Pampered Chef...oh how I enjoy you!

So, I'm bouncing off the walls...I just had my first cooking experience with Pampered Chef.

Last night I went to my first cluster meeting, and the ladies there were all so inspiring. I'm so impressed by the businesses they've built, and the warmth with which they welcomed me, and several other new consultants!
I am excited to move forward in this opportunity, and as such, chose tonight to bake cookies.

I made whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (yes, I am weird like that, and they are awesome cookies!) using all Pampered Chef utensils.

I used the Mix 'N Scraper, Easy Read Measuring cup, Adjustable Measuring Spoons, Classic Batter Bowl (glass), Stackable Cooling Rack, and my Large Bar Pan. This recipe went something like this:

I put 1 cup of butter in the Classic Batter Bowl, put it in the microwave for 1 minute, melted the butter, pulled it out....the glass bowl was not too hot to touch but the butter was melted. I put 3/4c brown sugar in my Easy Read Measuring cup and giggled because it was so easy to read! I then measured 3/4c regular sugar, and giggled...this is definitely my favorite measuring cup ever! And with the ergonomic handle (which simply put means it feels good and is easy to hold on to!) I picked it up and poured the sugar into the Classic Batter Bowl. It poured super easy, did not make a mess, and impressed me more. I added an egg and 1tsp of vanilla. My measuring spoons are adjustable! No more digging for three or four different measuring spoons, just slide to the size I want and wow! Ready to go. I mixed all this together with my Mix 'N Scraper and it did a great job of scraping the sides - it's bendable enough to do the job well, and firm enough to not be flimsy. At this point I added 2c whole wheat flour 1/2tsp salt and 1tsp baking soda. I begin folding it all together with that excellent Mix 'N Scraper, the dough was thick like it should be, wasn't stuck to the sides of the Classic Batter Bowl, and smelled sweet. I mixed in 2c semisweet chocolate chips, then spooned 12 cookies onto my Large Bar Pan. I baked them at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes (9 would have been a little chewier like I like...). They came right off of the Large Bar Pan...put them on my Stackable Cooling Rack, and enjoyed a warm cookie a few minutes later.

In summary....these cookies are amazing! I love the even way the Large Bar Pan baked them, and the Classic Batter Bowl was perfect for mixing these up. I'm sold. I want more stoneware, I want the pans, and the all of the accesories and the knife block and and and and!

Pampered Chef produces a quality product, I made 2 dozen cookies in about 20 minutes, it took me maybe 10 minutes to clean up, and all of the products delivered a consistent, quality result. I'm looking forward to more cooking and baking as I add pieces to my collection. I know I'm selling something worth owning and I am excited to share these products with everyone I know!

Whew, it's been a while...

So, my finger tips have been burning, and I have a million things on my mind. Yet, I haven't been writing. I am not sure that the things I have to write about are appropriate for a blog. I like writing when I know no one is reading, but with a blog, that's just not the case. This is the stuff for people to read - and wouldn't you know it, I'd actually like to write stuff that someday, people enjoy reading.

Some part of me would really like to be a published author. I've started probably about 10 books in the last 4-5 years. I'm trying to decide if I'm failing at writing a whole book, or if it's just a really long process? I'm not sure which. In fact, upon browsing this computer this evening I've discovered only one of my starts is here. I have one on the desktop, as well. Both were intended to be masterpiece material, but I get bored
trying to figure out how to break a book into chapters and scenes and, let's face it, I'm no professional.

So here sits I, blogging on this Monday night. I still have one son awake, in fact he is now....thirsty! I only put him in bed an hour and a half ago. His older brother? Out! However, the little one seems to think sleeping is for anyone other than himself and he avoids it all cost and tantrum.

I'm going to start selling Pampered Chef, in all of this wonderful spare time I don't have. I'm going to talk to a student advisor about nursing, and I keep considering a change in job. You know what I'm realizing about myself? I want to be something, or someone great. I lost a huge part of my identity when I had to go to work and wasn't married anymore. I was something great, I was a wife and a stay at home mom. I was raising two kids, and tackling every day messes. Somehow, working, and sending them to school & daycare left me feeling void. I'm no longer something great. I have a stressful, pointless job. I see my kids for something like 34 hours a week, not including when they are sleeping. And that's only if they aren't with their dad on the weekend. When he takes them...I get like 10-15 hours a week. I no longer feel like a great mom, I'm not a wife, not even a girlfriend. I'm no longer a great volunteer (in fact, I haven't volunteered in months).

I bought myself a horse, and decided I was going to do great things with her. Yeah. I see her once a month-ish. Great. I was going to get in great shape and loose a bunch of weight. Nope. Hasn't happened.

Am I the only one that longs to do something great? What do you want to do that is great? I can't decide if I'm spread to thin to do anything great, or if I just haven't found what I'm supposed to do great at.

Well, that's all for this lonely September post...good night!