The Secret to Chocolate Chip Cookies

The cookie favorite in our house is hands down chocolate chip.  Chocolate chip with a nice tall glass of milk.  My poor taste testers had to tough it out through some dry cookies, some mushy, too chewy, too crunchy but their valiant efforts found us the perfect, melty morsel filled, chew on the inside, crisp on the outside chocolate chip cookie.  

There's a little secret to it.  I don't know why it works, all I know is it does!  

Ingredients:

1 cup butter [soft]

1 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

3 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp hot water

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts [optional]

Start by creaming the butter and the sugars.  I love using country crock because there is no waiting for the butter to soften and we get an extra dose of Calcium and Vitamin D.  Then add in one egg at a time until you beat it well.  Mix in the vanilla extract. 

HERE'S the SECRET!  Mix the baking soda and salt in the hot water and let it dissolve.  Add this to the mix .  Then add the flour.  

We love love love chocolate chips in every bite so don't skimp on it.  You can also add walnuts if you'd like. 

I make the full batch, bake half at that moment and then freeze the other half.  Whenever the hubby is craving something sweet I can have home made chocolate chip cookies ready any time!  Also great to make ahead for company.  

Drop by the table spoon onto the pan and bake it for 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  

Let the yummy treats cool for just a second, which is as long as my kids are willing to wait.  

Then serve!!  It's also great with vanilla ice cream.  YUM-O! 

Hubby and kid approved!  

What is your favorite-est cookie?

**Recipe and opinions are mine, post sponsored by Country Crock.**

Top Three Moving Tips

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of CORT. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I married the hubby I knew we would be living the nomad lifestyle, moving where the military takes us.  We’ve been married for seven years and have lived in four different locations.   We’ve seen it all, across the country and overseas.  Moving is just a way of life and I’ve learned a few ways that may help you make your move easier.

1.PLAN AHEAD

If you’re military, I know you are laughing because we are called to move in a moment’s notice.  I remember having two weeks before movers were coming to move us from Mississippi to Germany.  BUT there are things you can plan now that will make your next move smoother.

• Keep all important papers in one spot, preferably a folder. [Birth Certificates, SS Cards,   Passports, Immunization.]  When it’s time to go, you won’t have to go looking for these.
• Have travel bags packed and ready.  Most likely than not we will be without a home for at least a week up to a month or two.  I generally always have our toiletries packed and ready to go.  I have a printout list that I go off of so I don't forget a thing.

2. MAKE IT HOME

Have you ever had to live in a hotel for more than a month? It took one month for our furniture to get to Germany from Mississippi so we stayed in a hotel.  It is difficult and frustrating trying to feel settled in a place that doesn't feel like home or have the comforts of home.  I wanted to cook and all I had was a microwave.  Even after leaving the hotel we still ended up having to  rent furniture for our new home because the cargo ship had not yet arrived.  We learned our lesson then and have always rented a small place and furnished it while house hunting. 

Now that we have kids it is essential to make everywhere feel like home.  CORT Furniture Rental is my choice instead buying off of Craigslist because of convenience and peace of mind.  We usually only have one car during the move and it gets too sticky .  Trying to work out his schedule so I can take the car to pick up a table and chairs that I will in a month have to sell again only to save a few dollars.  Talk about a headache. 

With CORT Furniture Rental I can order the furniture online and have it ready to be delivered or for pick up when we get to our temporary place.  If our orders suddenly change we cancel without fuss.  There is no hassle, CORT Furniture Rental is a one stop shop to make any place feel like home.  It’s more cost effective than getting a furnished place and in the end, it saves time, money, and my sanity.

3. HAVE FUN

Moving can be a drag.  It’s hard to say goodbye to a place you’ve made home and to people who you’ve grown close to.  I always try to take the stress and sadness away with a little fun!  I planned a big camp out in our house on our last move after the movers took the boxes away.  We pitched our ten dollar tent, had smores, and played games.  We had a blast!

We see moving as an adventure and always try to get the kids involved.  Letting them take ownership throughout the whole process!  They help pick the places we will eat, the furniture rental items we furnish our home with, and sometimes even the sites we will see.

Being on the go can be challenging but by planning ahead, making everywhere feel like home, and having lots of fun in the process can turn stress into memories.  

My Morning Cup

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Folgers for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I can't tell you when I had my first cup but I can tell you who I think of when I smell that delicious aroma.  Instant coffee reminds me of my grandma.  Maybe because she doesn't know how to work a coffee maker, or want to deal with the trouble.  It could be because it's convenient and so yummy.  But when I go home, I know that kettle on the stove top is for her first cup. 

Folgers Instant coffee is my morning go to when we are on the go.  Okay that's most mornings.  I barely can catch a second to have breakfast let alone wait for coffee to brew in a pot.  Two minutes of water in the microwave until it's hot, a splash of cream, two sugar cubes and I'm ready to rock and roll.

Yup coffee on the go most of the time for us!  It's the best single cup solution for our on the go life.  

I do admit that on days when I can get up before the kiddos I still use Foldgers instant cofee.  That's usually around 5am when it's still dark, it's just me, my notebook, and pile of books.  I love getting warming up some water in my little blue kettle and reading a chapter or taking some time to write. 

 Mix up a cup with a drizzle of caramel and it's the perfect calm before the storm.  

It's in these quiet little mornings that this cup of warm coffee reminds me of my grandma.  I think about her sitting there at the kitchen table with her toast.  So sweet and so peaceful.  Whether I'm on the go or wanting to be nostalgic about my grandma, it's Folgers in my cup.  

The Why that Caused a Chain Reaction

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Heart Association for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Family

My husband, two kids, and dog. This little unit is the reason why every day I strive to be a better me. I want more adventures.  Hikes, trips, and races down the street in the summer.  I want to see the kiddos graduate elementary, middle and high school and helping them decide what is next. I want to see them live out their purpose using their gifts and talents.  To see them get married, help my daughter pick out the dress and to dance with my son. I want to be there when they have babies of their own. I see myself rolling around the carpet, wrinkles and all with my grandbabies. Reliving baby snuggles. I want to grow old with my husband Randy, holding his hand at 16 and still holding it at 100. To chase our crazy dreams together, taking care of him better each year. I want us to be that old couple at the gym lifting those five-pound weights and getting smoothies in the cafe. They are the reason why I want to live a healthier, longer life.  

Meeting Healthy

Life Is Why.  It led me to finally make the commitment to Healthy. We met in a 30-day fitness challenge where I finally decided to commit to taking care of myself first. Healthy helped me make little changes. I stopped skipping breakfast. I ate fresh fruits and veggies and I started to exercise at home. I traded my soda can for a water bottle. I made small changes for 30 days. The result was more than a physical change. Healthy made me feel better about myself, I had more confidence, more energy and less mood swings. Sometimes you don't know what you are missing because you never had it before and that is how I felt about Healthy.  Our relationship isn't perfect but Healthy is now my life partner.  

Chain Reaction

A funny thing happened once healthy didn't just come for a season.  It was like a spark and started a chain reaction.  Randy saw the change and the next month our family became members at a gym.  He gave up his two diet sodas a day without me ever telling him he needs to.  He jumped in and started eating healthy.  We both discovered a shared passion for cooking together.

My change affected the kids.  They see mommy and daddy active and they want to be active.  The little man sees me working out and he is right there wanting to jump in too. 

A video posted by P A T T Y (@makeitcozeee) on Mar 3, 2016 at 8:23am PST

 Every little change I made inadvertently affected them. From workouts to what's on my plate. 
They want some too. Loading my plate with veggies sparked their curiosity. 
They voluntarily want to try and even if they don't like it at that moment, I'm happy that they tried.
  We value and care for our health and they are learning how to as well. 

When healthy comes to stay it's infectious.  Pinterest became headquarters for inspiration, ideas, recipes and motivation. We started finding fun ways to stay active. Running is no longer a dreaded workout but a fun event for the whole family and even our whole neighborhood! 

I'm joining this movement towards a healthier, longer life for me and for my family. I've seen that taking care of myself allows me to take better care of everyone else. You have the power to make a change in yourself and in others.  It all starts with a "why". Everyone has a reason to live a healthier, longer life. What is yours? My family is why.