Sep 25, 2013

A Super SWEET Blog Award and My Recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal “Inspirations”

Thanks so much to Vijaya, who nominated me for a “Super Sweet Blogger Award!” I am looking forward to attending Vijaya’s breakout session titled Building a Career in Nonfiction and Magazines at the Carolinas SCWBI Fall Conference in Charlotte, NC this Friday. Make sure to stop by her Reading, Writing & Ruminating blog for writerly wisdom and inspiration!

Here are five “sweet” questions and my answers:
1. Cookies or Cake?
Cookies, preferably with chocolate, nuts, and more chocolate. I actually came up with a new cookie recipe this weekend (I was trying to create the *perfect* chocolate chip oatmeal cookie), and I will share it below!
2. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate (of course!!)

3. Favorite Sweet Treat?
See answer #1

4. When do you crave sweet things the most?
Definitely in the afternoons when my boys come home from school. Yesterday after school we made caramel apples together—YUM!

5. Sweet nick name?
Mommy  (No explanation needed, right?)  
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Here is my list of five bloggers who have added a heaping pile of sweetness to my life (and who have not yet received this award). If you chose to accept this award, please answer the questions above on your blog and nominate five “sweet” bloggers who inspire you. Have Fun!
Joan Y. Edwards’ Never Give Up blog: Joan is a great writer friend of mine, and encouraged me to start my own blog. Joan is sort of like my “blogging Yoda” and is full of wisdom and advice. Her fabulous blog reached 70,000 views yesterday!! Congratulations, Joan, and thank you for being so SWEET and encouraging to me!

Joy Acey’s  Poetry for Kids' Joy blog: If you have never stopped by Joy’s blog, you should definitely take a moment and visit. For several years now, Joy has written a poem every single day and shared it on her blog. Thank you for the SWEET inspiration, Joy!
Tabatha Yeatts’ The Opposite of Indifference blog: Tabatha’s blog is terrific, and has all kinds of cool stuff about writing and music. She has an especially fascinating post here about how metronomes will eventually sync over time--seriously, check out the first video. It is amazing! I just found out this morning that I won an Opera for Kids CD in her most recent giveaway. Thank you, Tabatha! = )
Stacy Cacciatore’s Five a Day the Fun Way blog: Stacy’s blog is all about eating healthy and eating delicious! She is a wonderful writer who has combined her writing abilities with her nutritional knowledge, and her blog is full of great advice and yummy (and healthy!) recipes that kids and adults can both enjoy. Stacy’s encouraging blog is one of my favorite “foodie” blogs on the web today!

Laura Matias’ Let Them Come blog: Laura is my younger sister, but even if she wasn’t this blog would be one of my favorite blogs ever! Laura and her husband, Felipe, are missionaries living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and serve children and adults living in the slums of the city. Laura’s blog is encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring, and her husband’s photography is truly amazing! I was listening to them speak at a church on their most recent visit to the U.S. and I kept thinking, “I can’t believe I’m related to these people…” Seriously, these are two people who you listen to and think, can anyone really be this GOOD and DEDICATED and TALENTED? (Laura and Felipe are wonderful musicians, as well.) But, I promise, they are totally for real. Please stop by their blog and see what I mean!
 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
And last but not least, as promised, here is my recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal “Inspirations.” (I’m giving them that name because these are some seriously good cookies, and chocolate always cures writer’s block, right??)

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening (like Crisco)
½ cup white sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 (12 oz.) package chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375◦F

2. Mix butter, shortening, sugars, and vanilla in a mixer until light and fluffy

3. Beat in egg

4. In a small bowl, blend together flour, baking soda, and salt

5. Blend dry ingredients into sugar mixture

6. Add in oats, a little at a time

7. Using a spoon or spatula, fold in chocolate chunks and nuts
8. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray and drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls two inches apart onto cookie sheet
9. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown

10. Let cool on tray for 8-10 minutes

11. Remove to cooling rack

12. Pour a cold glass of milk, take a bite of “inspiration,” and enjoy! ☺

7 comments:

  1. Ah, thanks for the recipe and for playing!!! See you soon ...

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  2. Aww, thanks, Becky! How sweet! I am honored :-) I will have to visit the other blogs that I haven't been to before. They sound great.

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  3. Dear Becky,
    Oh my goodness. You gave me the Sweet Blog Award. Thank you very much. That was very kind of you. Your recipe for chocolate chip cookies sounds scrumptious. Your calling me your "Blogging Yoda" made me laugh. I love the first Star Wars that we saw in the theaters with Princess Leia in it Yoda was a cool guy. He could train me to concentrate and focus. Where are you, Yoda?

    Celebrate you and your enthusiasm for living!
    Never Give Up
    Joan Y. Edwards

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mmm, those cookies sound delicious! I wish one would magically appear right now, lol!

    ReplyDelete

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