"gone in 60 seconds" cookies...

okay, i had seen a picture on instagram where my cousin, jennifer, had posted only the coolest looking cookies ever. i just had to try them & of course, share the goodness.

now, i’m not sure where she got this idea originally, but it was new to me, sooo, here goes…*drum roll*

oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies.  

sounds simple, right? oh, you have no idea. i wasn’t sure what kind of recipe or size of oreos were used (just a picture), but it wasn’t too terribly mind boggling to figure out.

i usually buy the mini cookies, crackers, etc for monkey’s lunch, so i had the bite sized oreo cookies on hand. add chocolate chip cookie dough to the grocery list & ah-ha…a treat was in the works.

simply ball your dough (like you were making normal cc cookies), make a well (or thumbprint), & insert oreo. mold chocolate chip dough around to conceal surprise inside & place on cookie sheet. bake according to chocolate chip cookie directions. voila!

please excuse the glare off of my super seasoned stone!



i made 2 dozen of these yums & they were gone in a flash. it was like a record, even in this house, where most sweets are consumed in a timely fashion, but at least make it longer than a day or so. (i managed to get 2 of them)

now go…take this knowledge & run with it. you’re welcome. also, these guys have inspired me to invent or experiment with some other sweet traditions. i’ll see what i can come up with. & if you think of anything, or have some ideas up your sleeves, please share!

hey there, good looking!

but we have to eat...

good gracious, but food is expensive! since i started back to school, i’ve fallen behind on my big shopping trips, where i try to knock out a couple of weeks at a time & stock the pantry, freezer, etc. the necessities have been, instead, broken into several back & forths. what we need for that day or the next. this can be a more costly way of shopping & sometimes results in still not getting what is actually needed.

but friday was my day…i was back & organized & ready to be better about making sure meals were planned ahead. i could get caught up.

i had scoured my local grocery’s latest sales ad; with list in hand & some coupons (because why the heck not), i headed out. now, i’m not totally naïve when it comes to the obviously pricier snacks & general fancy cuisines that one can find in the market…& these things are usually not on my list, unless, there’s a special event. but, i was shocked! how come some of my fave buys had gone up? i didn’t understand. i mean, we eat pretty good. i try to buy organic, or close to, but within sensibility, so i do rely on the faithful stand-bys. i do my best to overlook the “bad” stuff for the sake of not creating yucky habits for the monkey, but that seems to be the cheaper avenue. or so i thought. the “organics” have gone up & the regular brands are right behind them.

everything is high these days. even the bologna with the red plastic tape thingy around it, spam, vienna sausages, etc…you know, po people food; i checked. no offense, if you eat these things & like them…i am only referring to it as “po” because these were the only foods that my family could afford at times when i was a kid. the one constant cheapy that we love around here & is almost always in the cabinet…ramen noodles. (i know, but we loveth them)

meats are off the charts ridiculous. i wanted to make sure my guys had plenty of non-veg options to choose from. i bought a pork loin (on sale), & several fishes (frozen & non). i had planned on buying chicken because it was on sale, but from what i could observe amidst the huge crowd around that particular section, was that the selection was less than desirable. i think i’ll send the hubs out for a more thorough investigation, as the cuts & blood seeping packaging causes me to have a physical reaction.

trust me, i have plenty of hearty meals planned. canned black beans rinsed & pureed make killer burgers, for example (& save almost $3 over the frozen variety). there are like a bazillion meals that pasta & rice can make or side with; add fish, add veggies…eggplant parmesan, soups…oh, & go ahead & grab that whole wheat kind; it’s about the same as the regular in cost anymore.

but still, i wonder…why has food gone up so much. the basics; milk, bread, sugar, & don’t even get me started on cereals…even the generics in the plastic bags are more, unless there’s a close-out or store special.

i was absolutely sick that i spent $120, even though i saved over $40 with coupons…yes, i did! wow, that makes me sound really cheap, huh?! i’m not…i’m on a budget. & i used to think that it was worth an extra buck or two to buy the “healthy” stuff for my family. that the food/grocery industry was doing the leg work for me. i felt bad for families potentially in harm’s way by giving them no other options than what was affordable when it came to eating well. because most families are pinching pennies & time, but essentially want to serve balanced dinners, right? but dang, even the people who never paid attention to their shopping receipts before are beginning to feel the hit (because i hear things); we’re all in this boat together. not to mention that while the labels on items seem to be more descriptive, i still have no clue what the heck half of the ingredients are; some i can’t even pronounce…no thank you!

i'm glad that i have gone back to basics. planning meals ahead of time, using simple staples to create the pricier pre-made store buys; spaghetti sauce, hummus, pita chips, french fries; to name a few. attempting to grow my own veggies & herbs; buying vegetables from little old men locally & purchasing spices at dollar stores while my garden grows.

it is easy to be smart about savings or is it? even i can use new suggestions; just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the economy is there with a sneaky little wrench…still cheaper to supersize at a “drive thru,” but not worth it to this momma!

i’m hoping that the squirrels will leave my veggies alone long enough to pick, that my gorgeous basil will be a hit on the next homemade pizza, & that even jell-o (yes, jell-o…cheapest snack around) might go down a cent or two. & in the meantime, i’m learning how to make my own mayo, bake my own bread, & whatever else comes to mind to save for my home & as a plus, insure where some of our food is coming from. cheaper, nutritional living…it really should be a no brainer that doesn't cost a large percentage of one's income...sheesh.

seriously, going to build that sustainable farm one day…who’s with me?

thursday ramblings...

·        sandwiches & candy are my main source of nutrition these days. i mean, you can make anything into a sammie & candy helps me get through 5 hours of class each night.

·        the squirrels have sought revenge on the beagle dog who barks at them every 5 minutes by eating my bell peppers before i can pick them. (thanks, scout!)

·        instead of “standing” on my soapbox, i opened it up & started pouring again.

·        mother’s day was sweet; rainy, lazy day with my boys.

·        there’s a plant hook in the ceiling that i just noticed the other day. even though i think i’ve seen it before…like when we bought the house, 10 years ago.

·        my chickens are getting ginormous!

·        i have too much free time in the mornings (still no work). i don’t get as much done as i need to; unfortunately.

·        i had an allergic-esque reaction to the faux color we use in class…then, ordered pizza that was smothered in oregano (which i am allergic to). i think i’m going to start carrying around an epi-pen…just in case.

·        the weather has been very strange this week. i’m not complaining, just saying.

·        did you know there was a show on OWN called ‘who the (bleep) did i marry? this cracks me up for some reason.

·        i’m surrounded by babies, baby talk, & pregnant ladies lately. it’s making me a bit emotional, but this too shall pass.

·        my fave books to read recently are cook books. (that counts, right?)

·        suddenly in the mood to bake cupcakes & roast something.

·        is it wrong that posts on facebook about excessive working out are starting to get to me? i think it’s great for the fitness enthused, but c’mon, i don’t need to know that leg days are on tuesday & upper body is thursday at 7:30 in the morning! i still love you crazy folks, though…& i just smile, & eat a kit kat.

·        monkey’s loose tooth, of about a month now, finally came out! we did a happy dance…seriously!

·        i’m still the master of the quiet game, never lose a staring contest, but apparently i stink at crazy 8’s! oh, well, can’t win ‘em all.

·        my dreams have been beyond bizarre these last few nights. like, weirder than normal.

·        i will not give in to this summer cold…not going to do it!

·        good news…only 68 weeks left of school! (holy crap!)

·        oh, & i totally fell in love with our president all over again last week! & in the famous words of forrest gump “that’s all i have to say about that!”

feeling a bit frenchy...

several folks have asked me how school was going. i give the same stock answer “good.” (because it is…buuut, do you really want to know “how” it’s going?) week one was great. i was nervous & anxious & excited; much like the same as everyone else. wow, a lot of stuff, but i seemed to be right where i needed to be.

day 5, or week two, or hour number 23…it happened. what am i doing here?? escape route? no…no escape route.

you know that overwhelming feeling of frustration & ugh-ness that gets so ginormous that it seeps out into visible drops of water leaking from your eyeballs? yep. that was happening. over braids. a french braid. but, i know how to do that…have done my own locks for years upon years; how could this be? why was something so simple & basic becoming this crazy ordeal? managing to hold back the waterworks on this new style of “upwards, claw handed” braid was difficult. (so much harder to re-learn a style of something you’re used to, as opposed to learning it the very 1^st time…agreed?! p.s. i’m being dramatic) “keep it together, ash” & okay, moving on. because it was, in fact, the french twist that followed, that would break me. & if i hadn’t pulled that together in time, it could’ve potentially gotten me a nom by the academy. oh, the tears…& then the tears because there were tears. why was i so defeated? you see, i’m not particularly a weak individual; it’s when i get to that breaking point that i’m so upset that i’m upset…make sense? i was told by oober awesome instructor to save some tears for finger waves; which truly broke most.

so, i’m sweating all day following day 5…oh crap, would i shed a more embarrassing display over that, too? was that frankie avalon in my head singing “beauty school dropout” true? nope. apparently, your girl gets finger waves & pin curls. craziness. & my sanity & confidence is restored.
follow that with mind-blowing homework…i am not kidding, you guys. chemistry…math…etc. whoa, what am i getting myself in to? am i cut out for this? a few phone calls & i am actually not the only one feeling this way…ah, relief.

plus, it’s cool; in clinic, i successfully teased the mess out of a mannequin’s head after a shampoo set. so much that she came off the tripod! (that’s a passing kind of goodness.) & if my clientele, to start, is little older ladies or the like, then bring it. i feel safe in knowing that ‘truvy’ from steel magnolias would be proud.

yep, my life back in the classroom. learning new things. highs & lows. accomplishing pretty nice results, & not so pretties. making “discoveries” (which is code for oopsies). meeting new people (there are actually only 7 of us…insert a quick “are you on facebook?” or a “what’s your number” friendgirls!) yes, we have quite a long haul to experience together!

this is school after all. i don’t have to be perfect. i just have to understand how to get there! practice, practice, practice. (this mantra will follow me for many months to come…many, many months!)

& in my sincerest, most artistic-loving way, i hope that i make it. i am determined to do so…that count? feel free to send positive, voojoo, happy-go-lucky vibes my way…i will gladly absorb & distribute!

*done with high school (& college), but wiping “my angel face” & continuing with night school…no beauty school dropout!