slightly quirky

Today I've got two songs and an adapted oatmeal cookie recipe.
It's not always a good thing to deviate from the standard, but sometimes the results are pretty awesome. Of course it's always going to be a matter of personal opinion, but these cookies, which I dubbed Trail-Mix Cookies, were pretty well-received. I took a recipe for oatmeal cookies off the back of a can of oatmeal, then added golden raisins and sunflower seeds. I tend to prefer golden raisins to regular ones, since they're sweeter; the sunflower seeds were thrown in as an experiment in flavor. They add a slightly nutty flavor that isn't overwhelming, and help make the cookie a little less sweet for those who aren't sugar fiends. I baked them into bars since it's faster and gives a nice combination of dry and moist pieces.

Trail-Mix Cookie Bars

• 1 cup (16 tablespoons) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

- Place the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and mix well.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, spices, and salt well, then add this dry mixture into the butter mixture. Combine well, then add the raisins and sunflower seeds, mixing well.
- Press the batter evenly into a 9-by-9-inch nonstick baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the entire top is firm and a light golden color. Let the pan cool before cutting into bars and removing.

The two songs below are among my favorites, and are very catchy, even if opposite in mood. MGMT's song is an upbeat dance tune of the indie genre. You've probably heard of this band if you listen to rock/alternative stations, since their single "Time To Pretend" has gotten decent radio play. The lead singer has a surprisingly high-pitched voice that works really well for such a sexy song. Facing New York is a lesser known band that manages to turn out some of the most interesting yet melodic songs. I saw them live this past summer and they put on a pretty awesome show, including double drumming. The song here is off their self-titled album, which is pretty melancholy overall, but somehow makes me happy when I listen to it.
MGMT - Electric Feel
Facing New York - Cutting My Hair.mp3