There is something special about a chocolate chip cookie, especially when it comes right from a cast iron skillet. A cast iron skillet takes a classic chocolate chip cookie to a whole new level. With crispy edges and a soft, gooey center filled with melted chocolate chips.
Our grandson Tyler came over a couple of weeks ago with Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie dough. I thought we were going to bake some cookies, but Tyler had another idea. He wanted to make a cast-iron skillet cookie.
So, we got out my 10-inch cast-iron skillet and greased it lightly with butter. We pressed the cookie dough into the skillet and preheated the oven to 350 degrees.
Here is our chocolate chip cookie pressed into our 10-inch skillet and ready for the oven. We baked our cookie for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges looked crispy.
If you're looking for a quick and easy dessert, the ready-made cookie dough works well. If you'd rather make your cookies from scratch, find my recipe here: Homemade Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.
We served this cookie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it was delicious.
A cast-iron skillet chocolate chip cookie shows how a simple recipe can become an unforgettable dessert.
Grab yourself a cast-iron skillet and some cookie dough and try this delightful dessert.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Most of the lyrics I write carry a piece of my heart, and this one comes straight from my parents' lives. The opening verse of "Grandma Doesn't Wish to Be Young Again" offers a small glimpse into their story.
They took their vows in a quiet little town and spent hours just driving around together. My dad had this teasing grin that could make my mom laugh even when she was mad at him, a skill he definitely used to clear the air!
Today, my mom and dad are together again, which makes this song mean the world to me.
Before that reunion, though, I watched my mother navigate life after losing him. That experience inspired the story of a grandmother learning to live fully in a world where her husband has gone on ahead.
Mom once said to me that losing Dad was like losing half of your body. I could feel the shift. Losing Dad affected us all, but Mom, I suspect, more than anyone.
Why An Upbeat Tempo?
When people hear a song about grief and aging, they usually expect a slow, tear-jerking ballad.
But I wanted something entirely different. I went with a fast, upbeat tempo on purpose. It took many iterations to get the sound I wanted to match my words. That part was frustrating, but in the end, the final result is what I was going for.
Life doesn't stop moving just because we experience loss, and our memories of the people we love are usually vibrant and full of energy.
The driving rhythm mirrors that enduring spirit, transforming a bittersweet story into something that feels alive, moving forward, and surprisingly uplifting.
The Real Meaning Behind The Title
The title says it all: "Grandma doesn't wish to be young again."
While my mom might have liked the idea of reliving her youth, she made it clear as she got older that she had no reservations about leaving when her time came, because it meant being with my dad.
For the character in my song, turning back the clock holds no appeal. Going backward would just take her further away from where Grandpa is patiently waiting for her.
Instead of wishing for lost years, she finds comfort in her memories of him, which give her the strength to keep going each day. She even reminds her kids and grandkids not to fear getting older, seeing aging simply as a privilege.
It's just a personal reflection on love that outlasts the years, and I'm so glad I could share the story behind it with you all on the blog today. Perhaps you'll find your family in these words.
Oh, I forgot to mention: the wedding photo in the main image is of my mom and dad on their wedding day.
*********
"Drageda Lyrics" on all Platforms, including Streaming Platforms**
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Independence, Kansas is a small town located in Southeast Kansas situated along the Verdigris River and close to the Oklahoma State Line. It is the home of the Little House on The Prairie Museum where the famous Laura Ingalls Wilder lived.
Back in 1919, the City Fathers decided to provide a way to eliminate the typical Halloween pranks that had been occurring around that holiday. To that end, they began a program of positive activities for kids of all ages. These activities included several parades throughout the day and evening of October 31st, with decorated cars and carriages, along with Queens and Princesses from area festivals. These included their own town Queen who was elected based on the number of votes bought at a penny each.
The festival was interrupted by The Great Depression and World War II, but in 1958 local businessmen revived and elaborated on this festival and brought it back as a 3-day celebration. The festival is named NEEWOLLAH (Halloween, spelled backwards).
Neewollah
This annual Halloween festival held in Independence, a town of only 8,500 inhabitants, is today the largest annual festival in all of Kansas. During the festival, which now is a 9-day celebration, the town grows to 75,000 people.
Events have grown to include three parades, including one for the kiddies, and a Grand Parade. There is also a Chili cook-off, a musical, and the Queen Neelah pageant.
There are food vendors, an Arts and Crafts show, and a Fun Run. You will find a bandstand for nightly entertainment. This festival has activities for everyone of any age.
A Musical is a planned part of the festival each year. In 2026, the musical will be Disney’s FROZEN. The show is always performed by a local cast and live orchestra.
Summary
This year’s Neewollah Festival will be held October 23 - 31, 2026. To find out more about Independence, Kansas, including its Neewollah Festival, the free park & zoo, the several interesting museums, and the Children’s Summer Theatre, please visit: http://www.indkschamber.org/
*Travel Review of the Neewollah Festival in Independence, Kansas
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Some toys are just too cute! I bought this Kong Wubba bat for our
Labrador retriever, Watson. He loves Wubbas and the bat seemed like
the perfect Halloween gift. Of course, I gave it to him weeks before
Halloween. He immediately started carrying it around as his favorite
new toy. He even "flew" the bat around the backyard so it could get a
good look at it's new home.
The Wubba bat is absolutely adorable with it's big smile and silver
wings. Like other Wubba toys, it has the long floppy tails that make
it easy for a pup to catch and carry. It also has the squeaker in the
round "head" which seems to bring great joy to Watson as he bites down on
the Wubba.
Watson's Bat Wubba is black and orange, as shown in the photos. However, the bat Wubbas on Amazon are black and purple. Either set of colors are awesome!
The
silver wings on all of the bats make them glisten in the sun when our dog is running through the
yard with the bat in his mouth. The reflective wings also make this
Wubba easier to find.
The rugged reinforced nylon exterior is durable and great for dogs chewing, biting, and playtime.
Wubba's are always fun toys for the toss-and-catch game between people and pets.
This Wubba's height is 9.5 inches and has a 7" wide wingspan.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Cavatelli is a traditional Italian pasta with a small rolled shape. You can find cavatelli at your local grocery store, but you can also make them at home.
This cavatelli maker has been in our family for years. My mother gave this to Fran and me shortly after we were married. We have been married for 54 years, and I don't know how long she had it before giving it to us. I guess this simple kitchen tool will outlive us all.
We make our homemade cavatelli with three simple ingredients. You can find the recipe here on my blog: Homemade Cavatelli.
Here is a plate of our homemade cavatelli made fresh with our cavatelli maker. I remember my grandmother making these all by hand. She would shape every single one with a simple roll of her finger. The cavatelli maker makes this process much easier.
Here is a short video of our grandson Tyler cranking out the cavatelli.
We always make several batches at one time so we can freeze them for later. Check out our recipe above for ingredients and instructions for making these with the cavatelli maker.
The cavatelli maker is easy to clean and store. Just rinse it with warm water until the rollers and blade are clean.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
There are some really interesting products being made for Halloween and I cannot believe I missed this one. It is Hallmark's motion activated Halloween Alive and Talkin' Pumpkin'. He measures 11 inches high by 7 inches wide, features a number of different Halloween-theme faces and, when you pass him by, he'll make a comment like:
"Is that a mask? Please tell me it's a mask!"
"Have a nice fright!"
"Hope Your Halloween is Delightful."
"Ever since the carving, I just have this empty feeling inside..."
If you have seen the animated pumpkin up close and personal, be sure to let us know what you think. Meanwhile, I'm hoping I run into one out there in the real world.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Many times I have made designs that people can purchase on a variety of products, but sometimes I make templates on products that people can add their own photo personalization to, such as these custom family photo calendars.
There are currently three layouts to choose from in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle. This first one is great for smaller photos that people would like to have a frame around the photo. Each page has a frame of sorts on it to showcase each photo. This calendar begins with a green circle frame for January, a pink circle frame for February, and a blue circle frame for March, followed by square black frame for April, a blue textured look rectangle frame for May, and then the pattern repeats up through November. The month of December has a colorful miniature Christmas balls frame that is a rectangle frame.
You can choose from three sizes, small, medium, and large, for this calendar. And also whether you prefer a long single page for each month, or a two page option that folds between the image and the month.
You can also pick from various styles/designs for your calendar part, such as colorful seasons, large numbers, modern bubbles, and more. It's a fun way to personalize each calendar even more. There's also a selection of wire binder colors to choose from.
This next calendar option has a template placeholder where the border color around each photo acts as the frame. Each photo will fit into a rectangle shape, that almost takes up the full picture part of the page. If the product page shows an edit button, you can select that and choose a background color, if you want the pages to have a different border color other than white.
The same custom options that are mentioned for the above calendar also applies to this one.
Whichever calendar option(s) you choose, be sure to select the appropriate year that you want, and edit any text templates. When I upload my photos or images, I make them around 12 inches in diameter and a DPI (dots per inch) or 300. They don't need to be any certain shape.
All of the above calendars also have the option to choose from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 month options. You will also select the start date and end date for each calendar that you order.
There are 21 language and culture styles to choose from too!
Calendars make great Christmas gifts, especially when there are a number of special photos that you want to share from throughout the year! If you want to mark off birthdays, anniversaries, school events, etc., then use the Calendar Grid Transparency to mark your dates off.
I have ordered a calendar from Zazzle and it turned out very well. The printing was great and it has a nice smooth finish.
Have you ever ordered a personalized photo calendar before? Thank you for considering CherylsArt on Zazzle for your personalized calendars.
Cheryl Paton
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
If it's October, it's Hallmark Countdown to Christmas! Countdown begins Friday, October 16th with Tis The
Season For Set ups with Victor Webster, Barbara Niven and Amanda Schull as
they navigate party planning, ski resort festivities with a little
matchmaking thrown in the mix to keep ski resorts and holidays Hallmark
festive.
Hallmark is again bringing over 30 new Christmas and holiday movies across
the Hallmark network whether it be live or streaming.
Eagerly awaited and anticipated 2026 Hallmark Christmas movies are:
Holiday Touchdown A Bear's Love Story
Enjoy a superfans grandson mission to help celebrate his grandma's 500th game
as a superfan with a little romance added for good Hallmark measure. Watch for
appearances by the Bears' coach and players.
The first movie in collaboration with NFL was Holiday Touchdown: A Chief's
Story which was Hallmark's number one movie.
Last year the Bill's had their turn with Holiday Touchdown: A Bill's Love
Story and this year its the Bears turn with the Bear's backdrop for holiday
Hallmark + football with Lyndsy Fonseca, Robert Buckley and Marsha Mason.
Weekend Premieres
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the end of the year Hallmark will
premiere a new movie. A few double features weekend are sprinkled
throughout the season too!
A few to look forward to:
A Grand BILTMORE Christmas which is a sequel with Niall Matter
Return To Christmas with Paul Campbell and Rachel Boston
Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True with Lacey Chabert
Christmas In Blue Dog Valley with Andrew Walker
Air dates can be found on the Hallmark.com site along with the entire
schedule for Christmas Countdown.
Hallmark Christmas Movies To Bookmark And Watch Again
Three Wise Men And A Baby And Three Wiser Men And A Boy
These three Hallmark movies are the trifecta of quality holiday movies at
Hallmark. The Hallmark A Team of Andrew Walker, Tyler Hynes and Paul
Campbell stars and their chemistry make these movies annual favorites and
amongst the most popular in the Hallmark Christmas catalog.
Three Wise Men And A Baby
Three Wiser Men And A Boy
Three Wisest Men
Christmas Under Wraps and Sequel A Cozy Christmas Inn
Jodie Sweetin (Full House) and David O'Donnell star in the sequel of
old loves reuniting. Candace Cameron Bure starred in the first.
Garland Alaska takes the center stage with new and old loves. Both
movies are charming and also on the rewatch list when Hallmark
Christmas movies begin.
Favorite Holiday Royalty Movies (Also Most Watched )
A Royal Christmas with Lacey Chabert
Crown For Christmas with Danica McKellar
A Merry Scottish Christmas 2023
This movie remains in the top tier of holiday movies with Party of
Five vets Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf play siblings on a family trip to
Scotland. Family reunions and mysteries are on the travel agenda.. Filmed in
Ireland and Scotland and the Duns Castle Estate is beautiful to watch
Haul Out The Holly And Haul Out The Holly: Lit Up Sequel 2022
Always worth rewatching and bring your of humor. Vintage Hallmark chemistry with Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown. Mix a few inner Grinches plus the annual HOA competition for
decorating to win the coveted prize! Enjoy these light hearted romcoms of Hallmark
Christmas.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
