The smell of peanut butter cookies wafting out of my oven is pure simple bliss to me. Baking up warm bundles of sugary yum is one of my favorite past times. I do it when I’m happy, when it’s cold outside, when I’m craving some sense of home, I pretty much do it anytime because it brings me joy.
I adapted this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from Smitten Kitchen, one of my favorite sources for yummy goodness! No they are not low in fat. Just bake them, eat them and en
joy them. Just don’t eat them all in one sitting!
These are serious bliss. They’re crisp on the outside, and almost cakey on the inside. Bake ‘um up and hide half in the freezer to eat the following week.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy Jif peanutbutter at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanutbutter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanutbutter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets (I use a Pampered Chef stone ware slab), leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.
Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Shocking, informative and a key to understanding why Americans have high rates of disease, like diabetes, and obesity. I was saddened and shocked by the information in this film. As a fitness instructor, I have seen the harmful effects that modern day food has on our children. I urge you to inform yourself and see where you can take one step of action.
Learn more about the issues like obesity, diabetes, foodborne illness, pesticides,and the environmental impact
Heal your Holiday grief with this series of teleclasses being offered by my friend and colleague, Master Martha Beck Coach, Martha Atkins.
Grief that has not been released or addressed can be a major cause of illness and pain. Whether you’ve recently lost someone or are still dealing with grief from twenty years ago, this can help you heal.
Tears, Fears, and Light: Negotiating The Holidays When Someone You Love Is Dying
Monday, December 21st- 9a pacific/10a mountain/11a cst/12p eastern
Presents and Presence: Missing Your Mom or Dad This Holiday Season
Monday, December 21st-11p pacific/12p mountain/1p cst/2p eastern
The Ornaments Make Me Cry: Getting Through The Holidays When Your Child Has Died
Monday, December 21st-1p pacific/2p mountain/3p cst/4p eastern
For parents who have experienced the death of a child of any age.
Missing Your Brother or Sister This Holiday Season
Tuesday, December 22nd – 9a pacific/10a mountain/11a cst/12p eastern
The Nights Are Too Silent: Surviving The Holidays After the Death of Your Spouse or Partner
Tuesday, December 22nd-11a pacific/12p mountain/1p cst/2p eastern
You will learn:
* what to do with all the feelings you’re having and how normal you really are even if you don’t feel that way.
* ways to connect with your loved one whether they’re still with us or not.
* three practical ways to care of yourself that don’t involve excess eggnog or running away to Tahiti.
* an activity to do on your own or as a family, one my clients say has reminded them the most meaningful and treasured gifts don’t cost any money at all.
Choose the class that best fits your situation and join in. The cost is $19. Once you sign up, you will receive a link to the conference. You can listen in by phone or on the web and can send any questions you have by email before or during the call. Everyone who signs up will receive a recording of the call.
I know you think you are too busy to sit down and plan where you will be in 10 years. But if you don’t take the time to think about it, what you really want may never happen.
In the adult world, play is often frowned down upon — it is expected that we grow up, get a job and be serious. But most adults are just kids trapped in a big bodies wishing they could go out and play. Isn’t that why we all countdown the days to our yearly vacations? And who hasn’t had the Sunday night blues, while thinking about the upcoming workweek? Perhaps the epidemic of depression amongst adults is due to lack of fun and play. So much joy is felt when you become present to the moment and lose yourself in play. You become ageless, fearless and childlike.
So in the Spirit of Play, I set up a playdate for myself. I attended a beginners Acroyoga workshop. What is Acroyoga?! It is a unique practice that blends the spiritual wisdom of Yoga, the loving kindness of Thai Massage and the dynamic power of Acrobatics. The combination of these elements cultivate trust, connection and playfulness. And it was sooooo much fun. Mind you, I do practice yoga on a weekly basis, but never have I done gymnastics, acrobatics or “flown”.
The instructor, Arianne, assured us we would be safe and have a blast. I was game. The class started out with some trust exercises, where the group of 20 of us had to close our eyes and run around the room guided by partners, who we had just met 5 minutes prior. Then we did some partner stretching to warm up. Then onto the lifting each other into the air, balancing on our partners feet and backs, flying and tumbling, and ending the class with well-earned Thai massage. The 3 hour workshop flew by — time does fly when you are having fun! I felt like a kid again.
This Motherhood Redefined event rocked the lives of the moms who attended. I was lucky enough to speak at and attend this cool event in Scottsdale, AZ. Check out more at Motherhood Redefined. Future events coming next year!
Make your list public. Making your goals public solidifies your commitment to them, holds you accountable, and helps you connect with others who share your interests. You’ll discover connections to social and professional networks that you didn’t know you had and gets lots of encouragement from the people who care most about you. So make sure to tell friends, family members, and coworkers about your list and post it on the Internet at 43Things.com.
Include serious and fun goals. Vary the scope of your goals and include some wild just-for-fun dreams. Also, don’t be afraid to complete less daunting goals first. Building momentum from these early successes helps you find the courage to tackle larger tasks.
Include undefined goals. Avoid overlooking a developing passion or interest by fearlessly adding goals even if you can’t totally articulate them. If you wake up one morning with the desire to create art, add it to the list. Let the idea simmer in your mind until something more specific emerges.
Document progress. While reviewing the list, record your progress and determine the next steps. Documenting progress allows you to identify behavior patterns or other obstacles keeping you from accomplishing goals-it can also show you how far you’ve come.
Make goals manageable but rewarding. Divide big goals into smaller tasks, but not so small that they become tedious. Taking incremental steps keeps you from getting overwhelmed by a monumental goal. For example, instead of vowing to “get organized” try listing “declutter the garage.”
Define the finish line. You’ll find it easier to complete certain tasks and track progress if you determine the duration, results, or final outcome you desire from achieving a specific goal. Revise vague goals such as “give back to my community” by specifying what kind of work you want to do. You may not be able to do this right away-as we said, undefined goals are good, too.
Prioritize goals. Arrange your goals to reflect what you want to begin working on right away. You may want to run a marathon and get a promotion at work, but rather than trying to find the time and energy to run thirty miles a week and put in long hours at the office, focus on the goal that’s more important to you.
Maintain a manageable list. Somewhere between twenty and forty-three is a sweet spot for many people. Limiting your life list to forty-three goals forces you to make some choices. Fewer than twenty goals doesn’t offer enough variety to keep you moving forward.
Review your list weekly. It sharpens your focus, keeps up your momentum, and reminds you of what’s important. As you review the list, ask yourself, “What have I done to achieve a particular goal this week?” If the answer is “nothing,” is this goal important enough to keep on your list?
Revise and remove goals. A life list should be constantly evolving-it should reflect what’s important to you right now, not what mattered in the past. Remember, there’s no penalty for changing your mind or tweaking a goal to better reflect your desired outcome or new circumstances. A short-lived passion for making pottery can be reborn as “find a creative outlet,” or ambitions to get straight A’s in chemistry can be tossed because sometimes a passing grade is enough of a victory.
I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I’m a
Healthy Organized Extrovert
I would agree with this (most of the time)! Although I must confess: I ate fistfuls of M&M’s as I worked late into the night amidst the piles and piles of papers on my desk! Check out this site and start your own 43Things list. It is fun!