Wednesday, February 27, 2013

More late night contemplations

So again I am debating the next steps but I came up with this:

YWG - HNL - AKL- SYD - DPS - DMK - NAY - BOM - NBO - JNB - CAI - ATH - ROM - BSL - CDG - BRU - AMS - LHR - YWG

No more than 5 days in any one city (with possible exceptions for BRU and AMS) and thanks to some amazing google skills the air fare (just based on observation alone would be ~$6,600.00)

hum... much more thinking and contemplating to do

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Late night baking and evaluation of life

It seems to be lately that I find myself up late at night evaluating my life, where I am going and what I want to do.

I have said it a number of times - I seemed to have the life that a person might aspire to.  I have an amazing and wonderful daughter, I was married, a professional career, a home and two cars (no dog but I do have a Cat..) it seems to be an "ideal" world that I had aspired to because that is what I thought I wanted in life.

Now I look back and I am not sure what I want - the only thing I know for certain is that I am not where I want to be in my life.  I am the verge of a major change and I just need to find and figure out where I want to go.

Anyways - as I said I find myself up late at night and I seem to be doing one thing that is pretty awesome - I am cooking.

So tonights creation:

Chocolate Chip Cookies


  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup butter, softened (I recommend that you don't melt it)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 2 tsp Hot water
  • 2 cups Chocolate Chips
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
  4. Dissolve baking soda in the hot water.
  5. Add the butter along with the salt. (Note: I skipped the salt because I use salted butter).
  6. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips.
  7. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans
  8. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are nicely brown. 
Note:  I tended to over bake my cookies because they seemed under cooked when I took them out of the oven.  However, when the sides are done and the bottoms are slightly golden brown they will continue to cook and solidify and be properly cooked without being overcooked. '

The other late night creation (from the weekend) 

Eggs Benedict on Garlic Toast with Steak and Onions




I'll have to post the recipe later but this was DELICIOUS!  and making home made hollandaise sauce is SO worth the time and effort!  It is super easy and way better than anything in a package (on that note did you know packages have expiry dates!? more on that story tomorrow)