Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Last weekend was tax-free shopping in Texas for back-to-school items. Families were busy buying the necessary school supplies, new clothes and backpacks - and saving a little bit of money. I was thinking of my mom.




Mom & I in 1998

I was in town for her birthday AND and Astros Playoff game!!

I don't need the local news station to remind me when the first tax-free weekend was. It happened in 1999 - the same weekend we drove to Houston because a heart attack had put the girls' Grandma in the hospital. We got a little shopping done but our hearts weren't in it. As it turned out, it would be the last time that Mark & the girls would see her, she would pass away less than 2 weeks later. I was fortunate enough to be by her bedside.

There is one other thing that always reminds me of Mom, and that is her Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. If I had a bad day at school, she would cheer me up with their aroma and a welcome homework break. They were my favorite and it was the first thing she taught me to bake.

This time, I decided to change them up a bit by adding pretzel m&m's instead of chocolate chips. However, before I could get the cookies baked, some of the pretzel m&m's had disappeared!! So, I made half a batch with chocolate chips and the other half with the m&m's. I really liked the bit of saltiness the pretzel m&m's gave to the cookies.

Cream the shortening and brown sugar

Add eggs one at a time

Add flour & 1/2 of the milk/vanilla

Add the oatmeal and remaining milk/vanilla

Beat well after each addition

I divided the dough in half and added m&m's to one

and chocolate chips to the other.

Grandma Larson's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup  Brown Sugar

1 cup  Shortening

2  Eggs

1 pinch of Salt

1  teaspoon Baking Soda

1  teaspoon Vanilla

4  tablespoons Milk

2  cups Flour

2  cups Oatmeal

2  cups  Chocolate Chips (I used 1 cup chocolate chips, and 1 cup Pretzel m&m's)

Cream together the shortening and the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat until fluffy. Add the salt, baking soda and vanilla to the milk. Stir well until dissolved. Add 1/2 of the flour, and 1/4 of the milk mixture. Add the rest of the flour and another 1/4 of the milk. Add 1/2 of the oatmeal, 1/4 of the milk, the remaining oatmeal and the rest of the milk. Be sure and beat well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake 12-14 minutes at 350 on a Silpat or parchment paper.

There's one other thing I love about making this recipe. Every time I make them, I feel like Mom is right there in the kitchen with me.

Cancer Connection - You are NOT Alone

Mamma Jamma Beneficiary #3

Karen Greif was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2000. Like so many before, an unwanted door was opened in front of her and she stepped across the threshold into a frightening world of uncertainty. Chemotherapy and its side effects became her reality. As the days went by, Karen realized she was fortunate, "Family and friends provided emotional support, offered encouragement, and surrounded me with the healing power of love". Her primary caregiver was her husband Bill. Once Karen's treatment was behind them, they dreamed of a cancer support network that would model the care and compassion they experienced as patient and as caregiver. The Greif's decided to model their program after CanCare of Houston - as a result, in 2004, The Cancer Connection came to life.

Over 400 volunteers have stepped forward to help Karen & Bill fulfill their vision and have given thousands of hours of their time. These volunteers for The Cancer Connection have a special quality - they are either a cancer survivor or a cancer caregiver. After completing a 10 hour training class, they serve the Central Texas community in one, two or all three of the following ways:

• One-on-One Matching Program; survivor to survivor & caregiver to caregiver
• Oncology Visitation Program
• Hospital Visitation Program

One of the Volunteer Classes

In February 2011, Julie McLeod was diagnosed with Stage 3 Breast Cancer -

"A week after my diagnosis, I was recovering from surgery, scared that it had possibly spread to more lymph nodes than just one. My family surrounded me and we prayed for the best, though the mood was a forced cheerfulness. In the midst of our darkness, we were visited by two angels from Cancer Connection. They brought hope in a time of fear…hope that was deeply instilled in my being. I treasure that hope even to this day and look forward to passing it on with love through my Cancer Connection participation. I can happily say I am a Survivor, ready to celebrate my first year in remission. I can't wait to give back what Cancer Connection gave to me...HOPE!"                                                     – Julie  

As I mentioned in my post Why Volunteer?, I have a goal to increase my volunteer commitment to my community. Like Karen, I was blessed to have several women - all of them survivors - as my mentors throughout my treatment: 

• Long time friends, Kay & Evelyn, and my sister-in-law Lynn, were just a phone call away. When I was first diagnosed, they gave me a sense of calm - I had watched them go through their cancer. It was doable.
• Helen was a physician, I turned to her to interpret the language of my biopsy report, among other things.
• Kathy shared her lumpectomy & radiation experiences with me, fortunately I ended up not needing radiation.
• When I needed a mastectomy & reconstruction, Dolise and Laura became new friends - referred to me by my surgeon. We talked for hours on the phone, and they checked in with me both before and after my surgery. We met face to face for the first time in the infusion room when they brought me care packages on my first day of chemotherapy.
• Sally came into my life one month before I knew I would need chemo. When a surprise 2 cm tumor was found, and I needed chemo after all, I gave her a call. It turned out she had the exact same treatment one year earlier. She prepared me for what was coming and gave me lots of tips that helped me deal with my side effects. Talking with her took away the fear more than any video I watched at the oncologist's office.

My friends would tell me how well I was handling everything, they weren't aware of my secret weapon. These women were my angels and looking back, perhaps I had more than my fair share. Not every cancer patient is so fortunate, many face the diagnosis alone. Even if they know someone who has had breast cancer, it could be completely different by stage, type or treatment. I had good matches throughout my journey, but my husband Mark did not. He worried about me more than he let on, I believe my cancer was harder on him than it was on me. When he let his defenses down, I could see it in his eyes.  A caregiver connection could have helped him. That is the beauty of The Cancer Connection - they get to know both the patient or caregiver AND the volunteer so that a good match can be made for everyone involved.

What a blessing Bill & Karen Greif, and The Cancer Connection have been to the Austin community. A diagnosis of cancer is a time when no one should be alone, and thanks to them, no one has to be. They do need more volunteers, so if you are a survivor or a caregiver, don't wait ... contact them today.

(UPDATE: I went through their volunteer training program in the fall of 2011. Since then I have volunteered at a local oncology infusion room and have been a mentor to several women. What a joy to pay it forward!)

THE CANCER CONNECTION
is just one of the10 Beneficiaries of
the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride.

THIS is why I ride.
Please support my fundraising efforts here

Doors of France

My last post about our bike tour of Paris has me reminiscing about the two weeks we spent there in 2008. I've decided to share a video I made about our trip, but first there is a little background story to tell.

I am a faux finisher, trompe l'oeil artist wannabe. I've taken classes at Vigini Studios in San Antonio, but for whatever reason, lack of confidence perhaps more than likely, I have not put this passion into action (outside my own home). I love the artistry of Nicola Vigini, Pascal Amblard, and Michel Nadai.

 (L) Door Knock by Michel Nadai -- (R) Wine Cellar by Nicola Vigini

These paintings (yes they ARE paintings), are two of my favorites. I'd love to be able to paint something even 1/10 this beautiful some day. Should I ever even attempt a trompe l'oeil painting like this, I'd need to have something real to look at. That takes me back to our France trip. As we traveled around the countryside, I was surrounded by beautiful doors and architecture and began taking pictures for reference ... LOTS of pictures. It became a joke between myself, and Mark & Laura. I would either hear "Hey Mom, there's a door, do you have a picture of that one yet?" or "Really, another one, don't you have enough YET?". Well, the answer to both was usually "NO!". Halfway through the trip Paul McCartney's song, "Let 'Em In" popped into my head, (♪ ♫ ♪ someone's knockin' at the door ... somebody's ringin' the bell ♫ ♪ ♫), and an idea started brewing. I began taking specific pictures of "open doors" with this in mind. When we got home, I put together my video.

A few artistic notes:

• Pay attention to the words, "knockin' at the door'' & "open the door, and let 'em in" - I tried to match up a closed door with an open door that leads to one of the many places we visited.
• The last montage of pictures takes you up the pathway & stairs we climbed to the top of the abbey on Mont St. Michel.
• One of the last pictures is of the doors of Notre Dame being refinished, which to me represented the future.
• The picture of me in front of a blue door was taken at the end of our trip when Laura said, "Wait, Mom, you don't have a picture of THAT door"!

TIPS: Double click on the link to view it and that will take you to YouTube. It is best watched full screen, and be sure to have your sound on (it starts after 15 seconds). All this being said, it's not anything spectacular, but it is kind of quirky and I like it. I hope you do too, please leave comments!  :)

Here's the video, ENJOY!:

One more thing of note, we would plan the next day's events in our hotel each evening. The night before we visited the Hotel Dieu in Beaune (a former hospital) in the Burgundy region, I learned we would be seeing an old fashioned Pharmacy. Laura was interested not because she's a chemist, but because the guidebook suggested we look for "Poudre de Noix Vomiques"! That explains the pictures of both Laura quizically searching & Mark excitedly finding their "Vomit Nut Powder"!!

Tour de Paris

I wanted to post this 3 weeks ago when the REAL Tour de France ended but I didn't have access to my photos. Better late than never is what I say!!

Though the race is usually decided the next to the last day, the ride into Paris and the laps around the Champs-Elysees are thrilling to watch. That is why, after reading about the Fat Tire Bike Tours of Paris  for a trip there to see our oldest daughter Laura in the summer of 2008, it moved to the top of the list of things to do. Laura is not an avid cyclist and took a little convincing. In the end, she agreed and we chose the night bike tour that included a boat ride on the Seine. Let me just say that aside from my marriage and the birth of my children, this has got to be in the top 3 of my All-Time Favorite life moments. We all had a magical evening and it was MUCH better than walking!

 No reservations were required, we just met our tour guide at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Then we walked a few blocks to where they kept the bikes.

This was our wonderful guide. I wish I could remember her name. 

She was spending the summer in Paris 

and would return home to Texas A&M in the fall!!

 

She noticed the Longhorn on Mark's shirt right away!!

After a few safety instructions, and a review of the plan for the evening we began our tour. I KNOW, it's not safe to use a camera while you are riding a bike, but c'mon! I was riding a bike in the streets of downtown PARIS!!!

The tour included a "mandatory" stop for ice cream 

at Berthillon Ice Cream, the most famous ice cream shop in Paris.

Views from the bridge

View on the bridge - myself, Laura & Mark

 An impromptu street performance. They casually walked past us,

set down their boom box, and just began dancing.

Every bike had a name, mine was "Lil' Bandit".

Some of the Tour Stops

A June sunset on the Seine

So here I'm thinking "Oh My GOSH!!" 

"We're riding into the Louvre Courtyard!!"

Of COURSE I had to take another picture while riding one handed. 

 

Proof that we were there. It took a couple of loops around 

the courtyard for the guide to snap the picture just right!

 

I Love this picture! It was like we had the Louvre to ourselves.

 

Yes, we just rode down this street - part of the route 

for the final laps on the Champs Elysees!

I pretended I was Lance.....until we had to stop & wait for traffic to clear. 

 

"The Champs Elysees"

Down the road is the Arc de Triomphe & the finish line for the Tour de France.

I was channeling the voices of Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett right about here.

Looking back at more of the tour route

We parked our bikes and boarded the tour boat.

Our evening ride on the Seine began - it even included wine!

It doesn't get any more romantic!!

(Thanks, Laura, for taking the picture!)

Each bridge we passed under was different but equally stunning. 

This is definitely one of the best ways to tour Paris.

Notre Dame coming and going - equally gorgeous

 

 The Conciergerie - 

This former prison sits on the Ile de la Cite. Over 2,300 prisoners were sent to the guillotine from here - including Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVII.

 

Our boat passing under a bridge

 

 A perfect ending to a perfect night.

As we rode our bikes back to our starting point, as if on cue,

the Eiffel Tower started sparkling like a glittering diamond.

If you have never been there, I hope you can make it to Paris some day. We were fortunate that Laura was there for the summer doing research at the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie and we could stay in her apartment. You MUST put the Fat Tire Bike Tours of Paris on your bucket list. The company belongs to some Texas A&M graduates and is quality through and through. You don't have to be an expert bike rider, but you can imagine that you are a cyclist in the Tour de France!!

 

Capital of Texas Team Survivor

Mamma Jamma Beneficiary #2 - This is Why I Ride:

Capital of Texas Team Survivor

CTTS Team Members and Triathlon Finishers!

When you hear those words, "You have cancer", you start down an uncertain road. The loss of control over your body is a side effect not mentioned often, and exercise is the perfect way to combat that. Even better, exercising with women on the same road is empowering. 

The Austin affiliate of Team Survivor offers free exercise programs for women of all fitness levels in every stage of cancer treatment and recovery. This is HUGE because a typical running, or triathlon training program might cost as much as $200 for just a 6-week program. After enduring the cost of cancer treatment, even that amount can be an obstacle.

Diane Hale, member since 2010

According to Diane Hale, "TEAM SURVIVOR is not 'just another support group' or a training group or an exercise group.  We are a TEAM.  A team of women in all stages of our cancer.  I was out of shape, out of breath and out of chemo.  We are fat and thin, athletes and beginners, just out of treatment and long-term survivors.  We run, walk, swim and backstroke.  And yes, some of our team are even bald. All Team Survivor asks is that you start moving.  At your level. That's all. Just move. Just begin. Just start. Those that know my story know how dear Team Survivor is to me.  In spite of myself and my body I managed to cross that Danskin finish line last year. Team Survivor has given me my life back.  No matter what level, you are on the Team and this Team supports, nourishes & survives."  

Yes, it's a wig, and that's
 my Grand Nephew, Waylon!

I learned bout Team Survivor just after I had my surgeries. I joined them midway through chemo treatments in March 2009 for their Spring Triathlon Training Program. The first workout I went to was a swim class. Now, I didn't think I was bothered by my hair loss because I had a good wig. BUT, what point was there in putting a swim cap on over a wig? I left the house for the first time with just a hat on my head. As I sat by the pool waiting for practice to start, everyone else started putting their cap & goggles on and I just froze. 

No one but Mark and the girls had seen my bald head!! I reached up in what felt like slow motion & took my hat off. Just then, a woman came over to me and said "Welcome to Team Survivor, glad you're here!" Then looking at my bald head she gently said, "You're not alone. We all understand, and you look beautiful!" I realized no one was staring, no one was gawking. Looking back, it was a small act of kindness, but it had a long term effect. Even now I remember the feeling of acceptance and freedom that came over me ... and stayed with me for the remainder of my treatment. I wish every Breast Cancer patient could feel the warmth of her words. That moment is a memory that will always be close to my heart. 

Regaining your life, improving your health,

finding new strength, meeting fellow survivors -- all at no cost.

CAPITAL OF TEXAS TEAM SURVIVOR -- PRICELESS!!

The CTTS Mamma Jamma Ride Team --
ALWAYS one of the Top Fundraising Teams!!!

Capital of Texas Team Survivor 
is just one of the10 Beneficiaries of
the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride.

THIS is why I ride.
Please support my fundraising efforts here

The Cancer Frontier - Medical Pioneers

I've never been happier to be channel surfing like I was last Friday night. Mark was picking up take-out from Pei Wei and I was checking out the evening line-up, waiting for his return. I stumbled across a program on PBS called Need to Know. I tuned in just in time to see a 15 minute segment about clinical trials for Breast Cancer. Twenty years ago, this story about 3 doctors and their patients might have bordered on science fiction. If these trials are successful, the wave of the future for Breast Cancer patients will be:

• Hair loss kept to 20% during chemotherapy
• Cryotechnology instead of surgery
• Personalized treatment for individual patients using biomarkers

These advancements make Breast Cancer

• Easier to cope with
• Easier to treat
• and dare I say, Easier to cure

There are currently more than 700 clinical trials taking place involving years of research and millions of dollars. As a scientist (B.S. in chemistry & math), I understand the hit and miss nature of research. However, I did not understand the process to bring a treatment or a new drug to the market until I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer myself. Watch how Dr. Emily Senay's video segment from Need to Know touches on this and introduces you to 6 women who are modern day medical pioneers on the Cancer Frontier here. . .

Alton Brown's Sugar Cookies

I LOVE sugar cookies, but one thing I love more than eating them is decorating them. It brings out the painter in me. I have always loved baking, decorating & eating them since I was a little girl. I have passed this tradition down to my 3 daughters and have fond memories of holiday baking.

One of the things I love most about Laura, Sarah & Kelly is their quirky sense of humor. Laura, she is the one that always insists on using the Texas cookie cutter to make at least one cookie no matter what the holiday. Sarah, her Christmas cookies border on Tim Burton's movie, "The Nightmare before Christmas", no matter what the holiday. Kelly made a cookie shaped like the ring from "Lord of the Rings". She looked at her book to copy the elven language onto a gold frosted oval shape using thinned black icing. Wait till she finds out that they make markers with edible ink!! I really wish I had a picture of that cookie, she wouldn't let us eat it. I think it eventually found its way to the landfill. Here is a picture of her inspiration: 

This spring I had fun creating cookies for my niece Melissa's baby shower. Searching for ideas on the internet is what introduced me to the world of blogging. I had no idea there were so many talented women posting about the most amazing things in the blogosphere. Here are some pictures of the cookies I made for the shower . . .

Why Volunteer?

I made a conscious decision when I began this blog, to leave all talk of politics out of it. I have very good friends on both sides of the aisle, and I love you all. This post is not a rehash of the recent Debt Ceiling debate - you probably got your fill of that in the media. Instead I want to write about an approach that does not get much press - Volunteering.

Two of my favorite television shows are Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons. Sometimes I long for simpler days. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give up my laptop or cell phone for anything. No need to go back to the horse & buggy days, or to hand crank telephones. Yet what I love about both shows is the sense of community that existed amongst the neighbors. When Charles (Pa) Ingalls fell on hard times, someone else was there to pick him up. Our modern society is disconnected. Not only are we unaware if our neighbors need help, we might not even know who our neighbors are.
 
Americans are busy AND we are in the midst of extreme economic times. I am grateful there are programs available for those in need. However, has it become too easy for us as a society to write a check to the IRS, to let the government take care of the homeless and the hungry in our own community? Again I see a big disconnect between the givers and those who need our help. What if every able American volunteered just one hour of their time each week? What if businesses allowed their employees to take time off to volunteer? What if we were more concerned about those in need instead of the latest gossip in Hollywood? . . .

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

To say that our daughter Sarah loves chocolate is an understatement. For her birthday this year, I made her this cake. She took the leftovers to work and her co-workers had her call me to place orders for their birthdays!!

I first made this dessert after seeing it pictured on a cookbook by America's Test Kitchen. It soon became a family favorite.

There is nothing very difficult about the recipe, it is prepared in 3 stages. It does take some time to prepare but I promise you, it is well worth the effort!!

According to America's Test Kitchen, they wanted each layer to have a lighter texture. The bottom layer is a flourless chocolate cake, the middle layer is a chocolate mousse, and the top layer is a white chocolate mousse/whipped cream combination. You will need a 9" springform pan that has at least 3" sides.


Here's how you make it:

Start with these ingredients 

(List follows below)

Biking(?) Around the Country

Okay, maybe the title is a little misleading because unlike the Tour de France, I have not actually biked around the country. (It is on my bucket list though to bike ACROSS the country some day via Womens Tours .) I took a break from blogging to drive with Mark up to Pittsburgh for the past 2 weeks. Along the way we were able to see all 3 of our daughters, 1 son-in-law and 1 soon to be son-in-law! We spent most of the time helping oldest daughter Laura & her fiance Wojtek remodel the condo they recently purchased. Much was accomplished, but more is yet to be done before they move in August. Here are a few pictures of our handiwork . . .