Soap Diversion: Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am a cookie fiend-particularly a chocolate chip cookie fiend. I'm the type of gal who believes in a good, sinful cookie, meaning I don't want applesauce substituted for oil, and whole wheat flour in lieu of the regular variety. Cookies are supposed to be bad, and I've rarely met a chocolate chip cookie I didn't like.  I'm always on the prowl for easy and tasty recipes. I found one that sounded really good (from allrecipes.com), but I'm not a fan of cranberries, so I substituted those with dried cherries. Dried cherries are the bomb! They are soft and chewy, and don't get all hard and icky like raisins tend to be. Anyway, let's get to the recipe, shall we?


Ingredients:
2 cups of all purpose white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries

Instructions:

   1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
   2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
   3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.       Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips & cherries by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
   4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Okay, if you're not a baker like myself, here is my #1 tip to remember:

1. Don't just dump the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Truly sift them to break up any clumps. I used my good ole metal colander to do this. My first time making these, my cookies were a disaster-but an edible, nonetheless. I found that by sifting the dry ingredients, the dough made for a puffier, more filling cookie. 

Now, all you health nuts, go ahead and make your substitutions. I'll still love you for ruining a perfectly good recipe:D

Argh! Ugh! and $#^@!

That's how I'm feeling right about now which explains why there have been no regular posts, no new products, and my all around lack of everything...

Maybe it's the heat (a straight month of 90+ humid days). Maybe it's the frustration I'm feeling in trying to decide what direction I want to take this venture. Or maybe I'm just in a mood...I'll be back.

This Cat's Life...

Ahhh...the life. This is what I do best: eat, sleep, and sh...



I live with a fabulous woman who gives me lots of hugs and kisses...



You wish you were me...

I'm Calling You Out!!!!

If your name is in this post, please reply to let me know you're still alive! I haven't seen or heard from you in more than a month, and I worry about my friends!

• Laura-I Can Make That


• Ittybitty


• Kelly-Kelly's Color Studio


• Heather-Skincare by Heather


• The Turquoise Bird

You Are Not Alone: My Tribute to Michael Jackson

If you have not heard by now, Michael Jackson died today of cardiac arrest. He was only 50 years young! I don't care about all the legal bullshit he was enthralled in over the last few years. This man was an icon. He was a father. He was a son. He was a brother. He was a humanitarian. He made MTV when MTV refused to even air videos by black artists. He transcended race before we'd ever heard of Tiger Woods or Barack Obama. He touched so many lives including mine. My favorite song is You Are Not Alone, and he truly is not. RIP Michael. You are The King of Pop. May your children and family find comfort in all the memories you've created and all the millions of fans who will let your music live on forever.

I'm An Incurable Insomniac-HELP!!!

(Sleepless in NY and Sleepless in DC)

My sister and I both suffer from insomnia. So did our mother, and it's not getting any better! I literally cannot sleep without taking a sleeping pill, a Benadryl, or Tylenol PM. I've tried all kinds of relaxation therapies, but nothing seems to work! My mind is constantly on "go." I am writing this post at 4:20 am, and I'm wide awake!

Do you suffer from insomnia or other nuisance disorders? I'm going to call my sister now so we can both talk about how fat we are! Hey, maybe if we can get to sleep at a decent hour, we'd lose 5 pounds easily....

Yikes, I've Been Tagged!

Thanks a lot Butterfly (wink, wink..) You know how this game works: Someone tags you. You have to give 7 random facts or tidbit about yourself. Then you tag 7 blogging friends. Here goes:

1. I'm not a morning person.


2. I cuss like a sailor.


3. I'm silly as hell. I truly crack myself up!


4. I'm menopausal (and I'm not even 40-go figure!)


5. I like to paint my nails only to turn around and peel the polish right off.


6. I love children's movies like Matilda and The Parent Trap (Li-Lo version)


7. I can eat an entire bushel of crabs by myself-in one sitting!

Now that you know some personal and not so personal things about me, I'm tagging these buddies o' mine. Hope you read this:

1. Structured Chaos


2. Lenox Knits


3. Pegasus Soaps


4. All Naptural


5. Barrs By The Bay


6. Burnt Mill Candles and Soap


7. Feathered Friends Mementos

Sunset On The Hudson

I'm baaaack!!! And I couldn't be happier. Thanks to everyone for your encouraging comments! I love getting away for a few days, but there's no place like home! New York is so darn busy-from the streets to the subways to Macy's! I am definitely not a big city gal, and I prove that to myself every time I go to The Big Apple. My sister's birthday was a success. Alisa, our future sister-in-law, made this delicious chocolate crumb cake with a chocolate pudding filling-from scratch.






My aunt Val behaved herself, and the future in-laws were actually tolerable! As usual when I'm with Myia, I have one too many cocktails. She made a pitcher of white sangria on Friday. We promptly finished it early Saturday and made a refill on Saturday night. And when I tell you we took it to the head, we took it to the head! Hell, you only turn 30 once...LOL!!! We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Havana Central (I highly recommend the Ropa Vieja. It's this slow-roasted, shredded beef in a succulent gravy served with onions and peppers with a side of yellow rice and red beans. I'm salivating just typing out this description!)

{Aunt Val (did not show her ass), Kellie (did show hers), Myia (always shows hers), moi (sometimes show mine)}

It rained most of the time, but Saturday was lovely. I took this picture from the rooftop of their apartment overlooking Central Park and the Hudson River. I've never seen a more beautiful sight. It's even more majestic when the George Washington Bridge is all lit up against the skyline. All in all, it was a beautiful weekend with my loved ones. I couldn't wait to get home though. I missed my boo-boo who promptly greeted me with a "Where the f*ck have you been? I'm starvin' here" look. So, how was your weekend?????

Taking A Little Break

me, cousin, sister

My younger sister Myia is turning the big 3-0 this Sunday, so I'm taking the train to Manhattan this afternoon to spend the weekend with her. Why do I smell a disaster just waiting to happen?



I'm going with my aunt and cousin. I love my aunt to death, but how can I put this delicately? Ok, I can't. She can show her ass sometimes around strangers when she feels she's not being treated fairly-for whatever reason. I pray that no one bumps into her or forgets to bring her a fork when we go out to dinner on Saturday. All hell will break loose.



We're staying with my future in-laws, and I love them to death, but how can I put this delicately? Well, I can't. They are annoying as hell. Nitpick til you just wanna jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. I do love the perks of staying in Manhattan though. It's like Sex In The City-only without the 5000 wardrobe changes.



So, it's going to be an interesting weekend. Just family, food, and dare I say....fun? Stay tuned.

The Little Things That Piss Me Off

Yesterday I blogged about the little things that make me happy, so it's only fair that I talk about the little things that piss me off. I'm using my official Bitch Post pic because I don't have another disgruntled look (yet.) Again, these are in no particular order:

1. Drivers who don't use their turn signals. PISSES ME OFF!!!
2. When my soap doesn't turn out right. PISSES ME OFF!!!
3. Oversleeping. PISSES ME OFF!!!
4. Missing the opening credits to a good movie. PISSES ME OFF!!!
5. Having to pee in the middle of the night while I'm in a deep sleep. PISSES ME OFF!!!
6. That yucky mustard or ketchup juice that squirts out of the bottle when you don't shake well before using. PISSES ME OFF!!!
7. Running out of wet cat food. PISSES THE CAT OFF!!!
8. Not realizing I've run out of cotton swabs or toilet paper. PISSES ME OFF!!!
9. When the Redskins lose a game that a Pop Warner team could easily beat. PISSES ME OFF!!!
10. Chipping my nail polish the moment I leave the salon. PISSES ME OFF!!!
    

The Little Things That Make Me Happy

I've been thinking (uh-oh). What brings me true joy-besides the obvious like having enough money to play with with, having a job, etc.? I am a simple gal, and it doesn't take much to please me, so I thought why not list the little things that make me happy (in no particular order.)

1. Wheat Thins Artisan Crackers: They had me at "artisan." I am addicted to these cheesy wonders. No more caked on, cheesy fingers (although I still love to let it build up thick and bite it off!)
2. Finding a good movie on TV that I've seen 1000 xs, but I still get excited about.
3. Having all 10 of my nails be the same length (only for them to break off the moment I polish them. What's with that???)
4. Taking a hot shower (It's my one vice, and I'm supposed to be eco-friendly)
5. The Ped Egg. If you don't have one of those, OMG, you are missing out. I love emptying the filings (Was that really from my feet? ICK!)
6. Jamaican beef patties. They're greasy and fatty as hell, but damn, they're good.
7. Finding something in my size (14, on the cusp of a 12) on bananarepublic.com.
8. Sleeping til the crack of lunch.
9. Remembering the punchline to a joke. (Your mama is so stupid, she had a boy and girl set of twins and named them Deniece and Danephew)
10. Scoring something really cool from Goodwill. I don't care how much money you have, a bargain is a bargain.

What are some of your favorite little things?

The Cat That Eats Cheetos

Before you call Peta on me, I just had to share this pic of Pepper licking all the cheese off my beloved Cheetos. She loves 'em, but I think Doritos are her fave. I love this cat so much. We've been together for 11 years this month. I adopted her from the DC Animal Shelter after I broke up with my boyfriend and my mother died.

(Damn cat! I have to literally put her in a choke hold to pose for a pic with me.)

Pepper comforts me when I'm sad, pisses me off when she pukes on my carpet, but most of all, she gives me unconditional love. You can't ask for more from any living thing! Get a pet. You'll feel better, and you'll live longer!

Real Snow This Time!!!

I am really pissed about this snowfall. I awoke to a beautiful site (Don't let the electric lines fool you. The view from my living room is actually quite lovely) only to find out that I still had to go to work. That sucks ______________. Not a road, street, or sidewalk had been plowed which means I had to leave my apartment 30 minutes earlier just to clean 6inches of snow off my car. I literally crept all the way to work. A 30 minute drive took me 75 minutes. And why do people with SUVs think they are invincible? Freakin' morons! You can't go 60 mph with 8 inches of fine powder on the road!!!

To conclude this fun tale, I get to work only to find out that I could have taken my time to get there-they weren't charging folks who were late-SOBs! Why didn't they say that on the inclement weather hot line! I coulda slept another hour-or two!!! I'm done!

Kill Me Now!!

Ever had a toothache so freakin bad that you just want to be put out of your misery? Those suckers are worse than menstrual cramps! My wisdom tooth is back to wreak havoc on my happiness. The throbbing, pulsating beat of pain! Just KILL ME NOW!!! I'm gonna pop two Tylenol PM's and call it a day. Blog to ya'll tomorrow...

Follow up:

I went to the dentist, and I have to have oral surgery!!!! I have a curved root that's slightly impacted. Like I said: Kill me now!!!

My left cheek feels like I've gone 12 rounds with Laila Ali!

Snow In The Nation's Capital!

(You may be saying to yourself, "This dusting...?" It's major to us, okay???)

Okay, technically I'm not in DC, but I'm literally a hop, skip, and a jump from DC, and it snowed today! It's our first measurable snow of the season, and we get pretty dang excited when it snows here. It's not the greatest shot, but it's a beginning. Give me one major storm-ya know, the kind that will shut down EVERYTHING for 2-3 days. It's been about 5-6 years that I can recall that we've had that kind of snow. Ahh, the memories......

ps-If you're reading this ittybitty, I got the soap! Can't wait til it's cured and ready to use. Thanks, ma!

Inauguration Madness

It is mad cold here in DC and its surrounding burbs. I don't think it's been this cold since...I don't remember, but it's been a long while. One of my favorite comedians Earthquake said, "Those who said hell would freeze over before Obama gets in The White House wasn't lying, because that's how cold it is right now...." I'm really torn now about whether I want to participate in all the inaugural activities this weekend. When I tell you the city is in complete and utter chaos right now, I'm not exaggerating. There are so many parties going on this weekend that it feels more like All Star weekend than Inauguration Day. I just pray everything goes smoothly and with little or no drama. Here's my advice: If you plan to attend the outdoor festivities, dress extra warmly (don't knock long johns ya'll!), pee before you leave home (or wear one of those adult diapers like ole girl did when she drove from Texas? to Florida to beat down her husband's mistress-you know the astronaut chick), and don't even think about driving in DC cuz it aint gon happen Cap'n. Most importantly, bring your patience and get ready to experience something unlike you've never seen before. I'm betting crowds will top The Million Man March. For real though, if the daytime temps will be below 40, my tail will be on this sofa watching it on the tube!


Have a great weekend!!!!

Stuff On My Mind Like: Keep Your Blog Fresh!

What do I mean by that? If you want people to follow your blog, then post more than once a week or month-seriously. I love to follow blogs with content-meaning the blogger posts at least 2-3 times a week or more. Not only is it a way to reach out to your followers, but it will attract new ones. There are so many great blogs out there that I'd love to follow, but when I check them out, they haven't posted since August! Come on! You just lost one! I do, however, believe in returning the favor (you know, follow me, I'll follow you.) One of my goals for 2009 is to blog no less than 3 times a week. I'm also going to be hosting giveaways-with a catch (more details coming in early January.) I'm off now to play with my new camera and plan my blog topics for the next week. Yeah, I actually plan my posts. I am, after all, a former Elementary Education major. Can you imagine me as your kid's teacher? Nope? That's why I'm now an Operations Specialist for a bank....

Oh Christmas Tree...

Oh Christmas Tree, why every year do you fail me?

I can't get a darn Christmas tree right to save my life! It looks dull and lifeless. Only half of my lights work-the bottom half, so I didn't even plug them in. It's missing something, but I can't put my finger on it. I am definitely going to hit up Target on December 26th and rack up on bulbs, lights, and other cute ornaments. Last year I was in mourning and did not want to be bothered, so I put up this lame pink tree. This year, I'm feeling like my old self somewhat, so I put up this lame green tree. I give up....

Recession Follow Up!

The party is over and my meatballs were a hit. I got lots of compliments on them, so I think I'm kinda stuck making these from now on. Also, I decided to participate in the white elephant game. It was disastrous on so many levels, but I ended up putting together a couple of candles in a shoebox, and I wrapped it in brown paper. I then wrote the first verse to My Favorite Things on the top.."Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things...."

Don't They Know We're In A Freakin' Recession?

Whether you choose to admit it or not, we are, and for the life of me, I can't understand why I got some strange looks from my co-workers when I told them I was NOT participating in the holiday gift exchange. Give me a freakin' break! I'm broke! I'm a single lady living (barely) on the outskirts of one of the most expensive cities in the country, and I'm a struggling entrepreneur. I am struggling financially as I am sure lots of people are, so please forgive me if I'm sounding a little Scrooge-ish. Ninety percent of my gifts this year will be handmade-if not by me-then by my fellow crafters. I don't feel the need to play white elephant with a bunch of folks who barely give me the time of day as it is, and $25 is more than I'm spending on gifts for my own family! Okay, I'm jumping off my soap box. I just had to get that off my chest! Oh, I also forgot to mention that I'm making turkey meatballs for these moochers. Okay, I'm done for real this time.