Baking Bonanza.

Today, I was off work and instead of the nap that I had been fantasizing about all day, I went on foodgawker.com..like Pinterest, but ONLY food. That changed my plans a bit. So, I went to Wal-Mart and am now experiencing a food frenzy. I just finished making my first masterpiece which are Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies, and put it in the oven. Nom nom nom. Eight minutes left. Here's the recipe:

Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients(Makes 14 cookies):

• 1 cup no-stir peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 King size Reese’s peanut butter cups mini unwrapped

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine in a large bowl the peanut butter, egg, sugar, baking soda and vanilla and mix.
3. Add and fold in the mini Reese’s.
4. Roll the dough into balls about an inch in diameter in between your hands and place them on a non-stick baking tray.
5. Press down lightly on the dough in a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before moving them or otherwise they will break apart.

[SOURCE: http://www.thewannabechef.net/2012/09/26/reeses-mini-peanut-butter-cookies/]


This is what they're supposed to look like. We'll see how mine did in exactly...SIX minutes.

 

[Six Minutes Later]

 

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

 

Blogger won't let me add the picture, but they look pretty darn close to the original picture! Use your imagination. Now, I have to let them cool before I can try one.

 

 

Now, for Project #2: York Peppermint Patty Cookies

Mmmmm. You're just gonna die when you see the picture:

 

NOM NOM NOM. You see, that was very similar to my previous Nom Nom Nom, but it was bold and capatilized. That makes it way nomier more significant. Just saying.

Anyways, recipe time: 

York Peppermint Patty Fudge Cookies

makes about 2 dozen

• 1 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used 2 Ghirardelli bars)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 snack size York Peppermint Patties, chopped

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir. Continue to melt in 30 second increments until fully melted and smooth. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
With an electric or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Beat in the sugars, scraping down the sides every 10 seconds or so. The mixture will be granular. Mix in the beaten egg/vanilla until incorporated. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients on slow speed. Fold in the chocolate chips. Do not overmix at any point in this process. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop about 2 Tbsp of dough and roll into a ball. Press a few pieces of peppermint patties on the tops of each cookie ball. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies have just begun to set with the centers still appearing very soft. They will firm up as they cool.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
[SOURCE: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/09/23/york-peppermint-patty-fudge-cookies/]

WONDERFUL. Baking is delightful.

Maybe if you're lucky enough, you'll get something tomorrow at school? ;)




THE MONSTER.

Imagine this: Footsteps creaking in the hall behind you, pitch darkness, a hand slowly curling around your shoulder. You scream, but no one hears. You kick, but your foot hits nothing. (Scared yet?) The monster takes you, grabs you, kidnaps you. And you're gone.

You might be wondering why I've told this short, yet chillingly frightening tale..It's a metaphor. This weekend, I was once again taken prisoner by the Craft Creature, the DIY Demon, the Baking-Ideas Boogie Man, some even call him He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named..Actually, I might be mixing him up for someone else.. Anyways, if you haven't caught my drift, I was attacked, mugged, and held for ransom by none other than the Pinterest Monster. (I would have used alliteration, but I couldn't think of a good enough P-word) Hold your gasps and shrieks until the end of the post, if you will. You heard me right.

Now, there have been earlier interactions that I've had with this monster, but it wasn't until this weekend that he really made his move. He would lure me in, get me going on one craft, and then disappear from my life for a while. But he always came back, more charming and attractive each time. That's where I started to realize he was a monster. But I couldn't resist. I felt like Bella in the clutches of Edward. Knowing he was dangerous, knowing he was a monster, yet not being able to leave out of pure love.

Yes, I said it: love. I love Pinterest. Judge me how you please. This weekend was enough to prove it to me. I'm in love with a monster.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Pinterest was a monster. Second, there was a part of him - and I didn't know how dominant that part may be - that thirsted for my social life. And third, I was unconditionally, irrevocably in love with him.

ALL I WANT TO DO IS CRAFT. I think he has me hypnotized. If I don't answer your calls or texts anytime soon, I'm with Pinterest...and if you don't see me for a few weeks, I would go around and collect a ransom. Pinterest demands cash. Or your social life. He also accepts VISA and Mastercard.


DISCLAIMER: No Twilight characters were actually present or liked in the writing of this blog post. Also, I am not actually kidnapped. Do not call police or FBI.

The A.C.T.

ACT.
Those three letters normally are just a normal verb - to act. You can act natural, you can act in a play. But when those three letters are capitalized, the entire meaning changes, and a darkness fills the room.Those three letters can cause the earth to quake around us, the sun to melt out of the sky, long-inactive volcanoes to suddenly erupt, and high school students to spontaneously combust.

Not really. But pretty close.

You see, I took the ACT this morning. For the second time. And let me tell you, it didn't feel any better this time around. It's so hard for me how to say I did on tests, because, well, if I think I did good I usually don't do too hot, and vice versa. So, I've trained myself to just hope I did well, but not to expect much.

I didn't actually have to take it again, but when I got my first score, my dad practically called every single college in the Continental US (okay, like three schools) to talk about scholarships. I really want to go to BYU-Provo, and I guess they told him if I improve my score by one or two points, I can get a FULL-flipping-RIDE. Yes sir/maam, you heard my correctly. So, I tried again. And in 3-8 weeks I will know. If anyone who works for the ACT is reading this, MY WHOLE FUTURE DEPENDS ON THIS SCORE. TAKE PITY. Okay, it doesn't actually depend of this score, entirely. But, I don't think I'll be too upset if I don't improve. At least I tried, y'know?