Stress Busting with Oatmeal Scotchies and Project STIR

I bake when life gets stressful. My family can usually tell when I’m under more stress than usual because there are cookies in the house.  Lots of cookies.  

There is a zen to baking: quietly collecting the ingredients, the steady purr of my prized Kitchen maid mixer, and naturally the smell of comfort food. Baking melts my stressful thoughts and unwinds the knots in my shoulders. Cookie making soothes me from start to finish.

My love of baking was a legacy gift from my Grammie.  Grammie brought kindness, comfort, and cookies to many folks over the years.  I remember watching her bake in her tiny Texas kitchen and “helping” by tasting cookies fresh out of the oven to tell her if they were good (they always were).

Memories of Grammie are an essential ingredient to my stress reduction in the kitchen.

My blogger buddy Sarah Shotts is on a mission to rekindle family recipes through Project STIR. Sarah is a young person with a wise soul and a creative eye We met at the Arkansas Blogger Conference and connected through our mutual appreciation of the family/food connection.  Project STIR is a series of documentary films capturing the universal language of love in the family kitchen. The films will take place in kitchens around the world and will tell the stories of Abuelitas, Nans & Mothers passing on their heirloom recipes to the next generation. I am one of Sarah's “Project Stir Ambassadors” promoting the project through social media.  I was eager to participate because of my support of family time, comfort food, and creativity.

In my warming Oklahoma kitchen Grammie and I still connect over her hand written baking recipes even though she passed away many years ago.  My stress busting in the kitchen this week is creating Grammie’s Oatmeal Scotchies – aka “Scotchies.” My family loves this recipe because it is sweet and savory.  Perfect for a fall day. The insider giggle is that I looked all over for this recipe and delighted to find it in her spiral notebook, only later to learn that she copied it from the Nestle Toll House Butterscotch Morsels bag!

Grammie's Oatmeal Scotchies

1 Cup Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Cup softened butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla

3 Cups Quick Oats (we like Quaker)
12 oz package of Nestle Tollhouse Butterscotch morsels (!)

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

In small bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon- set aside. In large bowl beat brown and white sugars, eggs, and vanilla "until fluffy." Gradually add in flour mix from small bowl.Stir in oatmeal and morsels by hand.  Drop by rounded spoonful of dough onto greased cookie sheet.Bake for 7-8 minutes. 

Yum. 

This month my blog focus is on managing stress.From process to product baking has potential for reducing stress for you with the added bonus of creating opportunities to share the love and comfort (cookies) with others.  I hope this inspires you to explore creative ways to cope with stress in your life.  For more information about Project STIR please click on the link you will be treated to a morsel of Sarah's talent for videography and I promise you will feel the love. If you share Sarah’s passion for rekindling family recipes please support her mission with a donation or by spreading the word (word of mouth, Facebook shares, etc. . . .)  

Caring is sharing- how about a cookie?  

Mindfulness Mondays: Creative Problem Solving

h/t Pinterest

Maybe this week will go smoothly for you. If so, have gratitude for a smooth week.

But in real life the chances are high that at least once a week you will have what Tim Gunn (of Project Runway fame) refers to as "make it work moments."

• When you are missing the main ingredient for a recipe you already started.
• When you spill coffee on your notes before a meeting.
• When a traffic jam is ticking away your estimated time of arrival for an appointment.

Mindfulness in your "make it work" moments will bring a calm mind to find creative options when the unexpected happens. 

 

Thank you Alliance Rubber Company
for the "make it work" experience!

This weekend at the Arkansas Women Bloggers conference we were given an "unconventional challenge" of wrapping a housewarming gift showcasing Alliance rubber bands. Knowing that we were expected to be creative opened our awareness to looking at materials in a new way. There was excitement in the process of discovery and satisfaction in overcoming obstacles.  Can you approach every day life problems from this perspective?  

This week I will be mindful of moments that call for creativity in problem solving.

Mindfulness Mondays: Reflections

Yesterday I listened to an NPR interview with Drew Houston, the co-founder of Dropbox.  He is a young entrepreneur who persisted in following a creative idea, despite competition from larger, more experienced corporations.  The key to his persistence? Reflection.

Houston shared that he once heard that if we are fortunate we will have approximately 30,000 days of life. That number deeply influenced him to practice daily reflection about how he was spending his moments. These reflections guided his innovation.  What will you learn when you reflect?  How are you spending your days?

I will create opportunities for reflection in my life.  

Marotta meets Kondo: The Language of Change

Before Marie Kondo February 2015

What could a 53 year old psychologist from Oklahoma and a 30 something professional organizer from Japan have in common?  We speak the same language.  The language of change.  Marie Kondo is empowering people to transform life through clearing physical clutter – my spin is to shift perspective  by letting go of thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that no longer serve us.

Marotta and Kondo are both aware that incredible change is possible when you have the right tools.  But you have to be willing to do the work.

Kondo’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up came at an opportune time as I find myself somewhere between “emptying” and “feathering” my nest.  She struck a chord when she detailed that the point of tidying was not to be measured by how much you throw away, but instead to intentionally surround yourself with the things you love. With this bliss in mind I began to apply her method to my clothes, which is where she recommends that we start.

It was the perfect rainy weekend.  Step One I gathered ALL of my clothing into our guest bedroom.  Kondo urges her organizing clients (now readers) to gather all of the items in a specific category together to complete the project all at once.  If there is a clothing item that is missed in this broad sweep (think closets, laundry room, hooks, etc) of your home it is supposed to be given away.  I am not brave enough to show you the picture of the heaps of garments that overtook the guestroom. The excess, mistakes, waste and multiple sizes that made up my clothing choices from past to present were all sprawled out.

Step Two involved holding each item in my hand and evaluating if it “sparked joy.”It was oddly reassuring to check my gut for an opinion.

Many of my clothing decisions were outdated, they literally no longer suit me.  For years these choices took up space in my closet, unseen, but definitely felt as I tried to hang up new purchases.  At the end of the day . . . four bags of clothing to donate to charity and two brimming trash bags of torn, worn, and stained flotsam.

A strong theme throughout Marie Kondo’s guide to zen organizing is the energy you will derive from thorough tidying.  Her cultural perspective of energy is fun to think about.  According to her philosophy all items have energy.  When you surround yourself with items that bring you joy, you are energized and happier in your space.  When your space is filled with items that no longer spark that loving feeling you are drained of energy.  I waited for the energy after completely revamping my clothing category.  Instead I felt exhausted.  It was harder than I thought.  In the back of my mind I worried that I had “let go” of something that I loved, or that I might need someday. The parallel to therapeutic change was glaring.

It has been two months since I began my magical tidying.  My wardrobe pallet is completely changed, dressing is simpler, and I love every single thing I wear.  I’m feeling the energy now.

After my clothing category I tackled my bathrooms, and my true nemesis: paper.  The before and after pictures tell only half of the story. The mind shift towards simplicity is even more impressive.

After Marie Kondo February 2015

Zen Organizing a la Kondo 2/2015

My response to empty nest is still evolving, but focusing on what remains instead of what has been lost is a delightful blend of peacefulness and excitement. If you are facing a life change I would strongly recommend the orderly advice of Marie Kondo. Let your external space reflect your internal change.

It is a language we can all benefit from at various points of our journey. 

Happy Tidying!  

Mindfulness Mondays: Be Adventurous!

Marotta Rainbow Bread 2015
"Very Pinteresting" and Yummy!

Creativity is not always a bolt of lightning experience. Sometimes it is a quiet agreement to try out someone else's new idea.

Looking for inspiration? Pinterest is an endless catalog of "new ideas" to spark your adventurous spirit.

Be accepting of mistakes along the way and have fun! It is all part of the creative process.






This week I will be adventurous and try something new.

Birthday Presence

The Gift of Birthday Cupcakes 2015 YUM!

Have you ever had an unexpected gift?  Maybe it was disguised in a strange shape- or maybe your first instinct was to return to sender. But then time reveals the true gift.  This is my “birthday week” so I thought I’d unwrap a few with you.

I am grateful for:  

“Distraction”

This is where most of the other gifts have originated. In the process of blogging I have cultivated an interest in mindfulness. Taking time to set an intention for the week for you has given more clarity to me.  The mindset of being present to this moment has great implications. Look for more mindfulness on the blog as I begin more formal mindfulness education on April 10^th at a seminar in OKC. I am happy to share my “present of presence” with others.

“The Hangries”

Sweetness asked me to discuss my "hangries" at my annual physical.  He noticed that a late night, or delayed travel that changed meal times did not bring out the best in me (to say the least).  I became snappy, irritable, and RAVENOUS. Turns out that what I thought was a temporary problem to endure (menopause) was a treatable problem- hypoglycemia. A nutritionist confirmed the diagnosis and helped me develop an eating plan of smaller, more frequent meals.  I celebrate Nutrition Awareness month with dramatically improved energy and healthy weight loss! 

“Detours”

I have been in the company of a wonderful group of writers for over 10 years.  Several of our members have published traditional books and are actively writing.  I went into this adventure with the expectation that I would be more “successful” at writing. Blogging was an unexpected plot twist. I am undergoing a massive paradigm shift in defining writing success. Renewed creativity is a gift.

“Clutter”

A client and Amazon recommended a book to me that made a strong promise and hit a definite chord.  The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo ….  My aha moment: I have a problem of abundance  Despite the habit of regular donations of used clothing and household items, there is never enough storage. Too much stuff is too much stuff no matter how cleverly you organize it! I have begun my quest to reduce my home base to the zen like simplicity of my lake trailer. Simplicity is a gift.

This post is an attempt to be generous with my gifts in the hope that they will create a framework of unexpected gifts in your life. 

I am grateful always for your readership and shares.

Healthy Relationships: Healthy Meals for Two

How about a warm bowl of chili to heat up your kitchen and celebrate the month of love?

The American Heart Association consider green chilies heart smart. I've got a great new recipe to help you stay healthy and spice up your love life.

Our Colorado friends Randy English and Bonnie Foster have just launched a new business: Original Rocky Mountain Green Chili Mix. It turns out that “Green Chili” is traditional to the Wild West.The cute little box of spices is available online so you have to think ahead for that part -  Everything else I needed to make great green chili was already in my pantry.

Ready for a week night adventure in the kitchen? Just 20 minutes until that bowl of chili is on your table set for 2.

Round Up:

2 Tablespoons oil

2 lbs.  Ground Meat (Chicken, Beef, or Pork)

1 Onion

*8 oz. diced Green Chilies

16 oz. Crushed Tomatoes (*Marotta version- you can skip the extra chilies and substitute 2 10 oz. RO*Tel diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies)

3 Cups Water

Original Rocky Mountain Green Chili Mix

Optional: Tortilla Chips, Lime slices, Sour Cream, Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

Make the Magic:

Brown the meat and onions in oil in a soup pan.  Add Ro*Tel and Water and turn up the flame to high.  Bring to a boil for one minute, then reduce to simmer. Add yummy Original Rocky Mountain Green Chili Mix, stirring well to combine and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes. 

We paired our chili with Jiffy Cornbread mix we baked while our Chili was simmering. Add a little side salad and you are set! The mix makes 4 servings so we had our romantic dinner for two with leftovers for another night. 

No matter what you are making in the kitchen always remember to stir in the love!

Thanks Randy & Bonnie for putting some Wild West in my weeknight meals.

P.S. I was not paid for my support of this product, but it is possible that I will receive more little spice boxes in the mail to restock my pantry! 

Mindfulness Monday: Express Yourself

Fancy Peacock/North Park Mall 2015

Each of us has a distinct point of view based on layers of life lessons- and our interpretation of those experiences. Your victories, mistakes, celebrations, and discouragements are unique.

That is precisely why you need to express yourself.

It is time to tell your story and Listen to Your Mother wants to hear it- or your friend will want to read it- or your 8th grade art teacher will want to see it . . .

Most importantly you need to live it.  How about starting this week?




This week I will find ways to express myself.

Feelings Friday: The Cookie Project on OWB

Just in time for Holiday parties and Cookie Exchanges- the Oklahoma Women Bloggers have featured The Cookie Project on their website.  

Follow the link here to see what's cooking in my Christmas kitchen.  

Hope you have fun making memories and baking cookies this weekend . . . "don't forget to stir in the love!" 

The Cookie Project: Krispie Date Cookies

Welcome fall, football, and Krispie Date Cookies! This special recipe comes from my fellow Inkling, critique partner, lake neighbor, and dear friend Martha Bryant.  Martha is like a soft steady rain—quiet, comforting, and nurturing.  She also has a winning smile and laser sharp critique skills! You are going to love these yummy nibblets of goodness.

New technique alert: Krispie Date Cookies are made on the stove!   It was one hundred degrees outside when I decided to try Martha’s recipe so keeping the kitchen oven off was a welcome relief.  The cookie mixture is very “hands on.” Not only do your upper arms get a work out from all of the stirring, you get to “play” with the dough as you roll it in the coconut.  I can see how this would be fun to make with kids because making the cookie balls is very similar to play dough and you can eat it!

Krispie Date Cookies from the recipe files of Martha Lea Bryant

Martha is Contest Queen at OWFI!

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1 ½ Cup chopped dates

1 egg (lightly beaten)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 Cups Rice Krispies

1 ½ Cups Pecans

Coconut

Put Rice Krispies in a large bowl.

On stove-top:  melt butter, add sugar, and stir until dissolved.  Add dates cooking for approximately 3 minutes, stir mixture well while cooking.  Add beaten egg, cook for 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts. 

Pour hot mixture over Rice Krispies and mix thoroughly (Added bonus: Krispies will do their snap* crackle*pop song while you are stirring!).  Let the mixture cool.  When cool enough to handle, form into small cookie balls and roll in coconut.

Krispie Date Cookies are fun to make, but are best appreciated by a sophisticated palate.The subtle layering of flavors will impress your book club buddies but might get ignored by the little ones- more for you! These are just right for Fall weather and a perfect complement to hot coffee  or hot tea. (Take two they’re small)

This delicious cookie recipe will be the last installment of The Cookie Project until December- where we will expand our collection of “Grammy-like” recipes to include other types of baked goods.

Mental Illness Awareness:The Selfies, Creativity, and Struggles of Vincent Van Gogh

"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." 
Vincent Van Gogh

The Cookie Project: Sal's Favorite Sugar Cookies

This week's contributor to The Cookie Project  is Sal, aka "Sweetness." He is the half and half to my coffee, the Hershey's chocolate bar to my s'mores . . . my boyfriend of 24 years and counting!  Sal has generously shared his mother's recipe for sugar cookies. He would prefer you bake these cookies for yourself because he hates to part with any of his personal stash. Sal is a reformed picky eater and at one point in his life these special treats were the highlight of his day.

Sal's mom Emily was a single parent, working sometimes two jobs to provide for her growing boys on Long Island, New York. Any day that little Sal found two cookies in his lunch bag was a good day. Sal can always expect a batch of cookies at his birthday and Christmas- they make him feel special.  We know you will love them.


Sal's Favorite Sugar Cookies

(makes 4 dozen)

1 Cup Crisco
1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
2 teaspoons Salt*
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract 
4 eggs
4 Cups Flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, bake for 10-12 minutes.

Finished cookies have a golden brown circle around the edge.  I have noticed that on hot or humid days these cookies spread out and are not as pretty- although they taste just as good.  If you want a mounded cookie on a hot day put the dough into the refrigerator for a few minutes before baking.

*Sal's mom never wrote down this recipe, she memorized it.  Once when Sal was home alone he wanted to make the day special by baking up a batch and forgot the salt.  He advises us to to include the salt-not the same without it. 

Santa Fe: Eminem from Trauma to Recovery

Eminem never claimed to be a role model. His lyrics are intense, angry, and filled with profanity.  His videos are graphically sexual and violent.  Eminem’s music references addiction and crime.  Listen carefully if you can because this is the story of his life experience.  Eminem is a living example of what counselors mean when we describe “kids from hard places.”

At the Creativity and Madness Conference,*Annette Fortino, LMSW, treated us all to an in depth case study of the traumatized child Marshall Bruce Mathers who grew up to be the best-selling artist in the 2000's and named King of Hip Hop by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Background:

·         Marshall was born to two musical parents in Missouri in 1972.

·         Father left the family when he was an infant.

·         No relationship with his father while growing up.

·         Mother reportedly addicted to pills and alcohol, physically abusive

·         Multiple moves, from little towns in Missouri to Michigan approximately every 1-2 years.

·         Settled into Detroit during teen years at the time that Detroit was in rapid urban decline, with 23% unemployment and high crime.

·         Half-brother removed from the home when Eminem was 15

·         Dropped out of school at 17

Marshall was lacking in support and mentoring throughout his formative years, and had an ambivalent attachment to his mother.  His Uncle Ronnie (mother’s half-brother) was a few years older than Marshall and they were reportedly very close.  Ronnie gave Marshall a dictionary and introduced him to his first rap song.  The dictionary sparked a fascination with words. His uncle committed suicide as a young teen.

Marshall took his love of words, his natural musicality, and expressed his pain through lyrics.  He became involved in the emerging Hip Hop culture and enrolled in freestyle rap battles.  The stage name Eminem was an evolution of M&M.  Marshall’s persistence, practice, and dedication propelled him to enter contests where he ultimately became discovered by Dr. Dre.

Trauma leaves a neurological mark on a child which remains throughout the life span.  Typical behavioral symptoms include difficulty regulating emotions, aggression, impulse control problems, and negative self-image.  The body remembers.  Eminem is known for his rapid fire, complex rhyming, and lyrics that release the pain.  Recovery from trauma involves making meaning of the experience through empowerment.  Words and music continue to help Marshall save himself. Check out Cleanin Out My Closet.

Fame was not without trauma.  His mother sued him for defamation of character in a 10 million dollar lawsuit.  She was awarded damages of less than two thousand dollars.  Traveling for tours disrupted Eminem’s sleep and he began taking pills to sleep. Alcohol and pain killers followed soon afterward.

Recovery from addiction brought about other changes in Eminem.  He publicly (and privately) forgave his mother in his song Headlights, and he began raising his only daughter.  Eminem has just released a new album and is active in NA and AA in Los Angeles.  He has developed a charity (The Marshall Mathers Foundation) for disadvantaged youth.

Eminem’s recovery from trauma and addiction will be a lifelong intention to live one day at a time. His journey through the pain reminds us that creativity is transformational.  

*If there are any errors in this post please forgive me, they are unintentional and the result of poor note taking on my part and not the dynamic and intensive work of the presenter: Annette Fortino, LMSW,ACSW,CAADC,EMDR certified.  Ms. Fortino traveled from Michigan to Santa Fe with her son Joe, who performed percussion to enhance the presentation of this artist.  They received a standing ovation for this informative and inspirational study. 

Santa Fe: Pensamientos Positivos

Georgia's workspace and materials from Abiquiu
on display at the O'Keefe Museum, Santa Fe.

"I have been absolutely terrified every moment of my life - and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do."

Georgia O'Keefe

The Cookie Project: Biscochitos (Frida's Favorites)

If you are a frequent visitor of this blog you will not be surprised by my decision to dedicate a recipe to Frida Kahlo for The Cookie Project. My acquired taste and growing admiration for this artist has its roots in my love of Santa Fe, New Mexico.  On a trip down Canyon Road you will find Frida inspired artworks throughout the many galleries, and respectful tributes to her in the local shops.  This Sunday I am returning  again to Santa Fe for the Creativity and Madness Conference.  In honor of Frida I researched a cultural recipe that is usually served at traditional Mexican weddings on the dessert bar, or given as gifts to the wedding guests.  These Mexican cookies are beautiful, more fragile than they look, and very high maintenance. I like to think that Frida would approve.
 
Biscochitos (Mexican Wedding Cookies)


1 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup room temperature unsalted butter
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 Cups flour

Powdered Sugar for rolling
Makes 2 dozen medium sized cookies

Step One
In a medium skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat, shaking often until lightly browned (this took me two tries- I had the flame too hot!) for about five minutes.  Transfer toasted walnuts into a freezer container and freeze for at least one hour (I did overnight).

Step Two
Beat the butter until creamy, add sugar and beat again.  Add salt, vanilla extract and beat again.  The cookie dough will be crumbly.

Take the frozen walnuts and crush them to small bits.  I put my walnuts into a baggie then used the flat side of a large knife to repeatedly "wack them" (highly technical baking term).  Some recipes suggested a food processor to "grind" them- you get the gist I hope.

Stir the ground walnuts into your cookie dough and refrigerate for one hour.

Step Three

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Form the dough into little balls (about tablespoon size) and place one inch apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Step Four

Sprinkle powdered sugar on a clean room temperature cookie sheet.  When the cookies are still warm (about 3 minutes) roll them CAREFULLY in the powdered sugar and set aside.

When the cookies are completely cooled- roll them again in the powdered sugar.

Step Five

Eat them- you've worked hard for this nutty, sweet, crumbly treat!

The Cookie Project: Snickerdoodle Momma Recipe

Note to self: Cookies expand while baking

The Cookie Project: Recipe #2

I met our guest cookie baker late one night at the 2013 OWFI writer conference.  Cathy Collar is as warm and down home as my kitchen smells when I'm baking up her Snickerdoodle recipe.  

Cathy is an author, jewelry maker, mom, and joyful grandma. She is a special person I am grateful to know.

Please read the sweet note her daughter Jennifer wrote about "Snickerdoodle Momma." Share some blogger love by visiting Cathy's blog, and while you are nibbling on your snicker-doodles why don't you drop by the websites of her talented daughters: Jennifer McMurrain and Brandy Walker!

Snickerdoodle Momma Recipe

Welcome to the Cookie Project
Cathy Collar!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter or Margarine

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 cup of Milk

1 t Vanilla

3 3/4 cup of Flour

1/2 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Cream of tartar

1/2 t salt

Small bowl of Cinnamon & Sugar combined (I mixed 3T sugar with 3t cinnamon)

In mixing bowl cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, 

beating well after each. Blend in milk and vanilla. Thoroughly stir together, flour, 

baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Form into 1 inch 

balls. Roll balls in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet 2 

inches apart (Follow this sage advice- my first batch pictured above); slightly flatten balls. 

Bake @ 375 till light brown about 10 min. Makes 8 dozen (IF you don't eat any of the dough and IF you are good at making 1 inch balls. In the Marotta kitchen my batch made up 45 cookies- you do the math!)

Snicker-doodle Momma by Jennifer McMurrain

My mom and I have an ongoing debate on who the above recipe belongs to. She says it’s hers because she passed it down to me and I say it’s mine because I’ve perfected it over the years.

Every year at Christmas I hear, “Jennifer, are you going to make snickerdoodles?” And you know who is asking that question? My mom.

I’d like to think the snickerdoodle recipe isn’t the only thing my mom has passed on to me.

My mom can always find something nice to say about a person. She has an uncanny ability to look at situations and see it from a different light. You may see a group of outcasts in the park, but she sees a group of people who have finally found friends who understand each other.

Mom will go above and beyond to help people and never ask for anything in return. She has sent countless dollars, jewelry, and other gifts to people dealing with terminal and chronic illness. When we lost my younger sister at the age of 24 to leukemia, her first instinct was to start a jewelry design business in my sister’s name and give the bulk of our proceeds to help others. For the past 10 years she has never faltered in this mission. Even in 2011 when she broke her back, she still made it to every arts and crafts show.  

My mom has never met a stranger. More times than not she will have meaningful conversations with people in the grocery line that she’s just met. I can’t count how many people have confessed to her they’ve lost a loved one when we are at arts and crafts festivals selling our jewelry and books. Knowing she has lost a daughter, they see her as a kindred spirit and I know no matter how they felt walking in, they know they are not walking the agonizing path of grief alone. They have a friend who completely understands what they are going through. That friend is my mom.

As I live my own life, as a woman as well as a mom, I try very hard to live like my mother and all of her attributes, including the three above. Hopefully one day my daughter will look at me as her own “snickerdoodle momma”.

Group Works: Finding Scenius

The original Inklings met some Tuesday mornings at a local pub in Oxford in the 1930s.  It was a group of writerly types who would read, critique each other’s work, and share ideas. They each had their own spin on the written word and equal love of stories. Everyone brought something special to the table.  All of the members benefited in some way from the exchange and collaboration- some became famous.  You may recognize a few of them:  C.S.Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Owen Barfield, and Charles Williams to name drop a bit.

Thirty years later in a New York studio, creatives met regularly to share their passion for music, art, and theater.  The studio became known as The Factory and belonged to experimental artist Andy Warhol.  Folks like Salvadore Dali, Truman Capote, and Bob Dylan liked to come “hang out.” They talked, tested out new work, and partied together. Imagine the energy.

History is filled with evidence of collective intelligence and proof that creativity does not occur in a dark silent solitary place.  We feed the creative spirit when we find a group of people who encourage and challenge us to do our best work.  Imagination thrives in the right culture - it is up to us to find that scene.

I have been reading (and loving) Austin Kleon’s book Show Your Work! He expanded my thinking and vocabulary to include the word scenius: The intelligence and the intuition of a whole cultural scene . . . the communal form of the concept of genius. Kleon credits musician Brian Eno with naming the concept- each of us has something unique to contribute to one another and we nurture our creative spirit through trusted social exchange. There is a collective intelligence in sharing ideas and making connections.  It is a generosity of creative energy that brings about scenius.

This weekend marks the summer Inklings Retreat.  Our critique group was inspired by the original Oxford Inklings and we aspire to scenius.  We have differing genres of writing, tastes in literature, and perspectives on grammar (!)  But we trust each other enough to share our opinions and barely edited work. We carve out a weekend to connect, inspire, share ideas, eat heartily, drink merrily, and cultivate the creativity within each of us.

Feed your spirit by seeking scenius- it is somewhere waiting for your special talent to spark magic. 

The Cookie Project: Impossible Chocolate-Scotchie Chip Cookies

If you give a counselor a cookie . . .  she will want the recipe (and a story to go with it!)

Welcome to The Cookie Project!  Summer is heating up and while most people might crave ice cream I have a seasonal hankering for cookies.  All kinds of cookies.  The serving size is built right in!  I hope you will follow along with some creative kitchenry as I collect cookie recipes and stories from awesome people. By the end of the summer we will have a cookie cookbook- and learn a lot about the sentimentality of sweets. My goal is to make every single recipe in my "test kitchen" so if you live close by I will be happy to share samples!

Why cookies? All of my childhood summers were spent in Texas, visiting my multi-talented and super special Grammy.  One of her many remarkable talents was baking.  Cookies.  All kinds of cookies.  Goodness stored  in an airtight rectangular Tupperware safely stored at the top of her Frigidaire. The container was originally designed to fit a Texas sized sheet cake, but Gram found a higher purpose. I can still smell the mix of sugar, butter, and morsels that welcomed me each time I  peeled back the lid.  Just one more . . .

"Scotchies" were one of my favorite Grammy specialties. They were a combination of the usual cookie base ingredients plus oatmeal and butterscotch morsels.  I am still searching for the original recipe, and will let you know when I find it.  My Pinterest search led me to another nostalgic fun fact - Although Grammy liked to bake "from scratch" she was also a big fan of Bisquick.  We used to giggle together over the recipe titles on the back of the Bisquick box. "Impossible Peach Cobbler" - we wondered "what's so impossible about it?" I couldn't resist this Pinterest Board recipe that called for Bisquick with a suggestion to add butterscotch morsels.  I have renamed it "Impossible Chocolate Scotchie Chip Cookies."

Impossible Chocolate-Scotchie Chip Cookies

1 stick of butter, softened (1/2 Cup)
1 Cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (McCormick's does not have corn syrup!)
1 egg
2 3/4 Cups Bisquick Baking Mix
1 Cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli- yum)
1 Cup Butterscotch morsels (I thought about 1/2 cup but-sometimes more is better)


Preheat your oven to 375 and don't worry about greasing your cookie sheets. Grammy always put on her apron while she baked, so you if you have one put it on.  In a large bowl: mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Now add your Bisquick Mix, and chips.  Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls onto your cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies are done when they look a little golden.  Let sit on cookie sheets briefly transferring to wax paper for cooling.

The Pinterest recipe that inspired this recipe was created by Stephanie Parker from Birmingham Alabama. She is an author, blogger, and columnist who cooks "real food." Take some time to visit her blog and Pinterest Boards- you will be in good company.  Ms. Parker has over 4,000 followers and may be the next Pioneer Woman!

Happy Summer and happy baking

Mindfulness Monday: The Sum Total of Everything

"You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there." Maya Angelou

Walking briskly through the streets of New York this window display dazzled me and snagged my attention. Do you see what I see?  Probably not, and that is the whole point. We are all inspired by things that uniquely resonate because of our experiences.

As I continue to research creativity the more the truth of the "sum total of everything" becomes obvious.  I appreciate the nod to Frida Kahlo from this unknown New York artist who found a unique way to dress a jewelry store window with style and pizzazz. 

I am the sum total of everything . . . I can cultivate creativity in all of my life experiences.

Mindfulness Mondays: Dream Big

Lizard on Bike Seat/ Lake Tenkiller 2014

Affirmations are useful in quieting negative mind clutter.

Allow your mind to explore all the possibilities of Daring Greatly: At home, at work, and in balancing your schedule to reflect your true intentions.

Use this affirmation to pave the way for new ideas.








I CAN DREAM BIG THIS WEEK