Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies

Moms and I had a little Mother/Daughter day.

We spent most of the afternoon shopping around town, like we women are known to do.

The sad part? We were only supposed to be going to the grocery store for a few baking ingredients.

We eventually got what we needed and headed back to my place to whip up some goodies.

Unfortunately, the original cookie recipe was no where to be found, and the ones we found online didn't suit our cravings, so... we decided to wing it - like we active spirits are known to do.

In short, we threw in a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a dash of this, a cup of that, etc.

Once the mix was ready, I rolled the dough into ping pong size balls and threw them onto the baking tray.

A few minutes later...

They came out better than the recipe would have, i'm convinced.

Which means it's necessary for me to document the info, so I know how to make them again in the future.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Rolled Oats (Instant or Old-Fashioned)

1 Cup of Self-Rising Flour

1 Cup of Raw Turbinado (or White Sugar, or Sugar Substitute)

1/4 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar, Tightly Packed

1/2 Stick of Margarine

1/2 Cup of Canola Oil

1 Tsp of Baking Soda

1 Tsp of Baking Powder

1 Tsp of Vanilla Extract

2 Large Eggs

Dark Chocolate Chips

Sliced Almonds

Chopped Walnuts

Chopped Pecans

Yield: 24 Cookies

(Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit)

1. Mix all the dry ingredients (oats, flour, powder, soda, sugars, nuts & chips) together in a large bowl. Stir everything & set aside.

2. Melt the margarine in a small pot or saucepan & add the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Let everything melt together & leave on low.

3. Whisk the two eggs together & add the canola oil

4. Put your brown sugar mix into the bowl with your dry mix. Stir well & get rid of any clumps.

5. Add your egg mixture & stir until all the mix is evenly coated & uniform.

6. Let is set for 2-3 minutes.

7. Mold the dough balls and add them to a lightly oiled or tin foiled baking tray.

8. Bake for 13 minutes.

Wait until they cool to remove them from the tray, or else the ooey-gooey goodness will fall apart.

Enjoy!

♥

On My Own

Earlier today, I came across this post about being alone.
Like many of the pieces I actually take the time to read, it got me thinking.
There's an obvious difference between being alone and being lonely, and frankly, the line separating one from the other is strikingly thick.
I can recall countless time where I've been alone but didn't feel lonely.
I'll take myself to a movie without a second thought, and I've been known to entertain a full conversation, IN MY HEAD, with myself during my lunch hour.
Just a couple weeks ago I flew solo to a concert, and even though it wasn't part of the original plan, I had a better time than I expected.

On the other hand, there are also moments where I feel naked, vulnerable and awkward making moves all by my lonesome.
Ever tried to walk somewhere, alone, with no phone to talk/text with and no ipod to listen to music on? Just you, your thoughts and the sounds of the world around you?
Honestly, it's weird.
But it shouldn't be.
Some people struggle so hard to find out who they are and to discover their purpose in life, and yeah, it can be a tough task to tackle.
But it shouldn't be.
Why is it always so easy to get to know other people but difficult to really understand ourselves? Maybe because we spend more time talking and listening to or reading about everyone else's lives.
Personally, I can say that my thoughts speak volumes about my personality. At any given time, my stream of consciousness is jumping from A to Z and all around everywhere in between, but it's those little trails, tangents, sidenotes and tidbits that remind me of my individuality.

That being said, as much as I actually enjoy spending time alone, the thought of sitting by myself at a restaurant for dinner or trying some new activity without at least one friend by my side still seems... out of the question, but I'm looking to change that.
So, one day soon I'll be ditching my cell phone and all forms of online communication for 24 hours.
God willing and the creek don't rise, I'll live to blog about it.

I take much pleasure in being alone, but there is also a strange, warm grace in not being alone. -Charles Bukowski

Open Mic

A while ago I made a decision to get back to the music.
To start feeding the tune-loving monster within me.
I was serious.
I'm making it a point to get to at least one music event each month, and I've already got some fun stuff lined up through March.
Soon enough, I'll be back to writing... and maybe even singing.
But let me not get ahead of myself. One step at a time!
Tonight I rounded up a few friends and made my way over to open mic night at Rev Coffee.

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Chow & Bowl

January is a busy birth-month in my book. I've got two big ones, back-to-back, and coming right off the tail end of the Holiday season, i'm usually scrounging to make it special for the ones I love.

Last night, my dear sister from another mister, Meredith, celebrated her birthday at one of my favorite restaurants around Atlanta: Big Chow Grill (also known as Chow, Baby.).

It's hard to be disappointed in a restaurant that lets you create, season and arrange your own stir-fry.

If you don't like your food, it's your own fault, BUT, you can always make another bowl.

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Emily & Emeli

A few years back, I was watching TV and flipped to a music video featuring Lupe Fiasco.
Lupe's music is good enough to make me stop & listen, but the lead vocals in this particular song caught my attention. One quick iTunes search later and I was falling all over Walk in My Shoes by Emily King. Soon after, I got my hands on her entire album, and I've been happily singing along ever since - never getting tired of her melodies.
Flash forward to 2013, and I finally got my chance to see her live.

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Passion 2013

Passion Conferences specifically cater to college students, and fortunately, my undergrad college days are behind me. 

So what to do when you want to join the action but you don't fit the requirements? 

Volunteer!

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