Coming Out of the Foodaholic Closet

Today I came out of the closet - the foodoholic closet that is.  I'll admit it, food has been my dirty little addiction for quite some time.  I mean, how do you tell people that you read cookbooks for fun?  Or admit that grocery shopping makes you really excited?  I'll tell you what happens when you start talking about these kinds of things....blank stares.  Looks of befuddlement (read: is she serious?!?).  

You see, this blog has been my highly guarded secret.  I have not shared it's existance with a living soul - mainly because off those dreaded dazed looks, but also because I am a commitment coward!  Telling anybody about this little blog would mean that I would have to update it regularly (to avoid being that lame blogger...oh wait...I have been...Ok, moving on...).  I'm not good with "have to's" so I just avoided the whole situation by keeping mum.  Well, those days have officially ended.

It started with good company, good conversation, and a couple (or more) beers.  My lovely friends Sydney, Sam, and Kitty were brainstorming for their own blog.  Despite the alcohol I had inbibed, I managed to keep my mouth closed about my little space in the blog world.  However, as the night progressed, the beer continued to flow, and the brainstorming got more and more creative.  I was thinking that I had anwers to some of their questions, and that a good friend would quit being faint-of-heart and speak up already.  I eventually coaxed myself (admittedly with some help from Modelo) into offering some of my own blogging experience.  It was pretty scary - knowing and facing the commitment that I was about to accept when I opened my mouth to tell Sydney where to find this.  My brain was screaming, "SHUT UP!  JUST SHUT UP!" but alas, I didn't, and here we are today.  Two days later, with some time to think things over and some fresh cookies on my counter, I'm feeling pretty good.  I'm thinking, "Hello commitment - nice to meet you.  Let's keep in touch." 

So back to the freshly baked cookies sitting here, staring me down saying "Eat Me!"... They are good.  Really good.  They have the sweet cutting flavor of the citrus going on, while being wrapped in warm nuttiness from the walnuts and coconut.  Yeah...I know.  They may not be the most beautiful cookies you have ever seen, but they are a perfect munchy choice to go along with a good cup of coffee.  Can you eat cookies for breakfast?  These would be a perfect breakfast cookie...if you are a rebel and break all the food rules.  I mean, they do have rolled oats in them....and that so makes up for any rule-breaking transgressions.  Right?

Orange-Coconut Softies
(I really wanted to say "breakfast cookies" but that just might be too crazy...)
Makes 24 tbsp sized cookies

1 1/2 C rolled oats
3/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C coconut oil, semi solid
1/2 C turbinado sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp coconut extract

1/2 C tightly packed shredded coconut, sweetened, toasted
zest of 1 large orange
1/2 chopped walnuts (next time I will pecans)

1.  Preheat oven to 325 F.  Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together.  Mix in oats and set aside.
2.  Cream coconut oil and sugar together.  Add eggs, and both extracts.  Mix well.
3.  Add zest, coconut, and nuts to sugar/oil mixture, and combine thoroughly.
4.  Gradually mix in flour/oats with the sugar/oil.
5.  Drop by the tbsp onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (mine baked for 11 minutes to be exact)
6.  Devour

And so begins my commited blogging journey....see you next week!