Chocolate Chip Recipe #6

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a great weekend and Monday.  James and I ended up making the trip with my family to the Indiana Dunes.  James had a blast.  He loved playing in the sand and tasting it.  He tasted all different types of sand, both dry and wet.  James also really liked the waves.  The water was a little cold so we didn't spend a super long time in the water but he had so much fun when the waves were lift him up and down in his little floatie. Don't worry I held onto him the whole time. 

In my quest to eat healthier and lose weight I’ve really been trying to cut back on baking so I haven’t been able to really try out a cookie recipe for my chocolate chip cookie recipe search but early this week on Monday I did and I will say that these will probably be the winning unless something really big comes out of left field.  I did have the idea last week that maybe I should try out all the heavy hitters in the baking world cookie recipes - Martha, Paula, Betty and maybe even Rachel.  So far I have just been looking up recipes on pinterest but I think it will be interesting to see what I find.  Today I’m gonna take about Betty Crocker’s recipe.  In full disclosure I have made these cookies before so I had an idea what to expect but really my opinion on them has gone up since trying out all these other cookies.  

I will say that what makes this recipe really different is the amount of ingredients. It uses almost double the regular tollhouse recipe but thats what makes it so good.  Not only do you get these big cookies (the recipe calls for 1/4 scopes) but you also get 27 of them, maybe 28 or more if you don’t test the batter. One thing I’ve noticed about some recipes is that you get these big cookies but you only end up making 10 cookies or so.  And I know I’ve said this all before, I don’t want to spend all this time and effort for 10 cookies.  I will say, I would recommend probably pre rolling and freezing half of the batter because by the end of the week (We still have cookies left) you will want them out of your house or you are afraid you will eat all of them and really dislike yourself later. 

The only downside of this recipe is the quality of the ingredients that you need.  You need 4 cups of chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of butter or 3 sticks and the reason (for me) why this is a downside is because I don’t normally find myself with this on hand and I have to go out and buy it to make these cookies.  To buy the chocolate chips and the butter cost me almost $10 at the grocery store.  One of things that I’ve always enjoyed about chocolate chip cookies is being able to make them whenever but this isn't’ the case with this recipe. 

This recipe comes out of the Betty Crocker Baking Basics cookbook.  I really like this cookbook.  It has a ton of recipes and is great for someone who is just getting into baking or someone who just wants a ton of basic recipes. Maybe in the future I’ll do a review and share some of my favorite recipes. 

When I first tried this recipe I was pretty skeptical of the title ‘Best Chocolate Chip Cookies’ by this time I had tried a couple of recipes and I wasn’t sure if this was going to hold up but it didn’t let me down. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups  butter or margarine (3 sticks), room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla (I used more, about 1 teaspoon but I really like vanilla)

2 large eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 bag (24 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups)

2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, if desired ( I didn’t use nuts)

Directions:

Preheat over to 375 and line cookie sheets (if you want, I didn’t because I ran out of parchment paper and they stilled turned out great)

In a large bowl, beat the butter, both sugars, vanilla and eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  You are working with more ingredients so this will take longer and may require a higher speed than normal. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt (the dough will be stiff).  I like to add the flour one cup at a time.  Around cups 3 the dough will look like it’s at this max but go ahead and add the final cup, it will all work out in the end. Stir in the chocolate chips.  If you don’t like your cookies crazy chocolatey I would maybe take a cup of chocolate chips away especially if you add the nuts.  

For each cookie, scoop dough with 1/4 measuring cup.  Using the back of a knife (or I just did the edge of the bowl) level the dough even with the top of the cup. You do want to make sure the cookies are roughly the same size, this helps them cook in about the same amount of time. Push the dough onto the cookie sheet with a spoon or rubber spatula, placing the cookies 2 inches apart. Flatten slight with a fork.  I placed 6 cookies per baking sheet.

Bake them for 12 to 15 minutes. I always set my timer a minute behind so I can see how they are coming along and if they need a little more time or not.  Then I set them on the pan for a couple of minutes to let them cook just a tad bit more. Then moved them to the island to cool completely.

Betty said to let the pans cool for about 10 minutes between each batch so I did.  Betty knows her stuff. 

            

Review

Taste: 5 -These cookies are great in taste, besides the chocolate, all the ingredients just blend together so well, nothing stands out - good and bad.

Appearance: 5, I would give these cookies a 6 if I could.  But yet I'm in charge so they get a 6.  These cookies are lightly brown on top but still soft in the middle, this is what cookie dreams are made of.

Dunk ability: 5.  I think it should be a requirement to dunk these cookies.  Even with the large amount of chocolate chips these cookies stay together so well.

Removability: 5.  I ran out of parchment paper but that didn't phrase these cookies.  They came off so easily and didn't even leave behind a trace.

Affordability:   3.  The only downside of this recipe.  With the extra 2 cups of chocolate chips and the extra stick of butter, it really raises the cost of these cookies.  But if you consider how much the recipe does make, it's not too bad.    

I would highly recommend you grab a big glass of milk before you eat one.  You're gonna need it.   

A little place called Gymboree

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are having a great day and a great week. We just got back from our morning run and hanging out until James decides it time for his nap.  I'm hoping it's soon because I'm getting hungry and I don't want to share my snack with him.  I didn't get to drink my protein shake before the run because I used so a trip to Target to get more today is on the list.

Today I thought I would share a little bit about us joining gymboree and our experience there. 

I’ve been looking into Gymboree Arts and Music for a while.  We attended our first class around November/December of last year.  James was about 6 months old and I wasn’t really sold on the classes. James wasn’t crawling at this time so he didn’t really do much there that he couldn’t do at home.  The thing that really scared me was the cost of it.  With me being at home and Wes being the only one working, it’s hard to justify $65 a month for classes.   UPDATE: I just received an email yesterday that said they are waiving the fee, the $50 sign up fee, and this deal runs until 9/30. 

I always kept the idea of joining Gymboree in the back of my mind but it wasn’t until June that I was able to pull the trigger. I got an email from them saying that they were doing a free day of play.  It was on a Saturday and Wes may have been working so we didn’t really have any big plans for the day so why not take them up on the offer and play for free.   

James loved it.  At first he was really unsure about it which is really understandable because it was a new place and had to take everything in, which is true to his personality. After he figured out what it was all about, you couldn’t stop him.  When we were leaving one of the employees came over and asked how we enjoyed it.  I told him that we did but the monthly price and the sign up fee was a little much.  Then he told me the great news that since it was their 40 anniversary they had an offer for that weekend only you got the first month for $40 and no sign up fee. The sign up fee is about $50 and the music class is $65.  So doing this special I saved over $75!!  On top of that special, this whole summer they have been doing an unlimited play so we could attend any play classes for free.  So thats what we did this summer. 

I think on average we went to about 1 open play.  Thats a set time where kids of all ages can come and just play.  It’s nice because you can meet a lot of different families and James can just play on whatever he wants and do whatever.  We also go to the class we signed up for - a music class.  At first James wasn’t really a fan but I think he is warming up to it and making some good cute baby friends.  Then we also try to hit up a play class.  It’s pretty similar to open play but a little more structured and has singing and bubbles.  So we went to at least 3 classes a week.  We really enjoyed yourselves.  

I like seeing James learn new things, he has learned how to climb stairs, go backwards off of furniture and now how to climb a ladder, and him being able to get out all his excess energy without tearing the house apart. The employees there are so nice and James just really likes them.  He often crawls up to them so they can hold him.

 I think what James really enjoyed about the classes is that he hardly ever gets told ‘no’ especially during the open play.  Everything there is baby proofed and I can just let him go nuts. 

I really glad that I decide to take the plunge and sign up for Gymboree.  It’s something that I really look forward to during the week and I think James does too. So if you are on the fence just go try it out.  You can get a free class for the first time you visit and if you aren’t sold the first visit, wait a little bit and try it again. 

Have you attended a Gymboree Class before? 

Do you take any kid classes anywhere?  What made you decide to go there?

-Megan

My Fitness Update

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a great weekend.  We were able to get in some family pictures this weekend and I'm so excited for them.  We got them done with our unofficial family photographer.  The team/she has done my sister's wedding, my wedding, a pregnancy photoshoot for me and another set of whole family photos. I can't wait to get them back.  They were taken in a local creek and I'm sure half of the pictures are just James, alone, playing in the creek but I'm 100% okay with it. 

I thought I would pop in with a quick fitness update.   I would say that I’m doing pretty good, probably middle of the road success.  I gave up cookies and ice cream for two whole weeks.  I don’t know if thats a big deal for you guys and I kind of hate it that it is for me but I really noticed a difference. I think I lost about 4 lbs or so over those two weeks.  It really shows me how much of a difference cutting out that type of food can make.  I have been doing okay since those two weeks of giving it up.  I wanted to do this every two weeks but life got in the way but maybe after the ice cream is gone in the house (wont take long, Update: Wes ate the last of it last night) I’ll do it again.  

The past week or so I haven’t been doing very good with eating at all.  I just haven’t been in the mood for breakfast and when I do this it just seems to throw off my whole eating schedule.  Sometimes I’ll find myself not eating lunch either and then grabbing a super late lunch and not being in the mood for dinner. It’s a really bad cycle. But I’m hoping to improve that this week.  Just need a little motivation. 

On the other hand, my working out, especially my running as been going pretty good.  We did have a couple setbacks, a lot of rain and catching a cold. But I feel like the running is going good.  The minutes I’ve been running have kicked up a notch and I can totally notice.  I think I just finished week 4, so about 12 runs, and I have gone from running 30 seconds at a time to 5 minutes.  I’m not gonna lay and say the 5 minutes is a breeze but It’s something I couldn’t have done with I first started. 

I finally found a routine in the morning that works for us so I can get a run in.  After breakfast, we get dress (James in his outfit for the day and me in my workout clothes) and head out the door.  To combat the Truman factor, we take him for a quick walk around the neighbor then drop him off at the house and then we hit the road.  James does pretty good when we go on a run.  I do make sure that I have snacks for him and I give it to him half way through.  A lot of time, he’ll just sit in the stroller and I hardly notice he is there.  Sometimes we stop by the library on our way home, Bonus!

This is an old picture, we don't have the line TV anymore. 

One area in my workout routine that I can improve on with my non-running days.  I can’t really do my workout DVDs when James is awake.  There is a lot of phone taking or tacking when I try to do them when he is awake. So I have to fit it in when he is sleeping along with during the stuff for Wes’ business, chores and anything else that is 10 times easier when James is asleep.  So working out doesn’t always get done. But I know that everyone says that you have to make them a priority or act like they are an appointment that you can miss.  I do like to add the workout DVDS to the mix because they really do help you tone up.  You can’t get six-pack or super ripped arms just with running. 

I have about 10 - 15 pounds left to loose but I’m just gonna see what happens.  See where I feel my best and where it’s something that I can easily maintain and still enjoy my favorite foods. 

So thats just a quick update on where I am or what I have found in the past few months since my last fitness update.  I do feel good at where I am, some of my pants/shorts feel looser, and I do know that I’m making progress.

-Have you ever tried to cut out a certain food group and noticed a huge difference afterwards?

-What is your favorite form of exercise?  Do you like workout tapes or are you a prefer being outside?

-Megan

My Cleaning Schedule

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are having a good day.  Honestly, my morning isn't going that great.  I got ready to go on a run (finally) and when I was getting James some snacks, I noticed ants in his snack cup.  A short story on me and ants. I don't really like them but I try my best to just let them be, especially if they aren't in my kitchen or getting in my way.  But I ended up finding so many in my purse that I totally freaked out and spend about 20 minutes trying to clean them out.  James was fussy and wanted to be held but I was dealing with the ant issue. My theory on why they ended in my bag was because of a baggie that used to be filled with strawberries from last night baseball game mixed with all the rain we have gotten it just a big invite for the ants to dive in.  I do find this pretty funny considering the topic of this blog is cleaning and i'm taking about ants in my purse. 

On another note,  I'm taking a meal to another firefighter family (the wife has cancer) tomorrow and I'm in the process of making cookies to go with the dinner and I went to the store and grab all the supplies the other day and I just got around to making them last night/today.  I didn't use one of my recent favorite recipes because I wanted something quick so I followed the recipe on the back of the bag and man, it's has let me down so much.  I even used good butter and let the dough cool in the fridge for over 12 hours so everything should be good to go but I ended up with flat, sad looking cookies.  So flat and sad looking that I don't want to deliver them to the family and they will probably end up going to the fire station.  Those guys really aren't picky and love drop in sweets.  

Update: I made more cookies after James went to bed. I used a new recipe. It was very similar to the tollhouse recipe but I used 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar ( a little more brown sugar than the other recipe) and 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder.  And these cookies looked great.  Not flat and came off the tray so nice.

So thats how my morning is going.  On the flip side at least I got a run in.  So back to the main topic of this post my cleaning schedule.  I came across this article about a cleaning schedule and I thought it was a good read and had a lot of good ideas. 

After some trail and error I have found a schedule that works for me.  I like to divide the work load into 6 different days and taking Sunday off.  Before I had this schedule I found myself spending 3 to 4 hours cleaning on a Saturday morning and always feeling like I had do to a massive clean up with someone was stopping by in a few minutes.  But with this schedule I eliminated that Saturday morning clean up and the mad rush to clean up. 

On Mondays - I clean the kitchen, wipe down the appliances, take the trash out (Tuesday is trash day) and try to mop the floors (doesn't always get done every week.

When you have to clean and someone wants to be held.

Tuesday - I clean the bathrooms and do a load of towels.  I use old rags, instead of paper towels, to clean so I use a lot of towels on Tuesday and Monday so doing the towels after those two days just makes sense for me. 

Wednesday - I clean the living room on this day. I try to wipe down James toys and clean his playmate during one of this nap and try to dust too.  I'm not really good at dusting.  And what I mean by not good at it is just that I don't really notice it and or take the time to clean it.  This also used to be a James laundry day.  Until a month or so ago I used to do James' laundry on Wednesday and Saturday because he isn't going through multiple outfits so the amount of laundry didn't warrant enough to do another load of laundry. I also try to switch change bedsheets and changing pad cover. 

Thursday - I vacuum the house.  Like I said I don't have a very big house and only two rooms in our house have carpet right now.  So I try and vacuum those and the rug in the kitchen on Thursday.  Also on Thursday I try to tidy up our bedroom.  You know how it goes and things get put where they should belong or clothes don't get put away properly.

Friday - Friday is a big laundry day. I usually do mine and Wes' laundry and our bedsheets.  I don't really do any other house cleaning that day because I've already tackled the rest of the house so it's just a touch up day.  This is also, usually our grocery shopping day, so that takes a couple of hours. 

Saturday - I change James' sheets.  I like to change them twice during the week because he does spend more time in his bed than we do and I like to make sure his sheets are nice and fresh.  Saturday is also clean out car day.  I don't do a major detail every Saturday but I try to gather up all the toys and trash that have seemed to gather in the course of the week. 

I try to do one more monthly chore during the week.  These our things that don't need to be done every week but really do help the house seem nice and clean when they are done.  I think I originally set these chores up do be done on Saturday but I really just find myself doing them randomly through out the week.  I'll look at the fridge and think, man this is really dirty and clean it.  Or realize that I can't really see through the windows and clean them. 

The last thing on the cleaning schedule is the daily tasks.  These tasks are what help keep the house always in decent shape and you don't have to go to a mad rush when someone stops by.  My goal every night, before I go to bed, is to get these done but it doesn't always end up that way.  But I try.  I did time myself the other day and it took me about 20 minutes or so to do all these things and that included even cleaning up from dinner.  
 - Make the bed in the morning
- clean up the kitchen and start the dishwasher (if full)
- pick up the living room: put away toys, fix pillows and blankets
-put away items that have traveled through the day
- sort through the mail as soon as I bring it in the house


So there you have it.  My cleaning schedule and how I try to keep my house looking nice and clean even with a 14 month old who seems to try to pull out everything that I have just put away. 

Do you find yourself cleaning all in one day or through out the week?
Do you have certain things that you find you have to do before you go to bed?

-Megan

Why I Run

Hi Everyone,  

I hope you all are having a good week. Sorry about the delay in posting between catching a cold this weekend, Wes’ business getting busy and the olympics being on TV it’s been hard for me to find time to sit down and write.  

But I thought I would go ahead and write about why I run. Honestly, I feel like, if you were to ask anyone who runs, they don’t run just for the exercise benefit.  There are plenty of other exercises out there that can get you the same benefits as running so you have to get something extra from it.  So I’m gonna list a few of the reasons why I run. 

It’s relaxing.  I do understand how crazy this sounds but it’s true. I found this quote and it’s so true and I think about it often.  I discovered this quote a couple of years ago when I first got into running, before James.  

I think what’s so relaxing about it is because you can almost tune out all the other thoughts in the run, especially if you are struggling.  A lot of the times when I run all I find myself thinking about is my foot placement and my breath. With those thoughts and my music/podcasts coming through my headphones, I find myself not thinking about all that I have to do in the day, what the hard parts might be, where I might struggle.  There just isn’t room for that when you are running.

There was just something so relaxing and freeing about getting up early in the morning and just running. And while I don’t run as early as I used to, I still find it just as relaxing and I really think James does too.  Most of our runs, he’ll just sit in the stroller and eat this snacks and just be chill.  He doesn’t make a lot of sounds, he doesn’t try to climb out of the stroller, he just sits and lets me run.  Which leads me to my next point.

Puts you in a good mood.  Again this is something that sounds strange to non runners but I can tell a total difference in my mood and my patience when I do get a run in and when I don’t. And I can kind of tell with James.  He’s not as fussy during the day or maybe I just have more patience for it. 

Not only does it put you in a good mood afterwards, it always makes me what to be super productive. Half of my kitchen and bathrooms have been organized post run.  I don’t know if it’s the extra energy you are supposed to get from the exercising but I find myself looking at a problem and instead of saying, I’ll deal with it later, I pull everything out and fix it right then and there. 

Feeling my body move. There is something powerful about feeling your body when you run.  Feeling your leg muscles stretch and contract and your lungs expand.  You almost feel like this is what your body is meant to do, it just feels natural.  I don’t talk about it often but in the past couple of years I’ve had pain around my lower back/ hip muscle.  It’s not bad enough that I have seek professional help but it does cause a little pain in the morning or after a long car ride.  But the thing that I find amazing about running is that when I run, I don’t feel it.  The pain and tightness that would cause me to walk strange and bend down to pick something up at a weird angle is gone when I put my body to the edge and run. 

I like to say that I’m a runner.  This one is kind of vain but I like being able to say it and even though I’m still in the beginning stages of running and can only run a few minutes at a time. I am still a runner and if anyone asks what I enjoy doing, I say runner.  There is some satisfying about saying that.  

I would highly recommend running to anyone and not just for people looking to lose weight.  If you are finding that your day is just full of stress and not any free time for yourself. Try running.  You don't have to go out and run a mile, just get out there.  I like the app 10k runner.  It a free app and it breaks down training for a 10k into 14 weeks. You start out small, 30 second runs and build up from there. And you might think to yourself, oh I can't run or I'll look so slow.  But who cares, the people out there who are running aren't judging you, they will give you a smile to say, keep going, you got this.  Unless you run like Phoebe or Captain Jack, then there might be a little judgement. 

What is your most relaxing part of your day? 

What is your favorite exercise? how did you start? 

Taking a look inside my diaper bag

Hi Everyone,

Can you believe that it’s already Friday?  Or have you been counting down since Monday morning.  Today James and I are attending my first MOPS (moms of preschoolers) meetings.  Yes I know James isn’t in preschool yet but this group is for moms with kids from 0 -5. It’s held at my church and from everyone that I’ve connected with on the Facebook page seems really nice and helpful.  I think it will be a good thing.  The only thing I’m a little nervous about is that the meeting is from 9 - 11 which is James’ normal first nap time.  We did a test run at home on Wednesday by not putting him down for a normal morning nap and he seemed to do pretty well so I feel a lot better now going into today. 

I don’t know about you but I love seeing what other people pack in their diaper bags.  I always find them helpful for the item that I may have forgotten to pack or overlooked thinking I wouldn’t need it.  So I thought I would donate to the cause and let you have a peek inside my diaper bag.  

In full disclosure this is my third diaper bag - my first diaper bag was a backpack, an Eddie Bauer one.  Wes really pushed for that one and it was nice but I didn’t like how I had to dig way into it when I need to get something.  This diaper bag has actually become Wes’ everyday backpack.  He was going on a trip and he couldn’t find his backpack so he borrowed James and never gave it back.  I will save that it was nice to be able to just throw it over my shoulder and no have it slip down my arm. 

The second bag was a big diaper bag with a lot of storage and big openings.  This one was perfect for the prime months of 3 - 9.  When James still hadn't committed to a real schedule and I never know if I was gonna need something or not. But I got tired of how big the bag was and how heavy it got so I started to search for a new one.  

I decided to get a type of bag that I have always favored - a messenger bag from the SkipHop brand. And I’m so glad that I bought this bag, it holds just the right amount of things for me and has a ton of pockets. Even a shallow one for my keys that is on the outside of the main zipper compartment.  and I even use it when I don’t need to like I trip to the grocery store without James when before I would pull out my wallet and switch it over to a new purse. 

But back to the main topic of this blog, all the stuff that I put into my diaper bag for a 1 year old because what you need for a 1 year old is very different than 1 month old. 

I’m gonna try and name everything that I pulled out of my diaper bag last night. I didn’t go through the diaper bag beforehand so it was full of a bunch of random things. I tried to be good and write down everything but then I lost that piece of paper so I’m gonna try and name everything but I will probably forget something.

What I usually keep in there:

-Wallet

-toiletry bag

-a pair of socks (for gymboree)

-tissues

-boogie wipes

-paci wipes

-antibactierial wipes

-first aid kit

-snack bar (for me)

-burp cloth

-dirty diaper bags 

-snack cup (James)

-bucket hat (James)

-Sunglass (me)

-hand sanitizer

-food mat (for eating out)

-extra paci and paci strap 

-chap stick

-changing pad

-a wet bag with a extra diaper and wipes

Not pictured:

-sunglasses (James) I took them out for him to wear on a walk and haven’t put them back in yet

-sunscreen - we are down to our last tub and it is floating between the house and the bag

Extra stuff that was in there:

-receipts 
-school supply list (for my church backpack thing)
-old indians tickets
-extra toy and book
-almost gone snack bar for James
-extra paci
-James’ shoes 
-extra outfit for James
-left over snack bag

You might be interested on why I don’t carry an extra outfit  for James in my diaper bag.  I know he isn’t immune to accidents.  We actually had one at Ikea hence the change of clothes between the pictures.  But I usually keep extra diapers and an extra pair of clothes in my car. If we don’t take my car on a trip then I pack an extras with me.  But maybe I will do a post about the storage box in my trunk sometime. The reason why I had an extra pair is because I thought we were going to go to a water activity and I wanted to be prepared. 

Since Wes doesn’t take James too many places alone and doesn’t need my diaper bag I am able to refill as a I go through it.  I have been caught a couple of times down on the snack area but I am able to make do.  

I don’t really keep any toys in my diaper bag because James doesn’t seem to be to entertained by them so why carry them.  Thats also a big reason on why you need to make sure that your diaper bags works for you.  If you need to carry 4 diapers at all times, do that.  If toys will keep your kids from a melt down, go ahead with your bad self and pack toys.  No one is going to have the same diaper bag needs as you and your kids.  Do whatever works for you.

- Did you always carry the same diaper bag or did you go through a couple until you found one that works best for you? 
- What is/ was the one item in your diaper bag that you have to have with you?