Hit & Miss + a Cookie for the Fall

Friday, for the first time, I saw someone propose. It was awesome. At a birthday party, Jon proposed to Robin on her 30th birthday, right after she blew out the candle on her icing-less cupcake. Here's she's setting it down to receive her ring. It was a really sweet moment.

Saturday, Casey and I ran 20 miles. All but the last 1.75 miles were fun. For the first time, I felt what I've read about in running books. My legs actually felt like they were made of rock or lead or something. Casey, thankfully, encouraged me to keep going. He's a good running partner like that. We napped and lazied about the rest of the day. There's not much else you can do after running for 3 1/2 hours.

So Sunday, with the run out of the way, I had time to make my new favorite coffee-cake cinnamon muffins. It's from a recipe called Quick and easy cinnamon bun bread which someone else suggested turning into individual muffin-pan cinnamon roll-bun thingies. The first time I made it, the angels sang over them. Beautiful, tender, cinnamony-streusel muffins. This time, I decided to follow the instructions better and "swirl in the topping."

It just goes to show: NEVER FOLLOW the INSTRUCTIONS! The cinnamon, brown sugar and butter mix sank through and made the texture gummy and flavor uninteresting. I think I will take them to work tomorrow and inflict them on unsuspecting teachers in the lounge. Those ravenous wolves deserve what they get.

When I got home today, I tried making homemade Potato Chips: both a microwave version and the old school fry-in-a-pan with a little oil method.

Shockingly, the microwave ones had a much more satisfying crunch and didn't burn at all like the old school ones. But, it was rough going trying to get them unstuck from the microwave tray which I cooked them on. If I had read the instructions better, I would have cooked them on parchment paper on top of the tray...but whatever. Instructions are for sissies...and people who have to scrape off microwave chips with a spatula.

But, oh the unadulterated success! I recently broke down and bought Nancy Baggett's All American Cookie Book, which I've had checked out from the library for at least a year. Behold! Iced Apple Softies:

Is you mouth watering? It should be, because this is as good as non-chocolate chip cookies get. Better, perhaps. Like the best apple pie ever, but as a soft iced cookie. Oh, goodness. I must eat one now.

Special Note: To the friend that says that she feels like a bad wife after seeing all the cooking and baking on my blog. I mentioned that to my husband, and he assured me that if you would like to make your husband happier, you don't need to spend more time in the kitchen...rather, elsewhere in the house.