The Perfect Excuse.

Protein is a good thing, right? Well here is the perfect protein packed excuse to eat the most decadent no-bake, wheat free cookies around. I got the recipe from a gal I used to work with (thanks Kim!). So easy and so tasty! Just don't think about the fat content. :)

Ingredients

(this is for a huge batch - 1/2 this will make about 3 dozen Tablespoon sized dollaps)

4 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup cocoa (I use ½ cup dark & ½ regular choc)

¼ tsp salt

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup butter

6 cups oatmeal (use the quick oats)

3 ½ cups flaked coconut

Mix butter, sugar, milk, cocoa and salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Place tbls size dollaps on waxed paper. Enjoy! They're even better after refrigerating.

House Project

We have FINALLY embarked on the structural repair of our house. We've known that it was necessary for probably 4 years now but actually starting has taken an emotional (and financial) fortitude that we didn't feel quite up to. But the time has come, procrastination is out the window and we're moving ahead with a fervor I can't quite explain. We just want to know that our house isn't going to crumble underneath us! We love living in Golden and want the reassurance that our house will be here as long as we want to be here. Also, the downturn in the economy has actually made the repair work and subsequent landscape work more affordable. Who knew something positive could come from this terrible slump we're all struggling through.

We're now into week 3 and we've got a lot ahead of us. I'll keep the updates coming.

Wish us luck!

Chief Mountain

Chief Mountain

Bad, Bad Elk

As a reminder of what not to do.... Elk are big creatures. Hitting two of them with your car is a losing situation for all involved, the elk, the car, the people (although our little car did a great job of keeping us safe).

O.k. now that I've got you curious to know the whole story.... It was early, still dark, on Sunday December 27th. Chuck and I were driving to work and up from the ravine darted a huge herd of elk. We've estimated 30 or so. It was the biggest herd we'd ever seen on this frequently traveled stretch of highway linking Golden to greater Denver on Hwy 6. I was looking out the side window at the moonlit foothills when I heard C. say, "oh sh*&^^t!". As I looked straight ahead all I saw for a split second was this huge animal in front of my face. I closed my eyes (thankfully) and yes I screamed (girl). The next thing I knew "BAM!" and a HARD impact. You know that weird feeling you get when your life is in serious jeopardy, that slo-mo "am I dead"? thing with eery clarity of the bad situation you're in yet no panic? Well that was me. As the car finally stopped I took that quick, instantaneous assessment of the situation, "do I feel broken, bleeding, half unconscious.... no, no and yeah NO!" I brushed the glass out of my face and said, " is it dead?" to Charlie. I was so concerned about the poor animal. I knew we hit it hard and I wanted it to be out of it's misery. "No," was all C. said. DAMN! So after two 911 calls and 20 minutes later the cops finally showed but not after another car hit the poor creature lying in the road, struggling to get up. The cop told me that the animal had finally died but then I heard 4 shots. Apparently we had hit another elk that we weren't even aware of that needed to be euthanized. It had been lying in the ditch off to the side of the road.

The strangest thing was this grim reaper sort of guy that showed up. He was driving a truck, apparently on his way to work when he saw the accident. Rather than asking us if we were alright he just walked up to the police officer, they exchanged a few words and then he proceeded to gut the animals on the side of the road. Sure, I guess if they had to die why not make use of their bodies. It was just a bit creepy given the circumstances.

Chuck and I fared well. A few cuts and bruises. A touch of whiplash but definitely alive to live another awesome day! Happiness....period.

Frohliche Weinachten 2009

Another Christmas has come and gone. It's amazing the hype leading up to the big day, it comes, and then poof! it's gone. I find it so strange how we get inundated with the commercialism of it all even before we put away our Halloween costumes and then as soon as it's too late to buy more gifts we stop hearing Christmas carols and the lights go out.

Well not so here in our house. I love Christmas and today on the 26th of December the carols were louder than ever springing from my ipod and the tree was lit before I'd fully opened my eyes. I spent the day thinking about what a wonderful day we had yesterday; an intimate gathering of 6. Some friends, some family but wholly wonderful.

We hosted Christmas dinner here. The menu was as follows with a hint of German tradition mixed in:

Drinks:

An assortment of microbrews from our wonderful Odell's & New Belgium here in Colorado

Gluhwein, hot & yummy

Marquis Philips 2008 Vintage Sarah's Blend Red - McLaren Vale Australia

Apptizers:

Meat & Cheese plate consisting of gruyere, emmantaler, teewurst, hard salami

Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce

Veggie tray ~well carrot tray :) ~

Dinner:

Prime Rib (from Edward's Meats in Wheatridge - aged 6 weeks)

Rotkohl (red cabbage) with apples

Green Beans

Roasted red potatoes

Yorkshire Pudding

Dessert:

Bundt teller (german tradition plate full of chocolates & assorted gingerbread cookies)

Maple Syrup Walnuts

Rote Grutze mit Vanillen sosse (red berry compote with vanilla sauce)

The candles were lit, the table was beautiful and the company impeccable. Merry Christmas!

Snowtober!

What a fantastic storm we've been having the last two days. We've gotten over 2 feet in Golden and thankfully I haven't had to work either day. I've been shoveling, cooking, shoveling, snuggling, shoveling, baking, shoveling, reading, shoveling, knitting. It's been great. To top it off, today is Charlie's birthday and all this snow has given us an excuse to do nothing but enjoy each other's company along with the beasts and a warm fire. I guess I am feeling ready for winter. Bring it on!

Maia: 1998 - 2009

We miss her so.