black rollers, waves tumbling in; poised to unleash onto the low-lying hills. two dozen birds, inky silhouettes burst from a tree and wheel straight up, then bank sharply to the south.
* * * * * * * * * *
a blue curtain hanging down, grazing the tops of foothills rich gold from a new sun that has found entry between layers of grey. as the sun rises higher grey morphs into silver, crystallizing from the outside in as frost on a windowpane. then: white.
* * * * * * * * * *
searching for words to describe the flat, monotone icy layer that stretches across the dome of sky; here and there blurring into pockets of descent. the only relief provided by branching skeleton hands of trees reaching upward, toward the light.
* * * * * * * * * *
teff & oatmeal raisin cookies (makes 18 cookies)
cloudy days of winter call for spending time in the kitchen, where the oven warms the room as well as the fireplace. here again, i’m on my quest for gluten-free, rice-free baked goods. it was harder than I would have expected to find such a recipe on the ‘net–in fact, while I tried a couple, none of them lived up to my expectations. so i experimented, and these cookies are the winner! they use a blend of teff and oat flours to produce an excellent texture and taste, while the blend of sugars stays true to classic oatmeal raisin bites. i hope you enjoy!
ingredients:
1/2 C (94 g) ivory teff flour *
1/2 C (60 g) GF oat flour **
1/4 tsp baking soda ***
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C (50 g) granulated cane sugar
1/4 C plus 2 Tbsp (80 g) packed brown sugar (light or dark will work)
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1/2 C (80 g) raisins
3/4 C (90 g) unsalted walnuts or pecans
1 C (90 g) GF rolled oats
to prepare:
preheat oven to 350 degrees F (365 degrees F for high elevation > 5000′).
line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
in a medium bowl, sift together the teff flour, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt.
melt the butter in a small saucepan over very low heat. once melted, pour into a large bowl and stir in the granulated and brown sugars. let cool for a couple of minutes, then add the egg and vanilla.
stir the dry ingredients into the wet until thoroughly combined.
add the raisins, nuts, and oats and stir to combine.
scoop dough onto cookie sheets with a large spoon or medium-sized scoop, about 2-3 Tbsp at a time, until you have 18 equal-sized cookies.
bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
cool on the baking sheets.
enjoy!
cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for several days, or in the freezer for at least a month (if they last that long!)
* brown teff flour will work just as well, the cookies will just be darker. ** if you don’t have oat flour on hand, you can measure out 60 G of rolled oats and make your own in a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder. *** cut baking soda to 1/8 tsp for high elevation baking (>5000′).
