24 Questions

1. What have you lost that you miss?
2. Can war bring peace? How/why?
3. What’s your favorite city? What’s your favorite thing about it?
4.When you think of high school, what comes to mind first?
5. What part of your life are you currently most passionate about?
6. What gives you hope?
7. If you had to erase one of your memories wheat memory would you erase?
8. What worries you most about your current circumstances?
9. What chance are you given every single day?
10. What do you not like about police officers?
11. What do you want to remember forever?
12. In one word, how would you describe your personality?
13. What never fails to frustrate you?
14. What do you do when other people don’t like you?
15. What have you had to learn to live without?
16. What is your favorite speech from a movie?
17. What big lesson could people learn from your life?
18. What is your life motto?
19. What song best describes your current situation?
20. What comes up when you Google your full name?
21. What’s something you were given as a child that you still cherish today?
22. In one word, how would you describe your mood now?
23. What’s something that’s overrated?
24. What do you think about almost every day?

Family

Conversation, fun, and laughter.
Those are ingredients that bring friends and family together.
Family.
You are always welcome.
Whether you bring much, or little to the table of conversation,
Young, old, weathered, or new.
Sharing in each others lives.

14 Thought Questions

1. What’s something your really picky about?
2. What two things can you not have one without the other?
3. In order of preference what is most important, happiness, money, love, health, fame?
4. What have you given up on?
5. How did you meet your best friend?
6. What decisions have you waited on to long to wait?
7. What issues to you continually refuse to address?
8. What advice would you give to your 18-year-old-self?
9. What do you think is a massive rip off?
10. How will you raise your kids differently than the way your parents raised you? 11. What’s something a lot of people do that you disagree with?
12. What’s something you dislike most about Corporate America?
13. What do you wish did not exists?
14. What answers are you searching for?

50 Thought Questions

1. What worries you the most about death?
2. What should never be taken seriously?
3. What should you avoid to improve your life?
4. What is something you have that everyone wants?
5. Happiness is a ?
6. What makes you feel comfortable?
7. What’s something that should always be taken seriously?
8. What’s something you have always wanted to try?
9. What have you been counting or keeping track of recently?
10. What has the little voice inside your head been telling you lately?
11. What rule of life should never be broken?
12. What are you known for by your friends and family?
13. What are three positive thing that happened to you this year?
14. What’s something you should always be careful with?
15. What’s something you think about all the time?
16. How do you know when it’s time to move on?
17. If you could pick one book as a mandatory read for all high school students, what book would you choose?
18. What do we all have in common, besides genes, that makes us human beings?
19. If the average lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
20. At what age did you start feeling like an adult? Why?
21. How many novels have you read cover to cover?
22. What is something that brings people together?
23. What’s something from the past that you don’t miss at all?
24. What are two things you can’t get enough of?
25. Why did you leave your last job?
26. What are two things you strongly dislike?
27. What’s something you must have in your life?
28. What is your purpose?
29. What’s something everyone need’s to discover for themselves? 30. What’s something that can’t be taught? What has been draining your happiness? 31. What would you like to do the rest of your life?
32. What was the last wish you made?
33. What have you had to learn to live without?
34. What is your favorite speech from a movie?
35. What cause would you willingly give you life for?
36. What has been the most important invention made in your lifetime?
37. If you were guaranteed an honest response to one question, who would you question, and what would you ask them?
38. What is the one thing you miss from your childhood?
39. How do you know when your in love?
40. What is the last thing you regret buying?
41. What makes a person beautiful?
42. What awkward moment did you recently experience?
43. What is your favorite month of the year?
44. What do you need to spend more time doing?
45. What makes you feel great?
46. What was your first job title?
47. How would you describe your parents, in one word?
48. It didn’t last forever but was it still worth your while?
49. What is something you’ve always wanted, but don’t have?
50. In one sentence, who are you?

Bite Size Chocolate Chip Meringues

Bite-sized frothy meringues studded with chocolate bits are a wonderful treat for this holiday season. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate (6 oz.) or miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until thick and foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until mixture holds stiff, shiny peaks.
2. With a spatula, gently stir in almond extract and chopped chocolate. Spoon 1/2-tablespoon portions into 1-inch-wide mounds (or with a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain or star tip, pipe 1-inch-wide mounds) about 1 inch apart onto cooking parchment – lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
3. Bake meringues in a 275° regular or convection oven until dry and firm to touch on the outside and almost dry inside (break one open to test), 30 to 35 minutes; if baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cool for 5 minutes on sheets, then slide a spatula underneath meringues and transfer to racks to cool completely.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 33
• Calories from fat: 33%
• Protein: 0.3g
• Fat: 1.2g
• Saturated fat: 0.7g
• Carbohydrate: 5.8g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Sodium: 3.1mg
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Found on myrecipes.com

Friendlies

Friendlies. What would we do without them?
On nights like tonight; tattoo gun buzzing, laughter a musical background, coffee flowing in steady stream, and ‘Moves Like Jagger’ playing  I feel so blessed and I honestly don’t know what I wouldn’t do without them.
Memories are important.
But most importantly are the memories full of fun, and good times.
I mean for real, who wants the bad memories?
The best way to have fun, full of laughter good memories is finding those people to surround yourself with (Specially if you’ll have a hard time remembering those memories),  People that will love on you, get you out of your routine, help you mentally and emotionally when ‘times’ come at you.
Without that you’re sitting there alone in a dark room by yourself.
Doesn’t sound to fun huh?
Nights like tonight remind me how blessed I am with the people in my life.
Couldn’t ask for better people to be around, learning from, protecting (being protected by), laughing with, laughing at, making mistakes with, watching make mistakes.
I’m proud of who I am, and I’m proud of the people in my life.

Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies

Maple syrup gives these cookies a subtle sweet flavor. Spice them up with cinnamon and nutmeg, and top with toasted walnuts. Use real maple syrup for best results. Makes 48 cookies.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 10 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
• 2 large egg whites, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or granulated sugar
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until milk solids stop crackling and turn amber (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Transfer butter mixture to a small bowl, scraping pan to include milk solids. Cover and cool butter mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until soft and congealed but not firm.
• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Combine chilled butter mixture and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add syrup, flavoring, and 1 egg white to butter mixture; beat at low-speed 2 minutes or until well blended. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat on low-speed until blended. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place walnuts and turbinado sugar in a food processor; pulse 15 times or until mixture is coarsely ground. Place remaining 1 egg white in another small bowl; stir with a whisk.
• Working with one portion of the dough at a time (keep remaining dough chilled until use), roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface, and cut with a 2 1/2-inch round or decorative cutter. Place 24 cookies, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Gently brush tops of cookies with egg white; sprinkle evenly with half of walnut mixture. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until pale brown. Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, egg white, and walnut mixture.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 104
• Calories from fat: 27%
• Fat: 3.1g
• Saturated fat: 1.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 0.7g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g
• Protein: 1.8g
• Carbohydrate: 17.7g
• Fiber: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 5mg
• Iron: 0.7mg
• Sodium: 66mg
• Calcium: 15mg

Found on myrecipes by Tracy Schuhmacher, Penfield, New York

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Crunchy almond cookies make a beautiful frame for sweet raspberry preserves. Dust with powdered sugar for a snowy holiday look.
Ground almonds give these cookies a hearty taste and extra crunch. We love the look and texture of raspberry preserves with seeds, but use seedless fruit spread if you like. Makes 36 cookies.

Ingredients

• 7 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), divided
• 1 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons raspberry preserves with seeds
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Weigh or lightly spoon 2.25 ounces (about 1/2 cup) flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 2.25 ounces flour and almonds in a food processor; process until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon remaining 5.25 ounces (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) flour into a dry measuring cup. Combine almond mixture, remaining 5.25 ounces flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.
2. Place granulated sugar, butter, and rind in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add egg yolks; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap; knead lightly 3 times or until smooth. Divide dough into 2 equal portions; wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Roll each dough portion into a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface; cut with a 2-inch rectangular cookie cutter with fluted edges to form 36 cookies. Repeat procedure with remaining dough portion; use a 1-inch rectangular fluted cutter to remove centers of 36 rectangles. Arrange 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.
5. Spread center of each whole cookie with about 1/2 teaspoon preserves. Sprinkle cutout cookies with powdered sugar. Place 1 cutout cookie on top of each whole cookie.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 96
• Fat: 5.1g
• Saturated fat: 1.9g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.2g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g
• Protein: 1.8g
• Carbohydrate: 11.4g
• Fiber: 0.6g
• Cholesterol: 29mg
• Iron: 0.5mg
• Sodium: 25mg
• Calcium: 18mg

Found on myrecipes

Christmas Cookies, Four Ways

Love having choices? Then this recipe is for you. Stick with classic sugar cookies, or add spices, lemon zest, or cocoa for fun variations. Cut the dough into lovely holiday shapes and decorate with Royal Icing for a truly original cookie.
Chocolate, lemon, spice, or sugar; add just a touch of a special ingredient to the foolproof cookie base and create a variety of Christmas cookies. Makes 4-5 dozen.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups Royal Icing
• White sanding sugar, optional

Variations:

• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Preparation

• For Sugar Cookies: Cream butter and 1 2/3 cups sugar in bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla, baking powder and salt and beat at medium speed until mixed. Add eggs; beat until blended. Add flour and mix at low speed until combined, scraping down bowl once or twice. For Spice Cookies: Beat 2 Tbsp. sugar, ginger, cinnamon and allspice into full batch of Sugar Cookie dough. For Lemon Cookies: Beat lemon zest into full batch of Sugar Cookie dough. For Chocolate Cookies: Follow Step 1, but add cocoa powder after beating in eggs and then add only 2 2/3 cups flour.
• Divide dough in half. Using hands, shape dough into discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment.
• Remove 1 disc of dough from refrigerator. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut cookies into stars, snowflakes or any other shapes. Transfer cookies, with a metal spatula, to baking sheets and chill for 10 minutes. Bake cookies 12 to 15 minutes, depending upon thickness and size, rotating pans halfway through, until golden and firm to touch. Cool for 5 minutes, transfer with a metal spatula to racks and let cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
• To decorate cookies with solid icing, put some Royal Icing in a pastry bag with a small plain, round tip. (Or put icing in a sturdy plastic bag and snip a tiny hole in one corner.) Pipe around edge of each cookie and let dry. Stir 1 Tbsp. water into another portion of Royal Icing to soften; put thinned icing in a clean pastry bag or new plastic bag. Pipe icing onto each cookie, flooding inside of border. Let dry. Re-pipe border. Sprinkle cookie with sanding sugar, shake off excess and let dry.
• To decorate cookies with stripes and dots, use thicker icing and pipe designs as shown in photos. (Cookies may be stored, tightly covered, in a tin for up to 2 weeks.)

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 136
• Fat: 4g
• Saturated fat: 3g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 23g
• Fiber: 0g
• Cholesterol: 19mg
• Sodium: 43mg

Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Jazz up traditional shortbread with luscious bits of chocolate and salty toffee.
Toffee and chocolate give these shortbread cookies a sweet boost. Makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour and salt just until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.
2. Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart, pressing down lightly on each one with a moistened palm.
3. Bake until cookies are firm and just golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 222
• Fat: 14g
• Saturated fat: 8g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 22g
• Fiber: 0.0g
• Cholesterol: 26mg
• Sodium: 114mg

Found on myrecipes