An update on me...

[Northern Star Girl]

@Michelle_P
Dear Michelle:
It is so good to read your last very upbeat update... thank you for sharing on your thread.
I am so glad that you are doing much better now...

I am so very happy to see Laurie's smiling face in the pictures that you posted.   Please tell her hello for me and give her one of my big HUGS... and please tell her that I miss her so much here on the Forums.

OH and the dessert that you and Laurie were sharing at your romantic dinner out looks quite decadent indeed.  I also have a weakness for desserts, cakes, cookies, pies, homemade rolls and breads.... and since you now have the brand new beautiful deep red KitchenAid mixer... a terrific early Christmas gift for sure... you can now do even more baking!!!!

It looks like that you were having a wonderful time shopping at the Market with Laurie and Kendra @Kendra  ... and   and 

Again, thank you for sharing your wonderful update.
Hugs to YOU, and Laurie, and Kendra,
Best wishes,
Danielle

I'm working on a longer article on identity, including gender, and the conflicts between factions under the transgender umbrella over identity, assignment of identity by others, and the ideological filters used by many to replace introspection, thought, and consideration.  I think this will wind up around 2,500 words, and will probably appear first on my blog.

I've been recharging, getting more spoons, and am feeling better.  I did get whacked again yesterday by someone who was once dear to me, which now means I need to be very careful in any contact, unfortunately. 

I've done a few interesting things recently while hanging out with my girlfriend.  She got me a couple of hours with her electrologist (Mine has retired), so after 6 weeks off, i went under the needle again.  Fully cleared in an hour and forty minutes!  Yaaaay!  This helped my mood.  We went out to dinner nearby and shared another romantic meal and dessert together.  Desserts are my downfall, I'm afraid.



We also spent a day north of here, shopping, playing tourist, enjoying a shared meal, and visiting with friends, one of whom I already knew, and two great people I was very happy to meet, and whose company and hospitality I enjoyed.



I'm feeling better now, and will probably be returning to more community activity around me for the near future.

[JudiBlueEyes]

It looks like that you were having a wonderful time shopping at the Market with Laurie and Kendra @Kendra  ... and   and 

Well, that's Saha and Beth! 

What a fun photo of you all. 

[Jessica]

@Michelle_P

I'm working on a longer article on identity, including gender, and the conflicts between factions under the transgender umbrella over identity, assignment of identity by others, and the ideological filters used by many to replace introspection, thought, and consideration.  I think this will wind up around 2,500 words, and will probably appear first on my blog.

I've been recharging, getting more spoons, and am feeling better.  I did get whacked again yesterday by someone who was once dear to me, which now means I need to be very careful in any contact, unfortunately. 

I've done a few interesting things recently while hanging out with my girlfriend.  She got me a couple of hours with her electrologist (Mine has retired), so after 6 weeks off, i went under the needle again.  Fully cleared in an hour and forty minutes!  Yaaaay!  This helped my mood.  We went out to dinner nearby and shared another romantic meal and dessert together.  Desserts are my downfall, I'm afraid.



We also spent a day north of here, shopping, playing tourist, enjoying a shared meal, and visiting with friends, one of whom I already knew, and two great people I was very happy to meet, and whose company and hospitality I enjoyed.



I'm feeling better now, and will probably be returning to more community activity around me for the near future.

Wonderful to see both of you smiling.  Keep doing that....

[Kendra]

Michelle it was great to see you, and Laurie, and thank you for driving up to Seattle. 
A great afternoon with both of you along with Beth & Saha. 

[Donica]

I'm working on a longer article on identity, including gender, and the conflicts between factions under the transgender umbrella over identity, assignment of identity by others, and the ideological filters used by many to replace introspection, thought, and consideration.  I think this will wind up around 2,500 words, and will probably appear first on my blog.

I've been recharging, getting more spoons, and am feeling better.  I did get whacked again yesterday by someone who was once dear to me, which now means I need to be very careful in any contact, unfortunately. 

I've done a few interesting things recently while hanging out with my girlfriend.  She got me a couple of hours with her electrologist (Mine has retired), so after 6 weeks off, i went under the needle again.  Fully cleared in an hour and forty minutes!  Yaaaay!  This helped my mood.  We went out to dinner nearby and shared another romantic meal and dessert together.  Desserts are my downfall, I'm afraid.



We also spent a day north of here, shopping, playing tourist, enjoying a shared meal, and visiting with friends, one of whom I already knew, and two great people I was very happy to meet, and whose company and hospitality I enjoyed.



I'm feeling better now, and will probably be returning to more community activity around me for the near future.

Now that looks like a banana split and a half! Yum!

I recognize three lovely ladies in that picture and see four lovely ladies and one handsome gent.

I'm glad your feeling better Michelle. I would love to read your new article about identity.

Hugs,
Donica.

[Michelle_P]

My girlfriend gave me an over-the-top birthday/holiday present, that I had to take out for a spin...



It works....  Mmmmm....




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[Rayna]

Uh oh, this could lead to health consequences  Well at least there are good emotional consequences  My best to you both. Randy

[LizK]

Yum...[emoji847]


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[Linde]

 I think it is unfair to post all the pictures of those sweet delights.  I am a diabetic, and feel like a kid pressing her nose against the window of the candy store!

[Donica]

My girlfriend gave me an over-the-top birthday/holiday present, that I had to take out for a spin...



It works....  Mmmmm....




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That's some piece of hardware Michelle! Are those oatmeal cookies? Yum! I love oatmeal raisin cookies.

Enjoy you two!

[Michelle_P]

@Donica , these are indeed oatmeal raisin cookies.  I've tinkered with my recipe to get a thinner, chewier cookie.  These seem to be very popular.

@Dietlind @RandyL , I give away almost all the cookies I make.  I have a new fun one, a request for about 250 frozen 'pucks' of cookie dough for my Ultimate Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin cookies.  These will be served in a church as part of their Christmas Eve events, freshly baked in the church's kitchen.

@LizK these are indeed delicious cookies!

[GordonG]

@Donica , these are indeed oatmeal raisin cookies.  I've tinkered with my recipe to get a thinner, chewier cookie.  These seem to be very popular.

Oh how I love chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Any chance of getting your recipe? 

[Michelle_P]

Oh how I love chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Any chance of getting your recipe? 

Soft Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep 15 m   Cook 10 m   Ready In 2 h

1 c butter         2 sticks
1 c white sugar      210 g
1 c packed brown sugar   200 g
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2 c all-purpose flour      250 g
1 tsp baking soda   OR   2 tsp calcium carbonate baking soda (salt free)
1 tsp salt         Optional for salt-free
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3 c rolled oats      270 g
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 c raisins

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and molasses. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and other spices; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats, and finally the milk and raisins. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F  Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

[davina61]

Blast have every thing to make them apart from molasses and how much is 2 sticks of butter in grams? (350 gram blocks in UK) 

[Linde]

Blast have every thing to make them apart from molasses and how much is 2 sticks of butter in grams? (350 gram blocks in UK)

I measure (on my electronic scale) 110 g, it says on the pack 113 g.  I don't know if that little difference means anything (I don't bake cookies or cakes)?
This is the weight for one stick!

[davina61]

Thanks now just have to find some black sticky stuff

[GordonG]

Soft Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep 15 m   Cook 10 m   Ready In 2 h

1 c butter         2 sticks
1 c white sugar      210 g
1 c packed brown sugar   200 g
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2 c all-purpose flour      250 g
1 tsp baking soda   OR   2 tsp calcium carbonate baking soda (salt free)
1 tsp salt         Optional for salt-free
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3 c rolled oats      270 g
1/4 c milk
1 1/2 c raisins

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla and molasses. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and other spices; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats, and finally the milk and raisins. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F  Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 3 inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Wow, thank you so much. Can't wait to mix up a batch.
Yummy, Yummy

[Michelle_P]

Blast have every thing to make them apart from molasses and how much is 2 sticks of butter in grams? (350 gram blocks in UK)

113 grams in a US butter stick, so about 225 grams total.

Note that this batter makes a thin chewy cookie.  For a thicker and harder cookie, leave out that 1/4 cup of milk.

You can also play with the add-ins,  I've made this with white chocolate chips and chopped pecans instead of the raisins, also leaving out the milk to get a thicker cookie.

The molasses adds invert sugars that help hold moisture.  You could leave out the molasses and just use all brown sugar (preferably dark brown), that is, no refined white sugar, just 410 grams brown sugar, to get a result thats not too far off.

[Linde]

Thanks now just have to find some black sticky stuff

The color and stickiness of Marmite would be just fine!   

[LizK]

113 grams in a US butter stick, so about 225 grams total.

Note that this batter makes a thin chewy cookie.  For a thicker and harder cookie, leave out that 1/4 cup of milk.

You can also play with the add-ins,  I've made this with white chocolate chips and chopped pecans instead of the raisins, also leaving out the milk to get a thicker cookie.

The molasses adds invert sugars that help hold moisture.  You could leave out the molasses and just use all brown sugar (preferably dark brown), that is, no refined white sugar, just 410 grams brown sugar, to get a result thats not too far off.

The recipe is very close to one of our Aussie /Kiwi all time favourites call ANZAC Biscuits...at least the basic ingredients seem to produce a flat , thin, chewy biscuit with that rich sweet taste of molasses, or we would substitute golden syrup for molasses.


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