Cookie Time.. Red Walnuts and Lavender Buds!

Last weekend I went to the Temecula Farmers Market looking around for new fresh items of the season. Red Walnuts and Lavender Buds for cooking.  The walnuts were a bright hue of red that do not loose their color when baking. If you are not close to this farmers market you can get them from Amazon.

Notice the pure color that does not look like they are just dyed.

I made Red Walnut Oatmeal cookies that turned out terrific! Here is the recipe:

Red Walnut Oatmeal Cookies 

Keys Creek Lavender Farm up the road from Temecula has a table filled with the only organic certified farm for lavender around. The farm used to be open to the public, but now only if you are attending a class or function. Their Linen spray is the best on the market and made at the farm. I purchased the food grade buds to make lavender sugar and to decorate the cookies.

Have you even purchased something from etsy.com? I was looking around at rolling pins and found these remarkable tools from Rolling Woods: They even make to order.. They are out of Poland, but no worries if you order with Paypal.. My pins arrived within 3 weeks from ordering! Rolling Woods

I made Lavender Butter Cookies using the Lavender buds and European butter:

Lavender Shortbread Cookies 

Lastly,  I am a sucker for a good Chocolate Chip Cookie. I love how these turned out with the soft inside and outside with a little crunch. They also look like ones my grandmother made..

 

Rich Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thursday is National Cheesecake Day.. Post coming soon.. I will be on LIVE CW6 San Diego Living.. Tune in.. 9am!