BWE (Best Weekend Ever)

It's not just one day, it's the whole weekend. Later this afternoon I will be headed southbound on I-35 to start the best weekend of the year. OU/texas weekend. NOT texas/OU weekend.

If you're from around here or if you don't live under a rock you've probably heard of this glorious event. Oklahoma and Texas fans will meet in the middle in Dallas, TX to watch their teams go head to head in the Red River Rivalry. I've been going to the game since I was little, but it's a completely different experience now being a student at OU.

On the agenda, we have dinner plans at the best Mexican restaurant in Fort Worth for Thursday night, shopping and exploring Dallas on Friday, an early morning trip to the fair before the game on Saturday (the day isn't complete without a Fletcher's Corny Dog and some kind of fried dessert) and then, cross your fingers, celebrating an OU win Saturday night. 

Big Tex. An iconic part of the Texas State Fair, where the game is held.

{image via pinterest}

Boomer Sooner and cheers to the best weekend of the year!

xo annie

p.s. happy 100th blog post to me!

Dinner Party Dreaming

It all started last week when I saw a blog post about this beautiful fall dinner party held at an old farmhouse to end the summer and welcome the beginning of fall! I was swooning over the scenery and food dishes they made. 

I wish I had all the time and money in the world to throw fabulous dinner parties for my friends and I. Since I don't, I'll just daydream about would could be.

If I had a fall dinner party I would...

{I love dining al fresco. Something rustic like a picnic table with twinkle lights strung through the trees!}

{I'd cook some appetizers like this pumpkin bruschetta or pumpkin hummus, then roasted vegetable + smoked gouda baked penne and an autumn cobb salad. I'd finish the meal off with after dinner coffee and a treat such as caramel shortbread or homemade pumpkin bread.}

{Dressing for the occasion is just as important. I'd probably layer cozy knits, a sweater and puffy vest with boyfriend jeans and booties.}

I wish I had the time to make this fall dinner party come true, but in the meantime I'll keep dreaming up ideas.

xo annie

all images via pinterest 

Bites of My Life

Besides the repetitive hours in the library last week, it was a great one! Monday night I gained two new g-littles. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just go with it. The rest of the week I was either working or pulling my hair out trying to memorize definitions for an exam. 

We finally made it to the weekend and I got to spend Friday night with 80 of the coolest girls I know, at my sorority's Freshman Pledge class retreat. It was full on slumber party mode with junk food, songs, and prank phone calls!

Saturday was the most beautiful fall day with temperatures in the low 60s! OU beat TCU and I had the best time celebrating with close friends and family!

-Quinoa with tomatoes, basil, mushrooms, artichoke hearts and a fried egg on top for dinner with one of my besties! We are getting into a regular routine of making dinner together once a week.

-This package arrived for me on Thursday filled with nine of Eat Well Enjoy Life's delicious different flavors of hummus! Stay tuned with why they sent me all of it!

-I've had the best semester and Friday night hanging out with these girls as their New Member chair.

-OU gameday!

xo annie

Ina's Ginger Cookies

Ginger cookies are one of my favorite cookies. They are a close second to my sugar cookies.

It's not officially fall at the Tucker household until a loaf of pumpkin bread and a batch of ginger cookies are made! When I was on my baking and cooking rampage a couple weekends ago, I made my first batch of ginger cookies for the season. My family's recipe never fails, but I've had Ina Garten's bookmarked for a while now.

I've seen Ina make these on her show before and they come out so puffy and pillowy (my kind of cookie).  The ingredients are pretty similar to my recipe with some adjustments in quanities. She also adds chopped crystalized ginger to give them and extra level of flavor.

Ina Garten's Ginger Cookies
yields about 18 cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Great minds think alike I guess because my sister is sharing a recipe today for some incredible pumpkin ginger cookies she made. Us Tucker's love our ginger cookies.

Annie