A Marriage Ref and a Monster

I know I go on and on here complaining about things...my husband, my hair, the size of my thighs...and I just want all you out there to know that my life is pretty great.  It's really just the silly things in life I like to complain about.  And there are a lot of silly things...at least in my little world ;)

Like that new show, The Marriage Ref.  Have you seen it?  Oh my word.

If you aren't familiar it is a show where a couple comes on with a (fairly superficial) issue and 3 "panelists" get to weigh in.  The panelists are famous celebrities who I am sure cannot, evenly remotely, relate to the issues at hand...but hence their opinion is weighed and the "Ref" decides the fate of the couple's problem. 

Quick example ~ there was a couple on the show where the wife wanted the husband to get rid of a couch that the he had "gotten down" with his ex on and the husband wanted the wife to get rid of the prosthetic leg that she had on display that belonged to her late husband.  

Good Lord!

Now, odd as this scenario is, the even odder thing is the fact that on the celebrity "panel" there was Madonna.

For reals?

Madonna?

What does she know about marriage?  I mean, no judgment, but hasn't she been married and divorced multiple times?  

Just sayin'.

Did y'all just laugh when I said "no judgment"...hahaha ;)

So, the couple's odd behavior is put on display for the whole world to see and then there are 3 celebrities, whose credentials on this matter are questionable at best, judge them for laughs.

Look, I am all about low-brow television.  I seriously just watched a show called "Jerseylicious" (style network, Sundays 10pm), but Jerry Seinfeld produces this show and I am pretty sure is getting paid well for it, so sorry that I was expecting a bit more.  

You see, I can watch Jerseylicious, expecting nothing more than a ridiculously offensive piece of garble and feel satisfied at hour's end when I was correct about the garble part yet still mindlessly entertained.  BUT when you have your bar raised a little higher, in the case of The Marriage Ref, and you get Madonna, weird plastic surgery face and all, staring back giving marriage tips, ya know, I'm gonna feel a little manipulated.
Phew, I feel much better that that's off my chest.

FYI...I have been under the weather the past few days and have been doing nothing else except watching hours and hours of dvr'd shows...so this has been my life since Sunday afternoon.  

Now to the cookies...

Here is my take on the famous Monster Cookie.  There are many recipes out there for these large, yummy cookies, but what make mine a little different is my love of Target.

Yes, you read that right...Target.

I found this cool trail mix there, called Monster trail mix.

 
So, being a rocket scientist and all I decided to marry the two.

I know, I know..I'm a genius.

In this bag you've got peanuts, raisins, peanut butter chips, M&M's and chocolate chips.

Yum!

 Monster, Monster Cookie
adapted from Baked

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
5 ¾ cups rolled oats
¾ cups (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 tsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 whole bag of Monster Trail* mix

* if you aren't in a place you can get Monster trail mix use:

1/2 cup peanuts

1/2 cup M&M's

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

1/4 cup raisins

In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Add the oats and stir until combined.
In the bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and pale in color. Add the sugars and mix until incorporated.
Scrape down bowl and add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and scraping down bowl when necessary. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
Add peanut butter. Mix on low speed until just combined, add the oat mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.

On "stir" or low setting of mixer (or using a wooden spoon) add in trail mix.  Stir until mix is evenly distributed. Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

You are making large cookies, so use you ice cream scoop to scoop dough...this is approx the size of 2 Tbsp – 2 inches apart.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time. Let cool on pans for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely 

This make a lot of large cookies, at least 3 dozen.

My kids loved these cookies and so did my hubby, who is a hard-sell on any cookie besides a Snickerdoodle.

They would be a great addition to a picnic, which is great since Spring is here.

Speaking of Spring...don't forget to check out the Spring Hop going on now!

 Cookies