Things That I Love & Cookies You Should Never Make

First, ze cookies.  My lovely grad students really pulled through for me the other day, so I made them these.  My Grammom used to make them - they are simple as could be, have 5 ingredients, and take about 20 minutes to make (plus chilling time).  Unfortunately, they have approximately 8 gazillion calories and once you start eating them you won't be able to stop - so you've been warned.  In fact you've probably gained a pound just looking at them.  But here is the recipe, in case you're feeling reckless:


2 sticks of butter
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
enough graham crackers to line your rimmed baking sheet
1 c chopped walnuts
2 c chocolate chips


Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then completely cover with graham crackers.  You'll have to break them to fit, probably, and that's ok.  In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and brown sugar together and whisk constantly until caramel forms.  Remove from heat and pour over the graham crackers.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes; just until the caramel starts to bubble around the edges.  Remove from oven, let sit a minute or two, then sprinkle chocolate chips over top.  As soon as the chocolate gets all melt-y, spread with a spatula so that chocolate completely covers the graham crackers.  Transfer the whole thing to the refrigerator and let chill 2 hours, then remove and cut into bars.  Make sure to break a whole bunch and be forced to eat them "so they don't go to waste".


I love these cookies, they remind me of my Grammom, MaryLou - Mooch's middle name is after her.
Other random things I love :

Cheap, tastes amazing, box is made from post-consumer recycled cardboard and is recyclable!

My go-to breakfast is scrambled eggs on wheat toast, with avocado and Frank's Red Hot.

Shawn Colvin ... one badass chick.

Goody Spin Pins.  My hair is really, really long - it touches my waist - and thick.  These suckers are amazing.  You can do very loose styles and they hold tight, and it's a little more dressed up then just having my hair in a ponytail.  I have even run with my hair in these and they don't budge.

Oprah magazine.  I LOVE.  Don't judge.

Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy

Always makes me want to cry, and go to Japan.  

Eddie Izzard

That my kids love Johnny Cash.  This is Mooch and the Mister onstage with a Johnny cash tribute band that played last summer at a local park.  She was the only person under 40 dancing like a maniac and singing along in front of the stage, so "Johnny Cash" asked her to come up onstage for "Ballad of a Teenage Queen".  She was all shy, until the song ended and he handed her his guitar pick.  She came flying off the stage screaming, "I'm famous Mama!"

I probably will not be around this weekend, as it's my birthday tomorrow and the Mister is taking me out for dinner tonight and my parents are taking the kids.  Aaah, delicious sleep, you and I will be together soon.  Peace out, cub scouts!