An Ode to my Kitchen Aid Mixer

Dear Mixer (she-who-has-yet-to-be-named),

It's so nice to finally meet you. Christmas was very kind to me this year!

For years, I had fawned over your beautiful red hue... drooled over the way in which you mixed batters with such ease! I longed to know what it was like to flip your switch and then sit back and relax while you did what you do best: mix. And let me tell you, you did not disappoint. (Truly, my mixing arm is forever in your debt!)

I scoured Pinterest during the days following Christmas in search of something worthy of your bake-Christening. Yesterday, I found it. Double chocolate chip cookies. Yep... That was the one. I woke up this morning and headed straight to the store to purchase semi-sweet choco-chips and chunks (chips+chunks=heaven).

When the time was right, I flipped your switch from "off" to "on"... And I watched you go! Just like I always dreamed it! I didn't have to stop the mixer each time I had to add the dry mixture (flour, baking powder, salt) in small increments. You just go, go, go! Flour didn't cover the kitchen (and myself) like it typically does when I attempted to mix it in with my little hand mixer. I barely even had to scrape the sides with my silicone spatula! And, almost too soon, the chocolatey batter was ready to bake.

It may be cheesy to say that you've changed my life, but alas, dear mixer, 'tis true! I can't wait for our many happy days to come. I'll never bake without you again... and that's a promise!

Your loving baker,
Taylor

Monsters University

I love animated movies. More than any 21-year-old girl should. And is it just me, or does Disney-Pixar always do it right?

I'm not typically a fan of sequels, unless it's a book-series-turned-movie situation. But Disney-Pixar never disappoints. Toy Story 1/2/3? Genius! And it was genius particularly for kids around my age, because we literally grew up with Andy. I watched Toy Story 3 the summer before I left for college (and bawled my eyes out, I might add) when Andy was getting ready to leave for college. It was perfect.

Even with that being said, I was still a little skeptical when I heard about Monsters University. Sequels just make me nervous! And I love Monsters, Inc. I mean, come on. Everyone remembers this, right?



 

So, on Sunday, I went to see it with a good friend of mine, Christian, with a slightly heavy heart. I was excited, but I didn't want to be disappointed. Well, I WASN'T. They did it so right! They made it where it would be funny for kids, but hilarious for college students (and adults of all ages). They had all the details. A Monsters University Alma Mater, a Greek system with "Scare Games" between the different fraternities and sororities, a student cracked out the morning of finals carrying cups of coffee in all 6 of his hands... Perfect, I'm telling you.

So, without revealing anything else, I highly recommend it. If you have a kid, go see it. If you're a college student, go see it. If you've ever been a college student and would like to reminisce, go see it. Or no matter what your background, go. It's awesome. I laughed more than any of the (screaming) small children there.

Ciao.

Shreveport Adventures: Food Edition

A couple weekends ago, I ventured down to Shreveport, Louisiana for my cousin, Derrick, and his fiance, Catherine's engagement party. I'd never been to Louisiana (at least not for a significant amount of time) so I guess I was expecting beads and masquerade masks. That's not exactly what I got, but I loved it!

Derrick lived in Shreveport for a couple of years following college for his job, which is when he met Catherine, a Shreveport native. Naturally, they both knew about the best local joints to try out, so my Aunt Becky and I decided to check them out! We took Catherine's suggestions more seriously than Derrick's, because apparently he tried to send us to a steakhouse called the Cub, which sounds great in theory. However, according to Catherine, although the steaks may be good, it's a smoky little bar joint full of big hulking men. My aunt and I probably would have looked a bit out of place.

Saturday morning, we tried a mutual favorite, Strawn's. What else would I have, but Minnie Mouse pancakes? When I sent a picture to my mom, she responded: Is that a kid's meal? No, mom. It's mine. Thanks.

 

Strawn's is also famous for its "ice box pies". There were several flavors, but Derrick told us the strawberry was the best, so that's what I got! Yep. Strawberry pie for breakfast. Not sorry.

 

Did I ever mention that I really love breakfast? Well, I'm mentioning it now. Because the next morning, we ate at Another Broken Egg. 

I had maybe one of the best omelettes ever. It was called "Hey Lucy!" and it contained chorizo, avocado, green chiles and lots and lots of cheese. Mmmmm. Nom nom nom.

I'll see you when I'm back in November for the wedding, Lucy!

Ciao.

Happy [Belated] Birthday... to me!

Since I was completely late in posting this, I figured the one month anniversary of my 21st birthday was a good excuse to post this and make it look like I meant to do it.

I've been attempting to eat healthier this summer, but since my birthday just happened to fall on a Wednesday, I figured that my participation in Tulsa's Food Truck Wednesday was practically fate.

Food Truck Wednesday at the Guthrie Green

 I'd been hearing all about this Lone Wolf truck. Having no idea what it was, my mom and I decided to give it a try. So, we sped down to the Guthrie Green and got in line. By the time the truck opened at 11:30 a.m., the line was wrapped around the corner.

The truck claims to be "Vietnamese/French fusion". I know, it sounds kind of weird. But keep reading. If these pictures don't make your mouth water, then you must not have a fat heart.

Lone Wolf is famous for its Banh Mi, which is: a freshly baked baguette from Antoinette Baking Co. (also delicious) stuffed with Kung Pao Pork, carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and the most delicious sauce. Maybe ever.

I have no words.

I'm going to take this moment to interject a fun fact about my mom. My mom loves salt. I'm not talking about a dash here and there, I'm talking about this:

 

Yes. She actually carries salt and pepper in her car just in case she needs them. Don't fret, we did not go without salt!

Lone Wolf is also famous for their Kimchi Fries. French fries with [more] Kung Pao Pork, cilantro, sauce, carrots, avocado, bacon and a big fried egg on top. The bacon and the egg were the special add-ons that day. The add-ons are constantly changing, so you may get to try something different!

 

Yup. Happy Birthday to me.

Taylor's Chocolatiest Chocolate Chip Cookies

If there's one thing I love to brag about, it's my chocolate chip cookies. I also love to brag about my super secret ingredient that I use. And today... (drum roll)... I'm going to share it with you. This is a really big deal. 

It's oatmeal. Yeah, YOU HEARD ME. "But Taylor, wouldn't that just be oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?" No. Keep reading. Please :)

Ingredients:

1 c. (2 sticks) butter or margarine 

2 c. sugar

2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

4 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

5 c. oatmeal

12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate chunks

12 oz. bag milk chocolate chips

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°

Step 2: Cream butter, brown and white sugar, salt and vanilla. 

Step 3: Next, add each egg to the mixture, one at a time.

Step 4: Mix in flour, baking soda and baking powder.

And now... the big shabang...

BLENDED OATMEAL! WHOA. YOU NEVER SAW THAT ONE COMING. 

Step 5: Blend oatmeal in food processor (or shake maker, in my case) until it's the consistency of flour. Blend into mixture.

 

 Gorgeous. The oatmeal blends in perfectly with the mixture but leaves you with the most scrumptious texture you can even imagine.

Step 6: Chocolate. Throw it all in there and fold in.

Step 7: Shape the dough into golf-ball sized balls (I always make mine a little bit bigger) and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes.

The finished product!

I made a few without chocolate chips because I have a friend (cough, cough, Katharine) that doesn't like chocolate. Sounds like a sad, lonely existence to me. But I decided to be accommodating anyway.

"Are they cool enough to eat yet?" (My nephew, Levi)

Seriously though, if these aren't the best chocolate chip cookies you've ever had... I don't know what I'll do. But we won't have to worry about it. Because they're the best. Bon appetit!

Cuppies & Joe

I love coffee shops. I mean, I really really love them. A lot. I will admit, I do love Starbucks, but nothing makes me happier than discovering a local coffee haunt.

For you Tulsans, my favorite spot is Shades of Brown (not to be confused with "Shades of Grey", as my mom likes to call it - accidentally, of course) on Peoria. The atmosphere is so cozy and the Chai lattes (hot or cold) are to die for. Better than Starbucks, if I may be so bold. I have to thank my sister-in-law, Leslie, for telling me about that one.

In the last month, I've tried out two different local coffee shops in the Oklahoma City area. Coffee Slingers on Broadway (really cool, modern rustic-y feel... great mugs) and my most recent find today, Cuppies & Joe. My mom and I tried to go there a couple weeks ago but it was closed, so we decided to give it another go today! Since the beginning of summer, I've been doing my best to eat cleaner and healthier but... how could you go to a place called Cuppies & Joe and not eat a cupcake? I mean, that would just be an insult to the establishment. A sin, if you will, in the world of baking and happiness.

So, first of all, all the "cuppies" had really cool names like Boom Boom Pow, Bangarang, Mary Poppins, and my cupcake, The Traveler. Ooooh, The Traveler. So fancy! So hip! Anyway, it was actually a brownie with chocolate butter cream frosting. Totally worth the splurge.

As for the Joe, I had an iced Chai (my summer regular) and they immediately scored brownie points (pun intended) by serving it in a mason jar. I have an odd obsession with mason jars of all kinds. If it's in a mason jar, it's alright in my book. Mason jar aside, the Chai was delicious. I gulped it in less than two minutes.

I really regret not taking more pictures because it really was an adorable place. I know you're all just looking at your screen thinking, "Golly gee, I wish she would have taken more pictures!" I'm so sorry to disappoint. Maybe next time!

Ciao.

The Top 3 reasons the Thunder lost out in the playoffs

Summer has finally begun, but one question remains: what is Taylor going to do with the rest of her summer now that the Thunder's 5th season has officially ended? The answer: dream about OU football, I guess. I'm writing this while watching "Coach Carter" because there aren't any games on tonight and I'm already having basketball withdrawals.

To say that the NBA playoffs were a disappointment for OKC this year is an understatement. After losing our star PG (Russ, if you didn't know) early in the Houston Rockets series, things were looking pretty bleak.

Those of you that know me know that I absolutely hate negativity when it comes to my sports teams. Like my mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice (positive) to say, then don't say it at all." If you're going to come at me like, "Oh the Thunder have no chance without Westbrook," or "Well, even if we made it past the next round, the Spurs would kill us in the Conference finals," then you just better be prepared for a swift kick in the face. Okay, I won't actually kick you in the face, but I'll be extremely annoyed. Anyway, after losing Russ, I stayed positive. I didn't lose complete hope. With that being said, I think that anyone still ignorant enough to say that Russell Westbrook isn't a vital part of this team should just never watch basketball again. I'm not saying that it's a good thing that Westbrook got hurt, but I do think that the doubters formed a new appreciation for him.

Our whole game looked off without Russ. The chemistry, the flow, the hustle. We just didn't look like ourselves. Here are the top 3 reasons (in my opinion) we couldn't pull it together in the end:

Marc Gasol for the Grizzlies with an offensive board over Serge Ibaka.

 1. OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. Those of you that follow me on any form of social media are probably sick of hearing me talk about it. People who don't know basketball think that winning games is all about scoring points. It's actually a fact that the team that scores the most points wins the game, so I'll give you that. However, if the defense sucks, the other team is most likely going to score the most points. Am I right? It's also a fact that if you allow a good team 4-5 offensive rebounds, a.k.a. 4-5 chances to make a shot, they're most likely going to make one of them. Cut out those offensive rebounds, cut out a looottttt of points.

Doh! Stupid turnovers!

2. Turnovers. So many turnovers. In the final game, we had 14 turnovers, 7 of which were Kevin Durant. I'm not blaming him for the loss by any means, but nonetheless, the Grizzlies capitalized on those turnovers. If we could have cut those turnovers in half, we would have won that last game. We had 15 turnovers in Game 4, 14 turnovers in Game 3, etc. etc. Need I say more?

 3. Kevin Durant cannot do it all. As much as we KD lovers would like to believe so, it's simply not possible. Don't get me wrong, there were several players that pulled weight and did their part to help out, but after every game, Durant would say, "I can do more. I can do more." Maybe he can, but he shouldn't be expected to. One guy can only do so much, and I think he did his part and more. Without Westbrook and his additional 24 PPG, we needed someone to step up and fill that role. We looked to Reggie Jackson. Although I think he did well and I'm looking forward to watching him develop in the future, he didn't have the experience to be "a replacement Westbrook".

And there you have it, Thunder fans. I'm addressing you as Thunder fans because I'm assuming that if you're still reading, you must be a fan.

I would also like to add that I'm a huge Nick Collison fan. He's a hustler, which is something that I can really appreciate. He may not make a ton of points, but he gives 110% the whole time he's on the floor. I think he's one of the most underrated players in the NBA. If you don't like him, you can just keep your thoughts to yourself or be prepared for me to argue you into submission.

We have work to do in the off-season, but I don't think we have anything to be ashamed of. Our biggest mistakes were purely fundamental and easy to fix. If we work on that and if Russ focuses getting better, we'll be golden in the next season.

What do you think were our biggest NBA Playoff 2013 mistakes?

The End of an Era!

For those of you that know me, you know that "Friends" is my favorite television show of all time. Which is really saying a lot. I love a lot of shows.

Pause. Let me start with this.

Today ended my two year run at the Chi Omega sorority house at OU. My friend Katharine and I lived together the full two years. Next year, we're living in separate houses. I would go into more detail but it's hard to type through my tears. Our goodbye was similar to this:

If you know us at all, you know that I'm not kidding. And next year, when we live in different houses (we'll be right next door to each other... but c'mon!), this will be us on a daily basis:

I'm Chandler, in case you were wondering.

 If you're reading this and you don't like Friends, you probably don't find this funny at all. But then again, if you don't like Friends, we probably aren't friends. Just kidding. Sort of.

Living in a sorority house is... interesting, to say the least. Oh, you wanted to sleep at 2 a.m.? Ha, ha. That's funny. Someone is singing "Wicked" show tunes at the top of their lungs outside your door. Oh, you wanted to use that towel to dry off with after your shower? Your roommate decided to snatch it and run so you had to sprint all the way back to your bedroom in your birthday suit. Based on true events.

With that being said, living in a sorority house is one of the best things I've ever done. It's a living situation that I'd never had before and that I'll never have again. It drove me crazy at times, but if I could turn back the clock and do it all over again, I would.

This year, I like to say that I had five roommates. Technically, I was in a 3-girl room with Katharine and Katie, but our three best friends (Laura, Kristin and Erin) lived directly across the hall from us. (Rooms 16 and 17 forever!)

I think I napped in Laura's bed about as often as I napped in my own. In fact, today while I was packing, I walked into their room to grab my DVDs when I discovered... My pants. On their floor. Proof that I had indeed napped in Laura's bed yesterday.

Anyway, the point of this is basically to brag about how awesome my friends are and to tell you that this was the best year of my life because of them. I'm not typically a sappy person, but I don't give them enough credit. They're pretty cool. 

Thanks for the memories, 820!

Taylor

T-Town Eateries Vol. 1

So, I have a problem. Rather, Tulsa has a problem. Tulsa has entirely too many delicious local places to dine. The saddest part about this revelation is that I've lived here since my sophomore year in high school and I'm just now discovering this.

Anyway, back to my problem. Every time I come home for the weekend, we decide to try out all these new, scrumptious, exciting places and I gain about ten pounds in one weekend. Eh. You only live once, right?

So, Saturday night, my parents and I decided to try Caz's Chowhouse downtown. I loved this place. It had the "local" feeling that I was really hoping for. Plus, my 21st birthday is in a month and I finally found a restaurant that serves hard apple cider, a favorite drink of mine from my trip to London this summer! Guess where I'll be on June 5th?

The restaurant also featured a couple witty-titled wines: Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc and A Charming Pinot Noir. How cute is that? 

We all three opted for the chicken & waffles. Yup. I said it. Golden, fried chicken strips on top of a butter and syrup-smothered waffle. Healthy. For the soul.

Now... The chicken was delicious. However, because I'm totally spoiled by mom's perfectly fluffy and slightly crispy waffles at home... I'm sad to report that the waffle was not quite up to my standard. Blame my mom if you must, but I had to be honest. This girl needs a little more fluff in her waffle.

Tonight, we tried another new haunt on Peoria called Mondo's, a local, family-owned Italian place. I like to think of myself as a bit of an Italian food expert since I'm minoring in the language, and my expert tongue says YUM. It was so yummy, in fact, that I dug into my plate so fast after they sat it down that I forgot to take a "before" picture... you guys get to see the "after", instead.

Call me old-fashioned, but I opted for the classic spaghetti and meatballs. I wasn't disappointed. The meal was also served with a fresh salad (all dressings made in-house) and hot garlic bread. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Don't be fooled: from the outside, Mondo's looks modern and stylish. On the inside, while still stylish, it's a very cozy and friendly environment. Highly recommended by this Italian expert! Bellissima!

Ciao, bellas.

And the Academy Award goes to...

ME! For being the best blogger ever. Okay, so I know I haven't posted in a few weeks but, sue me, I'm a college student.

Don't worry, I'm back just in time for the Academy Awards, possibly one of my favorite programs of the year to watch!

Today I'm going to tell you guys my personal pick of winners. Disclaimer: I'm not a movie critic and I haven't seen all of these films (wish I had time for that). For those of you who know me, I'm simply just a girl that loves movies.

Best Picture

 

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. I've heard mixed reviews from friends on this one; one of my roommates, Katie, hated it. However, I went to see it with my other roommate, Katharine and... honestly, I loved everything about it (she did too). It handled real-life issues but also threw in comedy, romance, and even a little bit of dancing. The unexpected chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper blew my mind. But hey, if you wanted to pay me millions of dollars to have chemistry with Bradley, I think I could do it, too.

Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook

Cooper plays a man recently released from a mental institution and struggling to get over the loss of his beloved wife to another man. It was a different role for him, and he nailed it. I mean, how many actors could actually make you fall in love with a slightly crazy mental patient? Only you, Bradley.

(EXTREME) Honorable Mention: Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables 

Actress in a Leading Role

Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook

Can you tell that I really loved this movie? Lawrence plays an unstable widower that went off the deep-end after the death of her husband. I think this was a really smart move for her career. She bursts into stardom as Katniss in "The Hunger Games", and instead of waiting until THG trilogy is complete to attempt to break out of her Katniss mold, she did it immediately. And rocked it.

Honorable Mention: Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty

Actor in a Supporting Role

 Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Although I haven't gotten to see this movie yet, I'm just going to guess and say that he was freakin' awesome.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables

If you watched the "I Had a Dream" scene and didn't cry, you have no soul.

Animated Feature

Brave

Visual Effects

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Original Score

Anna Karenina

Anyone remember the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack? Perfection.

Cinematography

Anna Karenina

Costume Design

Les Miserables

Sound Mixing

Les Miserables

Do you agree? Disagree?

Love always,

T

I'm still here!

To my very diligent followers ;)

I'm still here! School is, as always, kicking my butt a little bit right now. But I have a great new post planned, so stay tuned!

Ciao.

Syrup

Syrup is located in downtown Norman, OK

For the first time in my college career, I have Fridays off. WOOHOO! But I've already made a pact with myself that I'm going to use Fridays to be productive and not laze around all day. Was I productive this past Friday? No. However, I did get up early to try out this hip, new breakfast place, Syrup, with my roommate before her meeting at 10:30 a.m. So at least I got out of bed, right?

AT DAWN, WE FEAST! Okay, it was 9 a.m. when we left, but that's pretty early for a college kid.

As the name alludes, Syrup is famous for their loaded waffles and pancakes. In an unpredictable moment, Katharine and I opted for the Eggs Benedict.

One scrumptious English Muffin topped with avocado (a little unique for Eggs Benedict, but delicious!), crispy pepper bacon rather than the typical Canadian, two perfectly poached eggs and a creamy Hollandaise sauce.

 

You could definitely say I wasn't disappointed with my decision.

Not to mention the atmosphere of this place! It was, in the words of Katharine, practically a living Pinterest board in there. I should have snapped a few more pictures, but I'm pretty sure I'll be back soon to try some of those famous waffles.

It's officially 11:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and guess who wants Eggs Benedict? Yep.

Love always,

Taylor

On to the next one.

First day of school! First day of school!

I'm sad to say that this occasion is not near as much fun as it was when I was little. Maybe if my college professors would take a note from Mrs. Sand's book (my second grade teacher) and let us color pictures of princesses and practice writing in cursive I would be a bit more enthusiastic.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case. I just finished my first class: Multimedia Journalism. It'll be a lot of work but I think I might actually enjoy it, with any luck. However, my next class is Italian Literature, and the syllabus says "STRICTLY ITALIAN SPEAKING". Well, seeing as how I don't speak Italian, that should be interesting. Mannaggia! (Google it... it was Serafina's -- my previous professor -- favorite word to say)

This also means that I won't get to post about baking very often anymore since I don't have a kitchen. This day just gets sadder and sadder!

Although the first day of school may not be as exciting anymore, my roommates and I decided to still get "dressed up" for the occasion.



Here's to another semester!

Love always,
T

Buttermilk Pecan Pie

If you love Pecan Pie, you have got to try this variation. It's rich, buttery, delicious, and did I say buttery? Oh yeah.

Buttermilk Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
3 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. chopped or halved pecans (or more to taste... I typically use more)

All-Butter Pie Crust
This is my all-time favorite pie crust recipe... In fact, I'm pretty much in love with it. Stay tuned -- I will dedicate an entire post to this crust and you won't want to miss it!

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Cream butter until softened. Gradually beat in sugar, 1/2 c. at a time. Blend in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
3. Combine the flour and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in buttermilk.
4. Sprinkle pecans over bottom of the pie shell. Pour filling over.
5. Bake 1 1/2 hrs. Serve at room temperature.

  
Love always, 
T