The Power of a Hat

Cutest. Picture. Ever.

Road Rage Decreased

My commute used to drive me batty... and now I can't wait to get into the car. Because, I have found, Audible. Despite a crazy job that requires travel, and going to school, and having family in town for 50% of the past month, I've actually been able to read books. Or "read" them meaning listened to them...

Oh yeah, reading, that thing I used to like to do before the dreaded courses begining with MBAA or MBAB or MBAG started. Road rage is no more, satisfaction with life has increased, and I don't have to listen to Ryan Seacrest in the morning (which I think we can all agree is a bonus.)

So in summary:

Audible = good

Bill Bryson's "At Home" = ridiculous good

Jane Austen's "Persuasion" = early 19th Century good

Emma Donoghue's "Room" = darkly good

Alexandra Ripley's "Charleston" = good reminder that people approaching 30 shouldn't read young adult romance novels

All in all... good.

Deep Thoughts

My day started out so well... egg white omelette split with my Auntie P while sitting across the table from my grandparents (so sad they're flying back home, it was a good visit!) and my brother.

But then, it turned into the worst day I've had at work in a very. very. very. long time. Long story short: we can't be perfect, but man do I wish I could be.

But now, at the end of the day, it's funny how things that were overwhelmingly overwhelming just a few hours before somehow become inconsequential when you're at home, in your own environment, hearing the hum of your appliances and sitting in your favorite chair.

Deep thoughts... by me.

Failed Experiment

I'm always amazed at how friendships evolve over time. My friend Marsha and I met in Jr. High, and remained good friends through High School. But as she went away to school, and I stayed locally, we drifted apart in our day-to-day interaction. For some reason however, we ALWAYS met up at Christmas time to do our holiday shopping together. One year, we decided to do our Christmas baking together instead of shopping, and the tradition has stuck.

This year while coming home from a road trip together (during which this happened) we started talking about our plans for this year's holiday goodies.

There was one cookie in particular that was causing us concern. One that we make (and that is a favorite) is a mini Snickers wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough and then baked. It's a crowd pleaser for sure, but is most definitely NOT upscale. So we thought to ourselves, we could make a layered cookie incorporating all of the snicker elements. And that is how it came to be that last weekend Marsha was standing at my stove stirring a batch of caramel.

And that this layered beauty came to be:

The layers look amazing, the elements are all there, the ingredients have been elevated. This was to be our signature cookie, known forever after as the "Turtle Dove!"

The only problem with this little cookie? Put simply, it's inedible!!!

The chocolate layer oozes, the crust crumbles apart upon cutting, and the caramel is so thick that you could break a tooth!

Test kitchen #2 is yet to be scheduled, but we have some ideas for improvements.