Friday, June 14, 2013

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay all you cookie lovers, this is THE cookie for you!  It is the best of 3 cookies all rolled into one!  I got this recipe from my Better Home and Gardens New Cookbook and made a few modifications, as well as doubling the recipe, because let's face it, I have a major sweet-tooth.  But seriously, I usually take a rubbermaid container of cookies to work to share my baking awesomeness!

After they have cooled off, and are no longer fresh from the oven, I do suggest warming them up in the microwave (10 sec. for 1, 15 sec. for 2, 20 sec. for 3).

Ingredients: (Double Batch measurements)


1 1/2 cups Butter, softened
1 cup Peanut Butter (this time I did 1/2 creamy, 1/2 crunchy)
2 cups Sugar 
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
4 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 cups Flour
4 cups Rolled Oats
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels or chopped cocktail peanuts  (I do chips)  










Instructions:

1.) Pre-heat oven to 375*, place cooling racks on counter/table for later, place cookie sheets nearby to use once dough is ready

2.) In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter on medium to high speed until well combined.

3.) Add sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda, beat until well mixed, scraping sides as necessary

4.) Beat in eggs and vanilla

5.) Add in as much flour as possible with mixer, hand mix the rest if needed


6.) Once all ingredients are well mixed, stir in by hand the rolled oats and then chocolate chips (or peanuts)




7.) Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets




8.) Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on edges.  Transfer to cooling racks



ENJOY!!!





















 

New Cordless Roman Shades in the Breezeway

We have not touched the breezeway since we moved in over 3 years ago.  The shades that came with the house worked (kinda) so we just left it.  Well, one ended up breaking awhile back and they really were crappy and very dated.  Window treatments aren't cheap, but I had $200 in gift cards to Bed, Bath & Beyond.  So I've been looking at new ones for awhile and I finally bit the bullet and went for it.  It could be better, but a lot of painting is required and the paneling would have to go.  So for now, this is all the updating I am doing for now.
All the tools you should need: tape measure, small level, pencil, phillips screwdriver and drill

New Shades: Insola Chatham Cordless Roman Shade in White
The god-awful shades from the 70's, plastic pieces woven with yarn, in brown and orange

I had 5 windows to change but it was super easy!

Once I had the marks where I wanted the brackets, I drilled a starter hole
then screwed in the top screw.  Once I got it mostly snug, I set the level
and tightened it up.  Then put in the bottom screw :-)



The shade just slides in on the hooks while the 'arm' is in this position

Then you slide the 'arm' to the left and it locks it in



Sooooo much better!