Washington Eats!

Green Lake, Seattle, WA

Honeymoon photo dump : Columbia part 2.

Cartagena, Columbia

Hats, $3 dollars.

Honeymoon photo dump : Columbia part 1.

Ah, Columbia. Great food & nice people. It was in Columbia where Marty & I met a sloth named ManCoo. He charged us 5 smackers to hold him. I guess Sloths have bills to pay too. Totally worth it. However, for a split second, I thought my throat could be slit. But then I thought, cannot happen I'm on my honeymoon. ManCoo ended up giving Marty a kiss, so the whole operation was pretty legit. Well done Mancoo, well done. 

local food from Columbia.

ManCoo, on his grind hustling.

Honeymoon photo dump : Aruba!

Balcony View.

The slogan for Aruba.

Taken near a old rugged church.

Boats on a local dock, near the Port of  Call.

Costa Rica.

Good times were had, in this beautiful country.

New Year, Same Mouse.

New tradition here folks. Disney to ring in the New Year. Once you get past the outrageous prices, I cannot think of any place better to ring in the new year then the most happiest place on earth. This day ranks as one of the best days of my life.

Michigan

Marty and I were in Michigan last weekend for one of his dear childhood friend's wedding.  It was fun running wedding to-do's, and catching up with my fiance whom I have not seen in a couple of weeks. Between coffee swigs & a much needed haircut ( Marty was looking like a bum broke hobo) we had a blast.

    I love seeing my future last name on anything these days....

    Rocks outside our window.

    Marty planning out his best man speech.

      He made a very handsome best-man, once he got rid of that curly monster!

End of Summer Eats!

Summer is coming to a close. Well technically. By technically I mean, for most yes. For Florida no. Florida still feels like Satan's playground. Hot, boiling, and sweltering heat make a bottle of coke & some fresh nachos and salsa a must. It's one of Marty's favorite summer time treats!

Guacamole

Two Hass avocado, red onion, vine tomato, fresh squeezed lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Salsa

Vine tomato diced, fresh squeezed lime juice, red onion or white onion diced, garlic minced, cilantro, salt and pepper.

New Camera!

Finally... I got a DSLR camera! Whoot! GREATEST DAY EVER.

Last Day...

Splashing at Green Lake.


Well, It has finally arrived. My LAST day in Seattle. When I really think about it, gosh it flew by so fast. I tallied a list of things that truly will be missed, Marty, gelato, finally mastering the art of cookie baking, my kitchen aide mixer, Green Lake, Mocking Bird Books, and Zeke's amazeball( its just another word for amazing) veggie pizza ( nom nom moments on that piece of heaven for sure.) The sunset will be missed from our balcony, and our late summer dinners we had. HOWEVER..............


Things that will not be missed, dead plants, dark grey skies, busted wash machines, and 50 degree weather in the summertime. Seattle the next time I see you I will be a married woman. So until April, I bid you ado. Stay class Seattle.

xoxo Monique

Gasworks Park

clear blue skies makes us happy.

Last Saturday Marty and I took a Picnic to Gasworks Park. I'm going to let the pictures do the talking on this one.

Friends playing music on a hill side.

a old factory still intact at the park.

beautiful colors of the rainbow

wonder what this dog was mulling over?

kite flyers

The best cookies on the planet part 2

Seriously yummy stuff here folks!




A couple of weeks ago I made this pretty bomb @$$ good cookie. I have tried for years to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. One that was brown, crispy edges, and soft in the middle. Well It never happened, what I got were cookies that were white as milk, and tasted like cardboard with a sprinkle of dirt. That was, until I found this recipe and learned a secret... when mixing the dry ingredients with the wet, SLLLLLLLOW and steady is the course of action to take with the flour. If you dump all the flour in at once, you will get Casper the ghost cookies. It takes awhile to slowly tap in the flour, but trust me, it is so worth it. Marty asked me to make him a fresh batch to freeze before I head back to Florida. I had some friends inbox me and ask me how I did it,This is how...
Makes about 40 good sized cookies.




Taken from Real Simple Magazine:



Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Heat oven to 375° F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla for 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough into tablespoon-size mounds and place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.


1. I like to bring out all my ingredients and split them into dry, and wet. I have done crazy stuff like forgot the baking soda, or salt, because I did not have it all put out in front of me. My mind is like a wandering traveler, always some place else but home : )




The Dry Guys

Flour, cane sugar, dark brown sugar, & kosher salt. ( Baking soda not pictured.. see I freaking did it again! @#%!$)

the brains behind the ENTIRE operation, you forget this, your cookies are screwed.



The Wets

Don't forget to make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature before you start baking!

Vanilla extract, 2 sticks of butter, and 1 large egg



Tools


That flour swifter is the best thing that ever happened to my baking. You can find it on amazon for about 10 bucks.

Okay first thing you want to do, is start off creaming your room temp butter, sugars, and vanilla... If your using a Kitchen Aide mixer, use speed 4. If your using a hand mixer use a high setting. Your mixture should end up a nice brown color.

After you cream your sugars, & vanilla add your egg! Make sure its room temp too.



Now its time to move onto the dry ingredients. Don't forget your baking soda! Sift your 2 cups of flour, baking soda, and salt all together. You can also use a hand held strainer, works just as good too!

Now just put your flour mixture in with your wet mixture..very, very slowly.
after everything is well combined you should have a nice brown batter. Time to add the chocolate chips! I like to go crazy and do two bags, but you can add as little or as much as you like! Stir in to batter until combined.

Use a ice cream scoop to get a accurate size... Bake at 375 for 13 minutes. I would test out 4 cookies and see what time works best. All ovens are not created equal!

Let cool for 5 minutes, grab a tester and Enjoy!

Marty tested, & Marty approved!