Cranberry Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

These decadent cookies are great for the holiday, I didnt studder in the heading there are three kinds of chocolate in the these glourious cookies.

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup gran manier or orange liqour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 1 cup flour

12 oz dark choco chips

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cups butter

3 large eggs

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups semi sweet choco chips

1 cup pecans chopped course

1 1/3 white choco chips

1/4 cups skor chips optional you can also use crushed heath bar

In a bowl combine cranberries and liqour and microwave on high 1 minute. Set aside and cool, stirring occasionaly to incorporate liqour. In another bowl combine dark choco chips, vanilla and butter, microwave or double boil till butter is melted and chips are melted, allow to cool. In your mixing bowl combine eggs, white sugar and brown sugar, mix well, add cocoa powder, salt and baking powder, continue mixing, add the cooled chocolate/butter mixture, continue mixing. Add the flour and mix till well combined. Add the cranberry mixture, the semi sweet chips, pecans, white choco, and toffee chips. Mix well. Mixture will appear soft will firm as the butter and chocolate get cold. Scoop onto cookie sheet using a 1" scoop or a large tablespoon. Bake at 350 for approx. 12 minutes. Watch the cookies closely they should start to show cracks on the top, you want to bake just until they begin to crack and the sheen leaves the top of the cookie. Enjoy!

Plain old Oatmeal

Of all the Cookies I make these are simple but always good. Enjoy!!!!


Oatmeal Cookies

¾ cups unsalted butter softened Mix together
2 cups C&H brown sugar
½ tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla


1-cup flour (I like Gold medal Organic Flour best)
3 cups Snoqualmie Falls Oatmeal uncooked Add and mix well

The original recipe calls for ¼ cup water; depending on the size of the egg sometimes you need it. The dough will be fairly firm.

Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper press down slightly till about ¾ thick. Bake what you can eat that day and freeze the remaining unbaked dough following all the above instructions, I freeze mine unbaked in balls pressed down and ready to go in the oven. They will stay fresh for about 2 months if well wrapped. To cook remove from freezer, I cook from frozen but you can thaw them if you wish

These are a great plain cookie with the bit of caramel flavor that comes from the use of all brown sugar and no spices.
You can add 1 cup raisins or dried fruit, ½ cups pecans or other nuts, coconut, chocolate somewhat covers the oaty flavor of the cookie but if you are a chocoholic by all means add it.

Snoqualmie Falls Oatmeal is a thick cut oat.

Bake on 375 till done on edges and not shiny in center

A winter day at Detour Farms

Alexa from the Fat Duck Inn and I (Barbara from the Inn at Blackberry Creek) started our road trip to detour farms with a scary encounter on the triple roundabout at the edge of town. Poor Alexa was wishing she had driven at this point but we were on our way. The drive to Detour farms winds through miles of pasture land and rural homes until you arrive at this beautiful property. Neal and Steve Johnson have created a dreamlike retreat just outside of town.


When you walk through the gate you are greeted by 3 great pyrenees, and a corgi, as you walk to the farmhouse you can see alpacas, horses and chickens and feel the calm of this ideal setting.

Once inside Neal greeted us with a warm handshake and her infectious smile, and you knew you were truly welcomed into her home.

We got to work, the class for us today was baking "Baguettes", Neal had already measured and placed in bowls all of the necessary ingredients. Using the french techniques she showed us, we mixed the dough and then began to knead this very interesting bread, the technique is different from standard bread making and was at first a challenge but then we quickly caught on.



Of course there was lots of fun and laughing, and we set our dough aside about 11:30 to enjoy a boxed lunch Neal had provided. In the living room in front of the blazing fire, we each were presented with an antique lunch pail, filled with homemade sandwich, a ginger cookie, chopped fruit and mini bottle of wine. We dined and talked while our bread was rising in the background. (In the summer lunch is served on the veranda)
After lunch we were back to bread baking. We shaped our dough (with close instruction from Neal) into small boules, large boules, Epi's, fougasse. Neal's instructions were great and we were feeling like professional bakers.

I hope those of you out of town will make it a point to try one of Neal's Classes on your next visit to Walla Walla and will of course stay at one of the 11 beautiful Inns that are the WWBBIA. Check them out at www.wwbbia, and Neals classes at www.detourfarm.com

Lemon Cracked Sugar Cookies

The original recipe for these did not have lemon in them, so if you like a plain sugar cookie leave it out and add a tsp Vanilla. I like the little extra the lemon gives to this buttery cookie.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream together until mixed well

Add
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 cups flour

Mix well and shape into a ball, coat with sugar and press down with a fork to 1/2"

Cookies can be frozen at this point,if you are baking preheat oven to 375 bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Enjoy

Gluten Free Lemon Cookies

For all those cookies lovers who can't have gluten this is a refreshing lemony cookie great with afternoon coffee or tea. This recipe does use a baking mix, because the baking mix has leavening in it and salt do not add extra of either. Make sure and use unsalted butter.

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
2 egg yolks

Beat well then add

1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 heaping tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
3 cups Pamelas baking mix

Mix together well, drop heaping teaspoon onto lined baking pan, bake at 375 for approx 12 minutes until edges are browned. Cool before removing, cookies are very tender when hot.

One of these cookies topped with homemade ice cream and sweetened blackberries is a great summer dessert.

Sundried Tomato,Spinach, Boursin Cheese Quiche with Potato Crust

This is a great quiche, The original recipe came from the Iowa Egg council, of course I had to make some changes, here is my rendition......Barbara Knudson, Inn at Blackberry Creek

2 or 3 large red potatoes
Olive oil spray
2/3 cups sun dried tomato in olive oil chopped
5 Large Eggs
1/2 tsp fresh basil or 1/4 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 cups light cream
1 cup grated ramono cheese
1//4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2.5 oz garlic boursin cheese
2 1/2 cups spinach baby or chopped

Spray deep dish pie pan with oil, peel and slice the potatoes 1/8" thick, (you can use any potato, russets should be peeled, and thin skinned potato's work either way) place potatoes in a single layer in the bottom and around the sides of the pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder and again spray a coating of olive oil over the potatoes. Place in a preheated oven at 375 while you prepare the rest of the items or until slightly soft about 12 minutes.

Chop the sun dried tomatoes and place in a large nonstick fry pan, I leave the oil on the tomatoes to saute the spinach in. Add the spinach (there needs to be about a tablespoon of oil if the tomatoes don't have it add additional olive oil) saute just until spinach is wilted add the fresh basil, salt and pepper lightly and toss to mix in.

In a medium bowl place 5 large eggs, 1 1/2 cups light cream, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1 cup grated ramono, whip briskly with a fork until well blended, flake the boursin cheese into the mixture (I use a fork to separate it, it is very creamy) and mix well.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, place the spinach/tom mixture evenly on top of the potatoes, mix the egg mixture one last time and pour into the pan on top of the spinach. Using a hot pad place back in the oven for approx. 30-40 minutes until puffed lightly browned on edges and firm in the center.

For those on a tight schedule you can do all of this the night before, cooking the potatoes and spinach mix ahead and assembling and refrigerating. Make the egg mixture and pour over in the morning, (I would probably not add the boursin to the eggs till the am, it might combine to much and not have the same effect).

For those meat eaters add sauteed crumbled bacon on top. I think this quiche has great flavor on its own so I personally skip the bacon. This is great for those gluten free friends who can't have a flaky pastry crust. Enjoy................

Roasted potatoes with green chilies, white cheddar and eggs

This is a great breakfast egg dish we serve often at the Inn at Blackberry Creek. When I try new recipes I always make it exactly as shown, and then I modify it to my taste. The original recipe called for boiled potatoes but the roasting of the potatoes is important and adds a different flavor to the dish so don't cut corners on that part.

3 Large organic potatoes w/or w/out skins
1 small Walla Walla Sweet Onion
4 oz chopped green chilies mild
1 cup 4% small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup light cream
1 cup dubliner white cheddar
6 large eggs
1/2 tsp fresh ground salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Chop potato and onion into 1/2" cubes and place in a 9" oiled deep dish pie pan, drizzle with oil and salt and pepper well. Bake at 395 for approx 30 minutes until both potato and onion are tender. Remove and cool. Grate 1 cup Dubliner white cheddar and set aside, in a separate bowl mix together eggs, cottage cheese, light cream, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper, drained chilies. Place cheese on top of cooled potatoes (if you are baking right away you can leave the potatoes hot and add ingredients right away) Pour egg mixture on top and bake for approx. 45 minutes until puffed and browned serve with a little fresh grated Ramona, and some fresh chives from the garden. Enjoy!!!!!!!