Cream Cheese Choclate Chip Cookies

This recipe was torn from Oprah Magazine (hope you weren't turning pages looking for it, Emmy) and credits Carrie Nahabedian.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 16 Tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tsp. grated orange zest

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar on high speed until well blended.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
• Reduce speed to low; beat in flour and salt until just combined.
• Stir in chocolate chips and orange zest.
• Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets; space dough about 1 inch apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
• With a spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely; store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I didn't have any orange zest on hand, and I added pecans. I like nuts in my cookies.

The recipe says it makes about 54 cookies, and I got about half that. I suppose my making them too large is one reason why they didn't take 12 minutes to cook and they never really got brown.

Keeping in mind that my mixer bit the dust during step one, I think they turned out rather well, although I still like the recipe on the back of the chocolate chips bag better. I suppose I'll bake those next week, if I get a new mixer!

Smoke, but no fire

I had no intention of being within a five mile radius of any retail operation until I hit the after Christmas sales, but an emergency has arisen. My hand mixer burned up during my batch of cookies and I'm right in the middle of prime baking season, no less. I have breads, cookies, and sweets to mix!


I imagine party goers at our upcoming holiday gatherings won't even know the difference anyway as I usually bring something premade from Dorginac's, but I had visions of the house smelling of gingerbread as I prepared jewel toned tins of homemade cookies for our neighbors and friends. Since I haven't yet bought any jewel toned boxes, I suppose it's just as well the mixer go up in smoke 14 days before Christmas.

Amaryllis Indoors

The amaryllis bloomed while we were away. I am getting better at timing the indoor blooming. Each year, right before Thanksgiving, I start amaryllis and paperwhites inside, hoping to get the blooms for Christmas.

I plant the bulbs outside in the garden afterwards, and am wondering about their blooming times. Last year's paperwhites are coming up, so hoping to see some blooms soon. Last year I didn't get any blooms on the amaryllis in the garden, but I moved them to get some more sun. I should probably get out there and poke around to see if there are any buds popping up. I'd love to cut some to bring inside.

The only other photo

It's me...paddling the canoe at the Natural History Museum in Norman, Oklahoma. Cute, right? ...but that's it. Our only photo from the weekend. I've got to do better.

Fun weekend for all. My next trip to OKC has got to be in the middle of the summer. Seems as though every time I'm there the temperatures don't make it out of the 40s and we inevitably have ice from the sky and stuck on runways and airplanes.

Thanks, Mary, for a great weekend. We look forward to your coming down for a visit in January.

An Event

We're in Oklahoma City for a black tie event with Aunt Mary. And I haven't been very good about taking any photos yet again, but we did do this one self portrait when we got in the other night.

Charlie tied his very own bow tie....something he'd always relied on JB to do during his college fraternity formal days. Thankfully the internet is filled with step by step directions.

Follwing Up

Yesterday was our follow up. Doctor reviewed all numbers with me: bloodwork, follicle development, and embryo quality.

There was an "unexpected" change in my E2 levels but he attributes that to the medicines (ganirelix) I took to prevent ovulation. E2 levels increase as the number of mature follicles increases. He prescribed this medicine every other day to help defray the costs, but had I taken it each day, he could have been more certain if it was indeed the reason for the decline in E2. He does not think the E2 level declining is of concern.

He thought my "stripe" (endometrial lining) was still a bit thin, even though we got to 9, it should have been thicker by that stage.

Bottom line is that he thinks it is just numbers, probability, and luck. He recommends another cycle, with little or no change. This time we didn't have high quality embryos, but we've eventually got to get some good ones, is the gist of it.

Part of me agrees with his take and another part of me would have felt better if he would have had a new plan to "fix" whatever went wrong with this cycle. He's also rather conservative in his approach, and while I appreciate this and see it's merit, at this point in the game, I'd like to be more aggressive. If we're going to go through this, I'm wiling to take risks and want to go for broke. Of course, this was one thing I wasn't able to convey through the snot and tears as we talked.

We're tentatively scheduled to begin the next cycle in January. Charlie and I are going to talk it over once again and I have some questions I want to get answered.

I am also wondering if it's worth looking at "the other" clinic in New Orleans. Their SART data doesn't show as high results as my current clinic, so I am a bit torn.

It's hard knowing what it is we're supposed to do...what'll work for us...what'll make us happy.

Magic Cookie Bars

Ok, I think condensed milk is my new best friend! Something magical happens when you mix it with graham cracker crumbs.

I found this easy, can't not make recipe last week on the back of the condensed milk can when I was baking almond graham squares, which I ended up really liking once they'd cooled. Turns out they were yummy, almondy, and the easiest thing I've made to date.

And this "bar recipe" was pretty easy as well...


Charlie said I "hit a home run" so this is a definite repeat, but next time, less chocolate.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 stick butter, melted
  
• 1 14 oz. can of condensed milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans, of course)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for a glass dish)
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter
3. Press graham cracker mixture into a 13x9 inch baking pan
4. Pour condensed milk evenly over crumbs
5. Layer remaining ingredients
6. Press down firmly with a fork
7. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned
8. Cool and cut into bars
   
9. Store covered at room temperature
10. Makes 2-3 dozen bars
    

The new toy

Charlie has a new favorite toy that I hope he uses quite a bit. Believe it or not, it's a vacuum. The man has been desperately (yes, desperately) wanting a Dyson vacuum cleaner for some time, and his parents were kind enough to fulfill the man's wish as an anniversary gift.

While a vacuum may not immediately sound like a terribly exciting anniversary gift, take a moment to think about your husband being anxious to try it out on the floors, under the furniture, along the blinds. Great gift. No doubt about it.

We don't have a rigid division of household chores. Charlie always does the floors and then whatever else I ask of him. The whatever else usually amounting to "bustling up" and putting away his things that have managed to find new resting places all around the house. But the floors are always his responsibility, hence his pining for a Dyson.

After many small test runs with the various tool attachments and requests for an audience for demonstrations, Charlie finally put the Dyson "Animal DC-17" on her first official run.


I hope he doesn't lose interest in her and continues to show me how much easier it is to clean the floors.

I have to admit, I am pretty impressed by the vacuum, almost as much as I am grossed out by seeing how much dirt and dog hair accumulates.


I may even have to try it out if Charlie loses interest.

We're Decked

It wasn't as "Americana" of a night as you might think, but Bordeaux Street is decorated for the holiday.

The lights are up...

Why is it that we can never remember how we put them up the year before, and we end up short one string? After some problem solving and "discussing", it's done.

We're also enjoying pine bliss. The tree went up this afternoon. Once again, I backed out on the 12 ft. tree due to sticker shock and settled for the 8 ft, $50 frasier fur from Lowe's.

I did the lights, 13 strands, and Charlie helped with the ornaments...


Hanging old...


...and very old...

My ornament from kindergarten.

...with the new...

Our newest ornament from our summer trip. We try to get one from each place we visit.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to find one in Vermont.

The tree pretty much looks the same as last year,


with the addition of a new tree skirt!


I got the monogrammed skirt after Christmas, bargain priced, from Pottery Barn last year. Hoping my watch list for this year makes it to the holiday clearance.

Only a handful of gifts under the tree, as most have been sent off to their final destination already. A few left to ship and cards to mail. So that means I have lots of time for some holiday baking!

We'll have some hot chocolate tonight, with lots of marshmallows, as we enjoy the tree and the 70 degree New Orleans December temperatures.

A Peck of Pickled Peppers?

Just look at them.

We've got peppers galore and I don't know what to do with them. They're mostly habaneros because the bush has gotten so big, it's choked out the jalapenos bushes.

Almond Graham Squares

I found this one when searching for my last almond bar dessert. It was just too easy not to give a try, but still not the almond dessert I need. I am actually trying to replicate the almondine squares from the Laurel Street Bakery.


They certainly make up for the lack of almonds in my last almond bar attempt.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (140z) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line the bottom and sides of a 8-inch square with foil( release foil works great, if using release foil you don't have to use the cooking spray), coat with cooking spray.
2. I a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, the can of sweetened condensed milk and the salt, stir until moistened.
3. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the sliced almonds; spread mixture evenly in prepared pan (if mixture is very sticky, pat with moistened fingers), sprinkle the other 1/2 cup sliced almonds over the top, patting gently.
4. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes; cool completely in pan.
5. Remove from pan; peel off foil, and cut into 16 squares with a serrated knife; squares will keep, in an airtight container at roomtemperture, for 4 to 5 days.

Thanksgiving on OKC

We made the drive to Oklahoma to visit with family for the holiday. I didn't do very well taking pictures and documenting the week, but I am sure you can imagine...wake, eat, rest, eat, rest, play, eat....you know, just like any other holiday with the family.


We celebrated Aidan's birthday...

with a yummy dinner and moose shaped cake that later lost his M&M facial features to the chocolate bandit and her blond sidekick.

We watched him open his gifts that provided entertainment for the little boys and big boys.




We loved seeing Charlie's nephews, Rhys, Aidan, and Eoin. We're not able to be together nearly enough.


They've changed quite a bit since we last visited with them.

Eoin loves M&Ms! It was the decoration of choice on his turkey cookies.

Thanksgiving dinner was yummy, complete with turkey and all of the traditional sides.


Thanks everybody for cooking! The only thing Charlie and I did was show up and eat!

I got a new holiday place card courtesy of Aidan.

No Thanksgiving holiday would be complete without football. And in Oklahoma, it's Boomer Sooner! Even in the cold, with wind and snow flurries.


I never thought I'd be sitting in an outdoor stadium, wearing 5 layers of clothes and freezing my buns watching college football.

Charlie said it was practice for Broncos games.



I survived the game, an OU win against OSU, but the Broncos better have an indoor stadium before I get there!

We're looking forward to more of the same at Christmas.

kän(t)-stər-ˈnā-shən

Charlie had been throwing around this big ole SAT word over the holiday, and finally, I had to ask about it. The man is not above making up words and using them with total confidence.

He was right. Consternation is not only a word, but he was using it correctly.

Let it be known: Charlie was right. Erin was wrong.

Looks like I'll be downhill skiing in December...

That is if we're not in the poorhouse from all of this retail therapy I've been engaging in.

It's a chemical pregnancy. Technically, I am pregnant and miscarrying. hCG beta came back at 6.9. Doctor says that we'd need to be in the 30-50 range to consider having a shot of it being a viable pregnancy by today. An embryo implanted but stopped developing.

My clinic had a 70% success rate for women in my age group according to the last SART data, and 70% of 5 day transfers are successful at many clinics. We'll be back to see the doctor next week to talk about when and if he thinks we'll ever be in that group.

Thanksgiving

So, I'm a few days late, but better late than never, right?

If the only prayer you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice.
-Maurice Eckhart

We love Mutts. It's the same sentiment each day during the week of Thanksgiving. It's a good reminder for me that I wouldn't trade my life with anyone. Really.

And with that, I give thanks....

• for pooches who keep the floors clean while I cook
• for the sound of the fluttering wings of bees in the angel trumpet blossoms
• for glittery coconuts on a Tuesday
• for zinnias blooming through the fall
• for walks to Casmento's and Creole Creamery
• for sunrises in Audubon park as we walk together, sometimes in silence and sometimes chatting, but always content
  
• for the scent of night blooming jasmine as I step out the front door
• for cochon de lait poboys
• for Tuesdays on the couch watching "House" together (soon to add 24 and America Idol!)
• for fish fries at the lake
• for the latest nickname, "Tons of Buns" aka "TB"
  
• for purple and gold on Saturdays and black and gold on Sundays
• for half and half in my coffee and bagels at Laurel Street
• for unconditional love

7dp5dt

Home pregnancy test = Negative

No pregnancy symptoms.

Blood test on Monday.

Has it been 3 years already?

The lovely couple on this day in 2004...


And three years later in our kitchen this morning...

We need to improve the self portrait techniques.

I'm sure Charlie doesn't know this, but I always told my grandmother that a prerequisite for any potential husband was that he must put Christmas lights on the house each year and like it. Did you see our house last year? I'm not so sure he liked putting them up, but he sure liked the compliments from our neighbors and sitting beneath the giant ornaments on the brightly lit porch. I love how much he loves the holidays in our decorated home.

No wonder it took me so long to find the perfect mate, right? He reminds me daily of why I waited and how I knew when I'd waited long enough.

Our home is full of music and song. He's always got the stereo going and is singing something. And Charlie continuously rewrites lyrics to well known diddies and sings them to me ALL the time. One of my favorites has a line about "my little Erin O. girl" to the tune of the Neil Sedaka's "Calender Girl."

He's generous with his kisses and doesn't leave the house without giving one. My favorites are the ones on my forehead, that usually come during times of reassurance.

Who's Cheewee LaRoux? He rarely calls me by my name. He has a laundry list of nicknames for me, and I'm not talking about your generic "Baby." The many include: e-wee, CheeWee, Little Erin, LaRuby, and each season seems to bring a new nickname.

He still sends sweet text messages. It's not just for courting. And he seems to know just when I need it most.

Happy anniversary, Charlie. Thank you for loving me for all that I am and accepting me for exactly who I am. Thank you for pushing me to always be my best self and knowing when to push harder and when to let up. You are my best friend.

Preparations

Mardi Gras comes early this year. And with it being so early, it's quite likely that it'll be chilly. Costumes need to start coming together around here, and they need to be flexible to accomodate varying weather conditions.

I have an idea that I'd like to stick to, but it involves my buying a pattern and material and hiring a seamstress. When I stepped into Marshall's this morning, I found the perfect "Plan B" just in case by intentions aren't carried out in time.

A sneak peek:


It wasn't in the costume section and oddly enough, it wasn't even on the same rack where I found my moomoo.

Now I'll be on the look out for wigs and warm under layers.

Almond Squares

I need to improve this recipe somehow. It's so easy, but a bit too floury tasting. I didn't have the right pan size, so maybe that had something to do with it.

Anyone with a good almond bar recipe? It's got to be easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, separate,
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2-3 ounces sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease an 11x16 inch jelly roll pan.
3. In an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light.
4. Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
5. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, beat in the flour.
6. Pat the batter into the prepared pan, pressing it into the corners.
7. Beat the white until frothy.
8. Spread the white on the batter and sprinkle it with almonds.
9. Transfer the pan to the hot oven and bake the mixture for 15 to 18 minutes or until it is golden brown.
10. Cool and cut into squares.
    

In the garden

It's the middle of November and my fall seedlings are struggling. The only thing doing well are the nasturtiums.

The gourds are blossoming and I hope to get some fruit.


I have designs on expanding the herb garden as soon as I'm able to get digging again. The parsley and cilantro are coming up nicely.

The constant flow of butterflies through the yard amazes me! The pentas are in full bloom and I'll add more of them to the butterfly garden next year.


Waiting to see what the cold weather, if it ever gets here, will do to the flowers. I can tell the growing season is coming to an end as the wisteria doesn't need a weekly haircut. Hoping to see some irises and amaryllis blooming soon.