guilt-free

Cookies, cakes, pies, casseroles, pastas...too much food. I cook to eat, and I've been cooking a lot lately. So one would think I should feel guilty when I get up to pull a batch of cookies out of the oven in 5...4...3...2.....
Okay, these things smell good. As I was saying...guilty...yeah, not so much. Not at all, actually, because most of the stuff I make is pretty tasty. And, on top of that, my experiments benefit the four of you who actually read this thing. Now that I have justified my shameless indulgence, here's my next recipe :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

What you'll need:

3/4 cup Butter, softened

3/4 cup creamy Peanut Butter, softened

1 & 1/2 cups packed Brown Sugar

3/4 cup Sugar

3 Eggs

3 tablespoons Light Corn Syrup

3 tablespoons Water

1 tablespoon Vanilla

3 & 3/4 cups Flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

3/4 teaspoon Salt

3 cups semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

What you'll do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar until smooth

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, add the corn syrup, water, & vanilla, and then the rest of the dry ingredients

4. Fold in the chocolate chips and drop onto lightly greased baking sheets

5. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown

>>Lemme just tell ya, sometimes that moment on your lips is worth the lifetime on your hips...this is one of those occasions<<

'tis {ALMOST} the season

Thanksgiving:
noun
1. the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors, especially to God
2. an expression of thanks, especially to God
3. a public celebration in acknowledgement of divine favor or kindness
4. a day set apart for giving thanks to God


As much as I've been complaining lately about the busyness, stress, and chaos in my life, I am so incredibly blessed. I've been thinking of my stress and sleep deprivation as a bad thing, but I'm reminded that it's all self-induced and it's how I thrive. I have the opportunity to strive for excellence in a challenging school, the ability to play sports, and the privilege to overbook myself at will. So this Thanksgiving season, while I'm so incredibly thankful for the generally accepted answers of: "family, friends, a roof over my head, a warm bed, clothing, sufficient nutrition...", there are so many other benefits that I take for granted on a weekly, daily, and even hourly basis. Sports, friends, books, music...the list goes on. All that to say, am I the only one who takes nearly everything I've got for granted from time to time?

CHICKEN.

Today, I volunteered to make dinner for my mom, who told me that she wanted chicken. No questions asked. So I decided to experiment...this chicken is still in the oven but it's smellin' pretty good, so let's hope it tastes equally so.

What you'll need:

10 skinless Chicken Thighs

1/4 cup White Wine Dijon Mustard

1/2 cup White Wine

1/8 cup Olive Oil

juice of 1 Lemon

1/4 cup Spinach leaves, stems removed

1/3 cup sliced Mushrooms

What you do:

1. Mix together the mustard, wine, olive oil, and lemon juice

2. Stab each chicken thigh at the top of the bone and create a small pocket in the middle of the thigh; place thighs on a baking dish

3. Stuff the pockets with 1 spinach leaf and one mushroom slice

4. Fill the pocket with mustard mixture (marinade), top each thigh a mushroom slice, and baste with marinade

5. Broil for 5 minutes, flip, marinade other side, and broil 6-7 more minutes

so yeah, we'll see what happens.

The Most Wonderful Time

Winter time makes me happy:) Not because I love the snow and ice (which I don't), or the crisp air, but because of the feeling that the season brings. With Thanksgiving preceding Christmas and New Years right behind, the season in general just brings a feeling of happiness, and while I hate to sound like a glutton, the food contributes to much of what brings everyone so much closer at this time of year. For some reason, the spread of a Thanksgiving dinner inevitably puts a smile on everyone's face, and the treats brought out every Christmastime brings loved ones from near and far closer then they planned on being. Regardless of the occasion, everyone loves sharing holiday recipes, so here's my first contribution of the season :)

Winter Crisp

What you'll need:

4 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced

2 cups fresh Cranberries (keyword: FRESH)

8 oz. canned crushed Pineapple in Juice (undrained)

1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup firmly packed Light Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Flour

1/2 cup Butter

1 cup uncooked Regular/Old-Fashioned Oats

1 cup chopped Pecans

What you'll do:

1. After peeling and slicing the apples, layer them in a lightly greased, glass 13x9" pan, spread the cranberries evenly on top, and then top it all off evenly with the crushed pineapple

2. Combine the brown sugar, flour, and butter until the mixture becomes crumbly, then add the oats and pecans

3. Sprinkle the oat mixture over the apples, cranberries, and pineapple, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes

Enjoy! :)

"A Woman's Work...

...is never done."

Whoever said the above quote (that I hear ALL the time) speaks the truth. I can't remember the last time I rested. But that's okay, because my work pays off. This weekend, I lost my mind and thought I would go to a school dance, sign for my volleyball future at Montreat, go to a sleep over, volunteer in childrens' ministry, go to church, go to the store, AND cook all day. All of this on about ten hours of sleep. Crazy. So here I stand--sleep deprived and hungry--cooking, writing, and texting while listening to music. So much to do, so I decided to cram it all together :) Anyways, it's time for me to get back over the stove, so here are my recipes...first, I made chocolate chip muffins and then I decided we should have dinner as well...

Shrimp Penne Pasta

What you will need:

1 (16 oz.) package Penne Pasta

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 cup Red Onion, chopped

1 clove Garlic, chopped

1/4 cup White Wine

2 (14 oz.) cans Diced Tomatoes (I just diced up some fresh Roma tomatoes)

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 lb. cooked Shrimp

Grated Parmesan Cheese

What you'll do:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender

3. Mix in the wine, pepper, and tomatoes, and cook about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally

4. Add shrimp to the skillet, and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp is opaque

5. Toss in drained pasta and serve with grated Parmesan

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

What you'll need:

6 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/3 cup Butter

3/4 cup Buttermilk

1/2 cup Sugar

1 Egg
1 & 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 & 2/3 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

What you'll do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line 12 muffin cups

2. In a small saucepan, melt the semi-sweet chocolate and butter together. Set aside and cool 8-10 minutes

3. Stir together the egg, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, and chocolate-butter mixture

4. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate mixture, stirring until well-combined.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips, spoon the batter into the cups, bake for 25 minutes, and enjoy:)