Revised Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup oat flour* (I ground 1 minute oatmeal)
1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP Brown Rice flour
1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP Tapioca Flour/Starch
1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP Sweet/Glutinous Rice Flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp arrowroot starch
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup raw sugar (or white sugar)
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1–1.5 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips* (with no peanut warning!)

In one bowl sift all the dry things together – flours, xanthan gum, soda, salt, cream of tarter, arrowroot. I sifted them twice to ensure they were as smooth as I could get them.

In the stand mixer (that’s what I used. You can use whatever floats your boat – or is available in your kitchen…) put the brown sugar, raw sugar, and butter. Mix until very thoroughly blended.
Add to that mixture the eggs and vanilla. Mix again until combined and it turns a much lighter color and is fluffier.

Add the dry ingredients a cup or so at a time.. Mix until blended.

Add the chocolate chips. Mix by hand.

CHILL THE DOUGH – for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 325. Center rack.

Make a ball of dough that’s about a rounded tablespoon and leave the cookies about two inches apart.

Baked for 12-14 minutes.

When you remove them from the oven allow them to sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

*The amount of chocolate chips depends on my mood. These pictures have 1.5 cups. It’s a lot of chocolate and makes them messier to eat until they are totally cool. I really love the cookie part of chocolate chip cookies so sometimes I use less chocolate so that I get more dough bites.

**If you want you can use two tsp of baking powder and omit the arrowroot, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Baking powder has cornstarch so I have to avoid it.

I’m done revising these cookies now. In between my posts there were about 10 slight adjustments. I do want something to more finely grind my oat flour but I won’t change the amount.

The End! Yummy!

Five Words

Today I read two blog posts. One was from Camela who does a thing called BYOC (bring your own crazy) every Friday and the questions are always different. One of them today was to have several people (friends, family, etc.) describe you in 5 words.

And then another was a link Camela sent me to a post challenging a person to come up with 5 things you like about yourself.

I knew I’d have a hard time with that but having my friends say nice things to me was a lovely thing to have happen today as I’m mentally not in the best place in the world. Getting used to having Fibromyalgia – it’s a toss up whether that’s harder physically or mentally…

Anyway – this was great fun and I highly recommend it if you need a mental boost. And then ABSOLUTELY go write five nice things about yourself! Above all we should like ourselves!

Drew
I totally told him he had to add more to replace clean because… LAME.

1. Clean (gee. isn’t he romantic?)
2. Motivated (huh?)
3. Sensitive
4. Perfectionist (who is he talking about?)
5. Sexy (awww)
6. Sensual
7. Committed

Leah
(she was so extremely shy about this. It was so sweet!)

1. good cook
2. nice
3. gives lots of kisses (then we had a little talk about what the word affectionate means)

Hannah

Me: Can you describe mommy?
Hannah: Yes.
Me: Well?
Hannah: FUNNY! (with all the glee in the world. I love that girl)

Renee

1. smart
2. funny
3. awesome
4. compassionate
5. honest

Kathy

1. empathetic
2. creative
3. loving
4. patient
5. strong

Leah (my sister)

1. compassionate
2. nurturing
3. intelligent
4. talented
5. sensitive

Camela
who wouldn’t stop at 5 and when I pointed that out said she was doing a 2nd set of 5. She’s a rebel.

1. real
2. loyal
3. trustworthy
4. fun
5. a little crazy
6. intense
7. mother
8. friend
9. creative
10. smart

Jeff

1. Genuine
2. Irreplaceable
3. Witty
4. Vulnerable
5. Loyal

Ann Marie

1. Amazing
2. Brave
3. Fierce Dancer (I've not seen it, but I can imagine)
4. Cool Mom
5. Awesome Friend

Ann Marie said these things to me on FB and then we had the following exchange:

Me: Thanks!! And LOL at Fierce Dancer - In my own mind I am. That's the same thing, right??

Her: I believe that is the DEFINITION of being a fierce dancer. :D

(that made me laugh. hard.)

Jen

1. thoughtful
2. great listener
3. compassionate
4. strong
5. persevering

Becky

1. generous
2. selfless
3. Google-queen
4. genius
5. mathematician

My Mom/Cathy

1. brilliant
2. forgiving
3. absolutely fabulous friend
4. intuitive mother
5. such.a.wonderful.daughter.
6. thoughtful

Me

1. I’m a loyal friend
2. I’m a good mother
3. I am sensitive, emotional AND emotionally strong. (These things can coexist. I think people seem to often not know that.)
4. I am loving and affectionate.
5. I am generous.

That list I made myself took me forever! Sweet glory. I don’t know what that says about me but I don’t feel like analyzing it!

Now go forth and do this exercise. It’s good for you!

Drew for the win!

So yesterday I guess Drew was wandering around downtown Green River, WY and he happens upon a thrift store that is having a “going out of business” sale. He decided to go in a look around.

He found this silver set. And he thought I would love it. He also thought it was probably worth more than the 75 dollars they were selling it for.

The woman told him she didn’t think the silverware was worth much but she new the box itself was worth about 40 bucks. She had a paper that showed the silverware was worth about 500 dollars but she didn’t believe it. Anyway – Drew bought it for me and brought it home because he knew I would love it.

I did some research and found out that it was made in 1921 by Community Plate (which is now Oneida). The pattern is called Grosvenor. It’s silver plated and buying all the pieces I now  have individually… would cost about 800 dollars!

*faint*

http://www.silverpattern.com/Grosvenor.htm – You can see a bunch of pictures there. And if you feel the need to buy me a present… There are some pieces there I would love to have. haha.

Drew wanted to sand and refinish the box and I told him he was out of his mind. I LOVE it just like it is. All vintage and gorgeous.

So here is what it looked like this morning…

So I read all over the internet for awhile about the best ways to clean it. One of them is to induce a chemical reaction. You need aluminum foil, baking soda, salt, and boiling water.

And… then I forgot to take a picture while it was bubbling and doing it’s thing because I was so fascinated. It took most of the tarnish off. I still got a soft old toothbrush (poor Leah. That used to be hers… now it’s in the garbage.) and rubbed off the rest of the tarnish with the toothbrush and a little baking soda. Very gently.

I also cleaned the box inside and out and rubbed it with wood oil cleaner.

These are the after pictures:

LOVE! Yay!

Sisterly Love

Sunday Sentimental Share

I have a… thing… with this song  lately. I’ve been listening to it over and over again. I’ve known this song for many years and always I’ve gotten the message I think she intended but right now – with everything with my health and learning to function within the new normal I’m making for myself – It’s the bold part that is sort of speaking to me as I play it.

And that’s my sentimental share for today.

Also – I just have to publically say how fantastic my husband has been through all of this. He has taken on so much responsibility and is getting so much done when I’m having bad days. I know seeing me hurt is causing him pain. He loves me, He wants to fix it and he can’t. I’m so grateful for his caring and his love and his tenderness towards me. Love you, my Busband.

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
and not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
and useless in times like these

I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
and I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes
But it didn't steal your laughter
and heart ache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after

We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
and I am never broken

In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
and I am never broken

My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
and I am never broken

We are never broken

We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind

We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart

We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes

We are God's hands
We are God's hands

Lasagna Soup

I saw this recipe first on pinterest. The picture pinned there was from here. That blog got it from here.

And here is my version – Not too much changed.

Ingredients

• OLIVE OIL
• 1 lb Ground Turkey (seasoned to really be 1lb sweet Italian turkey sausage. *see note at the end)
• 1 large ONION, pureed
• 4 GARLIC CLOVES, minced
• 2 teaspoon dried OREGANO
• 1/2 teaspoon CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES
• 2 Tablespoon TOMATO PASTE
• 1 28-oz. can FIRE ROASTED DICED TOMATOES
• 1 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
• 6 cups CHICKEN STOCK
• 8 oz. BROWN RICE PASTA
• 1 tablespoon dried BASIL
• SALT and PEPPER, to taste
• 8 oz. RICOTTA
• 1/2 cup grated PARMESAN CHEESE
• 1/4 teaspoon SALT
• pinch of freshly ground PEPPER
• 2 cup shredded MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add pureed onion. Sauté for a couple minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, and chicken stock*. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. Right before serving, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy goodness. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and mozzarella.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. ENJOY!

***

The changes I made from the first link: 1 lb of meat instead of 1.5, dried basil instead of fresh, mixing the mozzarella right into the cheesy goo and I pureed the onions so that I wouldn’t have a whining 6 year old.

Just as a side note: If you’re also avoiding dairy – this soup is awesome long before you put the cheesy goo into it.

Food Pictures… (There. must. be. food. pictures.)

I’m just gonna be real honest here… I forgot to take a picture of the bowl all put together. I might have eaten the whole bowl and then thought of it… heh. Yummy.

If you want to see one though – the other two blogs just have a picture of the finished product.

***

“Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage”

I put in my mortar and pestal: fennel seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes. I ground it until it was good and powdery.

As I was browning the ground turkey I added that mixture, salt, pepper, and a little brown sugar.

No. I measured nothing. I just did it until it smelled good. If I could buy seasoned ground turkey in my little town I absolutely would!

And certainly you could use regular pork sausage. If only that wouldn’t make me wicked sick… haha. Well and it would add a ton more calories.

***

This was a HIT in this house. Leah was beside herself and ate a huge bowl. Yay!

Chatting with Hannah

These four videos took place over the space of 14 minutes. I thought this was a good depiction of how much happy entertainment Hannah brings to our lives everyday!

Mommy is Obnoxious

Getting the look on camera may be the height of my mommying life.

I love that girl!

Do you like me? Do ya? Do ya?

Do you have people in your life who do that?

I do.

I have this one section of people in my life who want me to constantly prove that I like them.

I just don’t have any idea what to do about it. If you have some advice I’d love to hear it.

What I’ve been doing for years is… ignoring it. I’m just myself. If I don’t like you, you will know. But I don’t feel like I should have to go about life PROVING that I like someone.

That’s just exhausting. It’s more about them than it is about me really. A self-esteem issue? I don’t know.

But I don’t like it. And I get tired of hearing through the grape vine “She doesn’t like me.” when I feel like I have done absolutely nothing to suggest that.

Even from people who have rejected my invitations to spend time together! Seriously?

So don’t invite me over, etc… Decline my invitations when I extend them… flat reject me or blow me off about other invitations… and then? Say that *I* don’t like *you*.

*smacks head on desk*

Someone explain this to me. I’m apparently never going to get it.

 

Random Project

I keep all my makeup in a basket. Everything just all lump together in a basket under the sink. Two days ago I decided I didn’t like it anymore.

I did a little googling to decide how I wanted it to be different. In the process I read these two blogs:

Brush Roll & Makeup Bag

And then I made these things with those designs in mind. Just to fit my own needs though. The make up bag has magnetic strips sewn inside instead of a button/loop enclosure. It was all surprisingly easy. Yay.

And from seeing the blog post about the brush rolls my husband now wants me to make some big ones out of denim for his wrenches… Don’t tell him I told you though, k? Thanks.