A Year in the Life of a Twenty-something

It's all coming to an end... The year 2012 that is.

The year I signed a lease on my first "grown up" apartment.

The year I went to Asia.

The year I bought and assembled my own bed (after sleeping on a mattress on the floor for 4 months).

I guess I'm sort of growing up, but believe me — I'm fighting it!

In the last year, through blogging about my baking escapades, I've shared quite a bit with you.

...About events and occasions that took place - as commemorated by a baked good.

...About being exhausted when I return home from work - unfortunately noted by lack of baking

...About thoughts that popped into my head and couldn't keep themselves out of my writing.

What I haven't shared are everyday events that neither inspired or required a baked treat or documented story.

The Candy Woman Can

...Cuz' she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good.

This time of year, the cold weather and holidays often remind me of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — both movies and the book. Gotta love 'em!

These days, what's my latest adventure? Making candy!

Cranberry Apple Quick Bread and Chanukah Pastries

A friend's family owns a cranberry bog and gifted my roommate and me a Gallon sized bag full of fresh cranberries. Gracious recipient of gifts that I am, the first thing I said was, "hmm.. I don't really like cranberries."

Nice, right?

Once I composed myself, I realized that whatever my taste preferences have been up until this point, here is an opportunity (much like Operation Candied Ginger) to put my baking skills to another test: Can I bake something that will make me like fresh cranberries?

Grown-up Candied Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

While I’m quite partial to snickerdoodles (or really anything that ends in –doodle), there is something to be said about chocolate chip cookies. So simple and pure, dunked in milk they taste like pure childhood.

However, in my grown-up apartment where I’ve been paying my own bills, buying my own groceries and sleeping on furniture I bought myself, I try to act the part as much as possible. One could make the argument to swap the milk for something a bit… stronger, but I took a different route and made these Candied Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

They’re made with homemade candied ginger and chocolate bits chipped off a bar of Trader Joe’s Pound Plus dark chocolate.

How’s that for grown-up chocolate chip cookies?