EDIBLE | The Cookie

I have debated for a while as to whether I should share this recipe or not. I was tempted to never show this to anyone, but that's just not nice. I respect those who have secret recipes (and I can relate to the desire to have a recipe that only you know), but I have recently decided that if you know something that can help change the world for the better, you should share it.

Okay, so maybe this won't change the world for the better; yeah...I exaggerated. Anyway, its a yummy recipe, and its time for you to know it.

I call it...

(drum-roll, please)....

...The Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Yep, you have probably have heard about this before. I am not going to claim that I invented this famously delightful American classic, I'm just going to claim to have invented a version that some people like. Some people. You may not. If you don't, I copied this recipe from...umm..somebody else......who you don't know. ;)

Alright. Here comes the step by steps....don't try this at home.

It all begins with a mixer...

1. Plop in the butter

2. Add sugars & vanilla

3. Whirl it around til its nice and creamy

...yeah, like that!

4. Get two nice little eggs

5. Put them in there too

6. Mix flour, baking soda, & salt in a separate bowl

7. Add the flour mixture to the bowl of the yummy other stuff

8. Repeat step 3.

9. Add the chocolate chips

10. Look at that bowl of delicious cookie dough

11. Grab a piece of that delicious cookie dough

12. (not pictured) Eat that piece of that delicious cookie dough (skip this step if you are afraid of salmonella)

13. Look at the big, gigantic mess you have made

14. *gasp*

15. Clean up that big, gigantic mess

16. Own a cookie scoop (this step is just optional, it just makes the cookies rounder)

17. Use the cookie scoop 

18. Place cookies in 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes

19. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 2 minutes, and then on a rack for about 3 minutes

20. Place cookies on a plate and eat them :)

Okay, now for the formally-written recipe:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (12 oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine butter, sugars, & vanilla in a mixer until creamy. Slowly add eggs while the mixer is still going. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, & salt. Slowly add flour mixture to the mixing bowl. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll tablespoon full of dough into ball and place on cookie sheet. Bake cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes (depending on oven and cookie sheet, it might take less time).

Allow cookies to cool on pan for 2 minutes, and then on a rack for a few more minutes.

Enjoy your cookies!!! :)



A few extra hints:

In our oven, the cookies bake really well when I put them in for 4 minutes, and then spin the pan around for another 6 minutes.

I usually scoop out the flour 1/4 a cup at a time (12 times) as this makes the cookies nice and fluffy.

PHOTOGRAPHY | Battle of Pilot Knob Reenactment 2014

I live in a small community. We have one big event every few years: The Battle of Pilot Knob Reenactment.

Back in 1864, the Civil War reached the little town of Pilot Knob. The military operation in the town was Fort Davidson, operated by the Union, and it was threatened by Confederate forces from all sides. After a two-day battle, the fort received belated orders from St. Louis to abandon their station. In the dead of night, they lit a long fuse to the fort's powder magazine, and left the fort to explode a midst confused and sleepy Confederate soldiers.

Now you may think the Union won this particular battle, others will think the Confederates won; but it really makes no difference. In my personal opinion, both sides of the War Between the States were wrong, and both were right. That is why the Battle of Pilot Knob is my favorite account, because no one really won!! :)

The reenactment this year was really special because it was the 150th anniversary of the event. I did my best to take some photographic documentation of the thing, but needless to say...there were LOTS of people there!!! And there was also this big gigantic bush....and I am a really short person....and I was covering my ears from very loud canon fire about 100ft in front of me....and I didn't have a tripod...........so, yeah, I don't know how I was even able to take the pictures I did :)

Sorry...I have been rambling. Let's move on to the pictures that were taken. Some were taken by me, some by my lovely mom. Enjoy!

             

         

     

     

I had a hard time seeing, much less taking pictures of the Confederate foot soldiers and cavalry :(  , but if you look close, you can kinda see them in the background.

My family and a lot of our friends dressed up for the event....

         

Update: I fiddled around a little on my Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 to try to recreate some of the images in daguerreotype/salted paper prints style. Making a digital photograph look old is tedious, but super fun.....       

IzzyBee Photography 2014

IzzyBee Photography 2014

IzzyBee Photography 2014

Over all, we had a great time!

  

"Prepare plans by consultation,

And make war by wise guidance."

Proverbs 20:18

"Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called sons of God."

Matthew 5:9

PERSONAL | Fourteen Years

Fourteen years ago an amazing thing happened in my family.

I got a baby brother.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited!! I was only 1 1/2 years old, so I don't remember a lot....but I still do remember walking into the hospital hand in hand with my grandparents, looking all around in what seemed to be the longest hallway ever. I could not wait to see this "real, live baby doll". Sadly, that is where the memory stops. I don't remember holding him for the first time other than the videos and pictures I have seen over the years.

  

We have had our ups and downs over the years. He would do something ornery and I would be super mean back. He would act all sweet and innocent, and I would be really mean again. Neither of us are ever totally right in our little squabbles. I haven't always been the best sister, but I could never ask for a better brother.

You can think what you want, but I think he was the cutest little boy that ever toddled on the earth. And then just like that, he began to grow up.

First came the curly blond hair. Then came the teeth. Then the teeth began to fall out. Then came the glasses.

                           

                

         

And now he is fourteen years old. Time flies when you are having fun, I guess. Isaac sure has made our family's life more fun, and he sure is a big blessing. I love him so much!!!

         

Happy 14th Birthday Isaac!!!! I love ya!!

"This is the day which the Lord has

made;

Let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24