Chocolate Chip Cookie Fudge

Did I tell you I found Biscoff (finally!) at a local grocery store?

Did I tell you I gave up candy for Lent (again)?

Today is Valentine's Day and I gave up candy for Lent, which (most conveniently) began yesterday.  No, I'm not Catholic, but I don't see anything wrong with giving something up that I consider a major vice.  

I'm a big believer in dessert everyday, but I'm not a believer in letting yourself have whatever you want, whenever you want it.  Sure, I could eat one of these wraps every single day.  Would it break the bank if I went to get one for lunch once a week?  Probably not.  But why would I want to get myself in the habit of eating out regularly for lunch?  (I've already got a nasty thrice-a-week Starbucks habit.)
Same goes with candy.  It's SO easy to eat candy whenever, wherever.  And *most* of us do.  By saying, "NO CANDY, KRISTIN!", I'm making the choice to become cognizant* and aware of my mindless, all-day-long sugar consumption.

So, really now, it's a very analytical* decision.

(*I'm sorry.  I have to use big words on my blog.  I can't use big words at all, all day long. My brain needs exercise.)

Are you giving up anything for Lent?  

This is the really-easy fudge recipe made with Biscoff instead of peanut butter.  It's yummy.  You should try it.  I, honestly, could gnaw on a big plate of fudge all day long.  (Just like I can eat candy all day...maybe I should abstain from the fudge too..)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Fudge

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate OR semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can split the chocolate with some white chocolate ones if you like)

1/2 cup Biscoff spread

2 t. vanilla

1 cup crumbled chocolate chip cookies (I used these leftover Congo Bars.)

In a microwaveable bowl, melt the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and Biscoff together at 45 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.  Stir in the vanilla.  Fold in the cookie chunks.

Spread into a foil lined 8x8 pan (or, I used a pie pan).  Stick it in the freezer until hardened (about an hour).  Let it soften a little before cutting.  

Lent and Two Soups

The season of Lent is almost over. 

My grand plan was to give up ice cream and candy.  I was eating both everyday.  I'll readily admit that I have little to no self-control when it comes to ice cream, cookies, or candy. 

I had put on a couple of pounds throughout the process of packing, moving, and getting settled in Palmer.  That's all well and good...I could gain a few pounds without much notice.  But the second the jeans start getting tight...ugh.  You know the feeling...that feeling needed to be squelched. 

So the grand plan was to cut out ice cream and candy, get super toned, and loosen those jeans up. 

But it didn't exactly work that way.  

You see, I replaced the candy and the ice cream with cookies and brownies.  When I say that I've been baking cookies or brownies at least twice a week, it's the truth. 

I completely missed the point of Lent.  You can't replace a bad habit with another bad habit!

As Scott said, at least I'd be getting calcium from the ice cream!  Ridiculous...I can't believe it took me 5 weeks (FIVE WEEKS) to figure this out.

So I've resolved to give up baking for awhile.  I have this thing for cookies with melty chocolate in them.  Straight out of the oven.  Gooey.  Warm.  Buttery.  (And the tray of warm, gooey, melty, buttery, chocolate cookies is most likely what I can attribute the tight jeans to, right?)

I'm going to stop buying stuff to bake with.  I can whip up cookie dough or brownie mix faster than you can blink once I put my mind to it.  I must be stopped.

However, I shall be enjoying candy and ice cream in moderation after this Sunday :)     

SO.  I've made two really great soups this week.  Chicken Pot Pie Soup on Sunday and Creamy Tomato Soup on Wednesday.  Both are also super healthy.  The ladies who created them do such nice jobs with their food blogs.  So I'll just direct you straight to them.  I didn't really change anything.

Next year, I think I'll add something into my routine for the Lenten season.  Maybe amp it up to two vegetables a day or something.  (oh, and i have not had ice cream or candy in over 5 weeks.  nope, not even on sundays.)