Pizzelle

Pizzelle cookies have a special place in my heart. I know that sounds silly, but they are so much more than cookies. Growing up, my grandma would make these for the entire family, and we would hang out at her house and spend time together while making cookies. I'm not sure where my grandma got the recipe or why she started making them, but I know I will continue making them for my family. Even though she isn't with us anymore, she will live on through all of us who knew her, and these cookies, which my brother and I call 'Grandma Cookies' :)

We have had our Pizzelle maker for years, and I haven't used it as much as I would like to (I can't find our exact Pizzelle maker on Amazon, but I found this one, which looks good). Although, I guess it's a good thing I haven't used it much since these cookies aren't healthy haha. Our Pizzelle maker came with a recipe book, so I used the basic recipe from that book to make these (I made a couple changes).

I made 2 batches, and with the 2nd one I added an extra teaspoon of vanilla. I didn't add the anise seed to either batch. You'll also need some wax paper and a plastic spatula.

Since I'm lactose intolerant, I used lactose-free Blue Bonnet instead of a regular stick of butter for the first batch. I know people who are lactose intolerant or who have a problem with gluten stay away from recipes like this, but there are always substitutions. Experiment and see what works for you! :)

When mixing the dough, be warned that it may get really thick the instant you start mixing (I just put everything in 1 bowl and mixed it all together). It also may not - my second batch wasn't nearly as thick. Here is what you should have before and after you mix the ingredients:

Since the Pizzelle maker only turns on or off, I plugged it in to heat up while I was mixing the dough. It was probably heating up for about 5 minutes before I started using it. The thicker the dough, the longer you want to leave it on the maker. With the first batch, I had the cookies cook for about 1:20 (1 minute and 20 seconds). With the second batch, I had the cookies cook for about 1:05 (1 minute and 5 seconds).

After this, I got them off with a plastic spatula and put them on the wax paper to cool. Once you finish the batch (or two), store them however you want. My grandma used coffee cans and bread bags, so I used a bread bag :)

Pizzelle Cookies

• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c butter (melted)
• 3/4 c sugar

Wax paper
Plastic spatula

Mix together ingredients and spoon onto maker. Once cooked, use plastic spatula to transfer them from the maker to the wax paper to cool. Store in container or bag.



Do you have a family recipe that is special to you? I would love to read your story in the comments!

XOXO

Jen

Past and Future Life

I miss so many things about my past: walking to and from school with my best friends, riding the bus, staying up all night spilling secrets with my best friend, friends from school, being on a worship team, student life camp,  choir concerts, grandparents day every Monday after school, Saturday mall days with my grandma, spontaneous trips to the tattoo/piercing shop (this may or may not be how I got my lip pierced), playing outside until the street light came on, walking barefoot everywhere, all-nighters with best friends writing papers and cramming for tests, joy-riding, hanging out across the street, random dance parties with my roommates...the list can go on forever (and this is already a long list).

I am probably the most nostalgic person I know. I have all my yearbooks set on a table in my room, ready for me to look at whenever I want (which I do probably more than any sane person should...haha). While I'm happy with where I am now, I am super sentimental, and like to keep everything to remind me of what I've done. When I actually think of all the things I was able to do while growing up and in college, it amazes me. I certainly haven't done an outrageous amount of things to make other people jealous of my life, but I've done so many things that fill me with so much joy.

Sometimes I get really sad when I think about how I'm never going to do most of those things again. Other times I get really happy to see how happy I was. I was definitely sad at different points in my life, but I mostly remember how happy I was and how those experiences shaped me into the woman I am today. And I quite like the woman I have become.

While thinking of the past gives me mixed feelings, I don't know how I feel about my future. I never know what to expect, so I really try to not think of it often. To be completely honest, thinking about my future scares me. I think if I even had a little bit of a plan I would be okay, but I don't. It's also weird to think that I had all this time to plan for now, and I'm still not ready. Will I ever be ready? I'm sure one day I'll think back to now and laugh at what I thought (and be embarrassed for putting it on the internet), but for now I'm just going to try to stop worrying.

I don't know where I'll end up, but I do know that I will be happy. I can't wait to continue making memories and then look back on them in a few years and just be happy with who I am and who I was.

Do you think of the past often? What do you think has had the greatest impact on your life? I would love to hear all about it :)

Here are my high school yearbooks, just in case you thought I was fibbing ;)

XOXO

Jen

Winter

It's really hard for me to not complain about the snow. I think I liked it when I was younger, but now I dread it; it just makes a big mess. I'm not in the position in my life to move to another state without snow, but I hope to be in that position before I die haha.

I feel terrible because all I do is complain about the snow and winter, so I'm going to try and write some nice things about winter in general (feel free to throw these in my face the next time I start to complain):

• Shoveling is a decent workout (definitely not the best, but it helps)
• I can hydrate as I'm shoveling by eating the snow (I usually come in and drink water, though)
• I'm going to be so buff or really skinny by the time I'm done shoveling all the snow we keep getting (maybe I'll be skinny-buff)
• Snow looks less ugly on the trees in the woods in my backyard (I've never thought snow was pretty)
• It's not hot outside (I hate being really hot and really cold...haha)
• It's cuddle weather (not that I have anyone to cuddle with right now, but that's not important)
• It's not as dark during the night (I'm petrified of the dark)
• I get to work on my balance whenever I walk outside (It hasn't helped - I still have terrible balance)

 

You read that list quickly, but know that it took me about 30-45 minutes to come up with those. I know it's all sarcastic and funny, but there is some truth in all of them. While I'm still no fan, seeing this little list of things is making me try to put a smile on my face when I think about what's happening outside these walls that surround me.

Anyway, Snowmageddon 2015 hit us last night, so here are some less ugly pictures that I took:

How do you feel about winter and snow? Feel free to comment and give me some more reasons to not hate it ;)

XOXO

Jen