Giant S'more Cookies

Our little restaurant in town is re-opening after being remodeled. I've made a few cookies for them to serve with coffee.




















Giant S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks softened butter

1 Cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

4 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 Cups chocolate chips

3 regular size Hershey’s Chocolate Bars

3 Full Graham Crackers

5-6 Large Marshmallows cut into fourths

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place butter and sugars into a stand or electric mixer; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. Place flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl; mix then slowly add to wet ingredients along with the chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. Scoop a heaping 1/4 Cup of cookie dough into muffin top pan cups. Press down then gently press chocolate bar squares, graham cracker pieces and marshmallow slices on top of cookie dough. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until edges are just turning brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve with milk and enjoy :)

**Note, this recipe may also be done without the muffin top pan.They are just thicker and chewier if you use the pan. Just flatten out your cookie dough slightly onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and press your s’mores toppings over the dough** You can purchase those fun muffin top pans at TJ Maxx Home Goods if you are lucky, Sur La Table, Bed Bath and Beyond and of course you can google it as well!!

Makes 18 LARGE cookies from the muffin top pan

Elementary Song

Support our troops!

Steve was nominated by a few of his employees to receive an award for supporting our military while they serve our country. He's off to ride in a Chinook CH47 Helicopter to Sioux Falls, SD. From there they will pick up other honorees, then fly to Minnesota where they will stay overnight. He'll tour the facility there, watch them do routine field maneuvers, then fly home tomorrow.

He'll get an award of some kind from the government, I'm really proud of him. Here's a picture of the helicopter he'll ride in today:

Coolest Proposal

Bead Exchange

I participated in an online bead exchange. Just mailed them off yesterday to San Francisco, CA. For those of you that aren't familiar....you sign up, then make the beads in the required theme, mail them to the hostess. She will then divide the beads up amongst the participants, repackage and mail them back to each person.

My theme was charm beads to make a bracelet. Here are the results:

Scooter

I am loving my scooter. Beats the heck out of crutches. (this was taken while visiting my grandbaby...her first dance recital!!!)

Trips

I love trips. Our granddaughter will be in her first dance recital soon. I can't wait to see her perform. She's my little singer/dancer. It will be exciting to see them, I haven't seen them for awhile now.

Crutches are so YESTERDAY!!!

Are you serious? In all these years the best we can do to accomodate people after major surgery/breaks/reconstruction to foot/ankles/legs/knees are crutches? I expect the orthopedic or podiatrist to know about the latest tools available to assist a patient with their mobility after having surgery to a limb. Especially when the restriction on mobility involves No Weight Bearing (NWB)on said limb!!!

Try stairs, carrying a drink, cooking, washing dishes, sweeping, vacuuming, making the bed or anything requiring arms on crutches? It is beyond archaic! I am truly disappointed and think we could do a better job in health care making sure patients have options. And what about the health insurance?? Really, you will only pay for crutches? That bites a big one..........hehe..sorry. Off my soap box now.

I could have also been shown or told about exercises to strengthen my upper body to accommodate the use of the crutches. That wasn't done and I didn't think of it, either. I did oncology nursing, not orthopedic. That's my story, I'm sticking to it.

Today with the average person involves 40 hours a week, children and all of thier activities! It is mind boggling to think a Dr. could say with a straight face, "here's your crutches, stay off the foot for 6 weeks, take it easy". Not a clue. Not even after I explained where I work, how big our complex is, the size of the building I work in, the location of my desk and the type of work that I do. Nothing, Just crutches, 10 min. of instruction and I was out the door.

It truly is up to the patient to be informed, finding solutions that work for us, I have been searching the internet for a better solution to suit my lifestyle and needs. THis was my first choice, the IwalkFree:








DH works for a state facility that houses a Physical Therapy department. One of the employees just had major surgery to her leg involving NWB also. She could possibly put miles on her legs a day. This was explained to her Dr, she was sent home with crutches. See a pattern here? She found this:










Hubby went and rented one for me. I think my return to work tomorrow might not be as daunting as I was anticipating........can we say THANK GOD!!!!