Bananas on a Friday

Friday's have turned into my baking days--no more like my therapy afternoons. After this week of school I felt I was going bananas! What sounded good? Well how about a Banana White Chocolate Chip with Macadamia Nut cookie? Sold.

I searched high and low, on Pinterest, Google, Foodgawker, everywhere to find a recipe for just that. Nothing. Plan B: Find a good banana cookie recipe and add mouth watering goodness. Good enough for the Greek Gods. 

Success! Mwuahahaha.... I'm going bananas for probably one of my now most favorite cookies. EVER.

Banana Cookie Recipe from: Evelyn Brown

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour             2/3 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons baking powder             2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt                            1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking soda                2 1/2 ripe mashed bananas (more brown spots the better)

1 cup sugar                                   1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips & 1 cup macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Cream the butter and sugar together till light and fluffy, will look kind of like wet sand.

Add the eggs and vanilla till combined. Add bananas. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

Drop by the spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until light golden brown around edges and top.

The house is embraced with a smell so delectable, your neighbors will soon be arriving!

Momma T taste tested and gave the cookies a score of 11/10. Good gracious, I think I just bargained my way to a mini shopping spree in her eyes. That is the power of these cookies. If you don't like bananas before you taste this, you sure as hell will after one bite.

Banana White Chocolate Chip with Macadamia Nuts cookie. My, my, my. How you have captured my soul. Enjoy the rest of your weekend family and friends.

Pinterest & Such

Let's just take a moment and let it sink in that when we all awoke from slumber this morning, we found that Mother Nature dropped a sweet bomb on the mountains. 20 INCHES. Obvi, we went skiing. It was amazing. 

Just one more thing to distract me from completing homework., or to distract me from wanting to slit my wrists because of homework? 

The other day I decided it was probably time to try one of the many food pins I pin on Pinterest. I chose the Strawberry Heart Pie.

I did attempt a simple pie crust from scratch and it was pretty flaking delish.

Pie Crust: 

• 1 1/4 cups flour                                      Mix salt & flour together. Then cut the butter into 
• 1/4 tsp salt                                             mixture to create a crumb like form. Add water one 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (chilled/cubed)      tablespoon at a time to create a ball.                         
• 1/4 cup ice water                                    Wrap with plastic and set in fridge for 4 hours or                                                                    overnight. 

This had been a process through out my day between class and running errands. Once it was ready I rolled out the dough on a surface with flour.

 The next step to the Pinterest speacial was to cut hearts out for the top part of the crust.

Slice, dice, and prepare the strawberry center...

Layer the hearts according to the recipe...Mine were a little skiwampus. Then add an egg wash and sugar atop to make it shiny and golden brown. 

It would seem that this Pinterest recipe turned out splendid for me...

Until... The girlies came over for little Valentine treats and a sappy movie. I went to cut the pie, my rookie mistake: I didn't cook it right and had a saggy bottom crust that was uncooked. My heart sank.

Good thing we had cream cheese frosting and sugar cookies to decorate and eat. Not to mention it was a festive pink frosting with many different bottles of pretty sprinkles!

There may be times when we get saggy bottoms but in the end it doesn't ruin a good rest of the time because there is plenty more in life to make up for it, like pink frosting and sprinkles. 

Chocolate Queen

I am a lover of baking. I have come across the BEST chocolate cupcake recipe. I can honestly say in my many days of baking I have tried probably over 20 chocolate cupcake recipes. I have found the one. Moist. Right amount of chocolate. Velvety. Delectable. It's everything you want. It's like finding the right man in your life. (I have yet to find him)

When you have a good chocolate cupcake base you have everything. Thank goodness for the smart peeps who invented the internet so we can share our baking tips and tricks. That is where I found this little chocolate devil. Right here at: The Best Chocolate Cupcake

I'm telling you friends and family, this is it!

In the arrival of sweet baby, Breck Jaron Knowles, I decided we needed to celebrate with cupcakes.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Drizzle, Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting, and rimmed with crushed Pretzels to add texture. All from scrath baby!

Breck Jaron Knowles

Auntie Morgan 

Momma Chan skiing at 9 months prego!

First time holding the little guy. I fell completely head over heels.

And on a side note kids, take care of those teeth. I had a cavity filled earlier this week and it left my face looking like a stroke victim. This WAS smiling normal. I had kids and mothers run away screaming. Not really but it was a pretty awful Monday and look.

My face is back to normal. My sweet big bro, Ian, asked what happened to my face. My response? "I was dropped into a bowl of sexy." Have a happy Hump day everyone and when in doubt with chocolate cupcakes turn to this recipe and the Queen of England will show up for one with tea. Cheers.

Baby is Coming

Attention, attention this is important news!
A baby boy is coming with shades of blues.

A shower with gifts to welcome this child...
The gifts were cute, and with delight Channing smiled.

A cute little onesie from family that's near and dear...

This baby will come out skiing, from what we hear!

Look at that snowflake all tiny and red...

The Knowles make cute babies, that's just how they're bred!

Just one year ago Channing and Jaron had made a Halloween joke...

This year there really is a baby, give her stomach a poke!

Many were there to give congrats and hugs...

We were given vanilla shakes in cute little mugs!

As you can see there were little tots all around...

To give Channing a taste of how the home will now sound!

Both grandma's came to the extravagant party...
Talk to them for five minutes, you'll see their personalities are quite hearty.

The littles ran around with jubilee and joy...
They were all little girls, Channing will be happy with her BOY!

Were happy to say he's due really soon...
Thank goodness for Channing he isn't due in June!

Channing, she's the closest thing I've got to a biological sister so this baby can be sort of my nephew right? ;) 

Spring Sweets and Blues

Eeeep! I took a brave risk this semester. I decided to change my major to the opposite end of the spectrum from Health Science to Journalism, emphasis in Public Relations. Crazy? Well, we already knew I was to begin with. However after these first two days of classes I'm realizing it's going to be a lot of work. An additional two and a half more years of school for a bachelors degree. Heaven help me. Even though I am a 20 year old and this is my 3rd year of college I still cry over going to school. Yep. Today I had a full emotional break down about having to pay tuition for the next two and a half years. What could possibly make me feel better other than magically being done with school? 

The answer? Penny Candy. Specifically from the ever famous Island Market. It's been there since as long as I can remember, being right next to the elementary school I attended. 

It was a treat to have mom or dad stop at the Island Market and let you fill a paper sack full of sweet and sour gummies. Flavors of all different sorts: Peach, Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sour Apple, and my favorite the Smartie Suckers.

What is it about these sweet nothings that can make you feel even an ounce bit better about life?

That maybe just for 1 second that deliciousness gives your tongue a big hug and reminds you to treat yourself. Life can be pretty stressful. We need to find "little sweet nothings" through out the day to remind us that at the end of the day there is always something to be grateful for. Even Penny Candies.

On another note...I got a new camera from Santa this last Christmas. It's been exciting and new to explore photography. My new fav is exploring night photography of stars. With this view and Penny Candy here and there I think I can make it through the semester. Be brave and take risks. It's worth a shot.

Balancing Act

Let me tell you a little story that goes along with a typical college student or anyone for that matter. First, enjoy these fall pictures I was able to capture a week ago.

Storytime: Quite some time before college began I made the goal to pay for my entire college with my own money. No help from the parents. No help from student loans. However, when I did come up short my giving parents were so kind to help me make up the difference. In the times they have helped me I have paid them back with monthly checks. I live at home. Basically I was paying school rent to the parentals. 

It's hard to save money. It's hard to work your butt off all summer long to get to that pay deadline for school and write out an enormous check to USU, draining your bank account. Seeing your account being drained thousands of dollars is humbling. This expense leaves me wondering is it worth it? It's worth it though. It gives you a satisfaction knowing that you payed for this. This education is mine. After you pay your chunk sum for fall semester you start to rebuild for spring semester. Slow and sure your bank account begins to raise slowly.

You have other expenses you pay for: gas, food, entertainment. It's times when I begin to look at clothing, shoes, and handbags online where I get in trouble. I see all these wants. And oh my goodness. That one pair of boots I find. The small devil and angel appear on my shoulders. The devil, "Autumn, buy the boots! Buy the damn boots!" The angel, "No! You know spring semester is right around the corner. Every cent counts, save your money." I swear I stare at the screen for 20 minutes wondering "Do I need these boots?" It's a fight of judgement I have for the next hour in my head. It was then, while on Pinterest, I saw this... It must be a sign right?

                                 

 I sat there for a moment. If you could have been a fly on the wall watching this whole experience fold out I'm sure it would be entertaining to see me weigh my options. But gosh. Those boots were so darn cute.

  I remembered the true fact in that moment that life is too short. It's ok every now and then to splurge on yourself. In fact I believe it to be very important to give yourself a pat on the back for working hard. If that involves buying a pair of cute boots, or designer jeans or something simple like frozen yogurt you go ahead and do it. So did I live up to what I preach?

You bet, I bought the damn boots.

(It is however very important to save and not overspend from your budget!)