I don’t have a favorite Girl Scout Cookie, ok?

I like them all…but mostly Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.

I have been on a fat-kid streak lately and this is my most recent concoction. You can use any kind of ice cream and any cookie…you can also add booze. The ideas are endless and if you’re like us there always seems to be a box lurking in the freezer.

I don’t know if my town had Girl Scouts…I wasn’t one. I think growing up in the woods you become a natural girl scout…it’s just not an option.

For example, I knew how to use a blowtorch at a very young age (I don’t think my parents knew about that though. My brother was a pyro).

I also built forts using nails, a hammer and stolen sheets (I swear I don’t know where that blanket is mom…).

I loved growing up in the woods where we had to make our own fun and were pretty much only allowed inside when it was meal time or bed time.

We also had no kids in my neck of the woods and my brother only wanted to play with me when it involved him “blowing up” my doll house or playing “twister” with my barbies. All of which resulted in tears and broken toys. Therefore I was a weirdo. I had tons of imaginary friends and was a pro at playing alone for hours. I had a big imagination and my parents never held me back from wanting to try new things (like baking muffins with 1 cup of salt..).

I am so grateful for the fun and adventurous childhood I had and wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m sure being a girl scout is awesome, but I’m pretty sure I was one and I didn’t even know it or need a badge to prove it!

These would make an AWESOME dessert for your St. Patty’s day this Thursday! Add a little Baileys, Guinness or Creme De Menthe if you really want to get wild. This would also be great with some chocolate sauce or a fun ice cream flavor. Get crazy! Share your creations by using the hashtag #mikeysinmykitchen.

Love ya’ll! Cheers!

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Hey hey I made something tasty! Since my recipes are a bit fewer and far between…I thought I’d come at you with a doozey. These barssssssss.

How beautiful is that jelly swirl? I love peanut butter as all of you know and I am a giant fan of peanut butter and jelly as well. Like, had 2 of them a day in high school. My Mom packed my lunch (spoiled) and I always wanted pb&j or a fluffernutter (those were the good ole days).

Now I have kale salad for lunch…

But I balance that out with eating pans of bars for dessert while sitting on the opposite side of the couch so Mikey can’t hear me snorting between bites.

These bars are blondies so they are packed with butter and brown sugar, two of my best friends. They are sooo good and sadly way too easy to eat. Add a glass of milk and, boom, they’ll be gone. At least they have peanut butter chips in them…protein?

Thanks for being the better half of this relationship and sticking with me when I am lazy/busy/out of touch. I miss you all and promise I think about MIMK and the community alllll the time!

In the mean time, make these yummy bars and enjoy the weather because it’s IN THE 60’S HERE!!!! If you need me I’ll be at the dog park/walking everywhere possible! LOVE YOU!!!

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Monday’s call for bourbon.

I don’t know about you…but I think maple syrup makes just about anything and everything better. Buddy the Elf, I am on the same page my friend.

Today was crazy beautiful and warm in the Chi. Yet somehow I was in the mood for something maple-y and wintery and delicious. This seems like the perfect cocktail for all those things. Also, you can make it more or less sweet with your amount of maple syrup you add (I like more, duh).

I’ve recently become a big fan of Monday. It’s like my old Friday in that I get all caught up on life/the things I put off over the weekend. I work on my blogs/photos, clean and organize my life, get groceries and go for lots of walks with the pup. I always feel so accomplished at the end of the day and when Mikey gets home I’m ready for some dinner, a drink and the bachelor (that’s so embarrassing).

Side note for Mikey’s sake: I will usually record The Bachelor and watch it when Mikey is gone..but sometimes if he’s home he watches sports on the iPad and I catch him watching way more often than he would ever admit. I think he’s secretly entertained.

We had such a great weekend. I think we have become  one of those couples though. Those people who would rather stay in and make dinner and drink wine and binge watch Oscar movies. We watched 3…Whoops. BUT, do not fret, we did venture out for a bit on Saturday with some friends which was super fun! We were home by 10 (I know, crazy)…ahhhhhhh such a relaxing weekend spending time with the kids (Norm and Badger).

I’m looking forward to next weekend too! My Mom is coming to town for her “Christmas present” weekend. We are going to see Beautiful, the musical about Carol King. We are going to eat, drink, laugh, (probably cry, ahem Donna) and most definitely do some shopping and perhaps pampering. I am so excited! First though, we have to get through the week because alas, it is only Monday.

But what makes Monday better? Bourbon. And the fact that it’s 5 o’clock here and happy hours has begun at the Evon’s. Come on by and I’ll make you a bourbon. And the best part is that you most definitely have all the ingredients for this tasty cocktail in your pantry/fridge already!

Cheers!

 

 

Guyyyssssss I’m baaaackkkkkk (said in a whiny voice like a mom calling their kids in for dinner). Wow does it feel good! I MISS YOU SO MUCH!

Also, I sadly made something healthy. I ended 2015 like a chubby whale and have been avoiding sugar and basically anything processed ever since (minus last weekend and the weekend before that…). But don’t you fret. I have got some major things planned and can’t wait to bake up a storm in the next few weeks! But for now, lets be healthy. Also, adding roasted vegetables to anything makes me happy and doesn’t necessarily taste super healthy to me. Call me crazy.

This salad is filled with roasty toasty wintery goodness and you may want to eat the whole bowl by yourself at 3:30 ruining your appetite for dinner (at least it was a veggie dish this time and not half a pan of S’More bars like last time).

Wheat berries are soooo yummy and the chewy texture they add makes the soft roasted vegetables so much more interesting!

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I know what you’re thinking. Why would you ever make something SO delicious (ingredients include: mayo, cheese for days, butter, etc) into a “skinny” version? How does the saying go? “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”…

I know I can’t be the only one who feels that if I consume one more mayo-heavy/cheese based dip I might die. It’s the Holidays which means parties and dips on dips on dips. Don’t get me wrong. I want to consume a TON of delicious, gooey dip. But I would also love an option for something healthy.

 

I am a dip fanatic. Just ask Mikey. My favorite dinner consists of at least 4 types of dip and allllll the dippers you can imagine. And for me, my dips are usually mayo/cheese based…accept guacamole. That’s a vegetable and therefore I can have an entire bucket of it (right?).

I made this dip for a family dinner over Thanksgiving and was very nervous about serving it. I had a super strong feeling Mikey’s family would detect the “healthy” version of our favorite dip and surprisingly everyone loved it. The yogurt gives it a teeny bit of a tart flavor but you can mask that with extra salt or a little garlic powder and pepper!

Although this won’t replace my full-fat version of spin-art dip, it is a great way to add something a bit lighter to the fatty spread’s that fill the Holiday table!

It’s so funny how I thought I would have more time for blogging once I was a yoga teacher. That was reality for about a month and then we got a puppy and BAM, blogging got super difficult. I’m doing a couple blog-jobs on the side now which makes my blog even MORE difficult to make time for. Once I’m done working I just don’t want to edit any more pictures or write any more.

But then I look at my blog and feel sad and miss all of you!!! I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel though. As this pup gets bigger I am beginning to get my life back!! I can spend more time doing things around the house. Can actually go to the grocery store and even have time to do work AND my fun blog! YAYYYYYY!!!!!

With the Holiday’s in full swing the schedule is PACKED. I don’t know that I would have it any other way though. I love to see friends and family this time of year. I have done nearly all my Christmas shopping online and the next order of business is the cookie baking (yikes!).

I hope you’re all doing so so well and getting into the Christmas spirit. I know I have covered almost every surface with either lights, candles or some type of green. I. LOVE. CHRISTMAS.

I love you too and hope you’re finding sanity in the season of crazy 🙂

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