Alabama + Graffiti

- a lifestyle blog -

Potato Chip Cookies (yes, you read that right)

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As a sweet gift, BJ got me a year subscription to Martha Stewart Living.  I have been obsessed with my last three issues, and one day soon, when I decide that I want to start cooking, I am going to try my hand at some of the awesome stuff she has in there.  Plus, every time I peruse one of her magazines, I want to change the color of my walls.  To something crazy.  Like purple.  Or coral.  Oh the hubs would die.  
Anyway, as I was going through the July issue, I came across a recipe for Potato Chip Cookies, and was like whaaaa?  I’m going to admit that when I saw that, my first thought was, is it ok for potato chips to go in the oven?  Turns out it is.  
Picture from Martha Stewart Living.…see below for recipe.

KitchenAid doing what it does…..

I put the chips in a baggie and smashed them.  Less mess that way.

Yums!  They taste like sugar cookies, with just a hint of salt.  Sweet and salty!  Yum!!
Potato Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened                                                     2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar                                                   1 teaspoon baking soda 
3/4 cup granulated sugar                                                                 4 cups crushed potato chips, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                                                1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely
2 large eggs                                                                                      chopped.
Prep:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat together butter and sugars with a mixer on high speed until fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes).  Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until just combined.
2.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and beat on low speed until just combined (I mix them all separately and pour them into the mixer gradually.  If you have found a way to do it without getting flour all over the place without doing it this way, please let me know!).  Stir in 2 cups potato chips and the nuts.
3.  Roll dough into 2-inch balls, and then roll balls into remaining potato chips to coat.  Place cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet (or a nicely greased cookie sheet 🙂   ).  Bake until golden, 18-20 minutes.  Let cool completely.
I did it without the nuts.  BJ and I aren’t completely crazy about nuts in the cookies we eat, so your choice.  You ever notice on the Toll House chips it always says to add nuts too?  Never have, and they still always turn out awesome.  But personal choice, I guess.  Add them if you want.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

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I love baseball.  I pretty much love any sport except for basket all (never was my thing), but going to an actual baseball game is always better than watching it on TV.
BJ got us tickets right behind home plate, and when I saw right behind home plate, I mean the fence was right in front of us.  Aaand, Javy Lopez threw the first pitch at this game! Javy Lopez!!  I was so stoked.  See the pictures below…he is in one of them, so gorgeous, and he even still looks 20…
Javy Lopez!!!


Unfortunately, the Barons lost that game.  And unfortunately for you guys, I was pretty obsessed with trying to get a picture of the baseball in motion.

Other Austin Awesomeness

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Last night I was feeling particularly excited about our move to Austin.  So I went on Pinterest and went nuts.  Even bought a few things to proclaim my new loyalty to Austin and everything Texas (except the Cowboys.  never).  I can’t wait to get them framed and hang them around the house!
Here’s a few randoms from Austin that don’t really fit into a post of their own…
Necessities before a flight.

The chairs at the Dallas airport bar.

Landmark RoundRock Donuts.  If you watch Man vs. Food, this is where he holds the huge doughnut up to his head.

I had a chocolate eclair.  BJ had a glazed doughnut and said it was amazing..

Casino el Camino….inside.  A Diners, Drive-ins and Dives locale.

Voted best burgers in Austin.

Unfortunately, we had gorged ourselves on too many food trucks, and found ourselves with their french fries; green chile sauce smothered in cheese.  Could.  not.  put.  it. down.  We at the whole thing.

Outside.  Love the view of Sixth Street in the background.

Lone Star beer…beer of Texas!

Hanging on the wall next to our table at Lala’s.

The whole plays stays decorated for Christmas all the time.

Some more of the inside.

Hakeem destroyed our picture.

Katrina and I.  We just had to take a pic in front of the Christmas tree!

The boys played foosball while Katrina and I rocked the jukebox.  All full of old music, nothing new.  It was awesome.

The mirrored wall.  I love this with the lights reflecting.

Katrina and Hakeem’s fur baby, Chaz.

Saw this on the wall next to our breakfast spot.

Migas at Cisco’s for breakfast.  I wish I would have taken more pictures of this place.  This was the most amazing, hangover curing breakfast ever.

Amphitheater for Randy Rogers Band!  I’m going to need a pair of cowboy boots to find in around here.

Sweet shot before the show.


Awesome pork taco…in the airport!!

Can’t remember what BJ had, but it was just as good!

Stella after picking her up from the kennel.  She was so excited.  I’ve never seen her almost jump over the door, but she really almost did.  she was happy to have us back!!

I don’t know why it is that I’m so excited to leave a place that has brought me so many new and happy things . A marriage, a house, my Stell hell, employment, new friends…  But I guess that I am looking forward to a fresh start.  Not everything has been peachy 100% of the time, but I guess that’s life.  I am grateful that I have a sister who is hilarious; and that my mother and father are still alive.  I’m just ready for a new adventure, and Austin is calling my name….

Food Trucks * Austin*

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Best thing about Austin?  Food trucks!! 
See below!!  ( Look, I’m not a good writer, but I just want to remember everything I do).
Crepe Truck.  I was so sad that they weren’t open.  I wanted to try them so much!  Not only because they have incredible Italian lights outside, but check it out!  French toast crepes?!  I’m so there.

From Mighty Cone.  see below.  This was the best chicken on earth.  It was fried chicken with spicy coleslaw.  They put it in a cone, like one of those water fountain cones.  Amazing.

Check it out.  It was on one of those foodie shows.

You must underestimate me if you don’t think I can find the New Orleans anywhere.  This was the best po’boy I’ve ever had outside of there, plus it beats some of the ones I’ve had there.  These people definitely know what they’re doing.  We said we were going to try every food truck there in that certain place, but there were too many ,and we were too poor.  But since we’re going to move there, it’s all going to work out in the end.
I love food trucks.  They are full of uniqueness and amazingness.  I can’t wait for the day where I can just walk to one and eat lunch.  I am so excited for this move that I can’t stand it.  I’m so ready to leave everything here in the past where it belongs.

First Austin Post!!

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Okay.  I have to admit that I have a new obsession.  Okay, two.  Fifty Shades of Grey is my first one.  And Austin, TX is my next one.
We are planning on relocating this perfect gem of a city, and I can’t say enough good things about this town.  They have food trucks galore, a super dog-friendly city (your dogs can pretty much go wherever you do), free live music, super nice people, doughnuts as big as your head, I have pictures of most of all of this, but since it is the capital of Austin, I will start with your generic pictures of the capital building, and then go from there in future posts!  I mean, I can’t give it all away in one post!!
We walked all the way from South Congress to the Capitol building,  (okay, I have to admit that I’m slightly confused on my use of capital and Capitol, so excuse me English majors if I’m totally butchering it here) which was about five miles…
Big Red Boot in Texas…I mean why not?

Though this was funny.  We passed this on our way back to the food trucks. 

Very liberal city, but I just liked the old timey feeling of the hotel.  They had these old hotels everywhere!

Capital building.

Confederacy statue outside the building.

Taking a rest after the first leg of our five mile walk.

Inside.  This is one of my favorite pictures.

Hello President Bush!!
There’ll be more pictures from this past weekend, but wanted to start with these before seriously delving into Austin.  Because I could seriously go on forever.
And I just found a recipe for potato chip cookies…so be on the lookout for that this weekend.  Because I’m totally making them.