Less is More...

     As part of my New Year's resolve to become more mindful and show more gratitude I picked up a book entitled Less is More; 101 ways to simplify your life by Domonique Bertolucci (yes my local friends, we do have it at our library!). I devoured it faster than my family did this batch of cookies! 

     So much of it was relevant and inspiring to me.  About a third of the way through this little book of wisdom, I came across a page that gave me pause.  In hopes that the author won't mind, here is an excerpt:

"Life is really simple,

but we insist on making it complicated."

Confucius

Make it easy

     Don't keep struggling if something seems difficult. It really doesn't have to be.

There's a big difference between taking the easy way out and looking for a simple solution, so stop what you are doing, take a deep breath and ask yourself, 'How can I make this easier?' Then do it that way instead.

~ Domonique Bertolucci

     Looks good on paper right? I know what you're thinking. If we really stop to think about it though, how hard can it be to strive to make things easier? Seriously. 

     Let's start with this new recipe I found.  It really does not get much easier than this. The effort is minimal and the result is amazing. Try it, you'll see!

Here's What You'll Need: 

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped 

Directions:

~ Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees

~ Sift together the flour, the salt and the baking soda in a small bowl and set aside

~ Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar and mix until fluffy

~ Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and milk

~ Add in the flour mixture and beat until combined

~ Shape dough into balls and place into an ungreased mini muffin tin

~ Bake for 10 minutes 

~ Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball

~ Let cookies cool in tin completely before carefully popping them out with a butter knife

    I even found a way to make these cookies much easier...

I happened to have a tub of ready made peanut butter cookie dough in my fridge (thanks to a fundraiser at my daughter's school) so I didn't even have to prepare the dough! 

     One last thing... you'll notice in the above photo that I also used some Hersey's Kisses. They work just as well if you don't have any mini chocolate covered peanut butter cups on hand. Remember, it's all about making things easier. Work with what you've got. You'll be happier for it.

Thanks to Six Sisters' Stuff for inspiring this wonderful recipe. 

Visit their site for more great recipes or check out one of their awesome books!

It's The Little Things...

  

   The new year, for me, is a time of transition.  It is the time of year when I look back and reflect upon the past year while trying to look forward into the new one. To be honest, I find the new year melancholy.  Amidst all of the reveling I can't help but focus on the year(s) gone by... how fast my children are growing up, those that we have loved and lost, things that have changed, and things that have not.

   Over the past few years I have had some significant changes in my life and because of that I have become more mindful about being grateful. I no longer focus on the negative, but try to embrace the positive.  One way I do so is by keeping a gratitude journal.  I know it sounds cheesy, but it really does help me to keep things in perspective.  While I don't write in it daily, I do try to write at least three things I am grateful for each week. Some weeks there are more entries, some weeks there are less. That's okay. It's not about the quantity, it's about the quality. 

   Once I started compiling a list of all that makes me thankful I became more aware of what I wanted to carry with me or create more of in the coming year. For me it's the simple things, but these are the things that we often take for granted.

   In an attempt to involve my family in my gratefulness project I created a Grateful Jar.  I introduced it to my family last year on New Year's Day.  I explained what it was for and placed it in a prominent spot on our kitchen counter. Beside it, I made sure there was a constant supply of small slips of paper and a pen. The idea was simple; starting on New Year's Day, and continuing on throughout the year, we were to put gratitude notes in the jar. The slips of paper were small to make the task seem less daunting. On the jar I wrote a list of ideas to write about:

• good things that happened to you
• surprise gifts
• accomplished goals
• "LOL!" moments
• memories worth saving
• daily blessings

 To my delight, the notes accumulated and on New Year's Eve we opened the jar and read all of the wonderful, silly, funny and awesome things we were grateful for throughout the past year.  Here are a few of my favourites: 

• we had pizza
• snow days
• playing cards with Nanny & Papa
• I scored a goal in hockey
• eating rice with chopsticks #YOLO
• good health
• dinner tasted good 
• sleeping in
• Pillsbury Dough boy cookies ("Mom is clutch.")
• getting a point in The Game of Things
• I have good friends

    We had fun taking turns reading the notes out loud and remembering good times.  We were all surprised at how many notes there were! It is a humble reminder of how truly blessed we really are.  I recommend you try it. There are all sorts of inspiring ideas on Pinterest, but really all you need is a jar, some scrap paper and a pen. If you want to get creative I have attached a link to a free printable below.

Click here

 for a free printable tag thanks to

http://dishesanddustbunnies.com

      Among the many things that the Gratitude Jar has taught me is that sometimes it is merely the thought that counts. I often get so caught up in trying to find the ' perfect recipe' that will please everyone when truthfully, most are happy with the thoughtfulness of the effort.  Hence, when I read the note that said "I am grateful for Pillsbury Dough boy cookies" I realized that perfecting a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies isn't necessarily what is needed to please my kids. 

     I just so happened to have a leftover box of these cookies in the fridge....

 and when the kids arrived home from school to a fresh baked batch of Christmas cookies on a chilly January day they were all smiles.  Some days it's the thought that counts and for that I am grateful.

I Would Be Proud To Partake In Your Pecan Pie...

     Happy Friday everyone! I am having a particularly wonderful day and I feel like spreading some joy.  I hope this recipe does the trick.  I must confess that before making this (which was for an order, not for family or friends) I had never made, nor even tasted, a pecan pie. I know right? What was I thinking?! Thankfully for all parties involved, it turned out beautifully AND tasted good. Whew!  

     With the holidays fast approaching, you may be in need of simple and impressive dessert. This recipe is easy to follow and the results are spectacular.  It makes enough for one pie and I had enough filling left over to make some tarts (which are great for sampling your work!). Seriously, give it a try. I think you will be impressed with both yourself and the end product. Happy baking!

You will need: 

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick butter), melted
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
One 9-inch deep dish pie shell, unbaked, or homemade pastry if you feel ambitious
1 cup pecan halves for topping
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs until creamy. Add the chopped pecans, melted butter, milk, flour and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top of the pie in a circular pattern.

Bake the pie for 55 minutes. Check for doneness by shaking the pan slightly. The pie should be firm with only a slight jiggle in the center. It will set more as it cools. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of whipped cream (or in my case, blueberry pie ice cream!).

*Recipe adapted from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen

 by Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2008

I'm sure everyone will be proud to partake in your pecan pie!