Final Days Of Summer

Here in Florida, we have summer year-round...for the most part. It really doesn't start to get chilly until about October. Sometimes we even have to wait around for January! At any rate, school's back in now, and summer is just about officially over. Even though there will be plenty more trips like this in the near future :) Today my cousin Landon and I went to the beach, I got (mildly!) burnt-of course, and then we ate lots of yummy Thai food. I'd call this afternoon a success. I have to say, I love where I live.

loving those rainbow umbrellas!

bye bye, beach

mmm edamame :)

pad thai woon sen-my fave!

dragon roll...trying to enjoy sushi

hi!

♥︎♥︎♥︎

Chocolate Chip Cookies

If there's one thing I love, it's chocolate. Whether that be by brownie, by cookie, or by my spoon in a big jar of Nutella, it matters not. Just as long as I get my fix. WOMEN NEED CHOCOLATE TO LIVE. It's just an undeniable fact of life that we (and diets everywhere) must come to terms with.

Let me start out by saying that as far as cooking inspiration goes, Averie Cooks is my new favorite place to spend all my time on the Internet. So...all my time. Beautiful photos and amazing recipes are sure to get you hooked, too. Click the link and head on over.

The recipe I'm about to share with you came from her blog and let me tell you that these cookies are by far and away the BEST chocolate chippers I've ever put in my mouth. Nice and firm on the outside and oh so gooey, chocolaty and soft on the inside. Just how I like 'em.

As I'm sure you all know by now, I work in a jail of all places. Fun stuff. Anyway, when you work with a bunch of CO's all day, there's one thing you learn. They like to eat. A lot. And they like it when you bring them food of all kinds as often as possible. I usually hear one or more of the following phrases at least once during the course of my work day:

• "What's for dinner?" 
• "Can you go get me....to eat/drink?" 
• "What did you bring me to eat?"
• "Someone has to go get food or we'll starve!" 
• "I'm hungry." 
• "Who's got food?" 
• "Chinese again?!" 
• "Italian again?!" 

The list goes on. But I can tell you that these cookies were a definite hit. They love sweets. Well, they love anything, but sweets, definitely. And they love when they're cooked right. This recipe is fool-proof, so it's perfect for the beginning baker. Make these for anyone who you want to do anything you say for the rest of the day. They're a great bargaining tool. I heard a few comments about them that made me giggle:

• "This is a MAN sized cookie!" 
• "Thanks for the THC!" 
• "THC stands for Tasty Hot Cookies of course." 

Chocolate Chip Cookies-Averie Cooks

INGREDIENTS: 

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 egg, large

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 3.5 ounce package of instant vanilla pudding (don't use sugar free or "cook and serve") 

1 tsp baking soda 

pinch salt (optional) 

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine butter, sugars, egg and vanilla in or with an electric mixer on high until creamed well, about four minutes (mine took less time than this).

2. Scrape sides of bowl and add flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Beat on low unit just combined, about 1 minute.

3. Scrape sides of bowl again and add chocolate chips, beat on low for about 30 seconds until just combined.

4. Using a large cookie/ice cream scoop/1/4 cup measure, make 14 equal sized dough mounds. Roll into balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Place a few more chips on top of each dough mound. I ended up having 16 cookies, 8 for each sheet.

5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to five days. The dough must be chilled to achieve the right texture. If dough is warm, cookies will spread.

6. Preheat oven to 350F and spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or use a baking mat, such as a Silpat. Spread mounds 2 inches apart and bake for about 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and tops are set as well. It's okay if they look a little pale and under baked. The cookies will firm up as they cool and won't be hard and crunchy. After they are done baking, let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes before serving them.

7. These cookies will keep at room temperature for up to one week when stored in an airtight container. You can also freeze them for up to six months!


That's all, folks. Delicious cookies, fabulous blog. Go check out Averie Cooks! Happy Baking!

♥︎♥︎♥︎

A Beautiful Revelation

It's been a rather long time since I've written anything...which, to be honest, bothers me a little bit. I feel like a lot of the time, I don't ever see things through. But I want to start. Even if I write about nothing, or my personal life, or some vague, lame topic that nobody cares about, I can still feel good knowing I wrote. Documented my life. Made an effort. Kept a promise. To myself.

I went and met my best friend (and cousin) for coffee earlier tonight and, as always, we had a four hour conversation about our lives; struggles, opportunities, worries, joys, etc. I think the most important thing I pulled from our time together is something that I had been talking about yesterday to another friend of mine. That is, not caring how other people view your life. If they approve of it, endorse your decisions, or have an opinion at all.

Here's what makes me happy: I have finally, at 23 years old, gotten to a point in my life where I just don't care anymore. I don't care if people like the decisions I make, if my life looks perfect, if they approve of the relationship I'm in, or agree with how I spend my money. Because guess what? It's not about them. It's about me and my heart, my soul and my mind.

What makes you happy? Whatever it is, do that. Who makes you a better person, makes you love yourself and realize how fantastic you really are? Be with them. And don't you worry about what people will say. No one knows you better than you. So, in my mind, you're the most qualified individual to make a decision about your life.

I'm a very lucky, blessed person. I don't have everything I want in life, but I'm trying to get there. I have someone who understands me, puts up with my ridiculous mood swings, and loves me just because. And I wouldn't trade that for the world. I have a fantastic family that only wants the best for me. I have friends that have stuck by my side through every battle I've had to face this year, and I couldn't be more thankful.

So stop apologizing for your life. Stop saying "sorry" and "I'll change" when people tell you that you're not living your life the right way, just because you aren't living your life their way. Because whether you do things by the book, or you create your own path, people will tell you you're right, and people will tell you you're wrong. At the end of the day, you can't please everyone. So stop trying! Please you. 

I know I'm in the right place, with the right people, working on achieving the goals that are important to me. And I will not apologize.