Blog Awards and Blog Journal Day 21

Wow guys, y'all are too sweet! :) I got two blog awards this past week. Deanna at Musings and Bri over at Just a Day in the Life of Brittany and Murray both gave me the following award:

I'm supposed to pass this along to 5 newly discovered blogs, but there are so many I like, I can't pick just 5! :) Check out my favorite blogs on the sidebar (yes, I have a lot). Discover a new blog- make a new friend! :)

So, as my longtime followers know, I was a huge fan of the show LOST. For all of you going through LOST withdrawals, I think there is a new show out there for us: The Event on NBC. I honestly think it's like LOST meets 24. It stars Jason Ritter (son of the late John Ritter). I watched the premiere last night and I really hope it catches on. Now, if you aren't a fan of shows that leave cliffhangers at the end of each episode, this might not be for you. But, I think you should give it a chance! If you want to check it out, NBC has uploaded the premiere episode here.

I can't go into a great review of the episode without ruining anything. If you watched it and want to talk about it (or wanna know more about it), email me here! :)

Day 21: A recipe

Now, if you know me (or have read my blog at all), you know I'm not the world's best cook. If it can't go in the microwave, I pretty much avoid it. If there are more than three steps after "boil a pot of water", I just don't try it! ;) I'm getting better though. I think I am now up to 7 meals I can make (not using the microwave). So anyways, I had to steal this recipe from my mom. If you know me, you know my mother is a "mad woman" when it comes to baking. She loves to bake. And she just can't make one or two dozen cookies. Oh no. I went home one weekend and she said she had made cookies for me to share with my friends at work (it's like elementary school all over again. "Wanna be my friend? Here's a cookie?" It's amazing how many people you meet when you have free cookies at your desk). Anyways, a "normal" person would think, oh, she made a dozen, maybe two dozen cookies. Oh no. She made EIGHT dozen cookies. Yes, EIGHT. And she doesn't just make the cookies. She individually wraps them in Saran Wrap (they stay fresher that way). Here is picture proof!

She usually makes chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. After a suggestion from my BFF Brandy, she now also makes peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips mixed in them. Anyways, my favorite of the cookies are the peanut butter ones (I have no clue where I would be without peanut butter!) So, here it is. Georgeanne's Secret Recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies (actually, I think she took it off a Crisco wrapper so it's not so secret!!) ;)

FYI, the temperature is set for an electric oven. If you have a gas oven, you'll have to adjust the setting (and no, I don't know how to do that!) ;)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (my mom prefers Jif but you can use whatever brand you like)

1/2 cup (or 1/2 stock) butter flavored Crisco shortening

1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Heat oven to 350 F. Place sheets of foil on countertop for cooling cookies. Combine peanut butter, Crisco, light brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed.. Mix until just blended.  Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto sprayed cookie sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet.

If you so choose, after they are completely cooled, you can wrap them in Saran Wrap, but that is not required! :)

Happy baking my friends!

:)