A Healthier Alternative to Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend has been bugging me for a while now to figure out ways to make some of my baked desserts more healthy. I've been doing some substituting...like apple sauce for oil (equal substitution > 1 cup for 1 cup), or white wheat flour for all purpose flour (I like white wheat better than red wheat because it does not leave an aftertaste).

My friend and I discovered a way to make the Award Winning Chocolate Chip Cookies healthier. And I brought the experimental cookies to a party I recently went to. I actually made both kinds...the original and the healthier alternative. There were several people who liked the healthy cookies best and said they were the best dessert I've ever made (which is saying a lot because I get that compliment very often...I love to bake and I have some good recipes). Other people, like me, prefer the original, but both are pretty dang good. The healthy cookies are a little cakier than the original...some people prefer cookies that way.

Here is the recipe for a healthier alternative to chocolate chip cookies:

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix together in a large bowl:

• 1 heaping cup organic brown sugar (or Splenda brown sugar)
  
• 1 cube butter cold out of fridge (cut butter up)
• ½ cup plain yogurt
  

Add to brown sugar mixture:

• ½ cup organic sugar (or sugar-free substitute)
  
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Mix until creamy.

In separate bowl mix:

• 2-½ cups whole white wheat flour
  
• Large pkg. Instant Sugar-Free vanilla pudding
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Add flour mixture to creamy mixture:
Blend 3-4 minutes

Add 1 whole bag of DARK chocolate chips

Don’t roll or use a cookie scoop. Use spoon. Grease on your hands will break it down. Don’t use baking stone. Use un-greased cookie sheet. 350º for 11-12 minutes. No more, no less. They will still look a little doughy and light brown when you take them out. Leave them on the pan to keep cooking.

Enjoy!

Literal Videos

My sister, Kelli, started a blog (YAY!!) and on her latest post, she has some links to Literal Videos. They are HI-LARIOUS! I especially like Daydream Believer by the Monkeys, Head over Heals by Tears for Fears, and With Arms Wide Open.

I am going to make you go to Kelli's blog to watch these literal videos and for a description of what they are.

Plus, you can peruse around her other blog entries and maybe start following her blog. She has some GREAT things on there.

Rolling Shutters

Ever since I bought my own house, I have wanted something to block out the bright morning sun that pierces through my bedroom window and wakes me up in the wee hours of the morning during the summer months. I have longed for those great European shutters, rolatens (spelled something like that), we had over in Germany that shut out 99% of the light. They were awesome! I looked around to try to find something like that, but every blind and shutter company I talked to had no idea what I was talking about.

Finally, a friend saw an commercial for Tucson Rolling Shutters. They actually sell those German shutters I have wanted for years. So I called them and set up an appointment for them to travel to Sierra Vista to fit my windows with shutters.

This week they finally came and installed the three shutters for my three bedrooms.

Here is what they did:

STEP 1: Put together the frames and attach them to the house.


STEP 2: Drill a hole from the outside of the house to the inside.


STEP 3: Attach the shutter housing to the frame.


STEP 4: Push the strap through the hole into the house.


STEP 5: Make sure the shutters roll down the frame properly and make sure all parts work properly in the housing.


STEP 6: Attach the mechanics to the inside so the strap can be used to open or shut the shutters.

FINAL STEP: Caulk around the frame to seal the shutters to the house.


So there you have it. Now here are the before and after pictures:

BEFORE

AFTER

And here is the strap and the spring-loaded device that allows the shutters to be easily opened and closed.

But they hide really nicely behind curtains:


There are more added benefits other than blocking out 99% of the light...it also provides security, and it helps with heating/cooling bills. Isn't it great!

I LOVE these rolling shutters!

I Spoke Too Soon

Okay...so I spoke too soon. A few hours after I posted that blog entry, this Army installation started blocking Blogger. Then I read the policy more carefully, and Blogger is not mentioned in the document at all. I guess it was a fluke it was opened for a couple of days. I should have taken more advantage of it. :o)

Facebook is mentioned specifically in the policy, and it was open, until Friday. I don't know if that was a fluke or if something happened and this installation made a decision to not open it on its network. I don't know. We'll see. The government is weird sometimes...they make policy, but then they sometimes choose not to adhere to it.

We'll see. It may all change again! That's the nature of this business!

Changes to Policy

Wow! Interesting! The Army just released a new policy to allow different social networking sites on Army networks. That means Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger are open now. They have always blocked these sites, so I have never been able update anything while at work. I noticed yesterday that Blogger was open, so I took advantage of what I thought was a fluke, and added three entries trying to catch up with everything I want to put on here. I have a list in my notebook so I won't forget what I want to write, even if I don't have time to write the entry. I had some down time at work throughout the day yesterday and kept myself busy with writing those entries.

Since I work on the computer all day, sometimes its really hard for me to turn on my home computer to update my blog and see what's happening on Facebook. Now I have another option. :o) I won't abuse it, obviously, but it is nice to be able to take a break from work and do something like this.

Now maybe I'll be able to be better at blogging!

Financial Peace University: LESSON FOUR

The fourth lesson taught by Dave Ramsey in Financial Peace University was titled "Dumping Debt". In this class, Dave debunked a lot of financial myths and taught us how to efficiently get out of debt.

There are a lot of myths that have been told so many times they are now accepted as truth. Debt has only become accepted as normal in America over the last 20 years. Credit cards have only been in existence since 1950, but now it seems like the normal way of life.

Dave was very straightforward and completely popped these myths passed off as truth. He didn't mince words and sometimes it was a little uncomfortable to listen to because I have fallen prey to some of the myths. Here are some examples of myths Dave debunked during this class:

MYTH: Cash advance, rent-to-own, title pawning, and tote-the-note car lots are needed services for lower income people to get ahead.
TRUTH: These are horrible, greedy rip-offs that aren't needed and benefit no one but the owners of these companies.

MYTH: Playing the lottery and other forms of gambling will make me rich.
TRUTH: The lottery is a tax on the poor and on the people who can't do math.

MYTH: Car payments are a way of life, and you'll always have one.
TRUTH: Staying away from car payments by driving reliable used cars is what the typical millionaire does. That is how they became millionaires.

MYTH: You need a credit card to rent a car or to make a purchase online or by phone.
TRUTH: A debit card will do all of that, except for a few major rental companies. Check in advance.

MYTH: "I pay mine off every month with no annual fee. I get brownie points, air miles, and a free hat."
TRUTH: A recent Dun and Bradstreet study found that when you use plastic instead of cash, you spend 12-18% more because spending cash hurts. So what if you get 1% back and a free hat?

MYTH: The home equity loan is good for consolidation and is a substitute for an emergency fund.
TRUTH: You don't go into debt for emergencies.

MYTH: Debt consolidation saves interest, and you get just one smaller payment.
TRUTH: Debt consolidation is a con.
TRUTH: Debt consolidation typically saves little or no interest because you will throw your low interest loans into the deal.
TRUTH: You can't borrow your way out of debt.
TRUTH: Smaller payments equal more time in debt.

Here is an interesting question:

How much could you save, invest, blow, and give if you had no payments?

Steps out of debt
1. Quit borrowing more money.
2. You must save money.
3. Prayer really works.
4. Sell something.
5. Take a part time job or overtime (temporarily).

BABY STEP 2: Pay off all debt using the debt snow ball method.


Lessons Learned:
This was a very interesting class to sit through. There are a lot of myths I still can't let go of, like the one about needing a credit card to rent cars or make online purchases, and the one about the rewards you get back when using your card but paying off the balance every month. What Dave says makes sense, but I can't seem to let go of them very easily.

But one major thing came out of this lesson...I paid off my car!! Yep! My 2008 Honda CR-V is now PAID OFF! And in less than one year. I know...I purchased a brand new car, not a reliable used one, but I did a lot of negotiating and I got a really good deal. And I bought the car before I took Dave's class, so I didn't know better. :o)

I do not have a savings anymore, but I also do not have any payments, car or credit cards! I am completely debt free (except for my house) and it is AWESOME! I am now on baby step 3, which is fully funding my emergency fund (three to six months of expenses). I am on my way to becoming a millionaire. :o)

Financial Peace University: LESSON THREE

The third lesson taught by Dave Ramsey in Financial Peace University was titled "Cash Flow Planning". In this lesson, Dave teaches us step by step how to put together a zero-based monthly budget and how to complete all of the financial management forms. Taking control of your money takes time, effort and patience.

Dave gave us three key points:

1. Spend all money on paper before the month begins.
2. Use the envelope system for successful cash management.
3. Give your budget 90 days to really start working.

What is the envelope system?
It is a way of keeping track when you pay cash for everyday items, like food, gas, toiletries, etc. Once a month, you put cash in labeled envelopes for specific categories. You only use that cash and cannot got beyond what's in the envelope. Paying cash for things makes you think twice about wants vs. necessities. It's harder to part with Lincoln, Hamilton, or Jackson than it is to swipe a card in a machine and punch in a code or sign your name.

As part of this class, we were given a nifty booklet with envelopes. It is very cool.

Some reasons why we SHOULD do a cash flow plan:

- Managed money goes farther.
- A written plan, if actually lived and agreed on:

• will remove many of the money fights from your marriage.
• will remove much of the guilt, fear, and shame that may now be part of buying necessities such as food or clothing.
• will remove many of the overdrafts from your life, consequently removing a lot of stress.
• will show if you are overspending in a certain area.

Cash flow plans DO NOT work when you:

- Leave things out.
- Overcomplicate your plan
- Don't actually do it.
- Don't actually live on it.

Helps from Dave

Dave gives us a lot of tips and tools to help us start our zero-based budget and lessons on how to balance our checking account, if we need the help. He gave us MANY forms to help us as we sit down for the first time and really create a zero-based budget.

Just with this lesson alone, it is worth enrolling in the class. You can check online on Dave Ramsey's web site to see when the class is offered next in your area. You can also take the course online now.

Lessons Learned
This class helped me learn the importance of making and keeping a budget. It really is a good idea, but I have to admit it has taken me a couple of months to really get started. This particular class was given in April and I have only now (in June) started keeping track of my money with a zero-based budget. So far so good, but it's a little difficult to find the time to do it. I know I will be better off as I get more used to this and am better able to know where every penny goes.