Foodie Friday: My First Real Starbucks Coffee?

Okay so maybe my title is misleading or incorrect but hear me out.  I'm not a regular coffee drinker.  Not the kind that wakes up needing coffee every single morning.  You can say that I'm a seasonal coffee aficionado.  I like to drink coffee once the seasons change and the weather is cooler and crisp.  I drink it for warmth and comfort.  Once the Texas heat is back (which can sometimes be year round) I go back to cooler drinks.  And when I do drink coffee, I like it with half and half (not the yucky powder stuff), sugar and it's got to be decaf. Gasp! 

Why decaf?  Well when I was pregnant with my first child, my doctor said that she would prefer for me to drink decaf on the occasions I did have a cup or two.  I did as she asked and guess what?  I can't go back to regular coffee because I kinda get the shakes and I don't like it.  So decaf it is and it doesn't bother me because I don't need it to wake up.  Like I said, I drink it for warmth and comfort.  Coffee snobs have poked fun at me and asked me what was the point in drinking decaf if I was not going to enjoy the real stuff.  Meh, whatevs. I flip my hair and say, "at least I woke up like this."  I kid, I kid.

So earlier this week I found this on my desk.

My sweet co-worker surprised with my very own white chocolate mocha grande in a venti cup with extra whip.  For you Starbucks virgins, did that name/description/order confuse or intimidate you a bit?  It did me.  The reason I rarely go into a Starbucks is because I don't know how to order the fancy schmancy one pump two stuff and much less in a venti!  What?!  And is mocha a type of coffee?  Oy.

My co-worker had the exact same drink the day before and I told her that McDonald's decaf coffee is my jam but I have no clue how to order at Starbucks because all of that lingo is Greek to me.  She told me what she was having, I said it sounded delicious, she offered me a sip and I loved it.  She then told me what it was and I was like, "yeah I'm not going to remember any of that and I ain't looking like no fool in there."  She laughed and wrote it down for me on a little post-it note (seen in pic above).  

So tomorrow morning while my daughter is at ballet class, I'm going to walk down to the nearest Starbucks and with my big girl panties on I am going to order my very own fancy schmancy cup of joe with cheat sheet in hand.  I'll throw in a hair flip too.  :)

Slacker Mom = Tasty Cookie {recipe link}

Huh?  Confusing title, I know, but it turned out to be true for me the night before my daughter’s Valentine class party.  You see, I totally slacked this year for Valentine’s Day.  No home décor, no crafts, no cute and fun treats for my kids to give to their friends or teachers.  Nada.  So when I realized on Thursday night (February 12^th) that I had not done a thing for my daughter to take to school I panicked at the disco, y’all.  And when I say it was Thursday night I mean it was like 9:35 p.m.  Slacker mom.  Especially since I made it a point to watch Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal (no slacking there!).  Side note: I get my kids ready for bed on Thursday evenings during commericals. #dontjudge #youdoittoo

So like I said, I was in a panic and quickly decided that I would make sugar cookies and put them in little sandwich baggies with curled red ribbon.  Easy enough BUT it was already late and although that is a simple recipe I did not want to take the time to soften the butter and I changed my mind about bagging them all nice and pretty.  It took a nano second to scratch that idea.  I then remembered that I had a box of devil’s food cake mix and that I had a seen a recipe for cookies on the back of the box.  Boom!  Here is what I had less than an hour later.

And as the title of this post says, they were tasty and I was pleasantly surprised.  ---> I may or may not be a cookie snob and prefer from-scratch recipes. J  I followed the recipe as stated on the Duncan Hines website except for two details.  It said to use ½ cup walnuts and ½ cup chocolate chips but since it was for Valentine party, I opted for mini red M&Ms. And of course I avoided the nuts just in case anyone in the class had a nut allergy.

The recipe was not on the box with the picture but it referred to their website.  I didn't understand why they wouldn't just slap it on the back of the box but it turns our there are a few cookie recipes to use for this cake mix.  Here is the one I used in case you too are having a slacker moment or whatever. J

Duncan Hines Fudge Cookie Recipe.

What about cookies for my son, you ask?  Um no.  He's in middle school now and they don't do that.  (Insert a middle schooler's voice and facial expression here).