Bites of My Life

Really, crazy, super #blessed. A weekend full of tons of family and friend time can make you feel that way. My little niece turned one this weekend and the whole fam damily rolled out for the occasion. In addition, an influx of friends from college were in town and it was the icing on the cake getting to see old friends in addition to the fam time. 

Weekend aside, last week had some seriously good eats like my Quinoa Fried Rice on repeat, killer smoothies/smoothie bowls, and insane overnight oats recipe, my favorite chips and salsa/guac in the city, pizza, burger, biscuits and my first taste at an oat milk latte. Verdict: amazing.

I also finished book #7 of the year and I'm officially turning into a book warm. How I turned into a reader you ask? Yes I still watch TV before bed every night, but almost every morning I start my workout with 28 minutes exactly on the elliptical and crush a couple chapters.

I also went to a casting call for The Bachelor.... anyway...!

-A staple in my single-girl meals. Quinoa Fried Rice, archived recipe can be found here.
-Headache healer smoothie: use frozen veggies like cauliflower, spinach and lots of ginger!
-Another book down. On to #8.
-3rd time in one week to the Kitchen at Commonplace.
-An overnight oats recipe that will make you love overnight oats. Recipe here. Made better with this insanely good almond butter by Betsy's Best.
-Will we get the final rose? The Bachelor came to town and we went to the open casting call. Sorry mom and dad!
-Big bad one year old, Elle Frances.
-The whole crew in one place for Elle's pool party!
-Tucker Time Eats: burgers, grilled pineapple with hot honey, grilled cabbage salad with goat cheese raita, cucumbers and hazelnuts from Bon Appetit.

Annie

Bites of My Life

A concert, a few new restaurant visits, an all day frosé party, some downtime and lots of work. A great mix to make the week go by fast. Hoping this week speeds by too! The whole Tucker clan will be in town this weekend to celebrate the youngest of the group's 1st birthday! 

-Fangirls in our fan wear. Oh Wonder live lived up to the hype!
-The Kitchen at Commonplace Books is open and I can't rave about it enough. The food is spot on but the aesthetic also levels up!
-Nature's candy for dinner! First time buying a papaya at the store. I cleaned the seeds out of the middle and filled it up with frozen grapes and frozen blueberries. Granola, almond butter, chia seeds and banana.
-Fancy eggs for Friday!
-Welcome to OKC Hopdoddy! Ahi Tuna burger and buffalo shareable fries for this first-timer.
-TJA turns 1!!
-When you've been frosé-ing (working not drinking) all day and get hangry, And Sonic is across the street. Popcorn chicken and tots por favor.
-Looking back at Saturday through rose colored glasses. What a day celebrating one year for The Jones Assembly!
-Back for seconds and to try the brunch features at The Kitchen at Commonplace.

Annie

Bites of My Life

This week I was reminded of how much can change in a year, or really more of how different things can be at one point in time, just a year apart. Thank you Timehop for always reminding me of these moments. This week last year, the restaurant group I work for was opening our biggest undertaking to date. I was working around the clock, I hadn't seen my friends in weeks, I was pale from not seeing the sun, there was no time for blogging, reading, watching TV, seeing movies, but I was still loving every minute of it. And have never been apart of something more rewarding. If you are in town this weekend, help us celebrate!

This week, this year, things are relatively slow work wise (a nice break from the hustle that was april-may-june), I'm loving all the time I'm getting with friends and family and yes I'm tanner than I've ever been in my life (LOL). I have time to bake (cue campfire cookies), binge on TV (currently: Southern Charm), saw a movie for the first time in forever (got the invite to an early screening for Crazy Rich Asians: it's so good!!!) and reading. Yes, reading. I finished my 6th book of the year this weekend. 

It's nice to have the change from last summer. This summer has been really "summer-filled" if that makes sense. Lot's of time to enjoy the things you can only really do in the summer. This weekend was spent at the lake with my fam. It was a relaxing, fun and the perfect summer weekend.

-#NationalPinaColadaDay celebrated a bit more healthy in the form of a protein shake, but it still took me back to Waikiki Beach!
-Princess Elsa at your service! Hilarious but cutest way to start my Tuesday after being asked to dress up as Elsa from Frozen to surprise a bunch of 4-year-old girls while they enjoyed "Princess Camp."
-Trader Joe's Frozen Chicken Tikka Masala doctored up with some peas for color and greens. What is your favorite TJ's frozen meal?
-Got to put my flavor input on this weekends featured drink at The Jones. Included my current favorite things: blackberry, ginger, lemon, gin and tonic.
-I just really love this picture, that is all.
-Campfire Cookies! I mean JK's Campfire Cookies, renamed by my brother-in-law. Get the recipe here for these s'more/Perfect CCC hybrid cookies.
-#LakeBaby
-My favorite breakfast casserole courtesy of one of my besties family recipes! Perfect lake breakfast or breakfast for a crowd.
-Chips in your sandwich or you're doing it wrong.
-Book #6 finished! The goal is 12 in 12 months. 
-Waterloooooooo!!! Who else has tried the new sparkling water craze? I bought the black cherry flavor and I'm loving it. 
-Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto made for the best veggie filled dinner after the all-carb diet at the lake.

Annie

S'more Cookies

I'm heading to the lake with my family later today and I was tasked with bringing the "treats." Do I go with the classic Perfect CCC's? I could. Do I take the easy way out and just buy s'more ingredients? No, because it's 100+ in Oklahoma right now and the last thing I want to do is stand around a fire. 

So instead, I will combine the two. As if my Perfect CCC's and a s'more had a baby, I give you S’mores Cookies. The ultimate summer lake trip treat.

They are everything you love in a Perfect CCC (hello flaky Maldon Salt) mixed with graham crackers, marshmallows, and a Hershey's chocolate bar. I can think of nothing better right now. I will also take this moment to profess my love affair with Graham Crackers. The most underrated cookie/cracker. They are the perfect after dinner snack. Shmear on a little Cookie Butter or almond butter and you are golden. Graham Crackers I love you. S’more Cookies, I love you too!

S’more Cookies
yields 32-36 cookies

Ingredients:
1  cup unsalted butter, melted
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed*
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped
1 Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, chopped
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 sleeve Graham Crackers (9 crackers total)
Maldon Salt

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

Divide your graham crackers into stacks of 4 and 5. Take the 5 graham crackers and place in a large ziplock bag. Using a rolling pin crush the crackers into fine crumbs. This mixture will be added to the dry ingredients, so you want them to be very fine. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Then, take the 4 graham crackers and break them up into small pieces. Small enough to be mixed into the dough, but still in chunks. *see photo above for reference.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, fine graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl mix both sugars. *You can use light or dark brown sugar. I like a dark cookie so I prefer dark brown sugar, but I switch off depending on what I have on hand. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the sugars and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking to combine. Stir in the vanilla.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture. I found a wooden spoon to be the easiest for this job. Once the dough has almost come together, add the chocolate chips, marshmallows, graham cracker chunks and 3/4 of the chopped Hershey's bar.
Reserve a few marshmallows, graham cracker chunks and 1/4 of the chopped Hershey bar for topping the balls of cookie dough.

Form 2-3 tablespoon size balls. I used a standard size cookie scoop, but overload the scoop getting a larger ball of dough. Place them on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Do not overcrowd the pans. I got 10 balls of dough on a pan. Take your reserved chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows and top each ball of dough with a little of each. Then sprinkle the top of each cookie with flaky Maldon salt. 

Bake for 9-11 minutes, rotating the pan around halfway through. Bake until just slightly golden. 

Don't fear, the marshmallows will ooze out and go all over the pan.  For a prettier cookie, take the cookies while they are still warm and using either you fingers or a knife, pull off and trim away the oozy marshmallow. You are simply just cleaning up your cookies. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

4th of July, please don't ever fall on a Wednesday again. I beg of you. Weirdest week ever. Not a bad week in hindsight, just weird. I know most of you can agree. The double two day week wasn't the worst either. 

Lot's of festive food, summer food, breakfast food and all around delicious food last week. As you can see more of below. This week is looking like a birthday celebration, taco tuesday, VIP movie screening and then off to the lake. Chat next Monday! 

-Eat the rainbow. My favorite way to eat. Ingredient details including a killer dressing recipe in my post here.
-Breakfast with mom at our favorite, EnCroute.
-All the office vibes in our new workspace. More pictures to come I'm sure, but for now, back to Kathy Lee and Hoda.
-Y'all know me and my love for festive food. So festive fruit to start the 4th was a must.
-4th of July, please don't ever fall on a Wednesday again. All smiles despite.
-Celebrating America and my girl Maddie's bday!
-Breakfast with dad, trying out Buttermilk. A biscuit breakfast spot but couldn't resist the smoothie bowl!
-Sunday spin with my girl. 
-Little fish is almost a year old!

Annie