Challenge 4: Oatmeal Crispies

Let me just start this post by saying....

YUM!!

These cookies are phenomenal.

Okay, now that I have that off my chest, let's continue.

You know how they say "the secret is in the sauce"? Well, to me, for a cookie, the secret is in the vanilla. This isn't just any vanilla. It's Madagascar Vanilla (from Williams Sonoma) and there is absolutely nothing like it. It will make the most mundane cookie one to win the blue ribbon at the State Fair Cookie Contest.



Now listen Pioneer Woman, I am not calling this cookie mundane. Never. This cookie doesn't know what the word mundane means.

And please ignore the DIRTY sleeve on my North Face. How embarrassing. I had no idea it was that filthy. Yucks.

I threw in the shortening and sugars of the brown and white variety and got to mixin'.



Mixin' Mixin' Mixin'...



Now, when it comes time to pour out the teaspoon ingredients, grab the cutest set you have. It matters. Trust me.



The simplicity of this cookie is a factor that will keep me making these over and over and over....and over.

Oh, and also the taste. OOOOOHHHHH, the taste.



I am a sucker for any dessert with oats.



Nevermind the fact that I had to write a Facebook post asking all my friends what "rolled oats" were because no one was answering their phones. No where on this can does it say ROLLED. Oh the confusion.



Cookie Dough. The Greatest Blessing In Life.



I was instructed to roll the dough into a log and then cut them in .5 inch slices. That was hard because I don't know how to measure. But I guessed and they were perfect. Isn't it funny that the dough blends in with my granite countertops?



Sliced and ready to bake! They kind of look like rice krispy treats here.



I kicked the second log up a notch and added chocolate chips! Why? Because I can. And because chocolate makes everything better.



Don't make fun that each cookie is a different size. I told you I can't measure.



Num num num num num....



This recipe made 29 cookies. And I ate 27. Just kidding. I had 28.

Challenge 3: Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich

Let me just say, that we may need to adjust the name of this sandwich a little bit. Let's call it "Medical Man's Favorite Sandwich", because Husby devoured all of his and half of mine. It was quite a hit in our house, to say the least!

You know it's going to be a good recipe when you bust out the cast iron skillet. Because, really. What doesn't taste like Heaven when prepared in a cast iron skillet?



The other factor that guaranteed a successful supper was the crazy (awesome) amounts of this:



Seriously. Almost an entire stick of butter goes into these bad boys. P-Dub, don't you REALIZE that SOME OF US are still trying to lose the last few pounds of bebe weight?!



Ummm, on second thought....keep creating recipes with lots and lots of butter. My love handles can stay a little longer. Ya know, for the sake of supporting the butter churners of the world. It's all about priorities.



To me, there are few things in life that smell better than onions sauteing in butter. Can I get an Amen?



Usually raw meat gags me. But it's kind of fun cutting cube steak. It's so tender and easy to work with. Kind of like me.



I created quite a steam bath while sizzling these babies. I almost called the weather man to have him warn the residents of my little town. It was worse than any fog you've ever witnessed.

They come by their name honestly, with all the smoke they produce. Wowza!

After a few shakes of this and squirts of that, everything came together in one pan and Marlboro Man Sandwiches were born.





Everything is better on a buttered, toasted hoagie bun.



TA-DA!!!!!



Thank you, Ree, for bringing these to my life. My husband might kiss your feet.



But that would be weird, so he may just give you a high five.





What a wonderful sandwich! Buy the cookbook and make it. Your husband will do cartwheels.

Challenge 2: Egg-In-A-Hole!

Has anyone noticed that I'm starting with the easiest recipes first? Shhh. Don't tell. It's our little secret.

My whole little family was home all day on MLK day, so I woke up and made us Eggs In A Hole. Now, I am not a big fan of eggs, but Husby is, so I figured it would be a success.

First I scrounged up my delectable bread from the Amish Cheese House (they make the best bread around!) and my great-great-grandmother's biscuit cutter.



My great-great-grandmother used this biscuit cutter three times a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for years and years. I wish I would have known her, because I'm pretty sure I would have been there for every meal. Biscuits are my favorite. I can not imagine a life with biscuits at every meal. She was a smart woman, that lady.

I buttered the bread and threw it in the pan. (Is it bad that I can not write that phrase without screaming "THROW EM IN THE PAN" in my mind? We love Patty Cake around these parts.)

After a few minutes of quick toasting the bread in the pan, in went the egg! Bombs away!!



I added a little salt and pepper and hoped for the best. I was concerned about flipping it. Scary stuff for a first time Egg In The Hole-er, like myself!





OOPS! I turned it too soon. Yuck a RAMA! Does that not look like the most unappetizing thing you've ever seen? Gag me with a biscuit cutter.

I made two more for Husby and he just loved them! He likes his eggs runny, so his were runny. Mine was not. Mine was cooked through and was absolutely delicious!! And I don't even like eggs!




Now doesn't that just look fun to eat?



I am proud to say that I am now a veteran egg in the hole-er. They are delightful and nutritious! A well balanced meal for my well balanced family.

Horray!

Challenge 1: Pico De Gallo and Guacamole

Okay, I set out to do the cookbook start to finish, as in I start on page one and cook through to the end. But Husby told me that wasn't a very good idea and that I should skip around the book to make it more exciting. So, that is what I am doing. Hop skip and jumping around the cook book trying to knock them all out! So if you were about to point your finger at me and say, "Whitney! The jalepeno bbq poppers are the first recipe!", then you can rest easy.

Today, I made pico.

Cold, fresh, crisp, delightful pico.

Yum.



The produce selection in my local store was pretty sparse, but I found all the necessary ingredients...luckily.

Roma tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, lime and my personal favorite, cilantro.

I was very excited to make this for 2 reasons.

1. I love anything in the mexican food family.

2. I was excited to use the chef's chopping knife I got for Christmas.

The thing will cut through anything. And with all the chopping I had to do today, it was a dreamboat. Love it!

First I chopped up the 'maters. I'm not going to lie. I tried chopping like I was a Food Network Pro. Tomato juice ended up all over the place. It wasn't pretty.

It was way more fun chopping the onion. I was better and faster...and I didn't even cry. The toothpick between my lips helped with that little problem. Did you guys know that little trick? It works!

So, I avoided crying while I chopped the onion. But after I chopped the jaleps, I scratched my eye.

Bad. Idea.

P-dub, why did you not warn me???

I threw my knife down, ran the bathroom and proceeded to cry it out.

And then I threw in the cilantro. Cilantro always soothes the soul.

After all of the goodies were in the bowl, I squeezed the lime, dashed with salt and commenced to stirring.

Here is the result.

Can I just tell you right now that it was AMAZING?!

I actually did back flips and cartwheels for this stuff. It made my taste buds do the Macerana and my tummy do the Jitterbug. It was a flavor explosion!!

I went ahead and made her guacamole, too, since all you do is mash up some avocados and throw in some of the pico. Simple and delicious!

I had a bit of a problem with the avocados. They were hard as a rock and impossible to even cut open! I guess that's what happens when you want guacamole in January.

The. Worst. Avocados. On. God's. Green. Earth.

Or His green and white earth where I live.

Both recipes were a raging success with the ole Husby and me. I made tacos to enjoy them with.

Great recipe, PW. I give it 2 thumbs up and will continue making the pico til death do me part.