Well, fall is upon us, and I for one am ready for things to get underway. For those of you who don't already know, I will not be returning to the little one-room schoolhouse on the prairie. I miss it already. I miss the kids, the routine, the wide open spaces, and all of my friends, but I am glad to be with my family.
If you teach, or know someone who does, please keep me in mind when you're looking for a substitute. That is how I will be earning my keep this year, along with the occasional theater job. I hope to be able to make enough to move into an apartment here in Missoula. Oh, and I just started graduate school at the U of M. That's right, I'm going to be one of those spinster librarians with the beaded glasses and a zillion cats, knitting the nights away in contended solitude...that's what my brother fears, anyway. We shall see...
My second niece is due in October, and Avalon is going to be in for a big surprise. She is talking more and more every day, not always in coherent words, but she definitely knows what she means! Dan took her to school with the kids she babysits, and Avalon didn't want to leave the classroom. I'm guessing she'll like school, once she's old enough.
I hope this finds you all healthy and energized for the fall season!
Samantha

Whew! It's been stinkin' forever since I posted anything on here! The sun is shining so brightly out today, and of course I'm inside sitting on my couch surrounded by knitting, my computer, and the tv remote. You can only walk up and down the road so many times, and other than that I have no reason to be out! So much to get accomplished inside...

For those of you who were wanting recipes, the cookbook is "Babycakes" and the author is Erin McKenna. I'm going to post one of her recipes on here now, so you can see for yourself how good it is! I love this cookbook.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - Makes 36 (smallish cookies)

1 C Coconut Oil
6 Tbl applesauce
1 tsp salt
2 Tbl vanilla extract
1 1/4 C evaporated cane juice (or 3/4 C agave nectar)
2 C Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
1/4 C flax meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 C chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or oil them).

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a melon baller, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the portions 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.
Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I've never had flax meal on hand, so I always substitute Hershey's Dark Cocoa. It makes for a nice double chocolate-chip cookie. I substitute butter for coconut oil because the oil is expensive and has more calories, but the coconut really adds to the cookie's flavor. Agave nectar and the flour should be available at most grocery stores. With my substitutions I calculated each cookie to come out around 100-110 calories apiece.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!