As the weather (at least ostensibly) cools down, toast, oatmeal, and hot gooey cookies all sounds pretty great. Toasting oats before adding them to the cookie dough as well as grinding some of said oats into the flour of the dough keeps the flavor from being hidden, and results in a crispy, chewy, caramely, lovely cookie.

Toasted Oat Cookies

1 ½ c whole rolled oats, toasted

            Divide into 1 c ground and ½ c whole

1 tsp baking powder

1 c butter

7/8 c sugar

1 egg + 1 yolk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1/3 c ground flax

1/3 c whole wheat flour

1 ½ c mix-ins (I used dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and toasted pecans)

 
Dough:

Beat together softened or melted butter, sugar, and eggs. Add vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk flax, flour, and baking powder. Stir this into the butter/sugar/egg. Once just combined gently mix in the goodies.

Refrigerate dough, tightly covered, for at least one hour.

To bake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Scoop into 1” balls and flatten slightly, spacing 2” apart.

As the southern potion of California has still managed to remain summery all this way into December, I offer you a tasty, refreshing drink to perk you up at the end of a hot day. 

Honey Lime Marga-beer (Beergarita?)

Serves 2

1 bottle light-bodied beer (I used Hangar 24 Orange Wheat)

1 lime

2 oz silver tequila

1 tsp honey or orange liquor

Divide the beer into two (preferably chilled and ice filled) glasses. Juice the lime and stir it with the honey. Pour .75 oz (or however much you like) of the tequila into each glass, then top with lime and honey mixture. Stir and enjoy.

Notes: I think an IPA or a light, citrusy beer pairs best, but it comes down to preference. A brown ale or something maltier would result in a very different, but equally good, drink.