Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

I wanted to bake cookies the other night, and all I knew was that I had a lot of oatmeal, so I should try to use it. I found this simple recipe online! You should try it!

Ingredients:

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used slivered almonds)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oats, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine oil and eggs; add to dry ingredients, stirring well. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
    
3. Bake 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on pans 2 minutes then carefully remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

Camping

I've done overnight outdoors trips when I was a student (in middle school and during my DOC Trip in college), but I had never gone camping just for fun as an adult until a few weeks ago. And I'm not sure I'd do it again.

You need A LOT of gear to go camping. This pile doesn't even include the two coolers for food and water, the camping chairs, pillows, our bags of clothes, or the dog. We filled the car up to the brim!

It's not that I had a horrible time. I had fun! We went hiking, toasted marshmallows over a fire, and just enjoyed breathing in the fresh air. This was also "car camping," so not extreme in the least. There were nice outhouses available very close to the camp site (with hot running water and showers even!), and you could easily drive to the closest town for food, tourist attractions, etc. We also brought amenities with us like an air mattress and a Coleman grill so that sleeping and cooking was not so unbearable (no rocks and sticks poking you under your sleeping bag or having to hunt your own food and cook the meat over a fire). So this was definitely a nice negotiation between the camping fan and the princess.

I was impressed with the real food we had on our trip! We made steak, broccoli, chicken, zucchini, and couscous! Yum!



Of course we got to see plenty of nature, which is the best part. Here are some photos of brooks/rivers/falls that we saw (we were in Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania).

Here are some photos I took of plants I can identify. I felt very smart that I could name these!

 This is a sassafras tree. You can tell because it has three different shapes of leaves: a mitten, a "normal" shaped leaf, and the 3-prong leaf.

 This is a tulip poplar tree (I know this because it's the logo for Adkins Arboretum). What big leaves!

 This is a baby paw paw tree that was right next to our tent.  There was a larger one farther down the road from our camp site, and these little blobs were on the leaves. I think they may have to do with the zebra swallowtail butterflies that lay their eggs on these trees.

 Okay, I can't actually identify what type of fern this is, BUT notice the spores on its underside!

 While out during the day we would make our own lunches. Here's our menu:

Camping Wrap Recipe
*We made these both days for lunch on our picnics, and they are very easy to make, and yummy!
-Wrap/Tortilla
-Lunch meat
-Pre-sliced cheese
-Slices of pepper (we used red but any color would do)
-Hummus
 >> Just spread the hummus on the wrap, and put the other ingredients in the middle of the tortilla. Wrap it up into a burrito-shape, and voila, you have lunch! We enjoyed mini-pretzels and strawberries on the side, along with water, Capri Suns, and Pepsi One.

We stopped by Laurel Caverns for a little daytime activity. It's like Luray Caverns, only smaller and without the stalactites and stalagmites.

There was a long hallway (called the king's hall or something like that) and it led us deep into the caverns. There were people repelling against the rocks (you can see a little helmet next to the yellow arrow), and we saw beautiful rocks (with colorful lighting), including this one called Hercules.

On our way back from camping on the last day, we raced down the highway to get to South Mountain Creamery by 4pm, when you can bottle-feed calves! They were so cute! And of course we couldn't leave without tasting some ice cream (they are part of the "Ice Cream Trail" in Maryland)!

But, I will tell you, camping is like working on a vacation. Not working like checking email and sitting in on conference calls (although I had signal, I tried very hard not to use my cell phone during the trip. Well...except to play Candy Crush in the car...). I mean physical work. You want to sleep? You have to put the tent up first. You want to use the bathroom? You have to walk to the outhouse building (which I will admit was actually really nice where I went, but you could end up with a smelly porta-potty that's really far away). You want to eat? You have to set up the fire or propane mini-grill first. All of the things that are easily accessible to you in day-to-day life is suddenly work to prepare before you can even accomplish what you wanted to do.

I know this is the snob in me talking, but I kept thinking, "Why would anyone who has a vacation home [i.e. me and my family] ever go camping?" It's not like I'll never go camping again, but it's not my ideal get-away.

I am already looking forward to taking my boyfriend to our lake house and showing him how I like to vacation.

Trip to the Maryland Zoo

I had not been to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore since I visited on a field trip in elementary school. But the only week my boyfriend and I decided to take a day trip up there. It was so much fun!

Our first stop was the polar bear, who was sleeping because it was too hot to be doing anything active! And I got my own pic with this metal bear statue (which was very hot in the sun!)

The highlight of the visit were the baby animals! We saw a baby Colobus monkey and a baby lemur. I swear I must have taken 100 pictures just of these two animals! I may not go ga-ga over human babies, but put my in front of a baby animal and I will turn to total mush!

Chimps always amaze me because they are so much like people. We watched them for a few minutes, grooming each other and using body language like humans do! It's an eerie feeling when you look at apes like this: they're so similar to us, yet our "societies" have evolved so differently!








And then we saw other African animals; it felt like we were in The Lion King. Giraffes, an elephant, and a zebra who had quite the shapely figure (like this Trace Adkins song). We even saw a real life Zazu (also known as a hornbill).

We also saw animals that weren't meant to be in the zoo. There were groundhogs in the giraffe exhibit, and swallows had made nests in the light fixtures.


 My second favorite part of the trip (since you can't top baby animals!) was the aviary. We saw a spoonbill stork couple making a nest! She was sitting on the nest (there may or may not have been an egg in it), and the male would bring her sticks which she would arrange around herself. Seeing those natural behaviors from wild animals in captivity is really awesome!

And there was no signage about these two cute little birds, so I don't know what kind they are. They had beautiful blue and teal feathers on their backs and wings. Anyone know what species they are?

Animals have always fascinated me, so it's no surprise that I have a fun time at this zoo! People from DC may complain that you have to pay to get into the Maryland Zoo, but remember: you're helping to take care of the animals!

College dating

This post is in response to the article "Why is College Dating So Screwed Up?" from Cosmopolitan, written by Charlotte Leiberman.

At first I was appalled by the title of the article. I thought, "College dating isn't screwed up! I had a very healthy relationship in college." But I realize that I am in the minority, especially when it comes to colleges that have "male-dominated social spaces" (i.e. fraternities and such). I had a few friends who were in relationships on campus, but most were single who complained about the dating scene. I was mostly oblivious. Sure, I did the whole hook-up thing my freshman year, but I totally embraced it. I had this attitude: "All through high school I was too busy with school (and therefore too much of a nerd) to date anyone. Now I'm at a school where everyone is smart, so now people see me as the hot freshman! How cool!" I chose who I hooked up with (not the other way around), and I definitely played the who-cares-less game, creeping out quietly in the morning and following up with an email that roughly said, "We hooked up. No big deal. See you around." I felt totally empowered, and I made my own rules about dating.

I did have one bad hook-up experience my freshman spring. The guy definitely had no respect for me or my wishes, saying things like, "Losing your virginity isn't a big deal. It just means I have to buy new sheets" and calling me the C-word as a term of endearment (WTF). We "dated" for two weeks, which means we hung out a handful of times, and each time I felt unsure of myself and intimidated by this man (okay, a big boy). I called him to tell him that I wasn't into it and I was done. Then I spent the rest of the spring and all summer NOT dealing with boys and just enjoying being a young woman in her own skin.

But once I returned to school for my sophomore fall, I really did want a relationship. I felt that I had "sown my wild oats" my freshman year, and I didn't want to deal with any more jerks like that one guy. But I didn't go out LOOKING for love. I just let things happen, enjoying myself and going out with my friends, figuring I'd meet a guy. And I did. For a couple of weeks I was seeing a senior whom I really liked, but I knew he didn't want a serious relationship for his last year in school. So I kept my options open. I ended up meeting a friend of a friend at a dance party, and that was the beginning of a two-and-a-half-year-long relationship.

What made this relationship work for so long? Several things:

1. Communication: The article in Cosmo mentions the lack of communication, or just brief text/email messages, as a problem with college relationships. I agree, and that is why you should talk in person with the person you have a crush on. There's less ambiguity there: you can read the person's body language, hear intonations in his/her voice, and you don't have to read into what the person is saying like in a text message. And talk often. Soon into our relationship (what, a week or two?) I admitted that I'd like to see him every day since I really liked him. He agreed, and from then on we talked every day. And we were very open and honest, which the article also mentions is not always the case with college students. We talked about things that upset us, what we needed out of the relationship, etc. And while conversations like that can be tough to have, you feel SO much relief when you get it all out there and know that you're both on the same page. These talks show that you both care about each other, and that you're not just playing games.


2. Self-Respect: If you don't love and respect yourself, you are going to have a very hard time finding yourself in a good relationship. If you don't love yourself, why should anyone else? I think everyone agrees that confidence in another person is very attractive, so that's step #1. You shouldn't even attempt to be in a relationship with another person until you know who you are, what you want, etc. When you know those things, you are more likely to choose a partner who is right for you, and you're less likely to compromise on your values. For example (and maybe this makes me less of a feminist but), I am a sucker for chivalry. When this guy walked me home the morning after we first hooked up, I was floored. I was thinking, "Wow, this guy is going to walk me home?! That is so nice!" I knew that I wanted someone who would treat me like a lady. I felt like he respected me and my feelings, and in turn, I could respect him for that.

3. Sex: Although many people claim that casual sex is completely normal and healthy for college students, I'm not so sure. I should note that when I've said "hooked up" previously in this piece, I mean making out and heavy petting. I had a rule for myself that I wouldn't have sex until I was actually in love with someone, and he was in love with me. That way, I wouldn't be hurt emotionally, and he wouldn't see me as a one-night-stand; I wouldn't regret it, and I'd still respect myself in the morning. And that's exactly how it happened. I let myself have physical experiences with other people, but when it came to actually having sex, I waited until I was in a real relationship. We had been dating for ~3 months, we really knew each other, and we were in love. And even though the relationship didn't last, I don't ever regret this experience. Waiting to have sex removes a lot of those chances of getting hurt and being confused about feelings (both your own and those of the other person). AND if he's willing to wait, then he's probably the kind of guy who wants a relationship and doesn't just want to casually date. Once you are having monogamous sex, being open and talking to each other (see 1) about it is very important for a healthy sex life, too.

Again, I realize that my experience is not the norm for college students. I was the girl who had the ideal relationship: My man wasn't a frat-bro, he took me out to dinner and sent me flowers, he was an emotionally sensitive and sweet guy...I know most college boys aren't like that. I still consider myself very lucky and blessed to have had that relationship, even if it ended on a sour note (no need to get into that!). So college dating doesn't have to be "screwed up." If you love yourself, stick to your guns, and keep the lines of communication open, love will happen.

And if it doesn't happen in college, so what? What's the rush? I guess that will have to wait until another post...

Recipe: Rice Krispies Treats

I had leftover marshmallows from a bonfire, and I had a partially-eaten box of Rice Krispies. So what to do? Make Rice Krispies treats, of course! I found the original recipe online, and it was super-easy! Voila!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) JET-PUFFED Marshmallows OR 4 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

It's that easy! Then you're one square away from childhood nostalgia...

Recipe: Spring/Easter Nest Treats

As Easter was approaching, I didn't know how to celebrate (food-wise) besides eating jelly beans. But I remembered as a kid eating some edible nests. I found a recipe online at AllRecipes.com, and they turned out great! I think this is a Kosher recipe, so you could make them for Passover, too!

Ingredients

(Makes 12 servings) 

• 3 drops green food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon milk
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 6 ounces white confectioners' coating
• Bag of your favorite jelly beans or  malt ball eggs

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix food coloring with milk; add coconut and mix until evenly tinted; set aside.
2. Melt confectioners' coating over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds until smooth. Mix with coconut mixture and place by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Shape mixture like a bird's nest, making a slight indentation in the center of each one.
3. Cool completely and decorate by placing candies in the center of each nest. 

Note: The coconut definitely sticks together better with more confectioners' coating. So use a lot! Also, you can see from my photo that I made green and pink nests, and some I combined the two colors, so have fun with it!

Movie Review: Gigli [Spoilers]

Image from: http://www.impawards.com/2003/gigli.html

Okay, I realize that Gigli came out AGES ago when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were actually dating in real life. I remember that it got horrible reviews and was a total flop. So I never watched it. But when I saw it was on Netflix Watch Instantly, I figured I'd judge the movie for myself.

I actually didn't think it was that bad! I mean, yes, there were some awkward scenes, like when Lopez' lesbian lover shows up and slits her wrists, or when Lopez tortures Affleck's libido by talking explicitly about why she prefers having sex with women to men (i.e. how the lips around your mouth and those around the vagina mirror each other) while doing yoga in a sports bra and spandex shorts on top of that. So there were some weird parts. And I agree this movie was not award-winning material, and both actors have done better work. But I thought Justin Bartha (the lovable side-kick in National Treasure) did an amazing job playing a mentally-handicapped person (ugh, how can I say that in a politically correct way?! I mean no offense by that term or by complimenting Bartha on his acting skills). Plus, seeing Bennifer together is hot.