to scream when a teenager wearing a plastic mask jumps half-heartedly out of the shadows at a haunted house. My version of Halloween has become progressively less haunting: I'm always up for a batch of pumpkin-themed dessert and a screening of Shaun of the Dead (as gruesome as I get, to be honest). Anyone? No? Who says fear can't be cozy.

Adapted from the original recipe, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are, as promised, moist and chewy without being too cakey. I went trick-or-treating and handed out cookies in exchange for candy; at university, I do believe that's called an equitable exchange. And they tasted pretty darn good (no tricks here, I promise).

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
makes about a dozen cookies

1/2 cup  butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 small handful chocolate chips

You may have noticed that I have a bit of cookie theme going on. In fact, I'm quite particular about what I bake. I'll happily eat almost any dessert you put in front of me but when it comes to making it myself, chewy cookies are absolutely the only way to go. I learned recently that this means the batter shouldn't be too moist (think muffin batter as opposed to cookie dough). So, when using pumpkin, it takes the place of the other wet ingredient - eggs. There's your science lesson for the day, friends. Erika likes chewy cookies. Remember that.

To start off, combine the melted butter, both sugars, vanilla and pumpkin puree in a medium size bowl. In a larger bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (no chocolate chips just yet). Gradually add the wet to the dry. This might mean getting a little messy. Hand-mixed cookies are always the best (plus, you can freak out your friends by waving your pumpkin-stained hands in their face. Terrifying, right? I told you I'm no good with scary things).

My friend kept confusing the tea/tablespoon and cup measurements. This is very important. And also adorable when she started counting out tablespoons of flour into the bowl. Nothing like sweet treats and lovely people to keep the oncoming autumn chill at bay.

Toss in a 1/2 cup or so of chocolate chips, depending on your mood and expected candy haul later that night. Be careful: my immediate reaction is, of course, to turn the bag upside down for the old, "Would you like any cookie with your chocolate chips?" technique, but in this case, I tried to use some restraint. The pumpkin flavor is very delicate. I'd recommend no more than a handful. (Pro tip: you can eat the rest straight out of the bag! The cookie is just a vessel, after all.)

Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. If the cookies look a little under cooked in the middle, that's exactly what you're looking for. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. The longer they cool, the chewier your cookies will be (science or something). Even better: leave them to cool for a couple of hours, in or out of the refrigerator. While nothing can beat that fresh from the oven warmth, your mouth will be giving you a serious high five (if that were physically possible and not super creepy).

Happy Halloween, and happy baking!