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Best. Cookie. Ever. and other assorted brilliance.

I present the best Oatmeal, Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookie.
DSCF0615 They are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.  The cranberries present a lovely tang when balanced against the dark chocolate and the brown sugar dough.  Not too many chips or craisins and the oats aren't all up in your grill, either.  They are in a word, perfection.  Don't you want some?  You do?  Okay, here's the recipe:

Oat Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies by me.

2 sticks butter
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp good vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1 - 1 1/2 c. chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
3/4 c. craisins (dried, sweetened cranberries)

ovens at 350 f    please.
 cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.
In theory, you should sift the dry, but I never do.  Mix in flour, salt and soda until a good dough forms.  Fold in oats, chips and craisins.

Bake 15-18 minutes, depending on your oven.  They tend to burn quickly, so watch the first tray or two.  Cool on a rack and eat!

But what to store these little treats in?  Oh, I know!!  An awesome cookie jar that I smuggled back from the UK in my suitcase. How could a cookie jar be awesome you may ask? Because its a retro, ceramic (not that cheap, plastic crap you see making the rounds), Dr. Who TARDIS cookie jar - hell yeah! And it was only a tenner!   Bask in it's glory, internets!
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Back from London...

...with lots of swag!
So, first and foremost, our goal was the acquisition of an extreme quantity of dvds, and I think we accomplished that nicely thanks to the  HMV inside Harrods:
DSCF0608 Then, I felt compelled to find a Lush store, but as they were everywhere, it wasn't very hard:
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Finally, whilst wandering aimlessly through Selfridge's, I happened upon a Miller Harris counter, can you believe the luck?
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Now, don't get me wrong, I saw a ton of history and bought books on Windsor Castle and on the Plague in Britain and all of that good stuff.  Big Ben, Parliment, etc.  I even got to see Shakespeare at the Globe Theater and it was PHENOMENAL!  But, I did forget to pack a camera, so the loot is all I can take pictures of.  Sadly, I had to leave London in England.  London was fantastic, though.  Seriously, even their Whole Foods kicked ass. 

But then, it was back to NJ where Josh's mom bought me lots of fabric:

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and we happened upon this little treasure by the side of the road:
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A new 72 pin and that baby will be back in business!