But when we take a step back and reflect on our financial dreams and goals, we can make more intentional decisions that truly align with the life we want to build. Whether it’s saving for a home, paying off debt, or preparing for a secure future, having a clear vision helps us stay focused and motivated.

Instead of letting money control us, we can take charge and use it as a tool to create freedom, security, and peace. We can turn vague wishes into actionable plans and start making real progress toward our ideal financial future.

When you think about being in a good place with money, what does that look like? If you had enough money to be comfortable, what would that allow you to do?

Making Time to Set Money Goals

When I worked for a publishing company, we held an annual retreat for the managers. Away from the daily demands of the company, we could consider our collective hopes and goals, and make plans for the future. Many big ideas were hatched during these retreats.

Each day is busy, and I’ve learned that if I don’t make time for this kind of Big Picture thinking it never happens.

Sometimes we all need a little self-imposed quiet time to reflect and think.

What if you set aside some time this week to explore your financial hopes and dreams? These are some of the questions I like to consider when I’m setting money goals.

10 Questions to Shape Your Financial Future

What causes the most stress in your financial life? How would your life change if those issues were resolved?

Do your current spending habits align with the life you want to create?

What debts do you currently have, and how would your life improve if they were paid off?

When you imagine having financial freedom, how do you think it would it affect your lifestyle and opportunities?

What motivates you to save money? (Security for your family, travel, home ownership, early financial independence?)

What financial habits do you need to develop (or break) to reach your dreams?

What are your 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year financial goals?

How can you balance enjoying your life today while still preparing for a secure future?

What extraordinary thing would you like to do with your money? What legacy or impact do you want your money to have—for yourself, your family, or your community?

Setting smaller micro goals can help form new habits that yield big results. What’s one small financial step you can take today that will move you closer to your dreams?

Goals Change Over Time

My goals used to be heavily focused on getting out of debt, which was a dark cloud hanging over me. The relief and freedom I felt when I made the last credit card payment was unbelievable. If this is your dream, too, I encourage you to stick with it.

When I launched my own business, my first goal was simply to earn enough to pay the monthly bills. Later I added savings and investment goals.

Today, my financial priorities include:

• Having adventures with my family and friends
• Saving for the future
• Doing home improvements
• Giving back

How About You?

If you take some time to focus on your Big Picture financial goals, I’d love to hear what steps you decide to take. Drop a comment below!

Here’s to big dreams and good things in the days ahead.

The post 10 Questions to Help You Reach Your Financial Dream appeared first on Eliza Cross.

Many of us struggle to set realistic New Year’s resolutions and accomplish all of our hopes and plans. Instead, I’m a fan of making tiny little micro goals I might actually achieve. 

For instance, if I’m procrastinating on a project, I might set my timer with the goal of working for just 10 minutes on the task. Even for the most loathsome, tedious task, ten minutes feels bearable.

Taking that small step reduces my pressure and sometimes gets me going in a good groove to make serious progress. 

Let’s say one of your goals is to have nice, strong upper arms. Here’s how you might implement micro goals:  Today, see how many pushups or modified pushups you can do and note the number.

Then set a goal to do daily pushups for 30 days, and simply add one additional pushup every other day.

If your starting number is 15, by the end of the month you’ll easily be rocking 30 daily pushups with this gradual approach — and I bet your arms will look great. 

Another real-life example:  Our pantry feels messy and disorganized after the holidays. It has four shelves. Each week during the month, I’ve set a small goal to clean and tidy one shelf. I think I can manage one shelf a week, and at the end of 30 days I’ll have a pantry that makes me smile when I open it.

24 Micro Goals Examples

Here are two dozen ideas of small goals that can help us overcome procrastination, get started, and lead to big accomplishments:

1. Write a Book

If you write just 400 words a day, you’ll have a full-length draft of a 60,000 word novel written in five months. Consistent, small writing sessions keep your subconscious engaged and build momentum.

2. Get Fit

Cutting 250 calories a day and adding a 30-minute walk can lead to a steady weight loss of about a pound per week.

3. Save More Money

Setting aside $5 a day can grow into $1,825 in a year, and that doesn’t include the interest you’ll earn. Small daily savings can make financial dreams feel achievable without making major sacrifices.

4. Participate in a Fun Run or Marathon

Start with a 5-minute jog, and gradually increase your time by a minute each session to build endurance over time. An incremental approach will prevent injuries and keep your motivation strong.

5. Learn a New Language

Practicing for 15 minutes a day can lead to conversational fluency in a year. Check out the free Duolingo app, which makes learning a new language downright fun!

6. Become a Confident Public Speaker

I’m a huge fan of Toastmasters, the fun club that helps people get comfortable speaking in public. If you join, you’ll have frequent opportunities to give short speeches and improve your skills.

7. Read More Books

Reading 10 pages a day equals 12 to 15 books in a year. A daily reading habit makes continuous learning easy and manageable. I like Goodreads to keep track of the books I read and discover new ones.

8. Declutter Your Home

Regularly practice Happy Simple Living’s 15 Minute Decluttering Challenge, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish. Removing the clutter from one small space a day can lead to a fully organized home in a few months. A simple cleaning routine can help keep spaces looking nice.

9. Build Your Strength

Doing something as simple as 10 push-ups a day can increase strength and lead to more advanced exercises. Small, consistent workouts are perfect for establishing fitness habits without overwhelming effort.

10. Learn to Play a Musical Instrument

Practicing for just 10 minutes a day builds muscle memory and skill. Frequent, short sessions are more effective than occasional long ones. (Read about my experience buying a used clarinet for $20 and learning to play!)

11. Eat Healthier

When I wanted to start eating better, I began by adding one fresh fruit or vegetable to a meal every day. I learned that small, consistent choices can lead to new eating habits.

12. Wake Up Earlier

Do you wish you could sieze the day with less rushing in the morning? Setting your alarm just 5 minutes earlier each day makes the transition easier and can help establish a calmer morning routine.

13. Drink More Water

Increasing your intake by even one extra glass a day will help your hydration and overall well being. Keep a water bottle nearby and sip it throughout the day.

14. Practice Meditation

Meditating for just 5 minutes a day builds focus and relaxation. Small, consistent sessions practiced over time will help you develop mindfulness and reduce stress.

15. Start a Side Business

Spending 30 minutes a day on research, planning, or marketing can lead to a fully operational business in a year. Consistent progress can turn your idea into reality.

16. Foster Your Creativity

Writing, drawing, taking photographs, or engaging in your favorite creative pursuit for just 10 minutes a day stimulates your creative brain and will help you develop new skills.

17. Grow a Social Media Following

Engaging with five new accounts daily can lead to steady growth of a community. Small, meaningful interactions create stronger connections over time.

18. Improve Posture

Practicing five minutes of posture exercises daily strengthens core muscles and reduces discomfort. Small adjustments lead to long-term spinal health improvements.

19. Strengthen Your Relationships

Sending a thoughtful message or making a quick call each day deepens connections. Small, consistent gestures maintain strong relationships over time.

20. Advance Your Career

Spending 15 minutes daily on professional development, networking, or learning new skills can lead to new opportunities and advancement.

21. Pay Off Debt

Do you have a financial dream of living debt free? Putting just $10 extra toward debt each day could reduce your interest payments and shorten your repayment time. Practice consistently paying down balances while not taking on any new debt, and eventually you’ll enjoy financial freedom.

22. Reduce Stress

Practicing deep breathing or meditation for 5 minutes daily improves mental well-being. Small, consistent mindfulness habits also help build resilience against stress.

23. Become More Organized

Writing a daily to-do list increases productivity and reduces overwhelm. Small planning habits can lead to more time to enjoy the things that really matter to you.

24. Gain Confidence

Practicing self-affirmations or positive self-talk for a few minutes a day improves self-esteem. Regular reinforcement builds a stronger mindset over time.

How About You? 

What’s something you’d like to get started in the next month? I invite you to share your goals (big and small) in the Comments section of this post. If you like, include a small micro-step you could take right away to start heading in a new direction. 

Save for Later

If you use Pinterest to save and share ideas, here’s a handy pin for this article: 

Note: This post was originally published on February 28, 2022, and has been updated with new information.

The post 24 Small Micro Goals For Big Results appeared first on Eliza Cross.

I recently decided to try a car insurance tracking device, lured by State Farm’s promise of saving money on premiums.

Perhaps you’ve received a similar enticement from your insurance company and wondered if it’s creepy to be followed, or financially prudent.

Are car insurance trackers worth it? This is an honest recap of my experience, along with some questions for you to consider. This is not a sponsored post, and I have no financial connection to State Farm.

Money versus Privacy

The letter I received from State Farm was tempting. Enable the company’s Drive Safe and Safe app, and I could potentially “save up to 50%” on my premium rates. I’m always trying to whittle down our monthly bills, so I was intrigued.

To make the system work, State Farm provides a little beacon that goes in your car, connects to your Bluetooth and tracks all of your driving movements. It also requires an app to be installed on your phone, which needs Location Services enabled at all times. That’s the part that made me feel queasy.

The beacon package sat on my kitchen counter unopened for a month because I felt so weird about giving up my privacy. I finally called my agent’s assistant to discuss my hesitation.

“I completely understand, and I resisted for two years before I finally decided to try it,” she said. “But if you have a smartphone it’s tracking you anyway, so you might as well get some financial benefit.” She had a point.

So I set aside my discomfort and enabled the app, telling myself I’d try a six-month experiment to see if it was worth it. Once I got past that hard first step, I found the data shared by the app kind of interesting. You can log in after any drive and see immediate feedback.

The State Farm app assigns a Trip Score for each drive, evaluating these attributes:

• Acceleration
• Braking
• Cornering
• Speeding
• Phone Use

Here’s a screenshot of the data for one of my recent drives, where I was a little loose with acceleration, braking and speeding:

Show Me the Money

You can also track your discount on the app. Since enabling the app, the savings have been pretty good. Here’s a recent screenshot of mine:

Every Move You Make

What does the State Farm beacon track? The app shows a little map of exactly where you drove on your most recent trip. You can also click “see all trips” and see the history.

It’s kind of unsettling, to be honest. I don’t love giving up my privacy, but then again, what dirt does State Farm really get on me?

I guess I’m at the stage of life where I don’t have too many secrets, but let’s make one thing perfectly clear: 

WILD STUFF COULD STILL HAPPEN.

Sometimes when I’m weary of sharing, I park in the center of the parking lot and leave my phone in the car. The app is then left to wonder, Is she buying ingredients to make Kamikaze Jello shots? Or a fruit salad? Is she picking up oregano to make spaghetti sauce? Or a baggie of Colorado herbs at Karmaceuticals?

I think it’s good to maintain a little mystery in our relationship.

Tailgaters and Haters

Are you willing to suffer humiliation and ridicule on the road?

The State Farm app currently marks down your score for driving 8 MPH or more over the posted speed limit. To avoid losing a star, you’ll sometimes have to drive slower than the traffic around you.

We live near a long road with just one lane in each direction and a 30 MPH speed limit that pretty much everyone ignores.

Recently I had an SUV bearing down hard on my fanny as I drove the maximum allowable speed of 37 MPH. The young gentleman following me went certifiably bonkers. He actually leaned on his horn and followed me honking nonstop for a mile.

I put my head down and persevered at a steady 37 m.p.h. until I could pull over, and he gave me a special salute as he raced by.

“It hasn’t always been like this!” I shouted at his dust. I shook off the embarrassment, adjusted my bonnet, and motored on.

Gentle On My Mind

I’ve noticed a surprising benefit of having the app. Driving a little slower and less aggressively has actually made the experience more pleasant and less stressful (except when I’m being tailed by a honker).

When I first started using the app, I kept getting marked down for my turns. I finally figured out that the app likes wide, gentle turns instead of fast, sharp turns.

Now my turns are so smooth you could perform eye surgery on a cat while I’m driving, and your hand would only slip when we hit potholes.

Sudden acceleration is another no-no, although the maneuver often can’t be avoided in Denver traffic when some drivers would rather see you crash into a concrete barrier than let you squeeze into their lane.

“Don’t signal first,” my daughter suggested as I recently struggled to merge on I-25.

“But I’m trying to be civil,” I protested.

“That’s the problem.”

I rapidly accelerated and quickly pulled in the lane before the driver behind me had a chance to slam her foot to the gas pedal. Boom, done.

The downside is that the State Farm app took away a star for my fast merge maneuver. If you’re a Pleaser like me, this scenario creates a painful dilemma.

Do you practice good manners and keep the app happy? Or be bold, lose a star, but avoid a lifetime of waiting in the merge lane? These are not easy decisions to make.

Is It Worth the Trade-Off?

If my current driving pattern and discount holds, the app will save me a couple hundred dollars per year in premiums. Is it worth the savings to be tracked? Only you can make that decision.

Some say that it’s only a matter of time before these devices are required in every car, but for now most usage-based auto insurance programs are opt-in.

Insurers say trackers lead to safer driving, which will ultimately reduce the number of accidents and deaths on the roads. Location tracking can also be used to settle accident disputes and find stolen cars.

What Do You Think?

How do you feel about this trend in auto insurance? Does the idea of being tracked give you the creeps? Are you currently using a tracking device? Has it saved you money on your premiums? I’d love to hear what you think in the Comments section of this post.

If you use Pinterest to save and share ideas, here’s a handy pin: 

Photo credits: Grateful thanks to Nrico for the liquor store image, Don Graham for the mountain road photo, Nicolas Tonelli for the Amish buggy photo that was heavily PhotoShopped, and Maggie Jumps for the curving road photo.

The post Should You Install a Car Insurance Tracking Device to Save Money? appeared first on Eliza Cross.

Chewy chocolate drop cookies are topped with a sweet coconut pecan topping for the most incredible flavor and texture! They’re finished with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top. One word: YUM!

These cookies are easy to make, decadent, and perfect for Christmas cookie trays, holiday parties, Valentine’s Day treats, and year ’round snacking.

For more easy drop cookie recipes, be sure to check out my recipes for M & M Cookies, Soft Ginger Cookies, and Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

Easy to Make – The drop cookie technique means no rolling or cutting! While the cookies are baking, you can make the easy topping on your stovetop.

Chocolatey Goodness – If you’re a chocolate lover, these cookies have a deep, rich chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth with every bite.

A Delicious Coconut Pecan Twist – These chewy cookies are topped with a sweet, nutty icing inspired by classic German Chocolate Cake frosting.

The Sweetest Season Cookie Swap

This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Each December, a group of food bloggers share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.

This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.

About Cookies for Kids Cancer

Since 2008, Cookies for Kids Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.

This year your donation goes twice as far, because Cookies for Kids Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO who will match every dollar raised through the end of 2024, up to $100,000. Whatever money you donate will automatically double!

If you’d like to support this important cause, donate through our fundraising page.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s a picture of what you’ll need to make these cookies:

Equipment Needed

You don’t need any specialized equipment to make these cookies:

• Microwave-safe bowl
• Mixing bowls
• Cookie scoop or tablespoon
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack
• Saucepan

Step by Step Instructions

STEP ONE: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder and reserve.

STEP TWO: Place the chocolate chips and the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High in 15-seconds intervals. Stir after each interval, until the chocolate and butter have completely melted. Set aside to allow to cool slightly.

STEP THREE: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla and eggs until combined.

STEP FOUR: Add the cooled chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.

STEP FIVE: Add the flour mixture and mix well.

Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

STEP SIX: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a cookie sheet. 

STEP SEVEN: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough in balls and arrange on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake until edges are crisp and centers are almost dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack.

How to Make Coconut Pecan Frosting

STEP EIGHT: In a medium saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Add the shredded coconut and chopped pecans, and stir until well combined. 

STEP NINE: Spoon a generous tablespoon of topping on top of each cookie, spreading to the edges. 

STEP TEN: In a small microwave safe bowl, place the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate chips and microwave on High in 10 seconds intervals, stirring at every stop, until the chocolate is fully melted. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of each cookie. 

Makes about 24 cookies.  

How to Store Leftovers

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Printable Recipe Card

Print

Chocolate Coconut Pecan Cookies

If you like German Chocolate Cake, you'll love these chocolate coconut pecan cookies topped with melted chocolate.

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword coconut, German chocolate cookies, pecans

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 260kcal

Author Eliza Cross

Equipment

• small bowl
• large bowl
• microwave-safe bowl
• cookie sheet
• cookie scoop
• zip-top baggie

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup flour

For the Coconut Pecan Topping

• 1 can evaporated milk 12 ounces
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together.
• Place the chocolate chips and the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High in 15-seconds intervals. Stir after each interval, until the chocolate and butter have completely melted. Set aside to allow to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla and eggs until combined.
• Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Add in the dry ingredients and mix well. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a baking sheet.
• Scoop the dough into balls, using a tablespoon or cookie scoop. Arrange on the prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
• To make the topping: Combine the evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Add the shredded coconut and chopped pecans and stir. Cool for 10 more minutes.
• Once the cookies and the topping have cooled, spoon a generous tablespoon of the topping on top of each cookie. (You may have to shape with your hands depending if the coconut has long shreds.)
• In a small microwave safe bowl, place the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate chips and microwave on High in 10 seconds intervals, stirring at every stop, until the chocolate is fully melted. Drizzle the cookies with the melted chocolate*. Allow chocolate to set for about an hour. (You can speed up the cooling by refrigerating the cookies for 15 minutes.)

Notes

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and enjoy within 5 days.

*PRO TIP: To drizzle the chocolate in thin lines, transfer the melted chocolate to a zip-top baggie using a small spatula. Seal the baggie and snip off one small piece of the corner. Drizzle chocolate across each of the cookies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 210IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Got questions? Just ask! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I’d be thrilled if you clicked the little stars above and gave the recipe a 5-star rating and comment. If you post your creations on social media, tag #elizacross so I can share!

Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist, and any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline.

Pin for Later

If you use Pinterest to save and share ideas, here’s a handy pin:

The post Chocolate Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe appeared first on Eliza Cross.

Every few weeks, I drive to my local Sprouts store and buy a couple bags of organic Guatemalan coffee.

This particular Sprouts store is a rather, shall we say, relaxed establishment where long lines are part of the experience. On a recent Thursday at 5 p.m., three cashiers were open and the lines of people stretched all the way back to the produce department.

As I eyed the three lines to figure out which would move quickest, a man veered his cart decisively to the right so I defaulted to the center, nearly cutting off another woman. She slid her cart in close behind me, and I could feel her daggers.

The people waiting all wore similar expressions of resignation, like you might see in the faces of cows standing in a dank feed lot.

I silently counted the people in my line: 11. The speedy gentleman to the right only had ten people ahead of him. So unfair! I thought to myself. I was headed for that line until he cut me off.

I stood with my two little bags of coffee and inwardly groaned at the overstuffed carts ahead of me. Who are you people, camp cooks? I wondered. Preppers stocking up for the apocalypse?

Our cashier appeared to be a friendly young man who was now chatting with the customer at the front of the line. 

C’mon, enough with the talking! I implored him with my strongest ESP vibes. Scan and talk at the same time! Let’s mooooooooove!

To my right, Mr. Speedy’s cashier had stopped scanning. “Price check on register eight,” he announced.

Oh YES!, I thought, brightening up considerably. Now Speedy’s line is slower than mine. Na, na, na, na, NA, na!

Suddenly I had one of those out-of-body experiences where my better consciousness intervenes and slaps me upside the head. 

What are you thinking? it demanded. What’s with this ugly spirit of competitiveness? Why are you feeling glee because your fellow human is delayed?

Before I could answer those questions, I saw a movement to my far left.

A green-shirted Sprouts employee was fiddling around at a closed cash register. He didn’t make eye contact with us as he carefully straightened the bags and meticulously sprayed the conveyor belt with cleaner.

Next, he counted every bill and coin in the cash drawer. And then… yes? No? Wait for it!

He flicked on the lane light, and a mass exodus occurred. The dagger woman behind me was first in line. Dust rose in the air, and the new line was ten people deep in nine seconds.

None of us patient, longsuffering cattle had been nimble enough to migrate. Even worse, our bagging clerk shuffled over to help the new line of shoppers. So unfair!

Dagger’s eyes met mine as she paid for her groceries. Maybe it was my imagination, but it sounded like she said “Hasta la vista, sucker!” as she waltzed out of the store.

I took a deep breath, and tried to remember all the things I’ve read about acceptance and letting go. Inhale peace, exhale stress.

I pictured Jerry Seinfeld’s dad yelling, “Serenity now!”

What is it about being in a crowded grocery store that brings out my most primitive instincts? My default mode seems to be:

• I am in a hurry. Even if I’m not on any particular schedule, I’m still in a hurry.
• Waiting is a big waste of my valuable time.
• Lines should be fair and democratic!
• Cashiers should be efficient and know all the grocery codes, even for starfruit and Swiss Chard.
• Our bagger must never defect to another line!
• When it’s my turn, I like it when the cashier is friendly.
• Success = making better time than my fellow shoppers.

I took more deep breaths and tried to be patient. After several more minutes of jockeying, it was finally my turn.

“Your coffee smells good,” the cashier said as he scanned.

“I love Sprouts coffee.”

“It’s the best.” He smiled and nodded at me. “You need to press the green ‘Enter’ button and click ‘Yes.'”

“Oh, sorry. All of these machines are different.”

“I know, right? Why can’t they standardize card readers?”

Exactly! I smiled and gazed back at the dozen people scowling in line behind me.

I swear to you, I could hear their thoughts like HURRY UP, LADY! and MOVE IT! floating around me.

“You still need to sign the keypad.”

“Oh, sorry.”

As I headed toward the exit I noticed Mr. Speedy still in his line, peering at the card reader trying to figure out which button to push.

Cowabunga! I thought, as I skipped to my car like a happy heifer finally let out to pasture.

This post was originally published at Happy Simple Living on June 27, 2017.

The post Facing My Worst Self in the Grocery Line appeared first on Eliza Cross.

I recently found a photo of myself taken about forty years ago. As I studied the pensive young girl in the picture, I longed to reassure and encourage her about the decades ahead.

If I could write myself a letter and send it back in time forty years, here’s what I’d say:

Dear young Eliza,

You don’t yet trust your instincts, but your inner voice wants to steer you toward goodness and save you from so many calamities. Try to listen to your intuition.

Your thighs are just perfect. Oh, how I wish you didn’t have to waste one minute worrying about impossible body standards. Someday you will balance babies on those hips and be grateful for their strength.

Set up automatic savings withdrawals from your paychecks as soon as you can. You are going to need a lot of money.

Your Mama is wise, steadfast, faithful, and compassionate, and she loves you more than anyone. Learn everything you can from her, and call her first when you need solid advice. Hug your mom tight and tell her you love her, every chance you get.

Practice writing every day, and learn everything you can about the craft of writing. That urging you’ve felt since you were a young girl turns out to be important and prescient.

Always have the main sewer line inspected before making an offer on a house. This one tip will save you $7500 and a lot of unpleasantness. Also, before you buy that first fixer-upper home you might want to check and see if the back bedrooms are heated.

Spend more time with your brother Jorma. Hug him every chance you get. Watch his skateboard tricks, listen to his music, and tell him you love him. He will be gone far too soon.

You’ll be given a lot of work responsibility at a young age, and you’ll feel like an insider for the first time. Don’t abuse that bit of middle-manager power by making others feel like they’re on the outside. Profits matter, but people matter more. Be kind.

You have many gifts, but matchmaking is not among them. Do not set up your friends. If you do, there will be a felony record to prove your bad instincts.

Relish every moment you spend sharing a meal with people you love.

Listen carefully when your Dad gets in his teaching mode. Ask him more questions about his art. Save his letters. Love him as well as you possibly can, and then it won’t be quite so hard when he’s gone.

Never get involved with a man who cheats or lies.

Your sister Catherine is in kindergarten right now, but in time she will become your closest friend and confidante. You’ll share incredible joy and sadness together, and help each other through things only you two can understand. Encourage her, support her, and try to be a good big sister.

Don’t “take a break” after two years of college. You will lose your momentum and get sucked into credit card debt and car payments, and you’ll never be as unencumbered again.

Write and call your grandparents more. Go to family reunions. Spend time with your aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and extended family, every chance you get.

Avoid suntanning beds at all costs. In the 1990s, tanning salons will be all the rage, with ads promoting their “safe UVA rays.” Later you will learn that artificial tanning is a leading cause of skin cancer.

Please slow down. Otherwise, you’ll lose your driver’s license when you’re 22 because of too many speeding tickets.

And don’t buy that Audi 5000. It’s a beautiful car, but it’s a lemon.

You can’t imagine the amazing girlfriends you’re going to have. You’ll share so much life together — weddings, births, illness, funerals, affairs, divorces, vacations, camping trips, picnics, parties, meals, and decades of laughter. Embrace these wonderful women, support their dreams, celebrate their successes, and find ways to let them know you appreciate them.

Recognize your frenemies sooner. A few people will seem like friends, but they’ll secretly cheer when you fail. You’ll sense it, even as you invest your heart and energy trying to win them over. You must let the mean girls go.

Try not to be so hard on your stepdad. Right now he’s the target of much of your teenage emotion, but you’ll eventually grow to love him and call him Pop. He’ll turn out to be a wonderful father and grandpa to your kids. Pop will help and support you in so many ways.

Meditate, pray, and try to stay positive. Spare yourself the unnecessary suffering produced by negative thoughts and worrying.

Your children will surprise you and fill your heart to overflowing. Enjoy the precious time you have with them, because the parenting years pass with breathtaking speed.

I know you are disillusioned with the church right now. Just remember that religious denominations and churches are fallible human institutions. Don’t confuse them with God, who loves you and will wait patiently as you find your way back.

You will take a couple of major relationship swan dives, and experience loss and heartache. Don’t get jaded or cynical. Let your heart be open, and don’t let fear keep you from loving again.

Finally, try to be present. Enjoy the small, sparkling moments. Take it all in, because I promise you, your life is going to be amazing.

Love,

How About You?

If you could share some thoughts with your teenage self, what would you say? Drop a comment below!

The post A Letter to My 17 Year Old Self appeared first on Eliza Cross.

The break happened when I was thirteen, on what began as a normal day. I was at a girlfriend’s house when my mom called and asked me to come home. Opening the front door I discovered Dad on the couch fighting back tears, a suitcase at his feet.

What happened next rocked my world. Dad explained that he was going to go stay at a friend’s cabin for a while. He and Mom were having a tough time, and they had decided it would be best if he moved out.

My baby sister was napping, and as he went in her room to kiss her goodbye I tried to absorb the shocking news. Crying openly, Dad pulled Mom and me into a long hug and then he was gone.

I realize now that I was probably experiencing depression in the months that followed. I tried to be good and responsible and help my mom, but I cried every night and wondered if I would ever stop feeling so sad.

A turning point came when the Johnny Nash song I Can See Clearly Now started playing on the radio. “Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind…” Oh, how I longed for that feeling. I prayed for a rainbow. And soon a day went by without tears, and then two days, and eventually the ache started to lessen.

Years later, a good counselor and a caring pastor would help me work through my angsty years of high school when my main focus was hanging out with friends, partying, just getting by in school, and looking for love in all the wrong places.

After I married and experienced my own challenges, I was able to better understand and empathize with my parents’ separation and divorce.

For all the time I spent sorting out what happened during the years After, though, I hadn’t really thought much about the girl I was Before.

Until now.

Last month, a classified ad on NextDoor.com caught my eye. A neighbor was selling a used clarinet, the instrument I had played in junior high, but quit in the months After. One phone call and twenty dollars later, the pretty clarinet in a black velvet-lined case was mine.

That night I assembled the clarinet, lifted it to my lips and tried the easiest note, an open G. I wish I could say that the tone was clear and true. But the truth is that the first sound I made on my new clarinet was a piercing squeak that awakened our dog with a confused growl.

Unlike getting back on a bicycle, I had to relearn all the keys and retrain my mouth to form the proper embouchure. Our junior high band teacher John A. Whitehurst was right:  playing the clarinet properly requires hours and hours of practice.

Something else surprising happened in the taking up of this new-old instrument. Returning to the clarinet brought back a flood of memories about the curious, unselfconscious girl I was Before.

I’d forgotten that in the years Before, my friends and I formed a musical group and performed in a local talent show.

Before, I marched in a parade downtown as I played my clarinet. I was in a folk dancing group, and twirled onstage to polka songs.

Before, I bought a ten-speed bike with my babysitting money and rode it all over Boulder. I sewed my own peasant blouses, crafted chokers from grosgrain ribbon and lace, and embroidered flowers on my jeans.

Before, I stood up and sang for the residents of a nursing home. I entered speech competitions, voluntarily!

Before, I tried out for the lead in the school play and was cast instead as the grandma, which required me to draw wrinkles on my face and whiten my hair with talcum powder.

In the After days, all I wanted to do was fit in. I didn’t venture on a single stage during high school.

Looking back, I marvel at how fearless I was Before. I also realize that those long-dormant interests are still part of who I am, four decades later. And the courage? It must still be there somewhere, too.

So recently I joined Toastmasters, where I stand up and give speeches and enjoy the thrill of doing something that scares the heck out of me.

And every night after dinner, I take out my clarinet.

The notes come slow.

The squeaks come sometimes, too.

The dog howls.

But I play, and honor the girl I was Before.

I play, and offer melodies for the girl I was After.

I play and send up an old song about a bright, bright, sun-shiny day, so grateful for the loves and losses and mistakes and mercy and dark clouds and sunny days and hills and valleys and every breathtaking moment of grace, Before and After, that shaped my life and brought me here to Right Now.

And straight ahead?

There’s nothing but blue skies.

How About You?

Was there a time in your youth when you tried something that now seems fearless? Did you enjoy an activity years ago that you would like to try again? Have you recently returned to a former hobby or sport?

Is there a song, literal or figurative, that you long to play?

I’d love hear your thoughts and memories, so drop a comment below.

This essay was originally posted at Happy Simple Living on July 31, 2017.

The post Finding What I Lost in the Classified Ads appeared first on Eliza Cross.

Sylvia Crosslen became my step-grandmother when her son Howard married my mom Betty, some forty years ago.

If you are fortunate enough to have a special relative through marriage, then you’ll understand when I say that it didn’t take long for me to not even think about the “step” part and just call her Grandma.

Born in 1908, Sylvia traveled to Colorado on a covered wagon from Paris, Texas when she was eight years old and married Orville when she was 25.

Grandma and Grandpa raised seven kids in a simple cabin in the Black Forest of Colorado Springs; my Pop was the youngest, and only boy.

We’ve heard many stories about the family’s challenges and Grandma didn’t have luxuries, but she grew a fragrant, old-fashioned pink rose in her garden.

In her later years–before she moved to the apartment–she gave a slip of the rose to my Mom and Pop, who carefully carried it back to Denver and planted it in their garden.

When their rose became established, they in turn gave my sister and me a slip, and we each planted the roses in our gardens, too.

Now many of Grandma’s children and grandchildren in numerous states are enjoying this hardy, lovely rose in our yards and gardens.

The tiny stalks take a while to get established, but soon they grow into a wild cascade of canes and leaves. Once a year, for just a week or so in June, the plant blooms with the most fragrant, extravagant pink roses you’ve ever seen.

The roses are impossibly fat and packed with pink petals, and you can smell their sweet aroma across the yard in the morning.

The blossoms last only for a day or two, and then they litter the grass with pink petals.

Grandma Sylvia “Jean” Crosslen passed in 2001 at the age of 93, but I’m thinking of her this week because her rose is blooming once again and putting on its extravagant show in the garden.

I am grateful to have the offshoot of her rose bush here with me to remind me of her gentle spirit.

The post A Remarkable Rose from a Sweet Grandma appeared first on Eliza Cross.

I’ve always loved Cap’n Crunch cereal. As a child raised in Boulder, Colorado by a mom who embraced organic and whole foods long before they were hip, it was a rare, rare occurrence to have something as sugary and processed as sweetened breakfast cereal.

Naturally, I developed an obsession with Cap’n Crunch. Those sweet little pillows of crunch! The way they melt around the edges when you top them with milk! The sugar buzz!

This recipe for Cap’n Crunch French Toast is sweet, crunchy and absolutely decadent for breakfast or brunch.

Crispy bacon is the perfect accompaniment. To learn how to make that beautiful wavy bacon, visit my other website BENSA Bacon Lovers Society!

Add some fresh fruit on the side, and you can boast that your French Toast is “part of a balanced breakfast.”

Are you ready to add some CRUNCH to your morning?

Recipe Inspiration

A rerun of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network featured Cap’n Crunch French Toast from the Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore. The moment I heard the idea, I began obsessing about it. Since I couldn’t hop a plane to Baltimore this month to meet Blue Moon’s amazing owner Sarah Simington, I decided to try making a batch at home.  

Important French Toast Research

I found some copycat recipes online, but they called for cooking the cereal-coated French toast in a skillet. Many commenters reported that the crumbs fell off the toast while frying. This goes against two things I try to avoid when cooking: 

1. Complicated preparations
2. Screaming

I wondered if baking the French Toast might help the sweet crumbs adhere… and thus began my crunchy culinary experiment.

For this preparation, instead of using thick, soft bread I thought a thinner slice might work better with the substantial layer of Cap’n Crunch I envisioned on both sides. For maximum crunch, I wanted just enough of the custardy dip to soften the bread without making it soggy. 

After experimenting with quantities, I baked a batch of French Toast that came out of the oven exactly as I’d hoped — sweet, crunchy, crispy, and chock full of forbidden Cap’n Crunch.

Best of all, the recipe was super easy — and I didn’t scream once!

Let’s get cooking! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

To prepare this french toast recipe, gather these ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 slices bread
• 2 1/3 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• powdered sugar for sprinkling
• maple syrup for drizzling

Equipment

You don’t need any fancy cooking equipment to make this recipe:

• Whisk
• Bowl
• Gallon size zip-lock bag
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper
• Baking pan
• Cooling rack
• Spatula

Step by Step Directions and Photos

You can use any kind of bread you like – even groats ‘n oats bread if that’s what’s in your breadbox (Love you, Mom!). I had the bakery slice a fresh loaf of white bread on the thin side. 

Next, whisk together 3 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. 

Now comes the fun part, because you get to smash stuff. Pour about 2 1/3 cups of Cap’n Crunch cereal in zip-lock bag and smash it with a rolling pin, a bottle, a ball peen hammer or your favorite smashing implement.

I wanted some small pieces and some large pieces, but you can make the crumbs as big, small, irregular or uniform as you like. 

Pour the crumbs in a shallow dish, and get ready to DIP! 

Dip six bread slices in the egg mixture and cover generously with the crumbs. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once you’re done you may have some sticky crumbs left in the bowl. Gently press those to the bread for maximum adhesion. 

Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 9 to 10 minutes, or until the French toast is lightly browned and heated through. Watch carefully during the last couple minutes of cooking so that it doesn’t over-brown. 

Just before serving, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and serve with real maple syrup.

Tomorrow we can return to eating healthy groats granola, but today? YOLO! 

Here’s the full recipe: 

Print

Captain Crunch French Toast

Crunchy, sweet French Toast is coated with crushed Cap'n Crunch cereal and baked in the oven until it's crispy and browned on the outside, and tender on the inside.

Course Recipes

Cuisine Breakfast

Keyword breakfast, brunch, Cap’n Crunch, French toast

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 6 pieces

Calories 216kcal

Author Eliza Cross

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 slices bread
• 2 1/3 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• powdered sugar for sprinkling
• maple syrup

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt until blended.
• Put the Cap'n Crunch cereal in a zip-lock back and use a rolling pin to crush it in both large and small crumbs.
• Pour Cap'n Crunch crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip both sides of bread in egg mixture, then in the crumbs, patting to help coating adhere. Arrange on prepared pan. Press remaining crumbs on the top of the French toast.
• Bake 9-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve drizzled with maple syrup.
  
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 419mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g

If you enjoy this Captain Crunch French Toast, I’d be thrilled if you gave it a 5-star rating. Are you on Pinterest? You can save or share the recipe with this pin: 

I love seeing and sharing your culinary creations. If you prepare this recipe and post a photo, tag me on Instagram at @elizacross or #elizacross.

If you serve Cap’n Crunch French Toast, I’d love to hear what you think. Drop a rating and leave a comment!

P.S. From BENSA Bacon Lovers Society, here’s how to cook wavy bacon in the oven! 

The post Captain Crunch French Toast appeared first on Eliza Cross.

Appetizer, side or salad? No matter what you call it, this simple recipe combines some of my favorite flavors of summer. The fresh corn, creamy avocado, ripe tomatoes and jalapeno peppers are such a tasty combination, and a squeeze of fresh lime adds brings it all together.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to prepare this tasty corn salsa:

Fresh sweet corn – Summer corn is the best, but in a pinch you can substitute steamed frozen corn.

A just-ripe avocado

Grape tomatoes – Feel free to substitute any tomatoes you like.

A jalapeno pepper – For more spice you can use two peppers. For less heat, use an Anaheim pepper.

Half a red onion – You could also use a sweet yellow onion like a Vidalia. See my tip below for tempering the strong onion flavor.

Fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh chives

You can make this recipe your own, and add whatever other ingredients you love or have on hand: black beans or garbanzos or Anaheim chiles or serrano chiles or edamame or cilantro or fresh basil or bell peppers, etc.

Directions

Chop half the onion very finely.

Pro Tip: I sometimes find raw onion a little too strong for my tastes. To temper the onion a bit, chop it finely and then soak it in ice water.

Drain the onion on paper towels before adding it to the salsa. This step eliminates the strong excess “juice,” and the onion is pleasantly mild and crispy.

Remove the corn kernels from the fresh corn on the cob.

Pro Tip: If you haven’t tried a nifty curved corn cutter (that’s an affiliate link) for quickly zipping corn off the cob, you will love it! You can also you can cut the kernels with a sharp knife.

Finally, here’s how to steam the corn to just-picked perfection. Put the kernels in a heatproof bowl with a tablespoon of water and a sprinkle of salt, cover partially and microwave on High for 60 seconds.

Stir and cook on High again for 60 seconds. (Microwaves vary, so you may need another short burst or two.) The corn will be lightly steamed and perfectly crisp-tender.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, stir gently to combine, and serve.

For scooping, they might not be as traditional as tortilla chips but I LOVE the Fritos scoop chips. Do you?

All this talk of chips and dip is making me hungry! Shall we get cooking?

Printable Recipe Card

Print

Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salsa

This fresh, simple appetizer combines some of my favorite flavors of summer, including sweet corn, creamy ripe avocado, grape tomatoes, zippy jalapeno, red onion and lime. So good!

Course Recipes

Cuisine Appetizers

Keyword appetizer, dip, salsa

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 200kcal

Author Eliza Cross

Ingredients

• 2 ears fresh sweet corn shucked and silk removed
• half a medium red onion finely diced
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1 ripe avocado peeled, pitted and cut in 1/4 inch dice
• 1 medium jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced
• The juice of half a fresh lime
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• salt and pepper to taste
• Scoop style chips for dipping

Instructions

• Cut the kernels from the corn and transfer to an ovenproof bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and sprinkle with salt. Cover and microwave on High for 60 seconds. Stir and microwave on High for an additional 60 seconds, or until corn is crisp-tender. (You can also cook the mixture in a covered saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until crisp-tender.) Transfer the corn to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Transfer the diced red onion to a bowl of ice water, cover and chill in the refrigerator.
• Drain the onion, blot on paper towels and add to the corn. Chop the remaining ingredients, squeeze with the lime juice and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped chives and stir just until combined.
• Serve accompanied with scoop-style chips. Makes about 4 appetizer servings.

Notes

The salsa can be prepared up to one hour in advance. Cover tightly and stir gently before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 152mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g

If you enjoy this fresh corn, avocado and tomato salsa-salad-dip-or-whatever-it-is, I’d be thrilled if you gave the recipe a 5-star rating.

Are you on Pinterest? You can save or share the recipe with this handy pin: 

I love sharing your culinary creations! If you prepare this recipe and post a photo, tag me on social media at @elizacross or #elizacross.

The post Fresh Corn Avocado Tomato Salsa appeared first on Eliza Cross.