Wordless Wednesday - Baby Goats, Easter Cookies, & Friends

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1. sweet photo of Dallas putting Noah to bed. 2. planning stages of a tote for myself 3. we found some moss while we were playing outside :) 4. i love my new anthropologie mug! i couldn't help myself it's just so cute! 5. finished product of #2! the ruffle did noooot look good at the bottom like i had planned. i love it though! it's my farmers market/library/craft tote. :)

I'm planning on making a sunglasses case to match, which means a DIY post in the near future! I would've DIY'd the tote but I'm a bad girl, I didn't measure my pieces and I just don't know how to condense a project like that for a blog post.

Fitness

I try to exercise everyday except for one day a week, at the most two, but very rarely. My husband recently bought Zumba fitness for the Wii which I LOVE. I've been obsessed with it, especially since it tells you how many calories you've burned at the end of the workout. I definitely recommend it if you DON'T like to exercise but you DO like to dance. If you're like me you're more likely to exercise if you like the form. I love dancing, pilates, yoga, walking, biking; that about sums it up for me. I don't really like strength training but I also don't like being squishy so I'm trying to incorporate more of it into my workouts. I'm a petite girl but trust me, I'm squishy and I have jiggly parts. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to lose weight or get 'skinny' I just want to be healthy and toned.

Are you on Pinterest? I am and I started a Fitness board recently to help motivate me to try new workouts. Go check it out if you want!

I completed 3 new workouts from my board today! One for legs, one for abs, and one for arms. I'll go ahead and just pat myself on the back now for trying something new! I'll admit it I thought the moves were boring but I'm loving the feeling of endorphins kicking in so it was definitely worth it.

What are your fitness goals? What workouts are you doing right now?

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I want to be healthy now and stay healthy so I won't live in regret later and have to work that much harder. 

Banana Drop Cookies

Oh the possibilities!!

What to do, what to do with this plethora of bananas, two ripe with old age no less! Smoothies? Nay. Banana pudding? Nope. How about banana bread? You're getting closer! Banana drop cookies! They have been a staple to my existence thus far. I know they've been around longer than I; I'm positive I consumed one in the womb. Okay I'm lying, I can't remember that far back but seriously, my granny has always had plenty of them around for her grandchildren to consume at their {our} leisure. I'm guessing she's had a lot of overripe bananas in her day. 

They're squishy, cakey, light, and flakey. <--that was totally on accident and I love it. They're moist {a lot of people despise that word, do you?}. They're quite heavenly and not like most cookies. You'll like them best with a nice warm cup of joe. Would you like the recipe? Okay, here goes.

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup shortening       :::i used coconut oil! it's supposed to be healthier!!:::

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup mashed, ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)    :::i left those stinkers out this time:::

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large bowl beat 1 1/4 cups sugar, shortening (or coconut oil) and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in eggs, then bananas. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and soda. Beat into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts (but I'm telling you they're better without them!). Chill 30 minutes (I know...you're like, say what?!!! JUST DO it. I don't want to know what happens if you don't.) Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over cookies. 

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. (Mine were done at 8...ovens vary y'all)

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Funny story time...

My granny gave me this recipe over the phone once and I swear she told me to put in 4 teaspoons of baking soda. 4!!! As opposed to 1/4 teaspoon like it says above. Needless to say the cookies tasted like banana toothpaste and I had to throw every single one of them out. Funny thing is, I ate two trying to convince myself they were supposed to taste like that until I confirmed the evil that had happened. 

These cookies are delicious {especially when you put the right amount of baking soda}! I would love to know how you like them if you decide to make them!

FREEDOM!

I'll Meet You in the Kitchen...

1. Fail-proof pizza dough from Lauren's Latest. 

2. No Knead Bread.

3. Crock Pot Apple Butter. 

4. Individual berry crisps adapted from Pinch My Salt's recipe.

5. Chocolate Chip cookies (recipe on the bag of choc. chips)

The pizza was divine, loved it.

 I think I'll pinch off bigger loaves next time I make the no knead bread, they ended up a little bit dry I think because they were too small. I'll also measure out the salt instead of eyeball it, they definitely needed more. 

I used gala and granny smith for the apple butter. I think next time I'll try red delicious. I'm also thinking this will be what I do for Christmas presents this year. Yes! I'm already thinking about it. :)

I've made the berry crisp recipe twice, the first time I doubled the topping which is of course MY favorite part. I think you'll like it that way too if you decide to try it. 

Noah had fun helping me make the cookies! I measured everything out, he dumped it all in the bowl and helped me stir. He actually didn't end up eating the rest of those cookies in the picture. I don't think chocolate chip is his favorite. He does love oreos!! He calls them 'black cookies.' 

I am no expert when it comes to cooking but I'm having fun learning! I'll share more on that tomorrow. ;)

Mandy

This Week

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This week I bought a new journal. I read about joy and wrote about it in my journal. 

The picture of the flowers on the table makes me happy. 

I completed a lovely order for a friend.

I made No Bake Energy bites (minus coconut & flax, plus whole wheat flour) 

recipe here. 

I found a cake recipe that I want to use for Noah's 2nd birthday cake.

And I went shopping with Christmas money. Everything is from Gap. 

Hope you had a great week.

Happy Weekend!

xoxo