Chocolate Chip Goodness

Hellloooooo out there!!!!

I'm SO sorry it's been over a week since I've posted out here! I just don't know what my problem is! Of course I haven't been busy or anything... (wink, wink)

Ya, I've been a bit busy lately, but I'M BACK!! I know all three of my blog readers are jumping with excitement at the very thought of reading all about my fun and obstreperous life! :)

So I figured what way to get back into blogging could be any better than posting one of my newest, favoritest recipes!? Chocolate Chip Pie! Several of you know I've been baking these pies like a crazy-person lately--so many in fact that they are concerned I need a "pie intervention!" It just so happens my husband is completely hooked on them. And a few friends think they are simply amazing! And I can definitely eat them, too!

I originally got a recipe from a friend of mine whose family makes these pies for just about every holiday (which, I believe might be a new tradition in my house as well!). Although that recipe was good, I found one that was a bit better because it came out a bit more "firm" and ultimately didn't use quite as much butter. That ought to make it healthier, too, right? Right?? ;)

Anywho, I made yet another pie last night to celebrate my mom selling her house, and I took a few pics of the process so you all could see how yummy and EASY this pie is! So without further ado...

NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Pie

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 55 min | Cooling Time - 15 min cooling | Yields - 8

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional -- I leave them out!)
  

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 325° F.


2. PREPARE pie shell. If using a frozen pie shell, use deep-dish style, thawed completely. Bake on baking sheet; increase baking time slightly. If using refrigerated pie dough, let it thaw for 15 minutes then unroll into pie pan.
   
   


3. BEAT eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy.
   
   
   
4. Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts.
   
   


5. Spoon into pie shell.
   
   
   
6. BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean.
   
   


7. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm! Feel free to serve a la mode!
   
   
   

This is a super-yummy, very rich and chocolatey pie. I serve with a chilled glass of milk and It. Is. Heaven.

Enjoy!

S'mores Fun!

Hubs and I broke out the fire pit hubs got for his birthday last week and had us some s'mores! LO was all about the marshmallows and chocolate (just like Mommy -- skips the graham crackers!). Unfortunately we didn't get too many good pics since it was dark (duh), but here's a few that show a little bit about our fun evening:






As you can imagine, after the fun of s'mores came the necessity of bath time! I couldn't help but share these cutsie pics of the little one enjoying her bath time.

Shoes!!!

I ordered EIGHT pairs of shoes the other day. EIGHT. And of those EIGHT pairs of shoes? NONE of them fit. Ya. Zip! Zero! Zilch! But, I was able to decide on the styles I really liked (you never can tell when you see something online how much you'll like it in person). So, I returned 5 pairs and exchanged 3 pairs. I got them yesterday and I LOVE them!

Softspots Misa:



Softspots Monarch:



David Tate Spree:



There's one pair I am still waiting on. They are Dansko's and look SO cute and comfy! I can't wait to give them a try!

Bread Bowl Update!!!

Okay, people. Hubs, LO and I made plans today to have lunch at--you guessed it!--Panera! That bread bowl craving just won't go away (No, I'm not pregnant! I feel I have to clarify that every time I use the word "craving.")! Anywho, what did anal-retentive me do before we met there? I called ahead. And asked if they had bread bowls.

"Panera, this is So-and-So."

"Hi, I was calling to see if you guys have any bread bowls?"

"Huh?"

"Um, I was wanting to know if you guys have bread bowls." (At this point I feel like she's thinking I'm calling to ask her if her refrigerator is running...)

"Oh, ya, we've got... uh, four, I think. How many do you need?" (I think she thought I was wanting to purchase just the bread bowls. Like they were bagels or something.)

"I'm sorry, I was just calling because I've tried twice in two days at two different locations to get a bread bowl and they were out. I'm wondering if I come up there for lunch if you'll have bread bowls."

"Oh, ya, I think we've got plenty.... (trails off a bit)."

"Um, okay. Uh, thanks."

"When are you coming for lunch?"

"Huh? Oh, my husband and I will probably meet there around 12:30."

"2:30?"

"No, 12:30."

"1:30?"

"No, 12:30."

"Oh, 12:30. Okay. I'll go ahead and set two aside for you just in case."

"Great. Thanks."

I proceeded to tell hubs this story when I called him from the car on our way to Panera. His response? Ya, we're not eating those two bread bowls she set aside. Really, I'm sure there's no spit in them! I laughed. They'd never do that.

Would they?

Oh, well. It didn't matter. We got there, hubs ordered 2 broccoli-cheddar bread bowls and we were SET! I was so excited I devoured the crap out of that bread bowl. YUM!

What the HUH???!

Sunday... The church service is over. Hubs, LO and I are heading home. It strikes. The thought of a broccoli-cheddar bread bowl from Panera. Yum. We head to our local Panera. Hubs takes LO to get her situated in a high chair while I order.

"Two broccoli-cheddar bread bowls for here, please."

"We're out of bread bowls."

"Seriously? Out of bread bowls?? It's barely noon!"

I tell hubs, we load up LO and head next door to Brixx Pizza instead. In and out of this casual family dining joint in no time. And the pineapple pizza more than made up for the missing bread bowls.

Monday... Hubs takes the day off for his birthday. We decide to hit one of his favorite spots for lunch: Panera. Only this time we go to a different Panera. We walk in, get LO situated in her high chair, wipe down the table, get out her Gerber raviolis and juice, then hubs went to order our 2 broccoli-cheddar bread bowls. He kinda yelled at me from across the restaurant (it was around 2PM--there weren't many people there) that they were OUT OF BREAD BOWLS!

SERIOUSLY?!

Ya. That's right. Two days. Two Panera's. Zero bread bowls. I was flabbergasted to say the least. What was even more retarded? The Panera guy actually tried to say that because the weather has been getting colder, more people are ordering bread bowls.

So, tell me, is it not common where you're from that the weather starts to--I dunno--get colder in the Fall?? Wasn't this something they could've seen coming rather than be blindsided by the increased and unexpected bread bowl demand? Seriously people.

We finished feeding LO her lunch, then hit the road. That's right! I mean, really, we could've had broccoli-cheddar soup in a real, porcelain-type bowl, but really it was the principle of it all. No bread bowls? We're out.

As you might imagine, I sent a nasty-gram to Panera today via their website. Should be interesting to see what they come back with--if they respond at all.

Pumpkin Time!

It's been a busy few days around here! Saturday we spent the day at a local pumpkin farm and LO just loved it! She picked out her very own pumpkin, went on a hay ride and got to ride a little cow train! It was so much fun!






Saturday night we joined the billion other residents in our county at a downtown event. It was C-R-A-Z-Y!! There were people everywhere!!! We barreled through the crowds, enjoyed some food and spent time with a few friends, then headed HOME! LO enjoyed some mini Oreo cookies, hence her chocolate-y face.


Sunday evening we capped off our busy weekend with a surprise party I helped plan for our beloved music minister at the church. It was incredible! We had a great turnout, a ton of "potluck" food, and the best part--we actually seemed to pull of an actual surprise! Woot! Since our music pastor is a H-U-G-E Apple fanatic, we had an iPhone cake made for him. It came out really cute! And we asked all of the guests to wear black shirts, which we put a white Apple logo sticker on. It was a room full of "mock" Apple geniuses! Too awesome!


Of course today is hubs' birthday, and he decided to take the day off! Sweet! We pretty much hung out all day like it was the weekend. I cooked some cheesy stuffed shells for dinner, we bought a patio firepit for hubs so we can have some s'mores fun once the weather gets a bit cooler and we will be enjoying some chocolate chip pie a la mode in just a few minutes! Over all I think it's been a good day for big ol' daddy!

No, Really... I'm Not Dead!!!

I'm SOOOOOOOOO sorry I've been leaving all of my millions of blog readers without quality, interesting, exciting blog content! I promise I'm not dead! And I haven't given up the life of a blogger! Really, I've just been crazy-busy these last few weeks since we returned from our Wisconsin trip. And there's SOOOOOOOOOO much to share! From my sister-in-law's wedding, to the approximately 1,800-mile road-trip, to baby showers, parties and date nights!

Our LO is pushing 15-months old, hubs has a birthday on Monday and we've got 6 of our 9 nieces & nephews with birthdays in September & October. We've been busy! And with the wonderful Fall weather presenting itself these days, we can't help but get outside for some fun. One day last week we met hubs for lunch, then went to a local park. It was the BEST little park EVER! It used to be a rundown, dilapidated old park but some serious money has been put in it and I'm ever so happy about it! There was an entire little playground area just for children under 5 years old, which we got to play on by ourselves! Check out LO enjoying the swing:
Here's LO and I wasting time at The Home Depot while hubs was shopping around for who-knows-what:
And here's one of our crazy girl with crazy hair!
I promise you'll be hearing more from me very, very soon! So stay tuned! Pretty please?