Tuesday Treats: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Remember the Friends episode where Phoebe asks Monica and Chandler what they would like for an engagement gift and all Monica wants is Phoebe's grandmother's famous chocolate chip cookie recipe? But when Phoebe goes into the burned apartment, she realizes the recipe is destroyed and Monica, Phoebe and Ross try different recipes to see if they can recreate the original one? All to finally figure out, it was just the Nestle Tollhouse recipe?!

Well, friends, I'm not sharing anything real new with you today either...its just the famous

Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

with a few minor details I tweek

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional...I omit)

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in medium mixing bowl.

*Add in a little extra flour, just a little*

Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in large mixing bowl until creamy.

*Now, add in a little extra vanilla...just a splash*

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Stir in morsels (and nuts).

*Refrigerate dough over night or for a couple hours*

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, just until golden brown.

*Bake only one sheet at a time*

Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes.

Transfer to wire racks to completely cool.

I find my little details make chewier, softer cookies, which we love in this household, especially with a cold glass of milk!

Enjoy!

*Newlywed Note: Be sure to save some of these treats in two little baggies; one for when hubby gets home and smells the delicious smell coming from the oven, and one for his lunch the next day. Trust me, he'll thank you!

Monogram Monday: Bach Party

Oh how I wish I was in West Palm Beach with the best group of girls ever right about now! This time last year, we were down in Florida, roasting in the sun (literally, it was soooo hot), dancing the nights away! Since my wonderful friends flew down to Florida to celebrate with me and took time out of their busy schedules, I wanted to bring them a little something on the trip to say "Thanks!"

Since our wedding colors were "raspberry" and "celery," as how I described them to everyone, I bought some pink and some green bags from Target, and mismatched the tissue paper inside. Inside each bag, I put a koozie with their initial (to make sure our drinks kept cool on that hot hot beach!). You can find these koozies here or in many other retail stores.

In their bags, I also included a bikini bag! I LOVE these things! It has a lining so it's great to take a wet bathing suit home in at the end of a beach day without getting the rest of your clothes wet or smelly. If I'm not using it for a bikini, I also use it on the beach to carry my cell phone, ipod, etc in, that I dont want to get wet or ruined in the sand. They are so cute, and even a couple of them are dedicated to breast cancer, which made me feel great when purchasing them!

What a great weekend, with the best group of girls!

Since many girls have asked, this was just a little gift for thanking them for coming to the bachelorette party. For the bridesmaids gifts for the wedding, click here.

Southern Staple: Deviled Eggs

While in college at UT, I was told many times I was "a yankee."

However, I'm told all the time now that I "should move to the south" because I am such "a southern girl at heart."

Well, I've been born and raised in Maryland my whole life, but would like to think I have the manners of a Southern Lady just like my sweet friends in Tennessee! I learned a lot from them over my four years, and one thing I know is

Maryland IS south of the Mason Dixon lines and in Maryland we make Deviled Eggs, too!

*Newlywed Note: I love Deviled Eggs, but the hubby does not! He does not like the smell what so ever! (The smell of eggs and tuna make him gag; of course I love these two foods)

So, since the hubster was out golfing this morning, I decided to make some of these yummies!

(It's all about compromise, ladies, and finding little "tricks" to make things work)

1. Boil eggs. Hmm...harder than it sounds...

Now, I have tried and tried to do this on my own, however, the shells were either stuck to the egg, or I made some kind of mess. That was until I discovered the Eggsact Egg Timer a couple years ago! THANK GOD for this! I have NEVER had an egg come out bad when using this! You just plop it in the boiling water with an egg, and when the red egg turns completely purple, they are finished cooking!

2. Let eggs cool. I usually boil eggs one day, and make the deviled eggs the next, but that's just me because I'm very impatient (that would be a "Yankee" trait of mine, I guess!)

Ingredients:

4 Hard boiled eggs

2 Tbsp Mayo

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt

pepper

paprika

3. Slice the eggs in half with a sharp knife.

4. Place the yolks in a seperate small bowl and combine with mayo, mustard, salt and pepper.

Now, I know some people get out the mixer and mix it all up. I prefer to go the lazy way, and beat it together with a fork (less clean up for me!)

Plus, my mom has always done it this way, and as we all know,

"Momma knows best!"

5. Fill a plastic baggie with the yolk mixture and cut a little hole and fill the egg white halves.

6. Sprinkle with paprika.

ENJOY!

Listen up, Sorority Alumni!

When visiting my cousin in South Carolina, she gave me a wonderful idea! She said some of the alumni of her sorority were taking their sorority pin to a jeweler and turning it into a piece of jewelry they could wear, such as a ring. How great of an idea is that?!

Here is the Delta Delta Delta pin I have, which is tucked away in my jewelry box since college.

So, why not get it out from the jewelry box and show it off?! I'm going to take it to our local jeweler and see if they can make it into either a charm for my charm bracelet, a pendant for a necklace, or...

...my favorite idea, a ring!

My only concern is that I would love to pass down my pin to daughter, niece, granddaughter, etc one day. I think it is very special. I was lucky enough that my sister invited me to her pinning as a Tridelta at Maryland, it was so special, something that not everyone gets to share. However, I could not hand down my pin to her, as I was still an active college Tridelt too!

For now, I'm going to check out the prices and see what would work best with the pin and I'll let you know as soon as I find my out what my latest jewelry with pearls will be!

Wedding

Lastest Fashion Obsession

Oh what would I do for a Vintage Alhambra necklace. However, this newlywed girl is busy saving, saving, saving for our future dream home and future kiddies (I don't know how all you parents do it these days!), so that necklace isn't even on the back burner; it's out the window. But low and behold I found this beauty at Fornash for a mere $38!!!

And while I was "there," I also saw the fall line for my favorite bracelet! I love these bracelets not only beacuse they are colorful and fun, but they actually fit my small wrist!!! I saw these at "In the Pink" in Cape Cod and bought a pink and white one (from their spring/summer collection), but felt the need to get a fall one too. My sister originally had gotten one that was green and white, but she lost it. Being the kind, loving, sweet, adoring (alright, hopefully she's gagging now) sister I am, I bought her a new one!

And what about these bracelets?! LOVE them, however I think they will be too big for my wrist, but I might snatch up some for a gift...hmm!
Happy Fornash Shopping, girls!

Wednesday Wellness: Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Because of this....

I am rewarded with this...
THE NOOK!!!!!!!!!!!
So recently my dad was diagnosed with Vitamin B12 deficiency and has to get monthly B12 shots. He could either go to his doctors office once a month to get these shots, or his loving, caring, and compassionate nurse daughter can give this to him. :)
Now, mind you, I like giving this to him as it keeps him in check. If he is "mean" to me, all I have to do is reminding him who is sticking a big old IM needle in his deltoid this week! Only kidding!!!
So, since I'm giving these shots to my dad and saving him a little time and money, they surprised me with THE NOOK this past weekend at the beach as a thank you!
I was more than excited!!!! I have been looking at the Nook and the Kindle for a while and I am already picking out a ton of books I can't wait to read!

First on the list - "Heart of the Matter" by Emily Grifin!

I just finished the book last night and it was as great as you all said it would be!

It's amazing the amount of joy I get from reading a good book!

So a little about Vit B 12 deficiency....

First let me tell you my father had numbness and tingling in his hands which his doctor was sure was just Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. My dad tried wearing the hand braces and all that, but with little improvement. His doctor decided to check his Vit B12 level, and sure enough, this was the cause of his numbness and tingling!
Why is this hard to diagnose at times? Well, usually if you have a B12 deficiency, you usually are anemic, or have low blood count and have macrocytic (large) cells. However, B12 deficiency can also occur in the elderly population with a normal blood count. (Not that my dad is elderly...he definately would not like me telling you all that! He is 62 and looking great!) Other signs and symptoms of this deficiency include tiredness, weakened concentration, irritability, and sleep disturbances. B12 deficiency may also be completely asymptomatic.

I was reading a journal article that stated we are not picking up the diagnosis often. It is treated so easily, sometimes by a daily pill and sometimes a monthly shot, or a combination. So, if you have any of these symptoms, it might be wise to ask your health care provider to check your levels.

There is so much more I could share with you on this topic, however, this is my blog, my downtime, my time away from work (and that 24 hour on call blackberry stuck to my hip). So, I will stop here for now and get back to a little reading on the Nook!