School? NOOO!

So... I've accepted it. My junior year of high school officially starts tomorrow morning, bright and early. I'm not too worried - I finished all of my summer homework (I know...) and bought all of my school supplies. But I frankly have no idea how I am going to wake up at six o'clock in the morning and go to school and... do things. With my brain. My summer has been an endless stream of late morning wake-ups, watching TV, and taking a nap, watching TV, and then going to sleep to start the cycle again. But I suppose that's what happens when your brain is left to rot for three months with no mental stimulation available! 

Today, I "got ready" for school, treating myself to a foot spa (those calluses had to go), some painted nails & toenails (via the Elena salon housed in my bedroom), a face mask, and some of those pore-cleansing nose & forehead strips that make you look like a complete weirdo :) Not really any reason for any of these spa day activities except that A) I didn't want to look like a hobo when I arrived at the 7-hour-a-day social gathering that is high school and B) it feels nice to pamper!

Anyway, to anyone reading this who's going back to school soon, don't fear. It's a brand new, never been opened fresh start! Make new friends, try out a new style, learn new things... This is your chance to make this year whatever you want it to be.

x Elena

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Hello, everyone! Sorry about not posting for a couple of weeks. I've been quite busy getting ready for school and felt a lack of inspiration of what to write about, to be honest. But I decided that I'd do a blog post today with one of my family's favorite dessert recipes :) I'll be posting again soon with a yummy brownie recipe. I can't take total credit for these recipes as they've been tried and tested by my mom and sister as well as myself, but they're proven to be delicious!! 

For the full recipe, scroll down past the pictures :)

0.5 cup butter, 0.5 cup brown sugar, 0.5 cup sugar, 1 egg, 0.5 tsp vanilla, 1.25 cup oatmeal, 1 cup flour, 0.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 0.5 tsp baking powder, 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

 

Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Watch it swirl!

Try a teensy weensy (or not...) bit of the delicious buttery sugary goodness!

Add egg and vanilla and beat well.

Pour the oatmeal into a blender...

...and grind away!

It should be a medium coarseness - not too fine or chunky.

Mix the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together in a medium bowl.

Add to butter mixture and blend.

Can you resist it?

Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Roll into golf-sized balls and place on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet.

Bake at 375F for 8-12 minutes, switching pans halfway through cooking time to ensure even baking. 

Remove when golden but slightly underdone-looking and let cool on cookie sheets.  They will continue to cook on the cookie sheets, so resist the urge to leave them in the oven until they look completely done.  If you do, they may look crispy, but they will be hard as rocks!

Try your best not to eat them all in one sitting...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F (180°C). Cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Taste and savor the sugary buttery goodness. Add egg and vanilla to sugar and beat well. Grind oatmeal in blender. In medium bow, mix oatmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add to creamed ingredients. Add chocolate chips to dough and distribute evenly. Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and bake 6-10 minutes. Let cool completely on cookie sheets. Makes approx. 25 delicious cookies.

I hope you guys enjoy trying out this delicious recipe! I find the baking bit to be (almost) just as fun as eating the final creation. Don't eat them all at once! :)

Elena

 

PS. If you attempt this recipe, tell me in the comments! x