My 2 favorite B's and Zombie Jesus

Baking and Books are my 2 favorite B's! so this post is dedicated to them as I made cookies for Easter, so we will start with the Baking. I made my usual badass chocolate chip cookies, so I won't go too much into those. In order to make those though, I needed unsalted butter. On the package of Publix brand butter (shout out to people who are cheap and use generics because they are just as good as brands woot woot!), there was a recipe for Almond Butter cookies, so I made them, and damn they were a HIT. SO....
here is the recipe with my own variations on technique:

Cookies:
3/4 cup Unsalted Sweet Cream Butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg 
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups whole wheat flour 
sugar

Frosting:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons milk (I prefer Almond milk)
sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and almond extract, mix well then gradually add flour continuing to mix. (the box said to use an electric mixer, but I think it is entirely possible to do this well hand mixing)

Use a tablespoon and scoop out dough, roll into a ball, and place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Dip a flat-bottomed glass into a bowl of sugar to flatten dough balls.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Similar to sugar cookies, they will not expand or appear cooked fully so be careful about adding time. Using a spatula, look at the bottom of a cookie, if it is slightly golden brown, they are cooked. Let cool for one minute before transferring to a wire rack.

For frosting, I would say to use an electric mixer because it is easier to whip. Combine melted butter, sugar, and almond extract; the recipe says until smooth, but it really will not be that smooth until you add the milk. Once cookies are cool, frost them and top with almond slices. Yum!

On to Books!
As I mentioned in my last post, I am reading Futureproof  by N. Frank Daniels. I have yet to decide if I like it. The first 50 or so pages were overly dramatic, which still occurs after. At times, the prose are well versed and the attention to specific details are great, then transforms back to this adolescent cursing frenzy. The stories have hints of cliche's (the drug use, the abusive/jerk step father, etc) but have a fresh feeling to them at times (tree-hugging acid trips, and self abuse). On other instances, I may have put the novel down, and written it off as a cliche on teenage angst, but part of me is interested in this story of sex, drugs, and the teenage nomad lifestyle I was never a part of in my teenage hayday.

On a seriously funny note, on Saturday night (well Sunday morning), I walked into the house as my mom was getting ready for work. She shook her head with the look that says, "You dirty stayout," but before she could say anything I exclaim in a hush excited voice, "Happy Zombie Jesus Day, have fun at work, I'm off to bed!" and closed my bedroom door to her shocked face. It is moments like those that make me laugh at the fact that I still live with my folks.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Beer and Bourbon are tied for third favorite B. Enjoy!