Oooo Baby...

Nothing says love like Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oooo..can you almost smell them?

Can you almost taste those warm melted chocolate chips?

Oooo...with that cold glass of milk...

here's what I was up to today!

I was making-oh-so-warm-chewy-slightly crispy cookies.

Yes!

Before I disclose the recipe.

Steve and I have had a long time debate about cookies...it goes something like this...should they be chewy or on the crunchy side??

I personally think they should be chewy!

Steve thinks a bit on the crispy side!

So, I am always in search of a perfect Choc Chip Cookie recipe to meet my needs and his too!!! 

(well, not really his..but how selfish would that sound if I was only concerned about my taste buds??)

I think I have found it!!  Thanks to Pinterest (another waster of Internet time!)

It was called  Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies...who wouldn't want to try those?  Obviously I was sold on the title!!

Drum roll please....

Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

barely adapted from Anna Olson, Food Network Canada

Ingredients: 

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 c. brown sugar 

1/4 c. granulated sugar 

1 egg 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 c. all purpose flour 

2 tsp. cornstarch 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

3.  Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.

4.  Using a standard-sized cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  (The tops will not brown, but do NOT cook longer than ten minutes.)

5.  Let cool, on the sheet, on a wire rack for five minutes.  Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely.  Makes approximately 3 dozen.  Try not to eat them all.

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If you follow me in Pinterest they are on my 'food' board

or you cut and paste them and print from here

or here is the link

http://kelseysappleaday.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-ever-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

They are seriously very yummy!!  Give them a try and see what you think...

New Years Eve 2011...

We took our annual New Years Eve trip to the hotel.

This year we stayed at the Ramada Inn in Grayling.

We all made our grand entrance on Saturday and stayed for 2 nights.

We rent a conference room to 'hang out' in..here you see the kids (& Mike) starting right out of the blocks with some Euchre...yes, we bring them up right!!!

and as more arrived....more Euchre games started! 

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One of the favorites is ...Forced Family Fun...'FFF' night.

This event took place on New Years Eve.  

We all come together as families (young to old) (one of the best parts is connecting the generations..so glad all the G-parents will compete..it makes it so much more fun!!!)   and participate in some sort of activity.

In the past, we have done Talent Shows, Music Videos, Skits with props, Praise & Worship, shared what the Lord had done in the last year....

This year we played Minute to Win It games.

The first game was....empty tissue boxes while a team member picked up all the tissues. 

This is a cup game (obviously!!)

Wes, in the blue shirt, (Danielle's Beau) was stellar at this game 

the masses...

we counted up peeps and we had 34 peepers in attendance.

We are growing since the first time we went to a hotel.

We looked back and to our best recollection, we have been going for 12 years now.  We were reminiscing about our years sitting poolside watching all those little ankle bitters....now we are watching all the girlfriends/boyfriends and making sure they all behave!!! Life changes 

"baby rattles" 

Cara, Renee, Danielle & Nikki (Drew's chic)

heat 2.... 

Darica, Troy, Steve & Bonnie

"ornament roll"

Neil, Justin, Major (Darica's Beau) & Florin 

Justin working it.. 

Neil & Major working it 

"Yank It"

Tyler, Dave, Maddie & Kristi 

harder than it looks! 

Christmas card

Trent, Nic, Micheal & me! 

REALLY hard! 

6 dice on a popsicle stick

Renee, Jim Sr., Carrie & Drew 

heat 2

Mike, Rance, Kristi and Taylor (David's chic) 

Our favorite....

"Junk in the Trunk"

All Grandparents in

Neil, Jim Sr., Karen & Bonnie

(the sister laughing at each other) 

real teams compete

Jim Jr., Trent, Reece & Nikki 

Shake it!!! 

Whoa...Trent be careful man! 

The brothers + Cuzzy

the outcome was not good..too competitive! 

Jim Jr., Craig, Steve & Mike

the Ramada has a Holidome (use to be owned by Holiday Inn) now I guess it's a Ramadome...but it's a great place to hang out.  Here we are visiting--Karen, Lynette & Renee 

Some swimming

Trent's splash 

Trentster!

Hot Tubbers 

More tubbers 

football in the pool 

ping pongers

Carrie & Maddie 

kids trying to avoid the camera! 

The second night there we watched videos from past years and some old converted slides of Grandpa & Grandma Austins...and of Willard's Gold.  Some of us learned how to play Mexican Train. But most of all we had fun together as a family....we talked together, we laughed together, we stayed up together, we played tons of games together....you can't ask for much more than that!!!!

While most families can't stand to be together, we really enjoy each others company! (at least I do!!)

My kids look forward to this every year.  As our kids are moving on in life and growing up, it is my desire to keep this tradition going.  Won't it be great to have new little ones around to watch poolside! (not too soon!!)  We have built soooo many fun memories around these trips....you could never put a price on this kind of family fun!  Already have the hotel booked for next years festivities!!!!

A BIG BIG Thank you to Neil & Bonnie for making this possible and Bonnie for your insight so many years ago to put this into motion!!! Thank you!