Sometimes I Cook Things That Taste Good

And sometimes I don't.

These pancakes were an example of that.  I didn't have any eggs so I Google'd "pancakes without eggs." The recipe I found called for a lot of cinnamon (equal parts cinnamon and sugar) which I thought sounded weird but did it anyways. 

As you can imagine they tasted spicy and way too cinnamon-y. But they looked delicious, right?

I ate them anyways.

You can't win them all.

This Puppy Isn't Mine And That's Sad

I have been looking at pictures of puppies on the internet for over an hour now and I don't feel bad about it because I am at work and getting paid. Booyah. Don't tell anyone though.

So Anyways, I've always loved puppies. Pictures of puppies. Videos of puppies. Real-life puppies. All the puppies. And because I now have my own dog (not a puppy) I spend less time looking at internet puppy albums because I have the real thing (not really though) right in my lap- or at least on my cell phone. But since Sassy is almost growed up, I like to seek out pictures of English Bulldog puppies because I never knew Sassy when she was a puppy since I adopted her when she was a little over a year. Which is so disappointing because I know that she probably was the most adorable squishface there ever was.

So when I found this little guy, Chubbs, on dailypuppy.com I instantly fell in love with him. And then I imagined him being Sassypuppy instead of Chubbspuppy and I liked it. You will like it too. Or maybe you won't. Either ways fine.

Sassy does this too!!!!!

Apparently This Thing Doesn't Delete Itself

Oh, how time has flown. Apologies for the florescent background color. It makes my eyes water to read more than one post. No wonder there are no comments. It's impossible to focus with the offensive contrast of day-glo green and black. Although this color combination works awesome in the wardrobe world, not so much transferrable to the interweb world. Again, apologies. I might figure out how to change it. Or I might not. I haven't decided yet.

I think it's a great time to resurrect this baby. I've amassed a large number of dog pictures and stories about weird things that may or may not have actually happened. Here is where they will be chronicled.

Look forward to it.

Or don't.

Either ways fine.

Dear Diary

Sorry there have been no new entries. I'm pretty busy snuggling with the cutest pug in the world, Mugsy Bags.

xoxo, Shannon

Breaking this Silence Deserves Cookies

I'm leaving to pick up my little brother from the airport in about forty-five minutes, and to prepare for his visit I figured I'd make good on the promise of christmas cookies that I failed to fulfill over the holidays. To do this, I began to scour my favorite baking blogs to find the PERFECT recipe for chocolate chip cookies and food gawker helped me to stumble upon these delicious looking love children of three of my favorite things- chocolate chip cookies, s'mores and reese's peanut butter cups.

Of course, I adapted it to my own liking, but I give all the tasty credit to Une-deux senses.

Reeses Smores Cookies

Yields: about 3 - 4 dozen

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs --> I used cinnamon grahams.

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt ---> I used fine sea salt.

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature ---> I splurged Kerry Gold's imported Irish butter. It's just too good. Paula Deen would eat it with a fork.

3/4 cup sugar ----> I used Splenda!

3/4 cup light brown sugar ----> Again, Splenda!

2 tsp. vanilla ---> Trader Joe's Bourbon Vanilla .

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter chips --- I used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half mini peanut butter cups.

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

8 Reeses cups, cut into pieces

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt and baking soda and mix well. Stir in the peanut butter chips then cover. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of dough, leaving about 2 inches between each to allow it to spread. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from the oven. Push a 3 - 5 marshmallows and a few pieces of the chopped Reese's bar into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and the marshmallows are a bit toasted. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Nothing to see here

I read this somewhere once and copied it down, and can't remember exactly where but it pretty much sums up my (blog, i suppose, instead of book) situation right now;

"Some writers need a while to charge their batteries, and then write their books very rapidly. Some writers write a page or so every day, rain or shine. Some writers run out of steam, and need to do whatever it is they happen to do until they're ready to write again."

And I've run out of steam for now.

Phreakin' Excited for Phish, Sad for Shedd.

Let me just begin this post with a little bit of anger, just to get it out of the way.

WHY IS IT ONLY JUST NOW GETTING HOT OUT? DIDN'T SUMMER START MONTHS AGO?!?!

Phew. So now, where was I. Ah, yes. My Michigan vacation and probably so many other things that haven't been touched on. I will try to begin at the beginning.

So first I spent a week at Camp Michigania, also known as my favorite place in the world (rivaled only by Rothbury). There, I was able to tie-dye, lanyard, polish rocks, sail, shoot & archery, go on a hay-ride, attend an 80's prom, drink around a bonfire, and tan in the sand. In addition to many other moments of hilarity that occurred most likely around a bonfire. I met some awesome people, enjoyed occasional sunny moments, and drank a lot of wine with my parents. I had great times with old friends and old traditions and absolutely am looking forward to next year on Walloon.

Then, I got back to Chicago and realized that it's crunch time, ladies and gentlemen. I have until the end of the month before I get shipped off to live with some new roommates of the parental variety. Unless. The Lorax's stump says it and so does my new apartment lease. Unless I find a job, I'll be moving home. Or into a teepee to live like Eustace Conway, who Elizabeth Gilbert writes about in her 2002 book The Last American Man. He lives off the land, wearing buckskins and making hairbrushes out of porcupines after he's eaten them. Sounds like a pretty lush life, hiking thirty miles a day and drinking spring water straight from a spring. However, my farming skills are pretty sub par, so I've got a lot to learn before I make my move into the mountains.

Sorry, I'm off track. Lollapalooza was this past weekend in Chicago, however, due to high ticket prices and lack of good artists mixed with poor scheduling, I chose not to attend. I did however, catch the URB Aasics after party with special guest Bassnectar. Lorin really threw it down, even when the sub woofer sounded blown. Turns out some idiot had kicked the cables. That party was rocking til around 3a.m. and the open bar really hit the spot.

Since my little brother was in town for Lolla, I got to do some touristy stuff. I got a chance to check out the Shedd Aquarium for the first time since the Oceanarium renovations. I have to say I'm pleased with the new curtain and the lighting, but displeased with the decreased seating and general unhappiness and unwillingness of the oceanarium staff. We arrived for the sea lion show about 20 minutes early to find every entrance blocked by a closed curtain and an unhappy staff member directing us as far away from the oceanarium as possible. Scolded when we tried to peak, or even loiter in hopes of some seats opening up, we didn't get to see the white sided dolphins jump or the sea lions bark. I'm pretty disappointed. Not to mention that later, in order to catch a later show, (that ended up beginning 35 minutes late) we arrived 40 minutes early and ended up waiting a total of over an hour to see a 20 minute show during most of which the trainers were lying to us about the newest performer at the Shedd, an American bulldog, that was actually a pitbull. Overall, I probably won't be spending another $30 to see the new Fantasea show at the end of this summer because it was too crowded, too disorganized and all I really wanted to see was some damn jumping dolphins and maybe a beluga or two. I was pleased to see the otters. They're cute.

After the Shedd lines took so long, we couldn't even make it over to the Field Museum for some pirate fun. Maybe next time, little brother.

Moving on... Tonight our Phriends are back in Chicago! Phish is playing at Toyota Park tonight and even though I'm temping today, I will be there gettin' down and slappin' bags. If you're going, keep an ear out for a Jesus just left Chicago, cause we all know it's coming. The other night at the Gorge Phish played an (from what I hear) awesome rendition of Led Zep's Good Times, Bad Times, so I can only hope for an awesome cover or two from the boys tonight.

For tonight's late night, Kinetic Playground has some awesome acts lined up. Phaded, Big Gigantic, Mr. Blotto-and more. I might be there but I might be too tired. We'll see. For now, stay classy Chicago.