Meditation On Cookies

One time at one of the first yoga sessions I ever went to the teacher said we should always come to class with a goal- with something to meditate about. because coming isn't enough anymore. This is no zumba class where you just get to shake your booty you have to control your mind as well as your aching hamstrings. 

So every time for the next year when I went to yoga with that teacher I had a goal. Be good at yoga. Do all the poses. More than that- BE GOOD AT YOGA. That was my goal. Show up and do the poses. Meditation is the same way. My goal- Clear my mind. thoughts- be good at clearing my mind.  so. much. pressure.   We don't all need to be told that in addition to not being able to roll up like a pretzel then to the splits at the same time we need to be thinking about solving world hunger. So sometimes how my goal is thinking how I would change it. Which is why every Sunday we do Above and Beyond Yoga. And about the meditation-  Maybe I should lead everyone in ruminating. WHY CAN'T WE PRACTICE THAT I ROCK AT THAT. Quick everyone take a break from down dog and write down three things someone else got away with that they shouldn't have.  I will take a break for the people I think are being ridiculous at the gym. NO I'M NOT WATCHING YOU I PROMISE. Except you girl with the adorable leggings with lace at the bottom from the website work and sweat. And you boob job number 12 I've seen today at the gym since arriving 5 minutes ago. and you girl who humps the weights machine. What is that about? What are you even working out? At least she had cute lululemon pants on.

really no one likes down dog anyway we can take a few breaks. Except for ridiculously hot yoga man I think he should be making the poses even more advanced but I'm totally adding him to my list of things I'm upset about. STOP DOING ONE ARMED HANDSTANDS WITH THE REST OF US MORTALS- GO TO GOD YOGA AND STOP RUINING MY MEDITATION ABOUT YOGA BUDDY. 

no don't go you're beautiful.

I even like hot yoga so you can imagine I detest myself and I love exercise clothing and deep conditioner and wear flip flops in winter and need a pedicure.

In other news-

I've been swimming a lot. it makes me tired. like all day tired and I have blisters on my feet from training with flippers and I wear a super unflattering bathing suit with one of those ultra ugly swim caps on the daily. And I like it. I usually swim next to some ridiculously fit guy with a collection of ironman caps and no splash. WHY ARE YOU FASTER THAN I AM WHEN I WEAR FLIPPERS AND USE THOSE HAND PADDLES. STOP NOW! I can't keep them all strait because they are all swimming all the time. Maybe there's actually only three of them. Hey guys- some of us need swimming lessons and in September we couldn't even put our heads under the water and some of us have way way way more body fat than you do. Luckily now I have a heart rate monitor that tells me even if I'm bloody tired all day long after i swim it was only a mild workout. That's almost as rude as the teachers who act like you shouldn't be choking when you are trying to do yoga breathing. WHO CAN MAKE THOSE STRANGE NOISES?!

Anyway today I made cookies and questioned all my life decisions. I still have to make soft butterscotch oatmeal cookies for my friend Annie who is visiting but the oreo stuffed cookies had to happen today because why not. Remember how I will send you cookies now if you click here and buy them? well I will and it will be glorious. You can also make them they are a lot like the kit cat cookies. See what I did there? that's my pinterest. 

Anyway back to swimming and how it relates to cookie Sunday and yoga. I went swimming today. I did 10 sets of 200s. or something I forget. I thought about sitting in the hot tub but then I realized I had to go home to make cookies in time for church. ThEN CAME RUMINATING! BEST EVER!!!    I looked back and had that moment where you finally see what everyone else was telling you and think about what a bad place you were in about someone toxic.  Next week is the 3 year anniversary of my married life falling apart and my husband telling me he cheated on me and realizing it was a pattern from his phone. He was so angry at me. Now he might go to jail for non-payment since he avoided it in PA by moving.  3 years I've been doing this parenting thing pretty much alone and I've worked my way to have a job that pays for all my kids and I think I've finally found what I want to do with my life. Then finally at the end of the ruminating I realized I sort of had peace- I'm just way happier and I don't even recognize who I was before everything fell apart. I had no idea how strong I was or what I would go through.

3 years and tons of help. And tons of cookies. I made cookies to have a pattern- whenever life is falling apart I find myself setting a new goal and falling back on the patterns I've set. Go swimming every day- make cookies- go to work- go running. At first I was going through the motions of the life I wanted and it has become the life I want. Maybe that's what the yoga poses are supposed to be when I'm focused on straightening my back leg. 

Work is awesome I just got a job that I'm going to love. I'm close to my goal weight. I don't think I will drown during my first half ironman in June.We become the patterns we make for ourselves- so look at who you want to be and start moving.

Make sure you are using your yoga breathing during this time. and think about your goal. 

Mine? be good at yoga.

Happy Valentines Day! Cookie Orders

Valentine's Day Cookies Pre-Sale

Want some cookies? It's Valentine's Day soon and while I have terrible taste in men I do make great cookies. Then my sister said I should sell them. AND I MAKE THEM ANYWAY. You could also give cookies to a loved one- you or someone else.
So here's the deal. I made a cute little paypal button BUT it includes shipping cost. If you are local to Lehi Utah (and you know me or work with me) just send the money to my paypal email address claireandjanae@gmail.com. I need to pre-sell the cookies so I can buy all the ingredients so the sooner you get your order in the better.

Prices for stuffed cookies are $22 for a dozen. Those are ones with oreos or caramels or other beautiful things in them- they are the custom option.
The cookies are giant so you will be able to eat all your feelings. They can even be your valentine. They might be mine but hey- they've never disappointed me or said my kids are unruly. They've never been a douchebag. Cookies are honest and they love you. Or they are the perfect present because FOOD IS LOVE. I can make any of the ones listed on this site the most common ones are on the drop down.

I will ship cookie orders Priority Mail which has a couple days. overnight shipping costs a lot so if you want that it's 20 dollars more than normal shipping (holy shipping).


Scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN for the buy me button. Or if you know me which I think everyone who reads this does come talk to me.

Happy Valentine's Day!
xoxo Janae 

Types of Cookies

24 sugar sprinkles small $18.00 USD 12 Smores $20.00 USD 12 chocolate chip $18.00 USD 12 large sugar frosted $18.00 USD 12 triple chocolate $20.00 USD 12 peanut butter chocolate $18.00 USD Pick your own 12 $18.00 USD 12 chocolate pudding $18.00 USD

Pinterest and Candy Corn

I used to have adorable apothecary jars.  Some I acquired at my seasonal job at williAms Sonoma. Others at pottery barn where you can usually find a great selection and nice seasonal decorations. The last were from target and I never cared as much about those ones but they weren't as expensive.
These were some of the things I lost in the divorce. I filled three of the apothecary jars with candy corn. I don't know if you know this but candy corn is a delightful looking holiday decoration. Now I would change all the picture frames in the house to our Halloween silhouettes I made in my spare 30 hours one year and loved. Then came the jars. I really wanted orange and white and yellow gumballs but apparently if you go and buy roughly ten tons of candy corn and say no one can eat it your husband doesn't want you to traipse out to the party store and spend 300 dollars on matching gum-balls and sixlets. Weird.
So I settled for candy corn And promised that we could recycle it not just eat it.
To be fair I have to disclose that I'm not and was never one of those people who felt like I couldn't do something because my husband didn't "let me." I hate it when people say that shit. He won't let you buy a sandwich? Maybe divorce his controlling ass. Oh wait I am divorced and I digress...

So candy corn and apothecary jars. There is something delightful about matching candy. I really liked it but I also felt strongly that we should give out pretzels or goldfish to kids. Candy is for decoration! Ok always goldfish no one likes pretzels they are shit.  I loved my apothecary jars they went great with my pottery barn candles and festive little black gems my kids love to play with. I can't decide if I like them or sparkly skull votive holders more. I kept the candles but didn't think the jars could make the move.

Here I am as the Halloween decorating season is in full swing trying to think of how to budget for new apothecary jars and matching candy.
I could get some high res images of candy corn and get the unhung frames out of the garage with lovely pictures. Maybe I could re-make the silhouettes of cats and a haunted city while I was on the phone at work. Maybe I could just take pictures of candy corn cookies since cookies are important in my life now.
First I have to make good cookies.  I looked at some online and I have to tell you- candy corn melts like crazy. Like want to tear your hair out when you are trying to make them. No joke if you add them to the top 5 minutes before your cookies are done like with mini marshmallows that's not going to work. Don't even suggest adding them to the dough or I will punch you. So there are all these Pinterest cookie recipes and I'm like- I wonder if those are fake or an approximation like when people asked me how much sugar I added to cookies and I want to say as much as looked right but instead I say 2 cups and omit the give or take a cup.
Seriously when people ask how much vanilla and flour I added the answer is " enough." But most people don't understand that. So I make something up. Just like this year I'm trying to get successful candy corn cookies. This is my fourth week. I'm using a Pinterest recipe. I didn't even photograph most of my attempts and there is a very good reason for that. They looked terrible. (Tasted OK)

So next time you look on Pinterest for a recipe just know that I'm there too, thinking most of the recipes are crap and trying to learn more about bread flour in cookies. Cool right? I'm not sure I think I will have to test extensively. Luckily I have a lifetime full of cookie Sundays where I can learn more and hopefully teach my children his important it is to actively spread joy.

I got a recipe from Pinterest from Averie cooks and used it for these cookies.
I split the dough to make sure each cookie would have a base without candy corn.
I made a double batch. I also looked at her website for over an hour and thought about how her cookies would taste. It's normal to study recipes online.
You can check the recipe out on her site or I will type out what I did. Her site is pretty good. I am going to try her recipes and I will link to them when I do.

Candy Corn Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
cream together

2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream
mix together until just incorporated (I actually used whipping cream which turned out OK

Kid Bowls!

3.5 cups flour (heaping)
4 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
mix together with a wire whisk and split evenly into 3 bowls.

Add each bowl one at a time.
for the last bowl switch from the whip attachment to the dough/cookie attachment of your mixer.

Split dough into 3 parts and put one in an airtight container. Refrigerate.

1 bag candy corn (larger bag)
1 bag chocolate chips
mix into dough- do not overmix and be careful that candy corn doesn't break.

Chill overnight or freeze 1 hour.

When you are preparing your dough take the portion without candy corn in it and make a 2 inch by 1/4 inch circle. Then scoop the candy corn dough on top- it's important to have this layer to make sure the candy corn isn't touching the cookie sheet. This can lead to a candy corn explosion and the end of the world.

Baking directions- bake at 350 for 9 minutes. They won't look done. take them out and leave them on the sheet. It's a soft batch cookie so they look different.

NOTE: you can use 1/2 self rising bread flour and they will rise more.
NOTE: I don't usually use cornstarch because I feel like you can taste it. I did in this case. The candy corn sort of overpowers the taste. I'm not convinced that most people can taste it.
NOTE: I used Giradelli white chocolate chips. I will blog about different chocolate chips soon because they all have very different tastes. I have strong feelings about them which I think you get after a few years of making cookies.

The Three stray neighborhood kids that were living at my house this Sunday liked the cookies. They brought some home. I think because I make cookies I get a lot of stray neighborhood kids. It's fun.


When Candy Corn cooks it gets darker. That way you can tell your friends you put siracha hot sauce in your cookies.

Nutella Cookies

Nutella White Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1.5 cups brown sugar

1 cup nutella

mix 2 minutes on high

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

mix in each egg one at a time. I like using local eggs- if possible locate a local farm or a neighbor with chickens. Your cookies will taste WAY better. and you can feel good about yourself.

3 1/4 cup white flour 

I used 1 cup of cake flour and used general all purpose flour for the rest. 

1 tsp Salt

1.5 tsp Baking Soda

1 bags of white chocolate chips. 

Bake at 350 for 13 minutes or until done.

My daughter hates chocolate chips.

I have no idea how this happened.

I think about it all the time.

But it means I frequently make cookies with no chocolate chips in them. She picks butterscotch or white chocolate chip cookies and I don't ever love them. So she voted these pretty good.

This week my kiddos wanted to give cookies to their new friends in the neighborhood. I've been trying to get them to think about helping people and who they can give cookies to every week.

Also right now if you

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then you can use the code "FACEBOOK" for free shipping in

my etsy shop. :-)

Happy Father's Day cookie Sunday! Oreo m&ms cookies

These cookies were great for Father's Day! 

1.25 cups powdered sugar

1.5 cups white sugar 

1 cup butter

Mix 2 minutes on medium speed. 

3 eggs 

1 tbsp vanilla 

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix in parts- 1 egg at a time. Don't overmix. 

3.75 cups flour 

1 tsp salt 

1.5 tsp baking soda 

Mix in at least 3 parts 

2 bags mini m&ms 

Double stuff Oreos. 

Surround Oreos with dough 

Cook 14 min at 350. 

Give to someone who could use a cookie. This is an important part of cookie Sunday. Positive actions and gifts teach my kids being a good person is about action, not restriction. 

White Chocolate Cashew Smore's

White Chocolate Cashew Smores 

This week Danielle ordered Cookies with white chocolate chips. Ever week she wants that actually but since I'm trying not to eat any cookies I've been obliging her more often.

This week was extra fun because we made them together and then she delivered them to the neighbors.

1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter flavored Crisco. I like the little pre-packaged squares.

mix for 2 minutes

3 extra large eggs
3 tsp vanilla

mix in eggs one at a time

1 cup cake flour
3 cups white flour
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
(sift together)
add to mixture in at least three parts.

1 1/2 bags white chocolate chips

mix in
Bake 9 minutes at 325 degrees

Marshmallows and Cashews 

take out of oven and add one marshmallow or seven mini marshmallows
sprinkle with chopped cashews or almonds. (cashews are the preferred choice- I used raw cashews and almonds are pictured in some of the pictures.)

Bake at 4 minutes until done. Marshmallows should puff and just begin to brown.

Danielle added a bit of chocolate to some of the cookies after they came out of the oven. You should add it immediately after so it melts nice.

Butterscotch cookies

I may have already mentioned this but my daughter hates chocolate chips.
Not just a little bit. If I can convince her to try a cookie with Chocolate chips in it she slowly picks them out and throws them away when I'm not looking.

It only confuses me.
so she likes to tell me exactly what kind of cookies I should make. When I make the wrong kind she understandably reminds me AGAIN that chocolate chips are not her favorite. So half of my cookies can't have any chocolate chips in them.

The things we do for our kiddos. One of the things I did for my kids a while back was to hide all their Halloween candy on top of the fridge so I could secretly throw it away make sure they didn't eat too much.
Since that didn't work perfectly I decided to employ their help is distributing candy into cookie "recipes." It took all of one type of candy to make these nice cookies.

Butterscotch Reeces Cookies

1 cup margarine

1 cup sugar

1.5 cups light brown sugar

whip together

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

mix

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

add in 3 parts

A whole bunch of reeces pieces candy  bags. 

Or you can go buy a bag at the store and save some time with the tiny wrappers

1 package butterscotch chips

mix

bake 350 for 12 minutes or until done.

Finally a cookie my daughter can get behind.

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Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

Classic Vegan Oatmeal Cookies.
1.5  cups brown sugar
1 cup demerarra sugar
1 cup vegan vegetable shortening
mix

egg substitute equivalent to 3 eggs
vegan vanilla
mix in one egg at a time

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
mix in (split into several parts to add in gradually)

1 cup oatmeal
mix

extra demerarra sugar in bowl
scoop out cookies into sugar 
bake at 325 for 12 minutes or until done.

One of the best things about vegan cookie dough? safe to eat all of it without danger of food poisoning. Also I can feed the kids all the cookie dough which they love.
If these cookies end up a little burnt substitute white sugar for demerarra sugar.
These cookies won't flatten as much as a traditional cookie so shape them how you want to cookie to be and if you cook until they look just like your traditional cookies they will be burned. I usually take them out after 11-12 minutes even if I normally would leave them in and they turn out perfect.
The first time I made these I don't know if the planets just aligned correctly but they were some of the best cookies I've had. If they have trouble sticking together add more shortening.

It breaks my heart to see things suffer. I used to try to volunteer with dog rescues to help them have a better life and better conditions and I still hold a special place in my heart for people who are working to help abused animals.  At the same time I do not love the squirrels that used to dig up the bulbs I planted in my back yard.  I don't think I could hunt an animal and kill it. Sometimes that makes me think I shouldn't eat them at all. In an ideal world I think I would be vegan. One of my closest friends is Vegan and sometimes I make her cookies. She is always very nice about it even if I don't think the cookies are as good as they should be.
I HATE most of the chocolate chip products that are out there for vegan consumers. They just don't taste good. One of the biggest problems if you want to make vegan products is trying to make them taste the same as non-vegan ones. There are a lot of delicious foods that are animal products free but don't expect something that isn't milk to taste like milk My favorite vegetable shortening is Vegan and it doesn't taste like butter but it makes the most delicious sugar cookies and whips up really nicely when you cream it with sugar. The best whip in a shortening I've ever seen.
I practice different tastes with vegan and allergy sensitive cooking not only because I feel like I should be able to reduce my negative impact on animals. It's also because I want to be good at making cookies everyone would enjoy and that means knowing how to make several different kinds of cookies.  I think it is good to try to figure out ways to cook so that people with dietary issues and concerns can still participate. I have a child with a dairy allergy so every week I make one kind of cookies with no dairy. That's fairly easy since vegetable shortening is great to bake with. I also have friends with gluten intolerance. Much trickier. Especially since almond flour seems very expensive. I've decided that a lot of experimentation is the way to improve the cookies so here is one of my favorite vegan cookie recipes.

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