Chicago Trip 08 and Recipe

Can ya believe it! This is where I just got back from! 10 art students in one big van head to CHICAGO for at 3 day invasion! We went to the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Navy Pier, River North Galleries, and Millennium Park.

The hostel that we stayed at was just a few exits north of Wrigley Field on the L. Of course I had to visit! We went to a bar that had batting cages above it and hit a few balls. That just about made the trip! (to Wrigleyville at least) I also did some beer tasting at Goose Island. Yummy.

Home of the Cubs!! I love baseball!

One night for dinner we went to Cosi. I had a Wasabi Roast Beef sandwich. There was ginger and a soy sesame sauce on it as well. Not to bad, the bread was good, but not on this type of sandwich.

One of the water towers at Millennium Park

The Bean!!

Pizza from Gino's East. We sampled both the Veggie and Sausage pizzas.

Last, but not least, I would like to share two recipes. The first is Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. I had two reasons for making these cookies:

1. My dog died on Wednesday the 1st. My dad was having a hard time with it, and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are is favorite, so I baked him some!
2. I made them for the car ride out to Chicago, and they were gone in a flash!

The batter for these cookies is absolutely delish! So that could only mean good things for the cookies...correct! They were wonderful! Full of raisins, cinnamon, oats, yummy goodness! And the recipe is very simple.

~Oatmeal Raisin Cookies~
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-2 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon*
3 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. raisins
1 c. chocolate chips**

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until well blended. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in rolled oats, raisins, and chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded tsp. about 2 in. apart onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 9 to 12 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 2 min and remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 doz.

*I added more cinnamon **I did not add chocolate chips this time

ENJOY!!