Wha?!? Cookies for Breakfast?!?

Yep, cookies for breakfast. I recently found this recipe for "Breakfast Cookies" from Ellie Krieger of the Food Network (I told you I had an obsession, right??) I tried them, and they are so.damn.good. And they are perfect for those of you who are like me.... waiting until you have 27 seconds left in your morning routine to decide on breakfast. Plus, they are portable, so I can eat one in one hand, hold my coffee in the other, and pray for the other drivers on the roadways with me each morning. Double plus! Oh, and since I hate raisins, I subbed Craisins.

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped

Directions

Place rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Couch to 5K Plan

I have toyed with the idea of taking up running for a long time now. I just either can't get motivated, or I start too big and get discouraged. I have had this plan recommended to me numerous times, so I think I am going to start it. I like the interval training idea, so that I can pace myself. And I plan to post some "before" "after" and "in progress" pictures as well, to help with the motivation to keep going. If anyone has any tips on the program, or any running words of wisdom, please share! Wish me luck!

New Hair

I was in some desperate need of a hair cut. Like, a year and a half desperate. So, when I was finally able to go to the salon, I was thrilled! You would have thought I won the lottery.

I love bangs, and I decided to go all out. I love it. Really love it. And the best part is, my stylist will keep them trimmed for me for free. No more years of waiting for the mullah to get the hair did. Awesomeness.

Thoughts on the new do? Yay of Nay?

Love

I have a love/hate relationship with my job. I am a preschool teacher, and am currently working in the infant/toddler room. I love my babies and toddlers, but sometimes I have a hard time being enthusiastic about my work. Why, you ask? Because as an industry, mine is not nearly compensated for the amount of work we do. We are over-worked and under-paid. The scheduling sometimes sucks, and working with a staff of all women can be wearing on the brain and the soul.

Why be a preschool teacher then? Why put myself through the stressors I do? Because of days like today.

My favorite kid (we're not supposed to have faves, but whatev.... I do) is so dang cute. We'll call him "M." Tonight, at pick-up time, said "favorite kid's" mom came to me and told me a story that warmed my heart and reminded me of why I do this job.

She told me that she was put "M" down for bed last night. He stretched his arms behind his head, put his pacifier in his mouth, and started to drift off, while looking dreamily at the ceiling with an inquisitive look on his face. When she leaned in and asked him what he was thinking about, his little voice whispered, "Lori."

I think my heart simultaneously grew three sizes and melted. I love that damn kid.

And I love being a preschool teacher. Most of the time. ;)

Happy Birthday, Tito!

I never understood people who did not treat their pets like little family members. Hello..... they are like little people! My little man, Tito, is like my baby. He is sweet, lovable and oh-so-cute. One of my favorite times of the day is the moment I walk into the house after a hard, long day of work.... that tail wagging like crazy, with a big wet doggy smooch to welcome me home. So today, we celebrate my sweet pup's 6th Birthday. He's getting so big (figuratively, or course.... he's a chihuahua..... he doesn't really grow bigger)!

To help T enjoy his big day, I made him a special doggie dinner. He scarfed down a dish of eggs, rice and carrots. I take it by the bowl I found in the kitchen licked clean, that he liked it!

Happy Birthday, Tito!

Here's to many more years of fun,

love, and big wet doggie

smooches!

MYOTO (thanks, Rachael Ray)

I made a recipe the other night, which would easily be a fabulous stand-in for my usual Chinese take out. It's a "Make-Your-Own-Take-Out" meal (aka MYOTO, a term coined by Rachael Ray of Food Network). I am a bit obsessed with the Food Network, and Mizz Ray, so don't be surprised if you see a bunch of their crap peddled around this blog. It's a sickness for which I wish no cure.


I found this recipe in a recent Cooking Light issue, and fell in love with it. It's a Chicken Kung Pao, minus the fried greasiness. I love spice, so we ended up putting in twice the amount of red pepper flake that was called for! By using red pepper flake, the spice quota can be tailored to anyone's taste, simply by changing the amount. This recipe did not disappoint! I highly recommend it. My broccoli loathing hubbie didn't even mind the broccoli. That's how bomb it was. Take that!

Kung Pao Chicken
courtesy of Cooking Light

Prep Time: 9 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup chicken mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons peanuts)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World), divided
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Dinner and a Fingernail

Sounds scrumptious, no? Tonight while making this yummy recipe I decided that a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese would be great on top of the pasta. I pulled out my trusty grater...... the super sharp, micro plane type chef's grater. And instead of creating perfect shavings of cheese, I created perfect shavings of cheese with a bit o' fingernail mixed in. I was overly confident with my mad chefin' skills and grated my damn thumb. Thank goodness there was only a bit of nail-shed instead of bloodshed. Below is a picture of said nail.

Don't worry, I threw out the cheese. At least the food was good.