All Everything Cookies

Yesterday, I went to the pool (to pretend like I'm an Olympian) and got out after only 30 minutes because it started to thunder and lightning.  After I got home and showered, I looked out the window at our normally amazing view of the Flatirons, and saw this:

I quickly searched the internet to find out what was going on.  It was a 1-acre brush fire.  A few minutes later it was a 6-acre brush fire.  And about a half hour after that, it was somewhere between 200 and 300 acres.

Even though I grew up in Utah, I have never been this close to a wildfire (and I guess neither has anyone else in the city of Boulder).

Last night we sat out on the deck and looked through binoculars at the flames that started to come up over the ridge line and thought about what we would take with us if we got evacuated.

We decided on our passports, birth certificates, etc.  Our camping gear just out of practicality since we obviously wouldn't have a place to sleep.  Climbing gear, because it's already in the car.  And I think I'll bring my Kitchenaid :)

Without a Kitchenaid, it would be significantly harder (definitely not impossible though) to make these cookies.

ALL EVERYTHING COOKIES*
*I had a craving for the WHole Foods variety of All Everything cookies but couldn't find them - these turned out nothing like those cookies though...they were better!
3 eggs
1 c. butter
2/3 c. agave
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 c. oats
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. flax seeds
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 c. raisins
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. white chocolate chips

1. Beat together eggs, butter and agave.  Add vanilla.
2. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Add in oats, 1 cup at a time.
4. Mix in cinnamon and flax seeds.
5. Stir in pecans, raisins, and both types of chocolate chips.
6. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper lines cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350˚.

Go West, Young (Wo)man!

As you already know, Austin and I just barely made it to Boulder, CO last week.  We drove out here quickly and ran into exactly zero problems along the way!

We ate fast food and road food and the best Italian food ever!  

We went through the Midwest.

We experienced a "weather event."

We made it to Boulder.

Then we left to have some fun!

 And now we're back, and cooking!

Polenta Crusted Quiche

We made it to Boulder!  Our stuff is unpacked and finally today our internet was turned on!  So far Boulder has been great.  We've been biking everywhere, eating granola and generally morphing into the hippies we'd love to become :)

When I started my yoga teacher training, my sister, Darcie, told me, "I don't care how much of a free spirit you become, just promise me you'll always shave your legs."  Ok Darcie...we won't ever let it get too hippie!

This meal is pretty hippie without going too far.  It's vegetarian but definitely not vegan.  And I would never judge if you threw some bacon in, but it's hearty enough without any meat.

POLENTA CRUSTED QUICHE
1 tube of polenta
2 c. cheddar cheese
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 squash, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 large tomato, thickly sliced
juice of 1 lemon
handful fresh parsley (~1/4 c.), coarsely chopped
3 eggs
1 c. milk
salt & pepper

1.  Cut tube of polenta into slices (about 1/4" thick) and place into bottom of pie plate and up the sides.  Bake for 15 minutes at 375˚.

2.  As soon as you take the crust out of the oven, pour the cheese into the bottom so it melts.  The cheese will seal any holes in the crust.

3.  Place a large skillet with 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté onions and garlic.  About halfway through cooking, add zucchini and squash and finish cooking.

4.  Add parsley, lemon juice, and salt & pepper, then pour all veggies into the pie crust.  Top with slices of tomato.

5.  Beat together eggs and milk and pour on top of veggies.

6.  Bake for 50 minutes at 375˚ (cover edges of crust if they start to get too brown).