Something Sweet (Wannabe Tagalongs)

Today I'm going to let you in on another one of my secrets.... I have a slight addiction to Girl Scout cookies. Lucky me, they only come around once a year!

It seems everyone has a favorite Girl Scout cookie. I'm torn between two... Tagalongs and Samoas. Oh, and Thin Mints. And the Shortbread. And Do-Si-Dos. Plus my new favorite, Lemonades (shortbread with lemon icing, nom...)

This is the first year I've bought Girl Scout cookies somewhere other than the East Coast. I'm probably the only person in America not to know, but there is more than one baker of Girl Scout cookies. What does that mean? Well, out here in the wild west, Samoas are not Samoas, they are Caramel Delites. Tagalongs are not Tagalongs, they are Peanut Butter Patties.

Uhn. Not cool.

The troop leader outside our local Walmart assured me that the cookies all tasted the same. Either she's never tasted a real Samoa, or she flat-out lied to me. Totally not the same. AT ALL.

So, what can I do about this travesty? The way I see it, I have three choices:
                1. Eat the dang cookies and let it go. For anyone that knows me well, we know that is        
                    unlikely to ever happen.
                2. Persuade someone to ship me cookies from the real cookie factory. Now, this idea has
                    merit. All I have to do is bribe my kid sister and have her ship me boxes of cookies. This
                    will likely cost me three times as much as the cookies are worth, since sibling child labor
                    doesn't come cheap.
                3.  Find a way to make my own. BINGO! Best idea yet. Not only will I (hopefully) have
                     great tasting cookies, but I can have them whenever I want. Year round. No more Girl Scout
                     pushers taking away my fix after they get me hooked.

The only decision left to make... what cookie do I test out first?

I naturally wanted to begin with Samoas, but I was a little intimidated. Then, during Christmas, I tasted a scrumptious holiday treat which could easily pass as a Tagalong. I immediately wanted to re-create the confection.

And that's what I did.

Wannabe Tagalongs

This is my version of a 'fake' Tagalong. Only four ingredients are necessary. For the price of one box of Girl Scout cookies, you can make dozens of these little babies. The only downside? You can also eat dozens of these babies!

Which I also did. But that's besides the point.

The ingredients are so simple, you probably already have them in your pantry. Go ahead, you can run and check if you want. Here they are:

The Ingredients 

I'm obviously making very, ahem... "healthy" cookies, since I'm using whole wheat crackers. The regular ones work just as well, but this is what I had on hand. How much of each ingredient you have determines how many cookies you'll consume (Trust me, you will eat them all. Don't delude yourself). I used about 2 sleeves of the Ritz crackers.

Ready for the really hard part? You sure? Ok, here it is... spread peanut butter on one cracker and then top it with another one.

Whew! That was rough, huh? Repeat until you've made as many 'cookies' as you want.

Alright, let's face it, right now these are not cookies. They're peanut butter sandwiches. Soon, they will be cookies. The most wonderful, magical cookies you've ever tasted. Well, maybe not magical. But you get the idea. 

Only one secret applies to this all-important, peanut-butter-spreading step: Make sure the peanut butter doesn't squish out the sides. This is very, very important for only one reason.

It bugs me.

Ok, so that's not true. You don't want the peanut butter squishing out, because in a minute you're going to dip these babies in chocolate. If there's too much peanut butter squishing around, then it mixes with the chocolate, and total chaos ensues. You need to trust me on this.

You can melt your chocolate in one of two ways:
        1. In a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the  
            chocolate and shortening are combined and smooth.
        
        2. Use a double-boiler or create one. This is my preferred method. I don't own a double-boiler.
            You can make one by placing a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add the chocolate
             and shortening to the bowl, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.

In this case, I used about 18 ounces of semi-sweet chips to 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. Why the shortening? The consistency of the chocolate is nicer with the addition of shortening, plus it makes the chocolate all shiny and smooth. All good things.

While your chocolate is melting, get out a couple of cookie sheets and cover them with waxed paper. We don't want our cookies to stick to the pan. Then, the rest is simple. Dip each cracker into the chocolate and cover it completely. I use a fork for this, but you can also buy special, handy dandy 'dipping tools'. Waste of money if you ask me, but whatever floats your boat.

After the glorious dipping, resist the urge to stuff your face with the chocolate and peanut butter confection. This will be very messy. Instead, gently tap your fork (or fancy dipping tool) against the side of the bowl to help remove any excess chocolate. Then, place the cookie onto the wax paper.

It should look a little something like this:

Repeat this step until all the sandwiches or chocolate is gone. Feel free to lick the bowl. I won't tell anyone.

The rest is easy. Just place the cookie sheets into the fridge, wait impatiently, hop from foot to foot, maybe whine a little bit... and at the end of thirty minutes, viola! You've got Wannabe Tagalongs.

Try not to eat them all at once.

You can store these in any covered container, either on the counter or in the fridge. I like mine chilled, so I keep them in the fridge. If your house is a little warm, I'd be careful leaving them on the counter in case the chocolate begins to melt.

One day soon, I'm going to tackle the Samoa. For all my fellow Girl Scout cookie addicted friends: Don't worry, help is on the way!

So, what is your favorite Girl Scout cookie? Which ones do you wish you could make at home, and which ones could you do without? Inquiring minds want to know!


The Standard Form:

Wannabe Tagalongs

Ingredients:

2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

Creamy peanut butter

18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons shortening, like Crisco

Optional: Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions:

With the Ritz crackers and peanut butter, create sandwiches. Spread a bit of peanut butter on one cracker, then top with another one. Be careful that the peanut butter does not squish out from the edges.

Line 2 cookie sheets with wax paper.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the chocolate chips and the shortening, stirring often. Once melted, dip each cracker sandwich in the chocolate to coat completely. Let the excess chocolate drip off. Remove to the wax paper. If desired, sprinkle each chocolate dipped peanut butter sandwich with some salt before the chocolate sets.

Place the cookie sheets in the refrigerator to help set quickly, about 30 minutes. Enjoy! 

The Conquering of Cardiac Hill

One of the many activities the Hubs and I enjoy together is (drum roll please…) hiking. The weather in El Paso allows for hiking nearly year round, although the summer months can be quite challenging.  On a good weekend, we wake up early and load our packs full of… stuff. While the Hubs’ pack would include such items as water, food, and first aid supplies, mine mostly consists of camera equipment and dog biscuits. I am ever prepared!

Thank goodness I hike with those more competent than myself. Otherwise I’d wind up lost in the wild, with no human food or water. But, I’d have some magnificent photos.

Sadly, the Hubs and I have not been able to participate in our favored weekend activity for some time, due to our own medical issues. Two months with no hiking? Inconceivable! (Quick, name that movie!) Something must be done to correct this abnormality immediately. The Hubs isn’t cleared yet for serious hiking, and I am obviously incapable of doing so alone. Really, who needs food? Or water? Or first aid supplies? Not I! 

........ if you want to see how I survived this latest adventure, read the rest of the post at 1,000 Miles On My Own Two Feet. I'm guest blogging this week for my good friend, Abby. This hike was a great adventure, I hope you love it as much as we did!

Abby and I

The Big Easy, Christmas Leave Part 2

I AM A SLACKER.

There, I've admitted it! It's true! I am a slacker. Whew, I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Now that you know the truth about me, you understand why in the month of March, I am finally posting about the second half of our Christmas leave. (If you don't remember what 'leave' is, or you want a refresher because it's been sooooo long since Part 1 of this post, check it out here: Speaking Civilian and Christmas Leave, Part 1)

All caught up now? Good.

After visiting with family for a bit in Dallas, the Hubs and I took advantage of our location and decided to drive 9 hours to the wonderful city of New Orleans. I've heard mixed reviews about the city. Some say it's just for party people and Mardi Gras. Others talk of the amazing food. Still others think the city is dirty, while some adore the unique atmosphere. We chose to make the decision for ourselves. A new adventure begins!

The Mississippi 

Of course, if you know me at all, you know vacation is not a simple thing. I need reams of data, maps, plans, and back-up plans. I like to be prepared (ahem, understatement of the century). Shockingly, I was not as well-planned as expected. While we had a list, as in a singular list, we left many things up to chance. New adventure indeed...

What we discovered is this: New Orleans is a colorful city, full of amazing people. The opportunities for an amateur photographer like myself are plentiful. Music and artwork take over every street corner, while the scent of Cajun food fills the air. The city's history is rich and unique. Museums and attractions abound. A simple walk through downtown is enough to overload the senses and leave you in a euphoric frame of mind.

Or maybe that's just me.

Regardless, we loved our visit there, and we can't wait to go back again. As much as we accomplished, there were many, many things that didn't fit into our schedule. If you have time for a visit, you won't run out of things to do, that's for sure!

One of the first attractions we decided to visit was Mardi Gras World. Inside an enormous warehouse, the crew diligently works to produce the floats that grace New Orleans' city streets during the annual festival. The tour begins with a brief video and explanation of Mardi Gras, then all guests are served slices of the traditional 'king cake'. King cake is baked with a small plastic baby inside of it. Whoever receives the baby in their slice of cake is required to host the next party... loving this fun idea, I might have to steal it for my next party!

The process of creating a float may seem boring to some, but this turned out to be one of our favorite afternoons. After a guided tour of the warehouse, guests are allowed to wander on their own. It was so much fun to see this year's floats before they made their debut in the parade! Check out the slideshow for a quick peak inside the magic at Mardi Gras World:





My second favorite place to visit was not a specific location. Downtown New Orleans, including the infamous Bourbon Street, was a real pleasure to wander around. The Hubs and I spent an entire day walking the streets, stopping anyplace that caught our fancy. We started the morning in a cafe that no one should miss, Cafe Du Monde. Famous for their coffee and beignets, this early breakfast kick-started a wonderful afternoon.

Can you say YUM?! 

Although it might not be for everyone, I was fascinated with the quaint buildings and architecture of downtown. The balconies, courtyards, and hidden doorways called out to me and my camera:



As we wandered the streets, artists and musicians clustered in the courtyards and on every street corner. Jazz music drifted on the air, seemingly from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Guitar cases were open, prepared to collect change and bills, as people gathered 'round. The Hubs and I stopped for every performance. The energy of the crowd and the lively music made stopping impossible to resist. Although this isn't a long clip, it can give you a taste of what the street music was like (and please excuse the quality of the picture, just listen to the music!):

Besides musicians, there were other street performers as well, like this gentleman here: 

With so many sights and sounds, we wandered for hours, completely losing track of time. UNTIL.... the Hubs' stomach rumbled. We all know what that means. Either the Hubs eats or there will be mutiny.

New Orleans cuisine was something greatly anticipated with us. We had a long list of items that were an absolute must. Shrimp Po'Boy, Crawfish Etouffee, Beignets (already consumed at Cafe Du Monde!), Gumbo, Jambalaya, and many, many more. The Big Easy is well-known for it's cajun flair, and we were eager to try everything.




Of course, we didn't eat all that in a single afternoon. Our New Orleans adventure spanned five fabulous days. We tried at least one new thing each day, a fun policy that has never failed us before on any vacation.

Among the many places we visited, the National World War II Museum was at the top of the list for the Hubs. We found the museum to be quite crowded, but the displays were interesting and the staff quite knowledgable. We especially appreciated one demonstration where several people took up positions as servicemen on an aircraft carrier, then acted out their duties. I love the hands-on approach; it kept us interested for sure. However, the best thing about the museum was one tiny detail from  the gift shop:

Seriously?? Thanks for the tip, as well.... remember folks, don't take grenades on your next flight!

The Hubs may have favored the museum, but my chosen activity was a little.... shall we say, different? For those of you out there who love a good scare, New Orleans is the place for you. Graveyard tours are offered everywhere, along with several ghost tours. For the adventurous, you can visit the grave of Marie Louveau, famous voodoo priestess, at the stroke of midnight. Or take a tour of the Voodoo Museum . Recently, New Orleans is the featured city in several vampire book series, including Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books (the inspiration for HBO's "True Blood").

But what I really loved were the graveyards themselves. Much of the city is below sea level, necessitating a need for above-ground burials. For me (and my camera), the graveyards were a place of savage beauty. We toured several over our stay, including Saint Louis Cemetery #1, reputedly the final resting place of Marie Louveau.



The darker side of New Orleans appeals to many, but if that's not your cup of tea, don't worry! There are many, many sites to see that don't involve voodoo or ghosts or vampires (although you may want to be tucked into bed after dark!).

Just a short drive from downtown is Longue Vue House and Gardens, a spectacular home and garden that offers daily tours. Our tour guide was not only knowledgable about the history of the house, but she also knew the family personally, and was able to provide many interesting insights. The tour was a nice diversion and break from the city life.

Longue Vue House and Gardens

Also outside the city, we took a fun tour of the New Orleans Rum Distillery. The rum is sold only locally, hence a smaller operation. We had a slightly difficult time finding the building, but it was worth the effort. Again, our guide was amazing. And the free shots of rum didn't hurt either! 

If you're in the area, I would also check out Laffitte's Blacksmith Shop, traditionally considered the oldest bar in the United States. Or the LaLaurie Mansion, reputed to be extremely haunted. Take an evening stroll through the Garden District, or visit the aquarium. On our next visit, we plan to enjoy a river cruise! 

With so much to see and do in New Orleans, we didn't even scratch the surface. On our last evening there, we took time to see the Celebration in the Oaks, an amazing display of Christmas lights. This is a seasonal attraction; we were so glad we didn't miss the opportunity! 

No matter what your interests, New Orleans has something to offer every visitor. We loved our mini-vacation to this great city. Someday, we'll be back and adding to our list of experiences. If you've never been, I hope our visit offers you some ideas. If you've visited the city before, I hope this post brought back good memories. Feel free to share your favorite places and the items that would make your must-see list.

For now, I'm trying my hardest to stop being a slacker. I promise. More coming soon to a blog near you!