This week has been a stressful one. In Sabrina's life stress = chocolate and sugar. I mean, stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Cowinkydink? I think not my friends!
I tried out the whole "suit" thing yesterday at an interview. Ready for the irony? There were 3 other women in the office waiting to interview...and none of them were wearing a suit. I went from the only girl without a suit to the only girl with one. Seriously? I have to admit though, there is something strangely powerful in wearing a suit. People look at you like you are important; CEO of a company kind of important. So, I guess I get the whole "wear a suit for a teacher interview" thing.
My interview yesterday went well! I have to say, much better than my previous interview did. I am not going to get my hopes up, but this experience at least gave me my confidence back. 4 interviews so far - one was pretty much a job offer (2 hours away), one was similar to speed dating of the interview sort, one went terrible, and one went very well. Still, no job in Tampa, which is where I really want to be. I have to admit, every letter I receive with a "sorry you were not chosen for an interview" or "although you have great qualities, we have chosen to hire another candidate" makes it harder and harder to stay positive. I pray that I will not only find a job, but the right job. I keep trying to tell myself that I will get a job this summer. A positive mindset makes for positive things...or so they say.
I was talking to my dad today and he offered me a "salesmen" story to get my spirits up. Basically, two salesmen are going door to door trying my make sales. One salesman is positive, while the other is not. The negative salesman asks the positive sales man why he is so happy when he keeps getting told no. The positive salesman responds "Every no I hear is getting me one step closer to a yes." My daddy is the best. He always seems to make sense of things :)
I am trying to keep the faith that my "yes" is coming, even with as hard as it can be sometimes. I am by nature a high-stress person, so the combination of job searching + paying for a wedding is starting to wear on me. I really could use a job making MUCH more a year. I don't just want a new job, I need one.
On top of it all, Monday was a circus. I took my car to Midas to get an oil change, after calling to make sure I could bring my car in. When I arrive, the guy behind the counter (rude would be an understatement) tells me that they are only accepting appointments. I tell him that I called and was told to bring it in. After he mouthed off a bit, he agreed to take the car. 30 minutes later, the guy comes inside to tell me that my tires are missing 5 lug-nuts. This news surprised me, as the last place I had my car was this place and I was pretty certain that the lug-nuts hadn't just fallen off. The guy tells me there is a parts store up the road and that I should probably go get the lug-nuts and have them put on. Then, the person working on my car tells me they will put the lug-nuts on for me for free if I bring the car back. I call around, find lug-nuts for a Toyota Celica and go purchase them. When I get back to Midas, Mr. Jerkbag grabs the lug-nuts, goes out to my car for literally 2 seconds and says that they aren't the right kind. I go back to the parts store, return the lug-nuts and decide to drive over to the Toyota dealership. When I get to Toyota, the parts manager finds 5 lug-nuts (the SAME lug-nuts that Mr. Jerkbag at Midas told me were not right) and has them put on for me. He comes inside and tells me that only 3 lug-nuts were missing. Yes people, 3! So, I went back and checked my receipt from Midas, which clearly stated 5 missing lug-nuts. Something doesn't add up here, correct? My theory is this: Mr. Jerkbag was ticked off about having to squeeze my car in without an appointment, so to "sock it to me," he has the person working on my car "find lug-nuts missing." However, they obviously didn't collaborate well on the number of lug-nuts that were going to be missing. So, after 5 hours of running around, my tires were secure and well. From now on, I go to Toyota for car service...period.
After all of that mess I was ready for chocolate, and sugar, and more chocolate. Hence, these amazing little balls of beauty. Go ahead and wipe the drool off of your face.
I recently bought this amazing cookbook by the lovely Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil. A whole book dedicated to cookie dough? Genius, pure genius! You know I couldn't resist. I recommend you get a copy asap. Your belly, heart and soul will thank you.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles are one of her most popular creations, so I had to make them!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Coating
8 ounces dark chocolate candy coating
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in milk and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt and mix on low speed until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
For dough into 1-inch balls and arrange them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Place sheets in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt chocolate candy coating in microwave according to package directions (I used chocolate chips and just melted them in 30 second increments), be careful not to overheat. Using a fork or dipping tool, dip truffles one at a time in candy coating to cover. Tap fork on edge of bowl to shake off excess coating, and return truffles to baking sheets to set. If you have any left over coating, transfer to a piping bag or squeeze bottle fitted with a small round tip and pipe decorative lines over top of truffles - or simple drizzle coating with a fork for an abstract finish.
Refrigerate in an airtight container. Truffles will keep for up to one week.
And if you are feeling spicy, like I was - you can make some Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pops!
These won't last for a week, trust me. Eat your feelings, friends! Watch that stress turn to delicious chocolate goodness in a jiffy!
