Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips
or double chocolate chips
* 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375º F.
2. Stir the flour with baking soda and salt, then set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and the shortening with the sugar, brown
sugar, eggs and vanilla
4. Blend the dry mixture into creamed mixture.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if desired).
6. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
7.(I like to use parchment paper for baking on).
8. Bake at 375º F for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 dozen 312g

Recipe makes 4 dozen)
Calories 1459
Calories from Fat 772 (52%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 85.9g 132%
Saturated Fat 32.5g 162%
Monounsaturated Fat 26.0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 22.5g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 166mg 55%
Sodium 1118mg 46%
Potassium 573mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 167.3g 55%
Dietary Fiber 6.8g 27%
Sugars 105.8g
Protein 17.2g 34%




Compliments of http://www.familyoven.com/offsite?r_id=140694&u=http://www.recipezaar.com/83580

Lucky Thrift Store Finds!

I went to the local thrift store before lunch, "Soul's Harbor." I almost always find something I want that I am moderately excited about, but today I found eight awesome things for $8. I am redecorating my office/craft room and everything I have gathered is going to make an excellent accent. Most of the things I plan on painting different colors :). Here we go:

A simple, but shiny, pretty red vase!


Beautiful Geisha Figure! How I got this lucky, I have not a clue!!


Picture frame for pets with paw border(soon to be painted,) wood plaque: oh you'll see :), and a framed inspirational quote! Always good to have!


Otherwise expensive laptop case, that of which I do not have, that's right: $1!!


Fancy candle holder that matches my living room well!


DVD Stand, because spray painting this one is faster than waiting for Brawn to build me one :)


I am SO excited. :) Made my day! Hooray for thrift stores!

I Took the Road less Traveled By.

A lot of changes are taking place in my life at the moment. Given, they are gradual and I tend to embrace change, I can’t help but feel a bit overwhelmed. The thought of not knowing what’s going to happen next is exciting, at the same time, a bit stressful. This is me being tested.

I found it a bit ironic that in the midst of my turmoil yesterday evening (before I decided to take my stress out on the elliptical at the gym) I decided to use the “stumbleupon” feature on my Firefox window and the very first page it took me to was a poem by Robert Frost, “The Road not Taken.” I remembered this poem from my Sophomore English class in High School and decided to look over it again:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;


Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


I found inspiration in Robert Frost’s words, a light at the end of the tunnel if you will. The poem was a reminder that life is Journey and can only be as amazing as you decide to make/let it be.

These are the moments when we need to let go, keep focused on what it is that we truly desire in life and let The Universe figure out the how’s and what-not’s. When it boils down to the nitty-gritty all we want is happiness and I already have that. This is the point in the story where I fasten my seat belt, throw my hands in the air, let my hair down and scream with excitement, for the ride of my life is just beginning and I am going to love Every Single Minute of it.