Car Cookies

April, at work, has lots of crazy ideas. (ie: put microwave popcorn bags in the freezer to make them pop fluffier and some gross exaggerations of gigantic jumping spiders) So one day she told us that some guy had baked cookies in his car. After a dramatic "IMPOSSIBLE", we started talking about the great advantages if it really worked. Imagine having fresh baked cookies for your drive home. Imagine having your car smell like those delicious fresh baked cookies. So Shannon, April, and I decided to try it.


I offered to bake them in my car which meant I had to park on the top level of the parking structure so the car would be in the sun. It also meant that I couldn't drive to lunch because we needed to keep as much heat as possible in there. I stopped at the grocery store on my way to work to pick up some cookie dough and brought some tin foil, a cookie sheet, and a spatula from home for our experiment.

We decided that we'd use tin foil on the cookie sheet because it might reflect more sunshine and help them cook. Smart right!? Here are the cookie dough balls in the car ready to bake - 10:42 AM.


We went to lunch (in April's car) and we drove up to the roof to check on the cookies before going back into the office. As you can see, they have started to melt down a little. They still looked pretty doughy but at least we were seeing progress. This is approximately 1:28 PM. At this point I turned the car around so it would still be facing the sun.

Even though we had this whole thing planned out, the other two girls said they were leaving early that day. Silly girls, their cookies wouldn't be ready! Shannon left first. I did not document her cookies at 3:51 PM but they were surprisingly a little baked! They were hard on the top but still quite doughy underneath. She ate them anyway.

April was next. She met me at the car bakery at 4:43 PM to take her chances with unbaked cookies. They were, again surprisingly, quite a bit better by the time she got to them. As you can see in the pictures, I could use the spatula to pick up the cookie. You can also see April really excited about the cookies through the windshield. Still a little doughy, but also yummy (if you like cookie dough).


I was staying late that night so it wasn't until 6:36 that I got out to my really expensive easy bake oven. HOLY SHMOLY! THEY WERE COOKED! It was a Thursday miracle! See how excited I am?!

As you can CLEARLY see, the under side is even done. The high temp for the day was between 85-90 degrees. Just imagine if I made these in Arizona - You could have cookies at lunch AND on your way home.


So I enjoyed a couple of extra delicious, warm, chocolate chip cookies as I sat in traffic. When the cookies were gone, I still had the intoxicating smell of fresh baked cookies and the immense satisfaction and sense of accomplishment to keep me company.

Well, April, I stand corrected.

say no more, mon amour

I actually took this picture

All Summer I've been wanting to go to an outdoor movie. There are tons in our area but when Leah saw that Empire Records was playing down in Rosslyn, we HAD to go!


We headed to the park with our chairs, treats, and take out for dinner to meet up with Paul and Leah. It was super hot and humid all night long but it was fun to be outside watching Empire Records on the big screen again. We felt just like we were in High School again (except with husbands) and we remembered every line from the movie. Thanks Leah for finding this and we're sure glad you guys live out here!

Some of my favorite lines (mostly for my high school friends):

Eddie: You forgot your thingy.

A.J.: I don't feel that I need to explain my art to you, Warren.

Lucas: Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear.

Lucas: What's with today today? (and pretty much everything else Lucas says)

Gina: Oh now, Debra, don't be bitter, surely with your ever growing collection of flesh mutilating silver appendages and your brand new neo-nazi boot camp makeover the boys will come a-runnin'.

Lucas: Rap... metal... rap... metal... And Whitney Houston.

Rex Manning: Why don't you all just fade away.

Lucas: Joe, I can categorically say that you are not a bigger banana-head.

...that every man may improve upon his talent, that every man may gain other talents...

I deemed this 'The Year of Developing Talents'. I made a list (only mental and verbal to Carl) of all kinds of things I'd like to learn to do or learn how to do better. I'm pleased to say that I'm doing well.

Remember how I got a piano for my birthday? Well, I'm still taking lessons mostly every week and I'm getting better. No concertos in the near future, but I'm playing with both hands and understand a lot more than when I started. Unfortunately my harmonica playing is not coming as well.

We've done a little gardening this year and I've learned a fair amount about that. It's been so exciting to see something you planted actually grow and very satisfying to eat it!

Carl and I have been taking dancing lessons (as per my Valentine's Day gift) the past few weeks as well. You just show up to the beginner classes whenever you want so we've dropped in on Salsa, Swing, Waltz, and Ballroom. We like the teachers and we've done well. Look for us on Dancing with the Stars next season.

I've been learning how to use my new sewing machine - you might remember the bags I made. I've done a few odd jobs here and there but still have a lot to learn. What's next? Maybe curtains? Maybe a quilt? Maybe a pillowcase? We'll see.

**Post edit: It was a skirt. I went to Relief Society last night and we're working on making 100 dresses for the local women's shelter so... I sewed a skirt. Yippee!

Lastly, my culinary endeavors. I've made quite a few new recipes this year and am enjoying learning how to make different kinds of things. Recently I made Peach Surprise (pictured above) and it was really yummy. We've had it several times since. It's not hard but it was my first time making meringue. We had some friends over the other night for a four-course, candlelit dinner. (That's what I offered as my service for the YW auction/fundraiser). We had steamed artichokes and almond-crusted chicken with fresh green beans and cilantro lime rice. I made rolls and tried out a new twist to them that I made up. And you know what, it turned out great! Off topic: Shall I share a funny picture of Carl? he dressed up for this dinner all in black and slicked his hair back in a ponytail with one lone curl on his forehead. Oh! And the mustache! I love him.

Anyway, back to food. You might remember my sunflower cupcakes from a couple months ago. Well, I've been at it again.

I made these duckie cupcakes for a baby shower.

And these mini hamburgers for a BBQ. These are candy coated cake balls and they are about the size of a golf ball. Not surprisingly more work than I had anticipated but it was still really fun. A huge thanks to Carl for the encouragement when I wanted to quit and the help making them when it turned into a two-person job.

So there's my progress. I'm proud of myself for making such an effort and for being half way through the year and still working on these things. My mom is proud too - I know because I call her the very minute I accomplish anything to get her verbal pat on the back - and she always gives it.