Month: October 2012

American Reunion: Middle Township Style

CarrieLeave a comment

Last night was my ten year high school reunion.  I made the right decision when I decided to go because I learned a lot from everything that happened last night.  Here are 3 major discoveries that I made.

1.  If  you see an old high school classmate out at the bar and they don’t say hi to you, it doesn’t mean that they are avoiding you.  In fact, I learned that it is quite the opposite.  I was told that I intimidated them.  Who knew?  All this time I was intimidated by them, so I never said hi when in fact I think they wanted to say hi to me.  Why do we let ourselves become so terrified of social rejection that it makes us incapable of human interaction.  Resolution #1:  I will always say hi to someone I would like to start a conversation with in the future.

2.  Classmates you thought were “popular” in high school, weren’t really popular at all.  They were only popular because you placed them on the pedestal that they stood on.  Resolution #2: I will only show respect to those that deserve it.

3. People don’t really change that much after high school.  Yes we grow older and become more educated in life, but we are still the same people.  We have the same personalities that are the backbone of our selves. If you didn’t want to initiate conversation with a classmate then, you still won’t care to talk to them ten years later. Resolution #3: I will only take the time to talk to people who make me laugh instead of cry.

Middle Township Class of 2002…see you in another ten years.

 

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Sadie2 Comments

When it comes to cookie recipes, one thing I have yet to fully master is the aspect of a recipe that makes the cookies chewy or crispy, cakey or crunchy.  I realize that it is likely a combination of ingredients that determines these factors, but it perplexes me.  I often have attempted recipes that claim “chewy” but come out crunchy.  Is it my fault, or the recipe’s fault?

I think it’s a combination of the two.  From my limited experience I would assume that a combination of the fat choice (butter, oil, shortening) along with the number of eggs, has a large effect on the texture of a cookie.  More eggs would be more cakey, and the softer the fat, the softer the cookie.  I’ve even heard that using melted butter rather than typical room temperature butter, will make cookies softer.  Also over-mixing the batter leads to developing too much gluten, which leads to harder cookies.

All this being said I tried a “chewy” oatmeal cookie recipe from Martha, because if there’s one type of cookie that I love to be “chewy,” it’s an oatmeal cookie.  Her original recipe only called for dried cherries, but I swapped those out for chocolate chunks, walnuts, and craisons.  While not quite as chewy as one of those classic large oatmeal cookies at a local bakery, I think this recipe lives up to the chewy title.

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yields about 40 cookies depending on size, adapted from a Martha Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup AP Flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup craisons
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chunks
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Combine flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.
  3. Use an electric mixer to beat together butter, brown sugar, and honey until fluffy.
  4. Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour mixture in gradually.
  5. Add in oats, chocolate, craisons, and walnuts.  Mix until just combined, try not to over mix.
  6. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out equal cookie dough balls about 2 tablespoons each.  Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool completely.

Hidden Treasures of Grandma’s Attic

Carrie1 Comment

If you ever have to clean out an elderly person’s house, please don’t pass up the chance.  Though it can be a lot of work, you can find a lot of wonderful things hidden in the closets and attic.  Remember, they have lived a long life and collected many treasures over the years.  While cleaning out my grandma’s attic I have found many diamonds in the rough.  Here is one I found last week.  I found it in this old beat up cardboard box as a frame and many strands of crystals.  After a little TLC, it turned into this wonderful chandelier.  Now, I just need to find the perfect place to hang it and a good electrician to install it.  I am not that handy…that’s why I need to find a handy husband.  If you know of any, send them my way.