Go-to.

 

   I know I've shared this recipe before, but if its good- it must be shared again. Our first year of marriage, I was on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I must have tested a dozen before landing on this gem from a co-worker. I literally use the crumpled, butter stained printed email from her every time I bake these. And {cheese alert} think back to what a sweet time our first year of marriage was. 
  Anyways, it's basically prime time baking season right now. You probably have your stock of go-to recipes {do share!}, but if you're on the hunt for, seriously, the BEST chocolate chip cookie around, you must try this! I love it so much, I'm bringing it to my book club's cookie exchange tonight. {Sidenote: if that statement alone doesn't make me sound like a middle aged woman, I'm not sure what else would}.

Fudge.

 I love to bake and cook. It's basically my love language, in addition to sending snail mail and long, drawn out hugs. I also love convenience and simplicity. My most favorite recipes are easy ones. Because, why make life more complicated than it has to be? Also, I love sharing recipes and who wants a longwinded, most likely to fail recipe handed to them? Nope. Short, simple, sweet!
   I must have inherited this from my mom, because some of my favorite, tastiest, and most simple recipes come from her. Like this no fail fudge. So delicious. Who doesn't have 5 minutes for fudge?? So if you're looking for a last minute addition to your Thanksgiving meal or an easy staple to bring to any holiday get-together...make these!

Can't Fail 5-minute **{chocolate} Fudge

Small can of Carnation milk
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz chocolate chips (1/2 bag)
1 2/3 c. sugar
2 c. mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla

  Heat milk, sugar, and salt to full boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Pour into buttered dish; let cool. 

**For our Friendsgiving this weekend, I was in the mood for chocolate and pb fudge, so I just layered the two. You could simply substitute pb chips in the recipe above, but I kind of hate fake pb. This is my go-to, favorite {and SUPER easy} pb fudge recipe! 

Pound it.

   I'm a creature of habit. I love trying new recipes and then adopting them into my rotation. I stumbled on this recipe earlier this summer, and have made it no less than 5 times since. Its so easy and delicious and doesn't require a literal pound of everything {because, gross}. Also, I think you could pile fresh berries and cream on top of cardboard, and it would taste amazing. So having extra tasty poundcake just skyrockets the same dish into the crapyourpants delicious category, right? 

Bread and butter.

  Who doesn't love warm, crusty bread right out of the oven?? {Even if you don't, go with it. Its a friendship deal breaker, for sure} Ever since reading Bread & Wine and trying Shauna's ahmazing Sullivan Street bread recipe, I've fallen back in love with baking breads. {I go through baking spurts- cookies, muffins, breads, granolas- you name it and I've been on a kick with it} And while I love the delicious Sullivan Street bread, it needs twelve hours to rise. TWELVE HOURS! Who has time for that? While on the hunt for a quicker, more realistic day-to-day bread, I ended up kind of making up a recipe from a few different I found. Less sugar {who wants sweet dinner bread??}, add in some garlic salt, cook in a random corningware, and convert some measurement from the metric system and- voila!  So-easy dinner bread. Takes no time at all. Goes perfectly with our current dinner staple- garden fresh pesto chicken pasta. With extra pesto on the side for bread-dipping, of course. Also, round loaves of bread kind of blow my mind. So awesome. Thanks for the tip, Shauna!

Linking up here: Jam Hands, This Gal Cooks, Make Ahead Meals

iPhone weekend.

 
 The weekend that started off with my dog eating my pajamas ended with homemade peach pie and some episodes of The Office in bed. It was one of those weekends that was just really full and for no reason in particular. We hung out downtown on Friday with friends, lounged around on Saturday but still found time to stop by the library's book sale and run a 5k in honor of a friend's dad, wore out the pups on a local trail on Sunday and didn't fail at pie-making. 
  This week is a short one for me, since I have the last of my PTO to burn. I woke up this morning feeling notsohot physically and a little less than stellar spiritually, only to realize the weather matched my mood. I started writing this post- and had a bit of a reality check. John 10:10 came to mind, and now I can't stop thinking about how true it is that satan comes to kill, steal & destroy. And how easily I let him. Yesterday afternoon I felt great, this morning that joy was so easily deflated. C.S. Lewis once said, "Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose." Oh. Despite some of my best efforts, that's just what I do. Especially with things I feel so out of control of {Hi, I'm Katie and I love control}. So today, I'm trying to choose joy. Not because life is sunshine & rainbows {in fact, there's a literal thunderstorm outside right now}, but because I had a really wonderful full weekend. Because I am really, deeply blessed in the ways that matter. And everything else, well I'm trusting that Jesus knows what he's up to. Amen? Here's to letting my happiness depend on the only thing I'll never lose.

  How was your weekend? Far less melodramatic than mine, I hope. :D

Bucket of dirt.

If there's anything I'm a sucker for, its cute packaging and sweets. When you put them together? I can barely handle it!

For last month's Cara box, I was matched with Shawna. The theme was childhood and I quickly learned that Shawna was all things tomboy growing up (building forts, playing with salamanders, and even hated Barbies!). I knew I wanted to include some sort of play on that in the box...and realized I had to put in a package of dirt pudding! Cute, right? 

I was a bit stumped on how to package it at first, until I remembered these cute galvanized pails I had picked up at the dollar spot in Target a few months ago.  After that, I literally just picked up a single sleeve of oreos (you can buy them in the snack aisle at most drug stores/gas stations), vanilla pudding, and sour gummies. After smashing the oreos and pouring in the vanilla pudding mix, I wrapped them in some scrap burlap and tied with bakers twine. I put the sour gummy worms in a glassine bag and...voila! Dirt pudding...or a pail of dirt'n worms!

Cute, right? What fun gift ideas have you come up with this Christimas? 

Apple bars.

There's a lot I love about this time of year, but one of my absolute favorite things about Fall is having a constant batch of apple bars sitting on my kitchen counter.

My mom used to make these when we were little, and I've yet to share the recipe with someone who didn't absolutely love them.

I used to favor them fresh out of the oven, but Justin's got me hooked on eating them cold. They kind of set into this carmel-like state and it is absolute deliciousness!

Make some. Send me pictures. Thank me later :)

My Mama's Apple Bars. 

1c. vegatable oil

1 3/4 c. sugar

3 eggs

2t vanilla

2c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1t baking soda

2t cinnamon

2c diced/peeled apple (I usually just use 2 medium tart apples and don't bother with measuring!)

Mix together oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon. Fold in apple. Spray bottom only of 13x9in pan with cooking spray. Pour in batter. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes (My oven is HOT and I only need to cook for about 35 min...so keep an eye on the bars if your oven's cooks faster/slower). Middle will look under baked, edges will be brown. Bars will firm as they cool.

Enjoy!

World's best.

Happy Labor Day! I hope you're enjoying this 3-day weekend as much as I am. While I was waiting for Justin to get home late last night {3 days is way too long to be gone!}, I decided to make my favorite cookies.

You guys. I know I've posted about these before, but they are just so delicious that they deserve at least one post per year. Seriously

These are the best chocolate chip cookies in the world.

Well, to me at least. While searching for the best cookie recipe a few years ago, I realized that everyone has a different definition of that. Some people like crunchy, crumby cookies. Some like cake-y. And others, like me, looooove rich and cookie dough-like cookies.

If you fall into that category...

these are for you. 

SO. GOOD. 

But you have to follow the directions. No getting creative or taking shortcuts. 

Or using your KitchenAid mixer.

Nope.

So make these. And thank me later! :)

Sunshine.

We could all use a little sunshine in our lives, right?

I've found, for me, one of the best pick-me-ups is to love on others.

Gifts, packages, notes, voicemails, and long hugs for others bring a lot of sunshine into my heart.

And those things have never more important to me as they have in the last weeks. 

I was finishing up a birthday package for one of my heart friends, Lauren. 

{Who recently moved to Denver for this amazing venture!}

And I wanted to a bit of sunshine.

So I looked through my cupboards and decided to make a cookie mix in a jar for her.

Sunshine cookies, to be exact!

Have you had those?

Ohemgee. They're so good. 

Just so we're keeping it real here, I want to point out how unperfect this little project was. 

I'm sure by now you know for certain I am anything but perfect,

but I think I need to make sure I work on telling the whole story.

Even just when it comes to a simple little cookie mix in a jar.

So, I used what I had for this. I didn't want to go scouring for a perfect jar. I also thought of putting another cookie mix in there, but I didn't want to have to go spend more money on ingredients than I needed to.

{Lauren, my cheapness doesn't reflect my love for you! :D}

So I used a jar I'd been saving. It was cute, but definitely too small.

I used chalkboard paint I had on hand to create the 'label'. 

And, as you can see, my chalk writing definitely needs some work.

I like to think it adds character. No? :)

Next, I piled in the ingredients.

And PACKED them all down. 

Only too find out...

Right. My jar was WAY too small. So I improvised. I included the M&M's in a packet tied to the jar and labeled them 'bits of sunshine'. Cute, but unplanned. And then I really just put the sugar in a baggie with that tag. Classy, I know. I think Lauren loves me still. 
All this to say, I'm not perfect. I'm far from a craft genius. But I love my friends. And I'm pretty sure they love me through my imperfectness.  You know, just as Jesus does. 

Ps. I still have 2 FREE small ad sponsor spot available! And 2 FREE large ad spots...more details here. 
{linking up with Christina for 20 Below!}

Sugar & spice.

Once upon a time, I spent 4 months studying abroad and living in France.

I fell in love with Aix en Provence, the city I lived in. 

Everyone knows that crepes are a french staple.

But in Aix, there is this amazing underground to-go creperie, Crepes a GoGo. 

Folks, this place is To. Die. For.

SO good.

And cheap.

And to go.

I literally ate there every day, with no shame

 I started out like the typical tourist, always getting something super sweet like nutella & bananas.

But those are SO heavy. And messy while you're walking around the city...since they roll up the crepes and wrap them for you to take.

So one day, I asked the guy working for something more simple...

and he made me a cinnamon, sucre, et buerre crepe.

Shut. The. Front. Door.

The best crepe I've ever had, hands down.

And living in France for four months, let's just say I've had LOTS of crepes.

It became a staple for me.

Somedays, when I was feeling crazy...I would get two.

True story.

And then I came home, sheds some of those lbs I'd picked up overseas...and forgot about my beloved crepes.

Until my BIL & SIL came to visit a few weeks ago and Mary made us all crepes one morning.

And everyone else wanted pb or syrup on theirs.

And I MADE J make some cinnamon sugar topping for me {I had to take a post-run shower}.

Oh em gee.

I fell in love all over again. 

And have been eating crepes like a crazy person all over again.

Here's Mary's recipe::

1c flour
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp {melted} butter
vanilla extract
cinnamon sugar mix

1:: Whisk together flour, eggs, milk & water. Add salt & butter and stir until smooth. Add in as much vanilla as desired; I usually add a teaspoon!

2:: Pour batter {as desired} into greased skillet & cook evenly on both side. {You can make your crepes as big or little as you like...but make sure they are still thin!}

3:: Once done, spread small amount of butter on each crepe and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Roll & enjoy!!! 

In the kitchen: chocolate chip deliciousness.

For J's birthday, he said he didn't want me to bake or cook him anything (dishes and a messy kitchen stress him out mucho), so we went out for some mexican and Coldstone instead.

But since I had the day off on Thursday, I still wanted to bake him something. So, I opted for some ohsofreakinggood chocolate chip cookies. 

This recipe is ah.mazing. Amazing. 

A co-worker of mine last year gave it to me on my last day, and it will most definitely be a staple in my recipe box forever!

As you can see, it makes a boatload of cookies... 

...which we have no problem consuming in this house. nomnomnomnom.

this may or may not have been filled to the brim only 3 days ago!

So from my kitchen (or, really my co-worker's!) to your's...

Chocolate Chip Deliciousnes.

1c. Blue Bonnet or Imperial* Margarine (soft)

1c. butter flavored* Crisco shortening

-Mix together with a wooden spoon*.

1 1/2c. white cane* sugar

1 1/2c. light brown sugar

2 large eggs

-Mix with butter mixture.

In a separate bowl: 

4 3/4c. flour

2t. baking soda

1t. salt

-Mix all together with your hands* and add chocolate chips. (12-16oz. I use both semi-sweet and milk chocolate)

-Bake at 350 for 8-9 min. The cookies will look like they are not done, but take them out, let them cool and they will be perfection. The only thing you can do wrong is over cook!

**I know the brand/mixing specifications seem weird. But these cookies are AWESOME, so stick with what works! :D**

fall treats.

in keeping with my "friday's are for sleeping in and not doing homework" routine, 

i've been cuddling with murph and reading (and doing just a smidge of homework) all day. 

I needed to get up and do something, and I was looking through the kitchen cabinets to see what I could bake, with little effort. (its my lazy day, ya know)

I found a yellow cake mix I must've bought when it was $1 or something. I remembered seeing a pumpkin muffin recipe on Rebecca's blog a while back that used yellow cake mix.

and voila...

pumpkin muffins (I whipped up some **cream cheese icing while they were baking) and a vanilla chai.
delicious.

happy friday!

**cream cheese icing (I halved this recipe since I only made 12 muffins)

8 oz crm cheese, softened (I usually Neufchatel, it's lower in fat and I think it tastes better)

6 T butter

1 T milk

1 tsp vanilla

powdered sugar

beat cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla. stir in powdered sugar until spreading consistency. Chill in refrigerator before using.

get 'er done.

I have been oh so productive today...

and it feels wonderful!

(side note: I totally understand how being a stay-at-home mom/wife is a full-time job. I don't have any babies, but I could still fill my day with home-y things. seriously.)

6 retail applications submitted. (did I mention I need a job? I do.)

loooong walk with the dog.

potato soup in the crockpot.

 bread in the bread machine. (best.kitchen.appliance.ever...besides the food processor)

fixins' for chili ready to go.

errands run.
and homework underway.


ah...getting things done feels so good!

and now, just because I love him so much...
a gratuitous Murphy picture! He's such a mama's boy!

happy tuesday! :D

farmer's markets and apple bars.

I'm going a little stir crazy working on the most boring paper of my life, and to reward all of my (somewhat) hard work, I'm giving myself a blogging break :)

This weekend was full of comfy clothes, rainy days, scarves, homework, refreshing sunday church, and watching football with friends. The next few weekends will be busy, so it was nice to relax before life gets a little crazy!

I made to Carmel's last Farmer's Market of the season and snagged a great deal on flowers, apples, peppers, squash, and a baby eggplant all

for less than $10!

I baked apple bars twice this weekend. I literally put the second batch in ten minutes after the first was finished. I.love.these.bars. We ate them all the time growing up! Cinnamon-y apple goodness!

Apple Bars

1c. vegatable oil

1 3/4 c. sugar

3 eggs

2t vanilla

2c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1t baking soda

2t cinnamon

2c diced/peeled apple (I usually just use 2 medium tart apples and don't bother with measuring!)

Mix together oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon. Fold in apple. Spray bottom only of 13x9in pan with cooking spray. Pour in batter. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes (My oven is HOT and I only need to cook for about 35 min...so keep an eye on the bars if your oven's cooks faster/slower). Middle will look under baked, edges will be brown. Bars will firm as they cool.

Enjoy!

supper.

This week seemed to consist of a lot of settling in. Into

the routine of my classes and homework, into Justin's routine at work, into the cooler fall weather, and just settlinginto life here in Indy in general. it's like one big sigh. I like routine and settling in. Its comforting.

On a (mostly) unrelated note, I thought I'd share one of our latest obsessions...homemade pizza. Its one of our go-to meals and we eat it almost every week!

I use the pizza crust dough mix from Wal-mart, it costs less than $.50 and tastes delish. It's also one of the healthier options. When we're feeling crazy, we splurge on Trader Joe's $.99 dough.

After adding hot water the the mix, I brush with olive oil and cover for five minutes or however long it takes for me to get out all the toppings! Then I press onto our AWESOME pizza stone (seriously, we use it for every.thing), poke with a fork, and brush with more olive oil. Have I mentioned my love affair with olive oil? Then I bake it at 475degrees for about 5 minutes.

While the crust is baking, I chop up the toppings. Justin's out of town tonight, so I took advantage of the chance to load it with stuff I love and he could do with out. Green peppers, fresh garlic (LOVE garlic!) and mushrooms...and cheese of course. I also threw on some crushed red pepper as an afterthought.

...and this cutie was my audience the whole time.

All topped and ready to bake!

5 minutes later...delicious!

almost perfect supper. (Could only be better if J was was here and I had a glass of white wine!)

...but I'll settle with The Apprentice...

...and some Fall candy!