About to be off the grid for 1 week!

I love cruises, you go to sleep in place and wake up in a completely new place. It's amazing, except of course for the motion sickness, which seems to only affect me. But it's not too bad. But anyways, we're debark tomorrow on Royal Caribbean and head to Honduras, Cozumel, and somewhere else.

But one of the "wonderful" things about cruises is that on the ocean, or gulf, or sea, there is not internet unless you want to pay the outrageous fee the cruise line charges. And I of course do not, so I will be without internet for one whole week! No facebook, no blog, no explosm, no email, and for the most part no texting! How will I ever survive?

That is very simply answered with all sorts of things! All sorts of buffets, work out rooms, volleyball courts, games, and when we land all sorts of things to do at each port! I'm very excited about all the things that I can do and only slightly worried about not being connected to the rest of the world. The cruise will be a nice break from the constant life updates of facebook, not that I mind knowing what everyone is doing of course, but still it will be nice to wonder.

So I bid you farewell online world, for at least a little while.

Why does "A Christmas Carol" even exist?

I'm currently watching Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" wondering as I do so how the story works. We're all familiar with the story: Scrooge is a grouchy old man with no love for his fellow men, Bob Cratchit is his hard working assistant, there's Tiny Tim and Jacob Marley, but my question deals more with Fred, his nephew and a little with Bob.

Neither Fred nor Bob knows the backstory of Scrooge. Neither knows about the horrible family, the father that didn't love him, the loss of his true love. Yet both continually wish him Merry Christmas, neither abandon him because of his shortcomings.

They are tried and tested to the limits of their sanity I'm sure. Scrooge refuses to acknowledge his good natured, yet poor nephew even though the nephew asks nothing of him.

Bob continues to work for Scrooge even though his boss cares nothing about his sick son, or the level of poverty his employee is forced to live in because of his stinginess and greed.

Why do they not abandon Scrooge? Why do they not turn away from him? He is after all, a horrible old man that seems unlovable. He doesn't learn from the people around him, he doesn't listen to their helpful advice and explanations. He cares nothing about them and refuses to help himself even though he could. He even seems to turn down the help of Jacob Marley, and we can assume he was the same type of man to Marley as he is to everyone else.

I believe I've come to know the answer to this question. They love him, even with all of shortcomings and vices. They love him and accept him as he is even though they wish he were different.

Why is this important to understanding the story? Because if they had not loved him, if they had left him after one too many blow ups and mistakes he would have learned nothing. Jacob Marley cared for him and came back to save him from his own mistakes. His family and friends love for him even though he was horrible saved him and is what changed him.

Even after a questioning of faith, even after a loss of faith I can still see the parallel between this story and that of Jesus.

Jesus we all know was persecuted unjustly, he gave those around him chances to repent, he warned his apostles of what would happen. Yet no one listened or believed. Even after all this he sacrificed himself to save them. Because of love.

This quality of love I speak of, if real, cannot be affected by loved ones mistakes and mess ups. While some people can push us to our limits and infuriate us with their mistakes and shortcomings, there is always the quality of love to save them. We love people not because they are perfect but because they are imperfect. We love because we recognize our own imperfections and know that if we can find someone that completes us those imperfections no longer matter. We love because we can, just as Fred and Bob loved not because Scrooge loved them but because they truly loved the old man.

I feel as if I could write on this topic all night, but I've rambled long enough.

Studying during finals...preposterous!!

I recently (like 5 minutes ago) looked at a calendar and realized I have a 6 page paper due tomorrow, a 12 page paper due on Wednesday, and Classical Greek language final on Wednesday!!! And I've been making cookies!!! Now, it occurred to me that I should start working on these papers, and study for the final. So instead I'm writing this!

But really, I opened a word document to start writing the first paper and realized the prompt is at the boyfriend's house. He is not home, he is studying. His door is locked. So, I will instead brainstorm what I remember about the paper and then write it frantically once he returns home for the night.

3rd and 4th cookies!!

Well, I quickly flew through the 3rd and 4th cookies of the platter. The first of which was Peppermint Meltaways:

1 c butter softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c cornstarch
Frosting:
2 tbsp butter softened
1-1/2 c powered sugar
2 tbsp milk (I added a touch more milk to get a smoother consistency)
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring
1/2 c crushed peppermint candies

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.

2. Shape into 1 in balls. Place 2 in apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

3. In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, extract and food coloring; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.

These cookies were super easy to make and I knocked them out in about 45 minutes! The icing was fun to apply, with a butter knife. It was also quite fun to smash the candies...I did so by leaving them in their wrapping and hitting them with a rolling pin.

After these were done, I moved onto just simple chocolate chip cookies. Now I prize this recipe and it will be included on the recipe cards that come with each platter, but I won't be posting it here. However, this recipe makes a lot of cookies! And they always seem to turn out very well, even if sometimes the oven gets too hot, or I forget to turn on a timer.

Since it made so many cookies, after this batch I decided to enjoy some cookies and milk and watch A Nightmare Before Christmas! Great night over all if I do say so myself!

2nd cookie of the Saga!!

Well I made my first attempt at candy making and failed horribly. I attempted the butterscotch hard candy...however I burned it badly and don't want to discuss it any more.

But I have gotten half way through the making of the 2nd cookie... The Chocolate Espresso Ribbon Cookie!

This cookie takes a while and is in the fridge chilling right now. So I have time to list the recipe.

1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1 tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 c butter softened
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1/3 c bittersweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 c crushed chocolate covered espresso beans (I get mine from Target, they're cheaper than Starbucks)
1/3 c coarsely chopped toasted almond

1. Line 9-5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour. butter, almond extract, and egg until soft dough forms. Divide dough in half; place half of dough in another bowl. Stir melted chocolate into half of dough. To remaining half of dough, mix in espresso beans and almonds.

2. Firmly press half of chocolate dough evenly in bottom of loaf pan. Evenly press half of espresso dough over chocolate dough in pan. Repeat with remaining chocolate dough and espresso dough. Fold plastic wrap over dough to cover. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3. Heat oven to 350F. Remove dough from pan; unwrap. Place dough on cutting board. Cut dough crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Cut each piece crosswise into 12 slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place slices 2 inches apart.

4. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack.


While this was chilling in the fridge I cleaned the kitchen to get ready for the next batch, and relaxed in front of the fire watching The Grinch and drinking egg nog.

So now the espresso cookies are done...and I in my infinite wisdom forgot to take pictures of the finished product before packing them away.

Attire for grocery shopping

This morning I found myself dressed in fleece penguin pj bottoms and a button down fleece polar bear pj top.

I realized I needed some key ingredients to continue my baking today. As I went outside to my car I realized what I was wearing and then began to have an internal argument about whether or not it was socially acceptable to go dressed the way I was.

My first instinct was of course this is fine, go to the store, who cares what other people think. But then a second voice took over. What about your new goal of dressing for each day, and not looking like a hobo? And then of course I had to ask myself why I felt the need to dress a certain way just because other people were going to see me. Was it because I felt that I needed their acceptance into their mundane days, did I need a nod of approval in order to feel that my attempts at dressing myself were praiseworthy? And if so, why? Why could I just not go to the store dressed as I pleased for a cold winter day? Why could these people also go to the store dressed in whatever attire made them the most comfortable? And then my head started to hurt.

So I compromised, I went inside and put on a fleece pullover so that I didn't look like an abnormally tall 6 year old. As I was driving to the store I wondered what I had compromised? My individuality, my ability to choose to dress myself as a I wished? Did I not compromise and instead conform? But if I was not conforming and instead actually cared about my appearance, is that the same as conforming to other's ideals? Are my ideas of appropriate dress simply caused by what my peers think is appropriate dress? And do I really choose my own style, or does everything around me choose it instead?

Oh well...too philosophical for me. I'm going to stick with cookies. Which I've wondered recently why isn't it making me any money. I'm good at baking, I enjoy baking, others enjoy my baked goods? Why haven't I marketed this yet and how do I go about doing it?

First cookie of the saga...

Well the first cookie of the cookie platter saga begins tonite! And the first cookies shall be...Candy Cane Cookies! Now I've made these before and they're a huge hit with my family, they're also very easy to do...

1/2 tube refigereated sugar cookie dough (softened)
2 tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp red food coloring

In a large bowl, beat the cookie dough, flour and extract until smooth. Divide dough in half; mix food coloring into one portion.

Shape 1 tsp of white dough into a 6 in. rope. Shape 1 tsp of red dough into a 6 in rope. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist.

Place on an ungreased baking sheet; curve top of cookie to form handle of cane. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 2 in. apart on baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks.

Also if you have the time...here's a quick tip for easy teaspoons of dough. Pat your dough into a rectangle on a baking sheet and freeze until almost solid. Then slice it into a grid. Pick up and roll pieces for baking! All cookies are then the same size!!

So...at least an hour and a half later...I'm done with candy cane cookies...for now at least! The problem with this recipe is that it doesn't turn out nearly as many cookies as it promises. This could be my fault because I like bigger cookies...yep it's my fault, but anyways I will have to revisit this one before sending out cookie platters!

Cookie Platters!

Alrighty, so I've decided to make cookie platters for about 7 of my closest friends households. I've bought most of the ingredients, and have the recipe list almost completely narrowed down. However, there are a few cookies I just can't decide on! So I need help:

Here are the for sure cookies:
Mint Andes Chip Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies
Chocolate Crinkles
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Espresso Swirl Cookies
Peppermint Meltaways
Butterscotch Hard Candy

Now for the maybe list (I'd like to only have 1 or 2 from this list so pick carefully!):
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Macaroons
Star Sandwish Cookies
Butter Cookies Snowmen
Chocolate Mint Dreams
Frosted Poppy Seed Cookies
Soft Molasses Cutout Cookies
Mocha Nut Fudge

Obviously I have a bias against Peanut Butter cookies...But if you have a recipe that is awesome and would like me to consider it send it to me and I'll see if it measures up to these tried and true favorites of mine.

Also, the progress of the cookie making process will be updated hopefully with pictures and recipes!

lazy pets

This is Dixie and Bear Cat aka Oscar P. They are the two laziest animals I have ever met. This position has been assumed for the last 3 hours. Dixie has developed muffins, and Bear Cat has of course suffered no ill effects because he is of course...a cat.

An Appearance Meltdown

Today was probably one of the worst lazy days of my life.

I woke up at noon, put on windpants, the C-2 crush pary shirt I slept in and my chewed on Ariat boots. Without looking in the mirror once, I swept my hair up into a tiny sumo-wrestler pony tail and rushed out to the waiting truck for class.

Maybe the odd looks on the way into Zachry should've given it away, but no, I singlemindly sauntered into class and participated in the day's discussion.

It wasn't until I finally walked by a window on my way to Starbucks that I realized I looked like a hobo, and not in a good way at all. So after grabbing my coffee I decided it was time for a change. I was not doing myself justice by dressing to this standard. I'm sure my long-suffering boyfriend would agree, I'm just too lazy and complacent to actually get ready and look presentable for the day ahead.

Well no longer are the t-shirts and jeans acceptable as everyday attire, perhaps every once and a while of course, but from now on a new Muffin will emerge from my front each morning, one that is dressed appropriately to a senior in college with dreams of law school.