Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies and the Beach Help Beat the Homework Blues

Tuesday I made some banana chocolate chip cookies for my trip to the beach.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly because I didn't see the point in buying whole wheat flour that would just take up shelf space after I used the half a cup or the point in making chocolate chips into shreds. Oh and I left out the walnuts, well because I dont like walnuts and I was going to sub them with pecans, then I realized I was out of pecans.

So here's the recipe:

• 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour


• 1/2 cup(s) whole-wheat flour

• 1 teaspoon(s) coarse salt

• 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking soda

• 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

• 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup(s) packed light-brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup(s) (about 1 large) mashed ripe banana

• 1 cup(s) old-fashioned rolled oats

• 8 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup(s) (about 2 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
 
Preheat to 375. Combine the flours, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add mashed banana. Mix in flour mixture. Add in chocolate chips. Put on cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for about 11 minutes.
 
My way: sub the whole wheat flour for regular, forget the walnuts, leave the chocolate alone.
 
My sister who doesnt like bananas loved these! My friend, Chris, who went to the beach with me ate a lot, though I'm not sure if he was just being nice. Next time I think I want to add in the pecans and whole wheat flour.
 
Now, about the beach. Chris went for the weekend, and I went just for the day to hangout. It was not hot, but not cold. And it was virtually empty. Very nice. Lots of little kids and humorous high school drama. Apparently Briggs is gay/sexy/stupid. Silly kids.
 
I went to the beach with my girlfriends, and we flirted with the boys, but I don't remember us being that soap operaish about it. Or being so flighty.  Being at the beach made me miss those days a bit. Where I had the whole week to spend laying out, swimming and flirting- all on someone elses tab. Ahhh.
 
Back to the present. Chris and I hung out and talked. I made him read me parts of my homework. We both got horribly burnt and he had to explain to me that Billy the Kid was not a pirate.
 
Here are some pics:
 
(from the parking garage)

 
(homework didnt last long!)

 

()