Bites of My Life

Happy April! You know what they say, April showers... It's currently raining out my window as I cozy up in bed on Sunday night. I am loooooooving this start to spring rain/storms. I weirdly love crazy storms and tornado weather, but this light rain we have been having, especially at night is the ultimate sleep medicine. Although, I'm trying to hurry through this post without falling asleep so I can stay up to watch the finale of Big Little Lies. I'm so sad and mad it's the last episode, but cannot wait for the plot to unravel. 

-Trying to make salads not boring. 
-"Why are you dressed like a cowboy?" -Mom, "Cause this is trendy right now." -Me. Ugh. 
-When you forgot you had eggs boiling on the stove and go for a walk. At least it was just the eggs that burned and not the whole house...
-Guacamole trio (or quad) at Iguana Mexican Grill.
-I have had this thing for wallpaper recently. How great is this, in the bathrooms at Iguana.
-Back on my homemade matcha game and I think I'm starting to nail my recipe. Still working on it before I share it!
-I never used dry shampoo until this year and now I can't live without. Just got started using Lazy Dry Shampoo and I love it. You apply it at night with a brush and let all the natural ingredients sink in while you sleep! 
-Did someone say frose`, yes way! This is going to be my summer drink c/o The Jones Assembly. 
-Doing what the bible says, the food bible in this case (Bon Appetit).
-Friday night grill out. 
-Beef short rib stuffed bell pepper. Stella keeps reminding me why it's favorite brunch spot in OKC. 
-Living room inspo from a home tour this weekend. 
-Kettle corn is a very acceptable dinner. 
-Can't stop making my Perfect CCCs. Check out my insta to see how I've been changing them up recently!
-A lick here, a lick there. New recipe post coming later this week!

Annie

Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies (Best Cookies Ever)

I've firmly decided cookies are my favorite thing to bake and eat, when it comes to dessert. Cookies are fun to make, the dough is always great, they are equally great straight out of the oven and even a few days later. They are the best for sharing with friends and family and easy to stash in the freezer to pull out when you need a last minute dessert. 

I think I really got on the cookie train after my quest to fine the perfect CCC! Found here:) I made recipe after recipe and never got tired of baking cookies. My sweet roommate Lindz had her two childhood besties come stay with us way back in April. One of her friends had been following my chocolate chip cookie quest and said I had to try this recipe. The recipe is titled "Best Cookie Ever Recipe." With a name like that, how do you pass it up?

The recipe has been sitting on my phone, hiding, until I recently resurfaced it. No questions asked, I needed to make the "best cookies ever" stat! They are chock full of goodies (my favorite kind of cookies). Oatmeal, chocolate chips, pecans and the best-coconut. They'd even be great with some espresso powder, pretzels, potato chips, butterscotch chips etc. added in. Really whatever your heart desires. 

They are just one of those All-American cookies everyone will love! I baked off a ton last week and took them to our kickball league. I got thumbs up all around as we washed them down with Coors Light. It was a winning combo in our bellies and on the field. 

Best Cookies Ever
yields about 50 cookies

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 cups quick cook oatmeal
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 cups coconut
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars on high for two minutes. Scrape down sides. Add vanilla extract and eggs. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until combined. Then add in all the goodies - oats, chocolate chips, coconut and pecans. 

Using a cookie scoop, place golf ball size balls of dough on your cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes, don't over bake! 

This recipe makes a ton! Perfect for sharing and storing leftover balls of dough in the freezer. I have about a dozen and half waiting for me to pull out tonight to bake off then take as house guest treats while I crash at the "Marge Motel" for OU/Texas this weekend!

Enjoy the best cookies ever!

Annie

Bites of My Life

Today's bites post is stacked with photo bites of last week. A full camera roll of weekly images, typically means it was a great week. I suppose I was trying to squeeze as many memories possible into the last week of summer. I wore white everyday, bought a car (!!!!), finished Whole30, visited a city I've never been to, reunited with college friends, welcomed the start of college football, and sat poolside for probably the last time in 2016.

I breezed through the week quick as quick in anticipation of my trip to Houston for OU's first game of the season. Game outcome aside, the weekend was too good. Molly opened her doors for me to stay at "AirbMB" for the weekend. Unfortunately MB was Austin bound for the weekend, but we got a quick 30 minute catch up sesh to make it count! The weekend also included multiple catch up sesh's with college friends near and far who all came together for the game. Lots of memories made and too much fun had. I'm still exhausted and caught up on a high from the weekend. I'm letting it end graciously though as we say farewell summer/hello fall. Let the best season begin.  

-All white everyday last week before the fashion police say I can't. 
-Shared a few ways I knock pesky morning headaches. 
-Spaghetti squash primavera for the last bites of Whole30.
-Golden Milk. You have to try it if you haven't, perfect way to end the day.
-A somewhat celebratory lunch at Mexican Sugar after purchasing my first car!!! My car accident a few weeks back ended up being a blessing in disguise.
-CCC dough rolled into balls and frozen to save for a rainy day, unexpected guests, or those strong sweet tooth cravings.
-A matcha a week keeps the doctor away...
-A trip to Houston meant a quickie meet up with MB before she headed out of town and finally a visit to her place of work at Biscuit.
-Lunch at Local Foods was suggested on more than one account. It lived up to all the hype!
-All smiles pre OU upset. 
-If only all college football games came equipped with a bloody mary bar. Hello feta stuffed olives. 
-A diner breakfast to round out the Houston bites and to soak up Saturday night. 
-Some rude (smart) person thought it would be a good idea to put a mini Dylan's Candy Bar right next to my Southwest gate. I arrived and left Houston with a big bag of candy store candy. Sour gummies and chocolate covered everything.
-One last dip!
-Labor day steaks and veggies to send off summer!

Annie

Chocolate M&M Cookie Pizza

Cookie pizzas strike again! I thought the sugar cookie pizza with strawberry icing couldn't be beat, but then this guy showed up. For all you out there that are team chocolate chip cookie over team sugar cookie, I have you covered. M&Ms also came to hang out making it that much better

I love a good cookie cake. When it comes to store bought cakes and you have the option of the sheet cake with overly sweet buttercream, or cookie cake, I go cookie cake. This M&M and chocolate chip flavor brings that classic cookie cake taste home!

It's made very similarly to the sugar cookie pizza. You want to make sure and under cook it a bit for ultimate doughy taste. I found 10 minutes to be perfect. And here is a tip I learned while developing the recipe to help make it extra pretty. Right after the pizza comes out, press a few extra chips and M&Ms into the surface. It's all about visual appeal first. 

Chocolate M&M Cookie Pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup M&M's (plus a few)*

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
splash of milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a large mixing bowl or round object, about 10 inches in diameter, trace a circle on the parchment paper. Flip the parchment paper over so you don't get any pencil or pen marks when you spread out the dough.

Cream butter and sugars in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract.  Add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix on low until the dough comes together. Add your chocolate chips and M&M's and give it another quick stir. 

With clean hands spread the dough out on the parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the dough out, filling the circle shape you drew. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Start on the low end. The key to yumminess in this cookie pizza is for it to be slightly underdone! You want to take it out just before it starts to brown. *Right after you take it out, lightly press a few M&Ms into the top of the pizza. This ensures for an extra pretty cookie! Then let it cool completely.

While the pizza cools, make your glaze. Using a hand mixer or whisk, whisk powdered sugar and vanilla, and a splash of milk until smooth and glossy. Add a touch more milk if you need to. It should be the consistency of Elmers glue. Using a spoon drizzle the glaze over the top in a swirly whirly pattern of your choice ;)

Cut with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

I love serving these cookie pizzas in an actual pizza box. It's a fun play on the name and actually a great way to transport it. A local pizza shop has been nice enough to give me a few of their to go boxes when I go in. I may have lied and said I needed them for a school project...but still. I bet if you asked they wouldn't mind sparing you a few!

Annie

Bites of My Life

First week of work down, and I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. It was harder than I thought to fall back into a routine. I'm kind of having that feeling when I first started my job last year after graduation. Do you ever get those moments when you are driving to work and think, I'm really going to do this everyday for the rest of my life? Everyday wake up, get ready, go to work, repeat. It can seem daunting but when I think harder about it I love the commitment and the responsibility of reporting to work and taking care of business. It's productive and accomplishing and gives me a sense of confidence.  Just a little thought bite for you to nosh on this morning. 

-Started the week on a sweet note celebrating a great friends birthday!
-Tacos all week in prep for Cinco de Mayo. Used my carnitas meat mixed with some BBQ sauce and pickled onions for a barbecue spin!
-Finally found my go-to CCC recipe and I still haven't gotten over it. You have to check out this recipe!
-So cool seeing people recreate my recipes. Libby really killed it with this one-thank you!!
-Missed our calling at flower arranging.
-Friday fiesta.
-Dinner at one of my favorite spots in town.
-Mother's day Grapefruit Moscow Mules. This just became my summer drink.
-Love getting to celebrate my momma on this day and everyday.

Annie