Andes Peppermint Oatmeal Cookies

The other night, my roommate and I (well, mostly my roommate) made these really wonderful cookies. They are on the back of those Andes Peppermint Baking Chips bags. I've been looking and looking online for the recipe, and I've found a couple that are very similar, but they add Coconut and Pecans, which we did not add. So I'm just going to take those out!

(Trust me, these are delicious)

What You Need:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups Andes Mint Baking chips

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes).
3. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
4. On low speed, add baking soda and salt, and then flour. Mix completely.
5. Stir in oats and Andes baking chips.
6. Measure out 2 tablespoons for large or 1 tablespoons for small cookies. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet two inches apart. Press lightly.
7. Sprinkle some of the remaining chips (from the 10 oz. bag) on top of each cookie.
8. Bake for 20 minutes for large cookies or 12-15 minutes for small. Do not overbake.

Delicious!

Update!

Not a whole lot going on, really...

• Thanksgiving was great - I heart Rockband and Guitar Hero III!
• Christmas shopping is a pain, and I'm getting a very little amount accomplished every time I shop. But hey, at least it is something!
• I am in the midst of planning a trip to Cabo or Cancun with a friend of mine from work (Jen M.) - it won't be until April or May, but I am very excited - I can't wait to start doing some traveling/vacations.
• My birthday is coming up. I am not really super excited - I know I'm not old, but sometimes I feel like it!
  

I am asking for this wonderful new perfume for my birthday (from Trevor) - it is called Burberry by Burberry. I really love it, but had a very hard time deciding if I really wanted to switch scents. I have always worn Sweet Pea from Bath and Body Works and have a really hard time thinking it's OK to wear BOTH scents, because I'm basically neurotic. But I'm such a rebel and all, I think I can do it...;) I have just never worn perfume before because it always gives me a headache. But now I've finally found one I love, so I'm going for it. Courageous, aren't I?

There is really not much else to ask for as far as my birthday or Christmas, but here is my list so far:

2007 Christmas List

1. Cheapo silver and/or beaded jewelry
2. Sweet Pea Candles
3. Bare Minerals Makeup
4. Gift card to Chris Anthony's (my salon)
5. Clothes, of course!
6. Cute patterned socks
7. DOCS work shoes (like Crocs)
8. Mad Gab (awesome game!)
9. Scrubs
10. Willow Tree Statues

Happy Birthday, Dad!

November 17th (Saturday) was my dad's 50th birthday! My brother and I took him to dinner - it was great. We had these huge margaritas that were DELICIOUS and ate way too much. Afterwards we went home to watch the Phoenix Suns game (they won!)



That was the only picture I took the whole night... at least I got one, though. I'm going to try and take tons of pictures @ Thanksgiving - and start doing Project 365 soon ( a photo a day ) - yea, we'll see.

I Can Cook!

Well, sort of.

I've decided I'm going to start trying new recipes. I really want to learn to become a good cook, so I officially got started the other day. I've found a lot of good ones I want to try over at Recipe Zaar. So this is it (it's really good, and easy!)

What You'll Need:

• 4-5 boneless chicken breasts
  
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans
• 1 (15 oz) can corn
• 1 (15 oz) jar salsa, any kind
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1. Take 4-5 frozen, yes frozen, boneless chicken breasts and put them into the crock pot.
2. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, and 1 can of corn, drained
3. Keep in crock pt on high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked
4. Add 1 package of cream cheese (throw it on top) and let sit for about 1/2 hour
5. That's it!

Now, since the salsa and everything gets so runny, I usually add about 1-2 cups (actually I just eyeballed it, but it's probably about 1-2 cups) of uncooked rice (when you add the cream cheese).

Easy!

ShopGirl

Holy crap. It's the 13th of November - what is going on? It seems like the year is going by so fast. Before I know it, it's going to be Thanksgiving... THEN Christmas (although everyone acts like Thanksgiving doesn't exist... radio stations are already playing Christmas music!). That's absolutely crazy to me! I feel like time keeps going and I make no progress... in anything really. I have so many things I want to do. Eventually I will get to them... I hope.

Trevor and I watched American Gangster the other day - a very good movie. Although I didn't think it was quite as exciting as I had expected, it was still good. I'm not sure that Denzel Washington has ever been in a really bad movie. Bone Collector, Remember the Titans, Pelican Brief, Training Day...and obviously the list goes on. It's a long movie, but definitely worth seeing.

My parents came home from Puerto Vallarta the other night - they were there for about a week and had a wonderful time. It looks absolutely beautiful and I cannot wait to go one of these days. And of course my mom and both had today off (she is a nurse as well) - and what do we do on our days off? Spend too much money, of course. On the plus side, though, I got a birthday present for my dad, who turns 50 on Saturday! I am very happy with the present I got him - my brother and I will be taking to him to dinner Saturday night. It'll be nice - unfortunately my sister and mom can't come, but at least it's something - I couldn't stand the thought of my dad sitting around the house by himself on his birthday! Back to work tomorrow.

Halloween Party

When there's no time to write, upload photos!

Best costumes ever!

H-A-LL-O-W-EE-N

Well, Halloween was pretty uneventful as usual. My nephew, Nic, was supposed to come over to go trick-or-treating at my parent's house. However...he's been having a few "troubles" at school. "Troubles" being not doing his homework and failing the 3rd grade. His mom and dad told him he wouldn't be able to go trick-or-treating if he didn't bring home his agenda on Tuesday (the 30th)... and he didn't bring it home! Everyone was really, really bummed. It always sucks to tell a little kid they can't go out on Halloween, especially because you just know everyone at his school will be talking about it today. But a parent has to do what a parent has to do. He was going to be a gunslinger - maybe next year.

We had some friends over to our apartment but I opted to go to my parents house instead. My mom, dad, brother and I ate dinner and handed out candy. It is always nice to hang out with the family. And we always give out really, really good stuff. My parents always buy full size candy bars - Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, 3 Musketeers... yea, the real good stuff! That is what they have always done. One green-faced witch child came up, did the "Trick-or-Treat" thing, and I thought being the nice gal I am I would let her pick which one she wanted. So she grabs one, puts it in her bag, and actually goes to grab another one! I actually had to tell her "No...just one." Needless to say I was extremely appalled! Maybe I'm crazy. Overall, though, it was good. And I think this year I carved my cutest pumpkin ever - a little kitty cat. Don't you love it? :)

Tonight Trevor and I are going to one of his friends' Halloween party. I think it's kind of weird to have a Halloween party the day after Halloween...but to each their own. It should be fun anyway - we are going as gangsters, like a Bonnie and Clyde kind of deal! I am very excited about that - it's been a long time since I've actually dressed up for a Halloween party! I'm sure I will have lots of pictures.