Five Things Meme & Honest Scrap Award

I’ve been tagged by L.K. Madigan for the five things meme here, which goes like this: "Quick! Off the top of your head, what are the last five things that made you smile?"

Then I was tagged by Brenda for the Honest Scrap Award here.

"Scrap means left over, fragments, discarded material. Many times truth and honesty are discarded material, considered fragments and left over. People like us need to tell it like it is, and let the scraps fall where they will. There are 2 guidelines for receiving this award. One, you are to list 10 honest things about yourself. Make them interesting, even if you have to dig deep. Two, present the award to 7 other bloggers."

Since I have about 3 minutes to use the internet before I need to go do family stuff again, I’m combining the 2 and listing 10 things that are honest and at least 5 things that make me smile, if not more :)

1. I went to the local bookstore when we got to our destination and ordered Cracked Up To Be, by Courtney Summers. The release date is today, but they got it in early, so I’ve been sneaking away to read a chapter or two for several days :)

2. I also found 2 of Jen Barnes’s The Squad books and I’m hoping to read one of them next.

3. I’ll probably have to read the other Squad book after that, since I don’t like to wait to find out what happens in series books.

4. Every year for 7 years (so far) DH’s parents and my parents have gotten together with us to celebrate Christmas.

5. This year we are renting a house at the beach (it’s a cold, wintery beach, but it’s still got sand and the ocean). We’ve been in this area 4 of the 7 years.

6. Everyone liked the craft project this year, which was painting on t-shirts. YAY! (They liked the snowman project last year too – see it in my last post).

7. I got to paint! Even if it was on shirts.

8. I have real paint to paint with after all the parents leave :) :) :)

9. Sheila talked to me a little bit before the parents got here and I’m hoping she’ll come back again after they leave, so I can get more of her story down.

10. I thought I lost the recipe for the cookies I was going to make this year, but then I found it! This is the second time I’ve made them and everyone seems to like them. If you’d like to make them too, here’s the recipe:

Almond Butter Cookies (from Land O'Lakes a few years ago)
makes 5 dozen

Cookie
1 C Land O' Lakes butter, softened (or other butter :)
3/4 C sugar
1 t almond extract
2 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Glaze
1/2 C semi-sweet choc. chips
2 t shortening

Heat oven to 400. Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat until well mixed.

Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten balls to 1/4 inch thickness with bottom of buttered glass dipped in sugar. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in 1 qt. saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth (2-4 minutes). Drizzle or pipe top of cooled cookies making tree design, if desired.

Notes from when I made them a few years ago:
* There was a picture of all these perfect cookies with chocolate drizzle trees on them. The trees are impossible to make. This year I intend to just drizzle a bit of chocolate on them, or put a small glob in the middle of the cookie. Tastes the same, and doesn't make me want to harm people that say my trees don't look like trees.

* Some people stole cookies before I added the chocolate (ok, everyone did). There was a debate on whether the cookies were better with or without chocolate. I made half the batch with and half without this year to satisfy both groups (for the record, they taste good both ways).

* They are easier to make then it sounds like, especially if you don't try to make the stupid trees. Enjoy :)

11. I know I said there would only be 10 things, but I don’t always follow directions. The 10th thing is a rule change. I won’t be tagging or giving the scrap award to anyone specific today. Instead, I will wish you all Happy Holidays! And if you have time and want to play the Five Things Meme or The Honest Scrap Award, then go for it!