Author: Suz

Categories
Everything Else

I gave up…

on reading Reading Lolita in Tehran. I tried (I read the first 68 pages on Saturday) but I think for the first time in my whole life I quit a book. Earlier this fall I read The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns & Three Cups of Tea all of which are set in/about the lives of Afghanistan. I enjoyed all three of those books, read them kinda back to back and was talking about them at a recent book club meeting. I read in Real Simple about Reading Lolita & then someone from book club also recommended it, so I thought it would be good. I’m not sure if the writing style just wasn’t working for me or if I’m just kinda over that Afghanistan setting for now. I’ve put it on a list to try to read it later on this year or maybe next year. Just thought I’d share my confession with the world!

Categories
Food

Sorta Homemade Oreo Brownies

A coworker of mine has brought these into work a few times and I finally tried to make them myself. I’m not a huge brownie fan, but I am a huge oreo fan!
Ingredients
20 Oreo’s (I used double stuffed)
1 box Duncan Hines family style brownie mix
3 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Vanilla Frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease bottom on pan (I used a 8×11).
Crumble Oreos. Set aside 1/3 or so of the crumbled Oreos.
Add brownie mix, eggs, water & vegetable oil. Stir until blended.
Add Oreos 2/3 crumbled Oreos to mix and blend.
Bake for approximately 35 minutes (25 for 9×13 pan, 35 for 9×9, 40 for 8×8). Brownies are done when toothpick inserted an inch from the edge of pan comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack.
Once cool, top with frosting and the rest of the oreos!

Categories
Food

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Today I baked the pumpkin chocolate chip bread and oreo brownies for a sorority alum book club that’ll be at our house tomorrow. The State game isn’t on TV so I baked instead!
I haven’t made these yet, but they sound good so I’ll probably try them out and share pictures of them in the next week or so. I found these recipe on Recipezaar.com. I was planning on omitting the raisins (not a fan) but I thought I’d post it as it was online then edit it after I make it for any changes. The recipe’s supposed to make 108 cookies so I might try to scale down the recipe so it doesn’t make so many.
Ingredients
1 c butter or margarine
2 c sugar
3 eggs
1/2 c peanut butter
3 1/2 c oats
1 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c raisins
Directions
Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beat well.
Add eggs and peanut butter, beat well.
Combine oats, flour, soda, salt & cinnamon; add in creamed mixture and beat well.
Stir in raisins.
Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350F for 10-11 minutes.
Cool slightly on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks.

Categories
Everything Else

books & alcohol?!

So Alethea’s most recent post linked to this article about pairing books & alcohol. And seeing how I’m doing a beer tasting tomorrow afternoon then we’ll probably come home and read a little more of my current book obsession (the 5th of the Outlander series, The Fiery Cross) I thought this link would be fun to share with the world. Thanks Alethea!

Categories
Food

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

So after reading a few nesties talking up this recipe and being in the food to start cooking with pumpkin for fall, I decided to make this bread tonight to take home to Midlothian with me tomorrow. I haven’t tried it yet (well not really true, the dough was yummy!) so I’ll update with how my family liked it. Here’s the recipe for now:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 c chocolate chips
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first 4 ingredients together & set aside.
Mix next 7 ingredients together with electric mixer or KA mixer.
Add the dry ingredients until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips.
Pour into well greased/buttered loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. (It took more like 65 minutes for mine). Let cool on wire rack. Enjoy!