my golden boys

As fun as he is to watch, I sure wish I could take Apollo Ohno seriously.

Shaun White, on the other hand, is my official biggest red-headed crush. His dimply cheekbones are adorable to me.

Finding a good picture of him, however, is difficult but sooooo worth it. If Apollo ever decides to shave his soul patch and lose the bandana, I'll put him right up there with Shaunypoo.

best way to spend your day off from school

I highly recommend this recipe. I know it sounds bizarre, but it's a delicious break from traditional chocolate chip cookies. My mouth just salivates thinking about them!!!

Christina Tosi's Compost Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Large Eggs
1 3/4 cups AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cups Your favorite baking ingredients!
(Kelly used mini chocolate chips, raisinettes, rollos & cocoa krispies)
1 1/2 cups Your favorite snack foods (chips, pretzels, etc)
(Kelly used goldfish, ritz, & fritos)

DIRECTIONS:

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugars and corn syrup on medium high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On a lower speed, add eggs and vanilla to incorporate. Increase mixing speed to medium-high and start a timer for 10 minutes. During this time the sugar granules will fully dissolve, the mixture will become an almost pale white color and your creamed mixture will double in size.

When time is up, on a lower speed, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix 45-60 sec just until your dough comes together and all remnants of dry ingredients have incorporated. Do not walk away from your mixer during this time or you will risk over mixing the dough. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.

On same low speed, add in the hodgepodge of your favorite baking ingredients and mix for 30-45 sec until they evenly mix into the dough. Add in your favorite snack foods last, paddling again on low speed until they are just incorporated.

Using a 6oz ice cream scoop, portion cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheetpan.

Wrap scooped cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 1 week.

DO NOT BAKE your cookies from room temperature or they will not hold their shape.

Heat the conventional oven to 400F. (350F in a convection oven)

When the oven reads 400F, arrange your chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment or silpat-lined sheetpan a minimum of 4" apart in any direction.

Bake 9-11 min. While in the oven, the cookies will puff, crackle and spread.

At 9 min the cookies should be browned on the edges and just beginning to brown towards the center. Leave the cookies in the oven for the additional minutes if these colors don't match up and your cookies stills seem pale and doughy on the surface.

Cool the cookies completely on the sheet pan before transferring to a plate or an airtight container or tin for storage. At room temp, cookies will keep fresh 5 days. In the freezer, cookies will keep fresh 1 month.

Yield: 15 6oz cookies

ode to strawberries

I see you made your debut in the produce aisle
your price creeping from four dollars to two ninety-nine
in just one week

I would be lying if I said I was completely amused by your pervasive influence
because even though you make my life complete
it also means a wonderful season (I dare say a most special season) will soon cease.

I can still wear my boots, but only for a little bit longer.
My scarf-wearing days and glossy carmex lips will slowly transform
to flip flops, air-dried wavy hair, and berry-stained lips

The unusual silence
that normally hovers the city in the fragile hours of the morning
will be replaced by chirping birds building nests and street cleaners
sucking up gravel so my car can come to a complete stop at the bottom of
a very steep hill

Boxwood wreaths, chunky sweaters, dutch cocoa, reds on whites and whites on reds.
Seeing my breath on chilly mornings while scraping off my car windows.
Feeling complete just to sit in a warm car
listening to Joshua Radin
Winter

This is my ode to strawberries
The thought of you is bitter but sweet.
After winter, must come spring
everything is everything

Cheers to a whole-heartedly amazing winter season,
here's to hopefully a promising Spring.
I can't wait to utilize the fruits of your labor
and awaken the strawberry-blonde little girl
in me.