Brownie Cookies

Happy Monday! This weekend was insane at work, but I enjoy being busy because it makes the day go by quicker and I feel more accomplished when I cover multiple events. 

Anyway, I was in need of a baking fix so I whipped up a batch of brownie cookies. The cookies were quickly devoured at work and everyone loved how they were, "like brownies in cookie form." Reporters have a way with words don't we😜 they're simple to make, only require a few basic ingredients and are a sure hit for any occasion!

Brownie Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg

In a microwave safe bowl melt butter and three ounces of chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds, stirring, and then microwaving for additional time until everything is melted.

Stir in sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, egg, and vanilla. 

Slowly add in flour, I mixed in 1/2 cup at a time. 

Finally, mix in chocolate chips.

Chill dough for 20-30 minutes.

While dough is cooling line a baking sheet with tin foil or spray with nonstick cook spray. 

After dough has chilled scoop dough in small amounts, roughly a tablespoon or two, onto baking sheet.

Bake at 350F degrees for 8-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the tops are no longer shiny. 

Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from baking sheet.

If you make them take a picture and tag me on instagram and use the hashtag #thesimplelife so I can see your creations!

Emojis and Network News: Thinking Out Loud #62

Happy Thursday! Honestly this week has been pretty ho hum, which I'm more than fine with because normally I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It also makes for a not so interesting week to share with you guys🤷 Anyway let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud.

1. I got to go to the Nebraska state capitol for the first time and holy smokes it's amazing! The inside is stunning with so much intricate tile work and artwork displayed, I was pretty blown away. Needless to say I was so not expecting, but it was a good surprise. 

2. Even though this is semi old I realized I never shared it and I was pretty excited about it. I did a story about local babies in the NICU at an area hospital who got Halloween costumes, which were pretty darn cute. I filmed a number of babies in the costumes, well the next morning the newsroom got a call and it was from network and they wanted my package. I was pretty excited about it, but really how can you not want to share adorable babies in halloween costumes?

3. Yesterday I got to play with an adorable dog after I interviewed a woman. The dog was so sweet, she was a total cuddle bug and before I put my gear away she climbed in the camera bag. I totally would have taken her back with me, but my boss might not have been too happy about a dog coming back with me. 

4. On a less fun note, I had to get a new phone because mine was dying. I had to fork over a ton of money to get a new iPhone because that's the only way I could get money for my old iPhone (rip phone). I ended up with the iPhone X and honestly the thing kind of terrifies me. The first thing I did was get a case because I've dropped my phone more than I care to admit, but I don't want to pay for a replacement phone. I can only imagine how much that would cost😳 On the plus side I got to play with the new animojis and they're totally hilarious and very amusing. However, animojis are not worth $1,200.

5. This quote has really resonated with me this week. Success, no matter what industry, does not happen overnight. It takes time to be successful and requires hard work day in and day out. Hard work shouldn't be feared though because it will pay off. You might not see the pay off immediately, but be patient it will happen.

Have a great Thursday and a great weekend everyone🎉🎉🎉

What are your weekend plans?
How do you like to relax after a long day?

Puppies and Book Paradise: Thinking Out Loud #61

Happy Thursday and happy Novemeber! I hope you had a great Halloween👻 at the station people could bring their kids in to go trick or treating so it was pretty cute to see all the little kids in their costumes. I didn't dress up or go out I was too busy working, but I'm not much of a Halloween person anyway. I have already started seeing Christmas advertisements and it's MUCH too early for that. After Thanksgiving I'm ok with, prior to that I am not. Anyway, let's jump into this weeks thinking out loud and I promise there's cute puppies!

1. PUPPIES! I got to play with puppies as part of my job over the weekend. I was technically there covering a Halloween event where owners could bring their pets dressed up in costumes. How can your heart not melt when you see this adorable puppy who had a bit too much fun passed out on the pavement? I got tons of puppy kisses and I wanted to take all the dogs home with me. Dogs are seriously the best and any kind of cute events I get to cover with dogs I'm all about🐶

2. While I was covering a store opening a little boy came up to me, tugged on my pants and said, "I watch you on the news." My heart instantly melted, plus he was the cutest little boy. Even though I had to wake up ridiculously early to be at the opening when he came up to me it made my day. I let him talk on camera and he had to say hi to his mom. That part didn't make it on air, but it made my day knowing he was happy. 

3. I'm not a chip person at all. I never have been, but I made chicken tortilla soup over my weekend and I wanted something for the tortilla part. I've seen people rave about siete chips before, so I figured I'd give them a try. They're so good! They're not ridiculously salty and they're perfect in chicken tortilla soup👌 

4. Even though I'm in the minority out here of not being a college football fan, I had a pretty cool experience reporting on the huskers. I was assigned to cover a fantasy camp the team was holding and part of the experience was a tour of the facility, heading out on the field, and a behind the scenes look. It was pretty sweet to run out of the tunnel and onto the field. I got to talk to former Heismen Trophy winners to so all in all it was a pretty sweet experience. 

5. Major nerd moment! I was covering a book sale benefiting the city libraries and it was like walking into bookworm paradise. The sale was in a warehouse and it was just endless rows of book😍 hardcovers books were $1 and paperbacks started at 50 cents! I could have spent so much money in there and not to mention time. Good thing I didn't have my wallet on me because I most definitely would have gone home with lots of books.

6. This quote is spot on. It's easy to reciprocate being mean when someone is mean to you, but it takes a lot of grace to be calm and kind in not so nice situations. Be kind, the world could use a lot more kindness. 

Have a great Thursday and a fantastic weekend, and don't forget to check out the recipe for crockpot turkey vegetable soup I posted! 

Did you do anything fun for Halloween or dress up?
What are you looking forward to the most about the upcoming holiday season?