Challenge check in & the Most Scrumptious Chocolate Cookies...ever!

We are half way through the spending freeze here at Honeybee Cottage.

It has been a challenge but lucky for us we haven't had to "sacrifice" too much!

I knew that our challenge would be Starbuck's, hubby's eating out for lunch & allowing my kids to walk to the neighborhood Mom & Pop store for a treat.

I typically meal plan & buy groceries every two weeks. My youngest daughter, who is fourteen & I normally make a day of grocery shopping & errands.  Starbuck's is always on the list. It was hard to say "NO" but we remained strong & resisted the temptation.

Hubby did go to Carl's Jr for lunch one afternoon. $9 spent. He deemed it necessary since I failed to remind him the challenge was underway & he didn't have a lunch with him. Okay, I will give him that one.

We decided (lucky for me) that Diet Coke was a necessity as long as it was purchased & factored into the  grocery budget. Luckily, I did! Made me slightly stingier with those that I had. I will be honest, I noted each can hubby drank this week!

The kids have been great at making their own tea to drink each day. They have stayed out of the local Mom & Pop until today....

I needed the secret ingredient for my sister-in-laws delicious cookies & luckily I had $12 cash in my wallet.
After a few questions from the kids (is it necessary, should we just skip our baking day or the secret ingredient?) we all agreed that they could each have a can of sweet tea & purchase the secret ingredient. I am not above bribery & this is where this actually falls. $7.20 spent.

That means we have spent $16.20

We will do better in the next coming weeks.

Now for those Scrumptious cookies:

 My sister-in-law introduce these delicious cookies to Honeybee Cottage many years ago so we named them  to reflect that.

Cookies & Tea for ME !

Aunt Amy's Double Chip Cookies:

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature (softened)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups crushed  potato chips ( I prefer those with ridges) YES I said Potato chips! This really makes a delicious cookie!
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (we have used semi-sweet or dark chocolate...today it was a combo of both)
• *optional* chopped nuts (today we used sliced almonds)

 

 

Cookie Dough

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper ( I use Pampered Chef Stoneware cookie sheets)
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugars & butter together until the mixture is smooth. Then beat in the eggs & vanilla.
4. Mix the flour & baking soda together in a separate bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture until well incorporated.
5. Fold in the crushed potato chips & chocolate chips.
6. Drop 1 1/2 tablespoonful of dough onto  baking sheet. Don't crowd these cookies will spread! (I use a Pampered Chef cookie scoop)  

   

   Pampered Chef Cookie Scoop

   
   

   

   Ready for the oven

7. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until  slightly golden brown.
8. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
9. Transfer cookies to cooling rack and let cool. (or NOT!)
   

   

   YUMMY!!

A few actually made it into the cookie jar

XOXO

Missie

Oh My Dog!

There is a saying that says "In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog." 

With that said Honeybee Cottage can be declared a true home...We have dogs!

Little Miss. Emma is our youngest family member, a nearly six month old English Bulldog, she joined our family just before Halloween, immediately capturing our hearts. There are many reasons why we all love her, especially me:

Day she came home. 

1) She has had a sweet disposition right from the start. 

Look at all my wrinkles!

2) She likes to snuggle. Utterly sweet & snuggly! 

Loves playing hide & seek under pillows

3) She is an attention grabber..if she wants attention she tugs on my pant leg & growls.

Sleeping in the boys' clean laundry

4) She has No Problem sleeping in or heading back to bed if its just too cold to get out of it yet.

It's cold...so snuggling up to the stove to get warm

 5) She tries to catch snowballs thrown to her. 

Playing in snow for the first time

 6) She likes to snuggle up to me at nap time.

Getting sleepy

 7) She has made quick friends with the stray cat who has adopted us. No longer a stray I guess...

Do you have my toy?

 8) She is extremely smart.

See how I've grown!

9) She snores! 

Really?

 10) She is extremely curious & is fearless.

Yes, I am trouble!

11) She loves taking showers. Yes, showers!

12) She loves going in the car. She hears my car keys & comes running! She practically goes everywhere with me including the office.

13) Did I say that she is sweet & snuggly?

14) She loves people! And is always eager to get a scratch or pat.

15) She loves her food...much like I do! Eating fruit & veggies better than my        10 year old does.

16) The noises that she makes when sleeping, playing or eating will make anyone giggle.

17) She chooses the oddest things to "love"; a rubber duckie is her favorite toy.

18) She makes me smile.

19) She snorts.

20 She is always happy to see me when I have been gone.

 This list is by no way complete. And I am sure that now as she is reaching her "teen stage" of puppyhood that not every action will be as adorable as it is now.    Much like anything worth having there is work involved. I realize that not everyone is a pet lover (or owner) but I have been training Emma to greet people only when prompted but Beware! The pets who inhabit Honeybee Cottage are often found lounging on the nearest sofa or chair.

Wishing you each the perfect home, with the perfect dog.

Missie

Dreaming of a White ...Everything!

       My style has always been I love this, I love that, ooh, I LOVE & WANT that! Throw it all together & it will work. For the most part, I believe it always has. Honeybee Cottage (along with our previous homes) has been a constantly evolving, changing... almost living thing. I have used my ingenuity, creativity & love of a great vintage "treasures" to decorate.

        With my recent confession of dreaming in white I have shocked, dumbfounded & totally confused my family & friends. They seem to associate white with sterile, bland, stiff, stuffy & well, just plain boring! "White is everything you are not!" exclaimed one of my closest friends. Hubby's comment was "You're just not feeling well...go lay down & it will pass." What is it that they see that I don't?

         White is easy, breezy, light, airy, elegant, classic & anything but boring. Don't we all love White weddings? White picket fences? 

The iconic White picket fence 

      White can be cozy:

White can be colorful:

White can be Dreamy:

I think the people that think of white as cold do so because they believe a white room must be neat & uniform, void of color. I don't own anything boring. I would like to see the pieces that I value, cherish & love stand out in the room. Plus, I  use lots of fluffy cushions, honey colored oak antiques, vintage items & distressed finishes — so my belief is that I  will get that easy breezy feeling, but with warmth. 

Besides, it's just paint! 

I will be sure to take before, during & after photos of this transformation.