Huge Coffee House (Crushed Candy Bar) Cookies

These cookies are high up there on my favorites list. The cookies themselves are huge and you can use your favorite candy bar with them. To be honest, I think they put regular Chocolate Chip Cookies to shame.

I LOVE THESE!!!!!

Huge Coffee House (Crushed Candy Bar) Cookies
Courtesy of Pampered Chef Delightful Desserts Cookbook


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks, divided
2 bars (1.5-2 ounces each) favorite chocolate candy (see Cooks Tip)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in Small Batter Bowl; mix well. In Classic Batter Bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir 2/3 cup of the nuts and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chunks into dough. Cut candy bars into small pieces, about the size of chocolate chunks; set aside.
Using Large Scoop, drop 6 level scoops of dough, 3 inches apart, onto Rectangle Stone. (Cookies will spread while baking.) Flatten scoops slightly with palm of hand. Lightly press half of the remaining nuts, chocolate and candy into tops of cookies.
Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are almost set. (Centers will be soft. Do not overbake.) Cool 7 minutes on Baking Stone. Using Large Serving Spatula, remove cookies to *Stackable Cooling Rack*. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Yield: 1 dozen cookies


per serving (1 cookie): Cal. 360, Fat 20 g, Sat. Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Carb. 40 g, Pro. 5 g, Sod. 210 mg, Fib. 2 g
Each: per serving (1 cookie): 2 Starch, 1 Fruit, 3-1/2 Fat (3 Carb, 3-1/2 Fat)


Variation: Coffee House Bar Cookies: Double all ingredients and use 1 package (11.5 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chunks. Prepare dough as recipe directs, stirring 11/3 cups of the chopped nuts and 11/3 cups of the chocolate chunks into dough. Using *Large Spreader*, spread dough in Stoneware Bar Pan. Lightly press remaining ingredients into top of dough. Bake at 350F for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan. Cut into bars. Yield: 32 bars


Cooks Tips: Chocolate candy bars with nougat & caramel or nuts are favorite choices for this cookie. Also delicious are chocolate covered peppermint patties, chocolate covered caramels & chocolate peanut butter cups. Use 2 pkgs (1.5-2.0 oz each).


To soften butter, let it stand at room temp. about 45 min. It should be softened, yet still firm. Using butter that is too soft will cause cookies to spread.

Loss

Some things you lose and you just about drive yourself crazy looking for them. Others you just decide to let go and replace with out a second thought and some things are such a secret pleasure to lose that you have no intention of replacing it any time soon if not ever…

February 2007 has been a time of great loss for me, but only in all very positive ways. So many things are now gone from my life that it is almost impossible to count them. None of this was planned or expected… Just one little thing tipped the balance and set of a catalyst of chain reactions that have spread through out virtually every area of my life. I feel good, I feel empowered, and I feel in control, alive and thankful, very very thankful.

On the outside my loss may not strike anyone as that great, but the significance it has for me is so huge, it might have been the biggest white elephant I have ever faced in my personal life… Let me take you back to the beginning of summer of 2002 where I first encountered the elephant…

Blue was traveling Sunday morning through Friday night for work. My job as a nanny for my favorite family ever, was starting to wind down as the twins prepared for kindergarten. Most of my friends were still hunkered down with their boyfriends and husbands along with most of the country as the wounds 9-11 left were still very raw. Support, understanding, and compassion for the 90% travel job Blue recently took or the lonely, isolated life it led us to was no where to be found. For Blue/Us it was an opportunity and we seized it, but no one in our circle of friends could comprehend how I could put him on that plane each week… how he could kiss me good bye again and again. My friends were not warm hearted and they did not envelope me during the loneliest time of my life and there certainly was no support for whatever… Once again in my life, my self esteem took a harsh beating. The children I cared for were a source of joy that I could not express. I was very close to this family, they were wonderful to me, and really helped pull me through those months.

As the time drew near to move on, Blue and I considered starting a family of our own. In retrospect, maybe the timing was not right, but in real life, how often do all those stars line up perfectly? Knowing something might be wrong, I set up an appointment with a top notch infertility specialist in Orlando. Blue took a day off for that first appointment and before we knew it, we had fallen into a rabbit hole where we were poked, prodded, and tested for things we didn’t know existed. Because of Blue’s travel, I always went alone and I will admit there were days that were very hard… Half way through the testing, the doctor cornered me on my weight.

I am only 4’11, very small boned and very petite. As I had been for years, I was eating very healthy… lots of lean protein, organic fruits and vegetables, and whole grained carbs. Atkins and South Beach were in full swing, but even back then to me, it was a no brainer that a body needed complex carbs and good fats. In addition to eating healthy, I enjoyed running on the treadmill 3 times a week, I weight trained for 2 and I squeezed Pilates in whenever I had the time. Back then, my family doctor told me that I was the poster child for health and one of his healthier patients. However, my infertility doc did not see the same thing… He saw lots of lean muscle and hardly enough body fat to support my self or a baby. During one of our sessions, he lectured me so aggressively, that I cried in my car afterwards. It took me a while to pull myself together to drive home… Not all our tests were in, but he made me feel as if my weight was the reason I could not give my husband a child… Young, naive, alone, and insecure at this point, I took it… My family doc and obgyn highly disagreed, but at this point I think I would have sold my soul to the devil himself if it would have gotten me pregnant.

Of course I wanted to be healthy and wanted my baby to be healthy, so I tried to gain the weight with whole foods and organics… 2 cups of brown rice instead of 1 with my dinner… just one example of many… Yet 2 months later… nothing… I had only gained 3 pounds. Although I thought it not possible, the specialist made me feel even more like a failure… surely I was doing something wrong… Unable to chew my way through more then 2 bowls of Kashi cereal in the morning, I decided to pare down my fitness routine… calm it down to just a few relaxing walks during the week, Still, my next appointment showed a weight gain of only 3 more pounds. At this point the specialist threatened to refuse to work with me if I did not gain 9 pounds immediately. So, in the only way I knew how, I did… I no longer shopped Wholefoods… my shopping cart was too busy parked on the baking isle in Publix. I learned very quickly how helpful those sweets and processed foods are when you need comfort and need to gain weight… Not so shocking… I gained those 9 pounds in a record amount of time. Bloated and feeling icky, I waddled my way alone… into my big appointment with the specialist for our final results. Blue was not able to get off work for the appt…

With no compassion whatsoever, the specialist diagnosed me with unexplained infertility, handed me a slew of pamphlets about expensive procedures that probably would not be effective in my “case” and sent me off on my merry way. “Oh, and no, it seems the weight was not a factor after all…,” he said to me as he closed the door of his office… To say the least, I walked away devastated…

My life certainly wasn’t a charmed one and this was not the first blow, it was just the most devastating… I cried and mourned the child and family that should have been so natural for Blue and I to have. My friends had no idea what to say, so they avoided me. Blue just as crushed as I was, pulled into his own shell alone on the road. My family did their best to support me and be helpful. But, by the end of the week, before I even got to talk to Blue face to face, my family doctor had me on Prozac.

That summer of 2002 to the spring of 2006 was one big antidepressant haze for me… It made me numb, made me not care, and although I tried not to, I walked through my own life like a zombie. I easily gained 5 more pounds… I suppose I will never know if it was depression or if it was a combination of the meds and the new unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle I had adopted. Perhaps it was all of the above. Still, once I was weaned of those meds, this past spring, I began to feel alive again… and almost immediately. It was like I had been wakened from a deep sleep reenergized and renewed. So many things began to change on the inside for me… all of the positive all of them empowering. Yet, by Christmas, I was still carrying that old weight like a familiar piece of baggage… I’ll admit, it didn’t look horrible, but it was very symbolic, had become something I hid behind like a mask, and it was time to let it go.

So my New Year started with a blur of baby steps… little choices to help me find my way back to a healthier lifestyle and the person that had been hiding within herself for far to long. I will be honest, I struggled… Those bad foods had become a way of life, an addiction, and letting them go was hard both emotionally and physically. The exercise felt good, but I will admit have not been as diligent as I should have. Still, I lost 5 pounds and it did feel a little bit better. But then, I had that very bad toothache, a bad reaction to an antibiotic and lived on pureed soups, veggies, and soft bread for a week. I didn’t expect to lose 4 pounds so quickly this month, but I did… When I finally got my appetite back, I pushed myself to dive back into the way that I used to eat… Lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, good fats, and very little sweets or processed foods. So, I am now continuing to lose weight and the foods I am eating make me feel so good both inside and out.

Yes, I may have set off to lose this weight, but I never in a million years thought I would be able to do it so quickly. I am glad that it is lost and I have no intention of replacing it… In many ways I just feel as if I shed a costume that I had been wearing and hiding behind. It was heavy and it dragged me down physically, but even more so emotionally because of all it stood for...

But now I am at the halfway point… I have lost half of all that I gained and weigh less right now then I did when I moved from Orlando… weigh less then I have for over 4 years. The scale and more so my clothes are showing me things I wondered if I would ever see again… But the icing on the cake is that I feel lithe, not as clumsy… and I am not bumping into things with my hips… something I never did before the weigh. I feel lithe, I feel graceful, I feel at home in my own body, and very alive. A change on the outside, but the biggest change is within.

I am a little more then 4 years older now much more relaxed and far more realistic with my expectations for myself. I am happy where I am now and I foresee losing 5 more pounds as I use my extra energy to become more physically fit. But I have no intention of pushing my body back to where it was in my mid 20’s. Even where I am now is fine… it feels so good; it must be a good place to be.

Blue and I have long ago come to terms with my unexplained infertility. I will not lie, sometimes it will creep up on us, but for the most part, we are as in love as the day we got married and our life together has been far more incredible then either of us may have ever hoped for. At one point we may adopt, but for now, we are still very much young, in love, and enjoying our life together… especially the new lease we have had on it since this past spring. If that is all we have I will be thankful, because it is far more them most ever get to experience. I just can not express in words you how good it feels to be where I am right now, where we are right now… But I am just so excited that I had to try.

Wind Song or Sirens?

Sometimes you know it is time for a change… you can just sense down in the very core of your soul that something else is calling you… that there is somewhere else you are supposed to be… something else you are supposed to be doing. The sound it resonates often sounds foreign compared to the current station; it is definitely exotic, but undoubtedly unfamiliar.

As I strain to listen to that melody this week, strain to interpret it, I can not help but, think of the ancient sailors at sea straining to hear the soft silky voices of the sirens singing out to them from the rocks… As I listen, I am entranced, and can not help but wonder if I sail out of my comfort zone will my ship only be lured to the rocks by the sirens or will the wind song lead me to the discovery of a new port full of endless possibilities, opportunities, concepts I have yet to explore, and ultimately the next phase of my destiny…

So, quietly this week I listen, my ears tuned explicitly to the sound, all else fading into the distance. There are undoubtedly some very tangible options to be considered and some decisions that need to be made. Uncertainty has never been my friend, so her visit will be short lived, but an enlightening motivator as usual I am sure…

Valentine's Day

We celebrated Valentine's Day a little early this year. Blue was supposed to fly to Houston last minute and we really didn't think he would be home for the big day. So, 2 days before Valentine's Day he burst through the front door with the biggest grin and 2 huge bags full of surprises for me. I have to admit, I love it when he does that! Some of the highlights include a new Chantal Tea Pot (to replace the one I accidentally burnt), Jasmine Tea in little silken sachets, Good Brie, Fontina Cheese for making Greek Saganaki, Greek yogurt and honey, (the roads had been bad for days and he remembered that I hadn't been able to get out to the store, bagels, Lox, and some incredibly decadent Chocolate Bars. One of the chocolate bars was a Fine Belgian Milk Chocolate with Lavender. It was every bit as decadent as it sounds and has instantly become my new favorite! I had never even heard of it before this and I am still blown away by how thoughtful he was with this whole surprise. The other chocolate bar that has me begging for more is Vosges' Red Fire Exotic Candy Bar... 55% Cacao with Mexican Ancho y Chipotle Chillies, Ceylon Cinnamon, and Dark Chocolate. This one was equally as amazing and as the chocolate melted in my mouth, I fell in love with it's spicy warmth and complex variety of rich flavors and sensations. Each bit made me glad that Blue was creative and thought way past flowers and heart boxes of candies. The whole surprise was such a treat and still brings a smile to my face when I think about it. As for my surprise for him... well... I could tell, but I won't some things are just to private to share in Public. ;-)

Valentine's Day Surprise!

Friendship is like a prism through which the many variations of beauty are revealed in our lives. ~Anon

Sometimes our lives intersect with others on the same journey. For a while we can laugh, share, and encourage one another along making those miles seem like mere inches. As the horizon in the distance begins to feel closer to our reach then we ever thought possible, we sometimes feel the need to pause, reflect, and share our gratitude with those who helped us along the way. I suppose this is one of those times…

To all that helped me and participated in this Valentine’s Day surprise for a very special friend, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Being able to work together with so many beautiful people has touched my heart in deeper ways then I can express. It truly has been a privilege to be able to do something like this for someone so special, someone I admire, respect, and feel very blessed to have met along the way. I can honestly say that the whole experience has opened my eyes to a million colors in the rainbow that I never knew existed and it has given Blue and I a hope for the future and for humanity like we have never known before. Many thanks to all who touched our lives through their grace and generosity; it will not be soon forgotten.

My Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe

This is the recipe for the Sugar Cookies that you will often see in my pictures. I found the recipe on www.recipezaar.com and have rated them there under the username: princess.and.the.pea. (I always have loved that story!)

This recipe is very easy to follow and it makes the most beautiful cookies.

Granny's Sugar Cookies Recipe
I make sugar cookies for almost every holiday. A lot of fun and the kids can help.
by NurseDi
84
cookies
time to make 32 min 20 min prep
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups butter, softened (no substitutes)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Frosting
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
various food coloring
colored sprinkles

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3. Stir together dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture until completely blended.
4. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
6. Cut with various shaped cookie cutters dipped in flour.
7. Transfer cookies to ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.
9. Cool on wire racks.
10. Frosting: Mix together sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until desired degree of spreading consistency; add milk if you want thinner frosting.
11. Add food coloring to obtain desired color.
12. Spread frosting over cookies and decorate with sprinkles.

You can view this recipe directly by clicking on the following link:
http://www.recipezaar.com/40470

Under The Slate Colored Sky

Just some random thoughts... to help clear my head...



Crisp white snow, encased in a wafer thin layer of melting ice, shimmered silently, as it passed by my car window today. Small stiff patches of spent grass and the foot prints left behind from this summer's corn crop warmed the landscape with its golden hue. The sky was a pale grey on the horizon that faded up into a white every bit as brilliant as the newly fallen snow.

However, it was the stark naked trees, void of their leaves that stole the show. Twisted, bent, and rigid as their branches reached up into the surrounding atmosphere... Each one unique and beautiful in its own right... no two the same just like our fingerprints... each one leaving behind its impression in the sky, imprinting its place and experience in this world and owning it every bit as much as all the other living things on this planet. And as the invisible sun set for the day, I stood in a small field of trees breathing deeply under the slate grey colored sky... reaching with them for tomorrow, for the future, and towards whatever it may bring.


The lighting and scenery around me today made all of my senses hypersensitive as I soaked it all in. My minds eye contains the negatives, but it is my soul that drives me to express it... in a way that is all my own, searing it's impression again and again in my psyche.

Balsamic-Glazed Oranges

I picked up a bag of Blood Oranges and a bag of Pink Grapefruit from Trader Joe's this earlier this week. The combination with the drizzled Balsamic Glaze is such a treat I keep forgetting it is healthy. I am so hooked on it that I thought I should share.

Enjoy!


Balsamic-Glazed Oranges

While the combination strawberries with balsamic vinegar is common in many dishes, the sweet-acidic balance of the vinegar pairs well with other fruits. This dessert whips up in a heartbeat and is the perfect ending to an Italian meal.
by toni gifford

4 servings
time to make 6 min 5 min prep
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 sweet oranges

1. Peel oranges removing all of the pith from the outside. Cut across grain into 1/4 inch slices, removing seeds.
2. Place sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Stir constantly with a large spoon. Allow it to continue with a low boil until volume is halved (1/4 cup).
3. Divide orange slices evenly between 4 plates. Drizzle with glaze.

The original link to the recipe may be found here: http://www.recipezaar.com/135349