guilty pleasures

i've been thinking about guilty pleasures a lot, perhaps because i've been indulging in my 2 favorites a bit lately. to me a guilty pleasure is something that your friends and family would be super embarrassed of you for liking/doing. so, i have decided to break the cycle of shame and guilt. what am i, anyway, catholic? maybe if i share a couple of mine i will feel less guilty. or maybe you will feel better about your guilty pleasures because mine are so lame. :) enjoy this rare insight into my umm dark side...

#1 No Bake Cookies

okay, not so guilty, right? wrong. these may be innocent if you indulge every so often. but, unfortunately, my sister-in-law, mandy, found the perfect no bake recipe and what should be a once-a-month thing has sadly turned once, sometimes twice, a week. i now keep all of these ingredients in my cupboard at all times. other no bake recipes have more chocolate (which is never a bad thing) or things like coconut, but these perfectly balance peanut butter and chocolate, and the dry milk in them makes them oh so creamy. here's the recipe in case your stomach just growled like mine did...

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. dry milk

1 1/2 tsp cocoa

2 Tbs butter

1/3 c. water

Bring to a boil in a saucepan. Boil 1 minute over medium heat. Remove from heat and add:

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 c. rolled oats

1 tsp. vanilla

Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper. Cool and enjoy!

**Special Note** if you make these just for yourself, as i sometimes do, they keep super in the freezer for 2 or 3 days. once they are cool (i refrigerate mine so they harden a bit) just chuck them in a freezer ziplock and enjoy for days (mine rarely last that long). :)

#2 Gilmore Girls

i have been made fun of so much in the last little bit for this one that i figured i should just let it out -- I love the Gilmore Girls. ahh, that's better. it's a super silly show and i know that, but i love it. i started watching it after i got home from utah with avery. she slept so much, and would practically only sleep in my arms, so i did a lot of tv watching. they play an episode every day on ABC Family and pretty soon i was planning my day around my show. there are so many things that i don't like or agree with in the show, and yet... yes, addicted is the right word. anyway, it's a show about a mother and a daughter, it's cleverly written, and my own blessed mother got me the entire series on DVD for Christmas. i'm currently in the middle of the 7th and final season (i started watching my DVDs instead of ABC Family from about the 3rd season on). in order to watch it i know have to sneak an episode in during nap time or have klayton play with avery in the other room, but it is still fun. check it out if you're into witty writing and being made fun of by your siblings (mine are merciless on this subject).

so... there it is. will i give these up? don't count on it. my shame is now on display, so i'll skip giving these up for Lent.