Day Nine! Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies!!!

I've been on a peanut butter and chocolate kick. My recent love for oatmeal has had me thinking of creating a new cookie. I wanted to combine a few recipes and come up with a cookie that has all the elements I've been dreaming of. 

I found a recipe that with a few tweaks could easily become what I had in mind. I quickly got to work. 

I'm not going to share the recipe yet, because although the this round little delight was incredibly flavorful and hit the mark in so many ways, I was not thrilled with the texture. Immediately after the cookies came out of the oven I knew how to fix it and wanted to start over. Next time it will be perfect!!!

Day Six....SCONES!

I have dreams about scones. Their crumbly exterior, usually containing some sort of fruit or nut component that sweeps me off me feet. I was spoiled at a young age; my first job was in a coffee shop and we baked the absolute most spectacular scones in the world (well maybe in the United States, and at the very least in Las Vegas). I wish I had the foresight at sixteen to know I should have taken the recipe with me when I moved on to my hostess position at eighteen. But I was young, naive and imagined a world of simple recipes which resulted in out-of-this-world pastry. Oh how I was wrong...

So when a nice older man set up a table at my local Whole Foods, giving samples of his scone mix which he and his wife serve at their Bed and Breakfast in Tucson I was far more excited than your average shopper.  The best part of his mix....it was plain with a fabulous list of different types and what ingredients you will need.

On this day, DAY SIX of TRY SOMETHING NEW I decided to make Apple Cinnamon Scones. OOOHhhhhhhhh boy were they delicious. Have I mentioned I LOVE TRYING ALL THESE NEW THINGS!?!

TRYING SOMETHING NEW DAY 5...Craziness

Although I had all sorts of grand ideas for trying something new on Wednesday, it turned into a day of mommy-firsts. It was one of those days where I drove here, went there, got in the car, out of the car and felt like with a blink of an eye, the day was over. 

My first "first" of the day had to do with going on a tour of a pre-school for my three and a half year old son. I am an old fashion girl who has a hard time with the thought of sending my three year old to school, but unfortunately in a day and time when every kid his age is in school, I knew the best thing was to start looking at schools. My munchkin and I walked the grounds, taking in everything this outstanding place has to offer and I was both extremely excited for him and terribly sad. My youngest child and almost certainly my last child, will soon be leaving my side and starting something of his own. I'm not one who usually gets sentimental with these things, choosing to be more excited for the growth and experience my child has to look forward to, but this did pull at my heart strings. I was slightly stunned that at 29 years old I was watching my my baby turn a corner in his life which undoubtably means I too will find myself on a new journey as well.

I left the pre-school with a sentimental heart as well as an extremely positive feeling towards the school I had just seen. I was feeling good but knew a day of non-stop, full speed ahead chaos was ahead of me. I had one hour to hit a few different stores and pick up all the supplies for the art project I was responsible for in regards to my daughters school auction. I am the chairperson for the KS class project (first number 2) and the deadline was sneaking up on me. I was on my way to have each kid in her class grace a single wall shelf with their fingerprint and name, although I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing and how it would come together.

The guy at Michaels had assured me that I was buying all the right paints and such for my project but after the paint began to dry on twenty one fingerprints I watched in horror as paint began to chip and peal away. With one hour before I had to return back to school to grab my baby girl, I found myself at Michael's again, buying a sealant and praying to God things would work out. 

My need for speed became an issue and although I was able to secure the safety of the kiddos' fingerprints, I had somehow made the massive mistake of writing 2001 instead of 2011 with a Sharpie paint pen! Now I had a huge blob and smear to solve....not to mention it was 2:45, I was almost late for pick-up!!!

When I returned home with kids in tow, I made a decision I rarely choose (first number 3 for the day). I decided to set the project aside and return to it in a day or two with a clear mind. Thankfully just in time to leave for my favorite part of the week....The Downtown Phoenix Public Market on Wednesday Nights! Or in other words......FOOD TRUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First number four came in the form of a chocolate covered banana from Mojo Bowl at the Downtown Public Market. We hit up this market every Wednesday night because the produce is spectacular (perfect for our morning vegetable juice) but also because we cannot pass up the mobile food biz done right. Short Leash Dogs feeds us, while Mojo Bowl and their refreshing all-natural shaved ice satisfy our sweet tooth at the end of the evening. This time however, as Mojo Bowl begins to expand their menu I tried the Chocolate Covered Banana with nuts. This frozen chocolate-y fruit on a stick was out of this world good and I ended up sharing with my entire family as each person chimed in over and over again "can I have a bite".

This day of firsts was a challenge but in the end so incredibly satisfying. The constant action was exhausting but as I fell asleep that night I drifted off to dream land with a smile on my face. Life is good!

Chicken with bacon....heck yah!!!!

Tuesday nights dinner was a new recipe and one I was extremely excited...Chicken with Cabbage, Crispy Potatoes and Bacon. The steps were simple and although the ingredients were extremely basic, they were ones I don't often use (cabbage, bacon), especially in such a fashion. I had extremely high hopes and had a feeling it was a meal that could please everyones different tastes.

The crispy tiny pieces of bacon, the cabbage cooked in a way that turned it into a tangy slaw, crispy chip like potatoes and simple grilled chicken. So yummy, so easy, SOOOO great!

Try this one and please the masses!!!!!

S'more Cupcakes.....Yes Please!!! (Day 3 of New Things)

On day three of my NEW THINGS challenge, I was racing to get a million things done and wondering if I was going to miss out on a NEW THING already! I had my regular Monday chaos combined with my every-other- Monday volunteer work in the cafeteria at my daughters school. I thought I might have a chance after lunchtime but mopping my floors took way more time than I thought (yuck, the weekend really adds some extra sludge) and before I knew it I was getting back in the car to pick up the munchkin!

After the munchkins dentist appointment it was time to prepare dinner which I was worried about because I was rushing and I destroy meals when I'm rushing (or talking on the phone)! But shockingly enough, dinner was awesome. So awesome my husband took this picture. I will post the recipe another day when I have time to figure it out because I've made so many adjustments to the recipe over the years I'm not even sure what I do anymore.

Oh and for those keeping track, it was chicken meatballs with penne pasta, baby heirloom tomatoes, small buffalo mozzarella balls and basil.


So anyway, I had crumbled and SMASHED the graham crackers for my S'more cupcakes earlier in the day, in between mobbing the floor and picking up the kiddo. As soon as I washed the dinner dishes, I grabbed the graham cracker crumbs, chocolate bars, butter and marshmallows and immediately got started!

This is what you'll need!

- 2 cups crumbled graham crackers
- 3 Hershey's chocolate bars (1.5 oz), chopped
- 11/2 sticks butter, melted
- 12 marshmallows

Using one 12 cup cupcake pan, place liners inside and then spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray.

Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Once combined really well, add the chopped chocolate.

Scoop the mixture into each cupcake holder, a little more than half way full. Press down on each, so they are packed inside.

Bake at 325 degrees for ten minutes. Remove from oven and place a large marshmallow on each. Return to oven and bake another ten minutes. Cupcakes are finished when the marshmallows are golden brown.

Remove from oven and place pan on a baking rack. After cupcakes have cooled for 20 minutes, pop each out of the cupcake liner and sprinkle with powdered sugar!

These cupcakes are easy and OH SO TASTY! They taste great with a glass of red wine and in my eyes they seem more like a grown up version of the campfire treat!

ENJOY!

Here's mine with a big giant bite taken out!

THE BEAUTY OF TRYING SOMETHING NEW...(FOR 31 DAYS, to be exact)!

Recently, after a ton of change in my life (massive amounts actually) I have fallen into a slight rut. I have been cooking the same things every week, following the same routine every day (which is comforting I know, but sometimes we need to throw a wrench in our carefully constructed system) and at the end of the day, although feeling fulfilled I knew something needed to change.

On Saturday afternoon, after futzing around for a bit I knew what I had to do. I pulled out my favorite baking bible and began searching the pages. This time I wasn't going to simply bake one of my four favorite recipes which lay within these pages, I was going to try something new!

I decided on a peanut butter cupcake with milk chocolate glaze. This was the decision for many reasons: (1) the kids and adults in our home would all enjoy it equally. (2) I had all the required ingredients. (3) It was a new version of the old reliable peanut butter cookie I had been thinking about making for days.

The result of my TRY SOMETHING NEW experiment was a massive success, which doesn't always happen and is the thrilling part of thinking outside the box. I am one who believes in trying new recipes on a regular basis (although I haven't been doing it lately) and like I tell my husband on a regular basis...Attempting a new recipe is 50/50 on whether we will have a great or terrible meal/treat, but if it turns out well, we suddenly have a new addition to our regular rotation. There is something to be said for that, for sure! As for my husband, not sure what he thinks of this motto, he does in fact have to eat the lousy experiments and the look on his face as he slowly eats a disaster of a meal is pretty sad, although to his credit he has only suggested we throw out a meal and cook a frozen pizza once or twice!

So this weekend I made an exciting decision! For every single one of the thirty-one fabulous days in October I will attempt something new. Most will be food oriented, either a meal or a delicious delightful treat...but you never know, I may even get crafty or go sky-diving (however, this is very, very, very, unlikely)!

Stay tuned to see what happens!

TASTY TUESDAY! Waffle Lady Giveaway Winners!!!!!!!!!

Well fellow Crazy Mommas, the time has come to pick a WAFFLE WINNER! I am so excited and thankful for the tons of people who have emailed me and commented on my blogs for the chance to win these tasty treats over the past few weeks. I am an advocate for GOOD food and serving your family the absolute best products. The great thing about Waffle Lady Waffles, Oatmeal, Syrups and Granola is that you get some of the best stuff on earth yet are never reminded that its healthy (until you read the box)!

So.....thank you one and all for entering our latest giveaway and if you didn't win this time, I guarantee we will do it again!

Winner of the Gift bag: Jackie Welling

Winner of the refer a friend contest: Chelsea (not only for referring a ton of friends but also for writing a breakfast haiku!!!

Okay ladies! Email me your address and we are all set!!!!! Mandagoose@aol.com

WAFFLE LADY WEDNESDAY: Yay, Giveaway time!!!

Back by popular demand....Waffle Lady Giveaway time! I've heard multiple times in this past two weeks that my friends and neighbors are bummed they missed out on the last Waffle Lady Gift Bag, so to satisfy one and all and get a few more peeps to learn about my very favorite product out there, IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!

Win this gift bag and receive an awesome box of California Whole Wheat Pancake and Waffle Mix and a cup of Daily Oats! These healthy, tasty delights will not only satisfy your fam but thrill you when you realize that both are incredibly healthy and a terrific way to start your day.

Also, my awesome friend Lauren Brown was lucky enough to try Waffle Lady last week and will be discussing her thoughts today! Check her out on THE BLOG ADDICTS DAILY DIGEST, an awesome blog I read every single day! (THE BADD BLOG: http://thebadd.blogspot.com)

Enter a comment below, make sure to leave your email address and tell me your very favorite thing to eat for breakfast! Winners will be chosen randomly (but an awesome breakfast comment will earn you a few extra points) next Tuesday, September 6. Also, if you tell a friend to enter the contest and they tell me in their comment that you sent them, you will be entered to win an extra prize. The more people you send over, the more chances you have at winning!!!

Good Luck Friends!!!

TASTY TUESDAY! Yummy Beer Battered Onion Rings

YUM! BBQ season is winding down which would explain why we've spent the past couple weekends making as many summer BBQ meals as possible. While checking my recipe book for some tasty side dishes to go along with burgers, hot dogs or pulled pork sandwiches I remembered these oh-so-satisfying rings of crunchy goodness. Last summer I made these far too often and they became a regular item whenever my hubby's friends were watching a hockey, football or basketball game in our living room (they raved and requested them again and again!)

BEER BATTERED ONION RINGS

1. One cup flour, plus half cup flour
2. One cup any type of beer
3. Kosher salt and Crushed Black Pepper, to taste
4. One onion sliced the thickness you'd like your rings
5. One large pot with about 5 inches of vegetable oil

-Mix one cup flour and beer together with a whisk. Pour through a strainer to get rid of lumps. Let sit for 15 minutes.
-Take half cup four, season with salt and pepper and set on a plate.
- Warm oil over medium heat. I never use a thermometer...just warm it overmedium heat for about 10 minutes.
-Once batter has set for 15 minutes, take onion rings, dip in dry flour and then place in beer batter. Toss a small 1/4 teaspoon of batter in oil and see if it starts frying, if not wait for oil to become hotter.
-Take two or three at a time, dripping with batter (better to be COVERED in batter, then sorta kinda covered) and drop in oil.
-move onion rings around in oil with tongs until desired doneness, preferably golden brown.
-Remove rings from oil and place on a paper towel on a plate, season with kosher salt. Continue process until all have been fried.
CAUTION: OIL IS HOT...be careful.
CAUTION: Beer battered onion rings are addictive

WAFFLE LADY WEDNESDAY: Holy Granola!!!

I LOVE granola. Love, love, love granola. But I also think very few granolas are made well. Too sweet, too artificial, to hard and boring....I finally gave up all together. The last great granola I had was from a farmers market and long gone from my grasp.

Enter my favorite lady...THE WAFFLE LADY! I know by now you've heard enough. I can hear you now...yes, Amanda, we know...you love The Waffle Lady. But seriously, this lady does much more than waffles and even oatmeal. She makes the absolute best granola in the world.

When we moved to Phoenix, I was devastated to learn we had move to a WAFFLE LADY free area. Not one store carried my prized brand. I did what every rational girl would do, I order four cases of oatmeal and twelve boxes of Waffle mix. Yes, even I know I'm nuts. As a thank you for such an order the wondrous Waffle Lady threw in some granola for me to try.

So now I'm hooked. I've gone from Waffle Lady Daily Oats each morning to alternating between that and Chobani Greek yogurt with Waffle Lady granola poured all over it! So yummy....

Get this...these are the ingredients in this holy moly awesome bag....
Organic Old Fashion Oats, Natural Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Natural Almonds, Natural Vanilla, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Raw Honey, Butter, Salt.

It's amazing!

Oh and friends....the link for the WAFFLE LADY Gift Bag didn't work last week, so it's still up for grabs. Email me at amanda@litfestmagazine.com for your chance....ends Monday, August 8.

WAFFLE LADY WEDNESDAY! Chocolate Chip Waffles

By now anyone that knows me knows I'm obsessed with Waffle Lady products. With just one taste, you too will know why.

Waffle Lady Chocolate Chip Waffles are a thing of beauty. My daughter's favorite thing to eat for breakfast is waffles. It's our biggest debate and for a very stubborn five year old girl it can be quite a battle. She is a healthy kid who eats tons of fruit, has a vegetable juice every morning (we are crazy fresh juice makers and have somehow convinced out kids to drink a juice we make containing kale, celery, carrots, cucumber and bell pepper every morning) and has never been an excessive sugar consumer. Yet the fact that she wants waffles soaked in syrup every morning makes me nuts. To stop her hunger strike (I'm serious, she's stubborn) Waffle Lady has saved my life.

Waffle Lady Chocolate Chip Waffles are all organic. They may be chocolate chip, but The Phenomenal Waffle Lady has done it right, including the absolute perfect amount of chocolate chips, making the waffles decadent yet not overly indulgent. Made of simple, un-processed, wholesome ingredients this waffle mix is something even the most health conscious mother can be incredibly pleased with. Last week, I even convinced my munchkin to ditch the syrup and eat the waffle sticks (we like to cut them into sticks and dip them into syrup) with a fresh fruit salad and either turkey sausage or a scrambled egg.

My love for the Waffle Lady is a passion which began with my very first taste but has grown with each addition sensational bite . You too can begin a life long affection. Add a comment with your email address and enter to win an awesome Waffle Lady Gift Bag complete with three Waffle Lady products, coming to you straight from the lady herself! This contest will run until Monday, August 1 at noon, I will then announce the winner here. Make sure to tell your friends, the more people to submit, the more likely another one of these terrific contests will occur next week! Here is what the gift bag will be:

To find out more about The Waffle Lady and her products, go to: wwww.wafflelady.com