Let's Catch Up! & an Oreo Cookie Attempt

(This is a teaser. You're going to have to read the rest to see the recipe! Hehe)

Okay, let's play a little catch-up here. I've been pretty MIA recently so let me fill you in on a few things:

1. I got my driver's license!

(Legally I must wear glasses when I drive haha)

My BFF showed me the course ahead of time and I practiced it a ton. I have no issue parallel parking outside my house, but when I did it for practice at the test center, I couldn't do it! I honestly spent hours trying to get it perfect, and finally, less than an hour before my test, I figured out what I had been doing wrong! So when it came time for the real test, I did it in one try! In fact, I didn't even pull forward after sliding in=X.

But, I do need to note that my test instructor was extremely intimidating and crazy! At one point he began screaming "Go left! Go left!" when I clearly had my left turn signal on and was turning to the left... He completely freaked me out and I got panicky and began flipping my turn signal back and forth to appease him. Whatever. Then, he had me going 30 mph over a pedestrian crossing and screamed at me for going to slow. Also, he told me I was going to fast on a 40 mph lane when I was going 30 mph.

Oh! And before I did my amazing parallel parking job, he started rambling off instructions and would scream, "Yes or No! Do you understand?" Apparently saying "no" was the wrong answer and he only got angrier. But he passed me. I did a MARVELOUS job, seriously! But he seemed to only pass me begrudgingly. Jerk.

2. Our school's musical is in full swing and we'll now be having 5 days a week practices. It's really fun so I don't mind it, but it sure is time consuming! Did I ever mention I have the opening solo line? Well I do. And I'm pretty darn good if I may say so;) Oh crap, all my ad sales are due Monday I just remembered... Add that to the "To-Do List".

3. I took the SAT's this Saturday (this morning). I was pretty stressed like the day before trying to cram studying in. I feel pretty good about it but we'll see=/

4. Prom. I found my perfect dress!

(I can also wear this in the summer thanks to that gorgeous floral print!)

But the designer, Flirt Prom Dresses, can't get it to any of the stores I've called until after my prom=( But I found one place about an hour away that has the only remaining dress and only one and it happens to be my size. I just need to find the time to drive up and get it. It should probably happen soon so if I need to get another dress for whatever reason I'll have time.

Also, these are some of the party buses my friends have been looking into getting. Just take a gander at these beaut's:

WOWOWOWOWOW! My group hasn't decided on what we want yet but it's still so exciting! I'll definitely post a ton of pictures of course;)

5. And finally there's just all my school work to keep up with. In my Adv. Chemistry class we're doing major power point presentations on a company and their product and then the chemistry behind it. I choose spandex and contacted the ASICS company about it. And they said they could send me a ton of free swag/promotional items! I haven't received them yet though...

My AP English class is kicking in gear with 2 rough drafts for 2 separate papers due this coming week. Can you say fun? It's just rough drafts, though, and thank goodness! Any Phantom of the Opera fans out there? Well, that's what one of papers is on;)

Okay enough about me. Here's food:


Homemade Oreos
from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk
6. 

Take her advice. EAT WITH MILK! I thought it just tasted 10x better that way. It wasn't my fav thing ever=/ Than again, I'm no fan of chocolate or cookies, so I'm biased. The filling was pretty good. Just your reg frosting though. I may have to try it after it's had time to set.