I'm unofficially joining The Blogging from A to Z Challenge April 2012. I missed the official signup somehow, and just this morning found my way to the official site and figured out what it is all about. Anyway, I hope no one is offended, and I'm not even promising to actually produce a blog post every this month, but it does sound like fun to try. My DD2 just finished a 30 day blogging challenge, and even though I know her as well as most and even better than some, it was very enjoyable for me to read her daily posts this past month. So . . . for Day 3's challenge on the letter C, I thought that I would write a few words about one of my favorite subjects: Cookies!
I have loved cookies since way before Cookie Monster of Sesame Street fame was even thought of. One of my earliest memories is getting out my mother's mixing bowl, scooping out a generous measure of shortening, and adding some sugar before I was found out. I remember being a bit confused as to why it was wrong for me to start the cookie baking process as I had watched my mother and older siblings mix up and bake cookies many times, and felt that I knew exactly what to do. Obviously, baking cookies was a very common event at my house. When we were bored and couldn't think of anything new or fun to do, baking chocolate chip cookies was usually one of the first activities we turned to.
Of course I have carried the tradition on into my own home, in spite of my college Nutrition professor's admonition that regular cookie making ventures would lead to weight gain for myself and my DH. We did have a few years after DD1 was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 5 where we tried to only bake them for special occasions, but thanks to wonderful advances with blood glucose monitoring and different types of insulin, along with her now adult maturity, we have been able to gradaully resume the cookie baking without serious health side effects. This past winter I decided that negative effects of cold winter weather definitely can be offset by nightly post dinner cookie baking sessions. I can quickly mix up a big batch of cookie dough in the 6 quart Kitchen Aid Mixer that DH provided for me about 10 years ago, bake up a dozen or two cookies in just a few minutes, and then store the rest of the dough in the refrigerator for the next night or two's cookie feast. Of course I rotate between our favorite varieties: chocolate chip, peanut butter, applesauce oatmeal, and my personal favorite: cowboy cookies, a wonderful oatmeal cookie loaded with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, cocoanut, nuts and raisins! There are very many variations when it comes to recipes, and I just found this recipe that comes close to my favorite, but also adds peanut butter and cocoa powder. I can't wait to try it out!
Unfortunately I have no cookies to photograph and post tonight, nor taste. With the advent of spring, DD2 has undertaken a month-long refined sugar fast (now extended indefinitely), and so we have been trying to be kind to her and refrain from our nightly winter cookie baking tradition. I'm sure it will be for the best good of all who reside in our household, but I don't think it will last forever.
So, what are your favorite cookies and cookie stories?
PS. I have been playing catch-up, and have just written posts for Day 1: Apostles and Day 2: Big Brother's Birthday, if you happen to be interested.
The richer the better! That is for my taste buds but not for my health. --Life is too fast and I cheat these days and buy them! I ought to slow it down and take time to sit with my kids and bake. --Thanks for the reminder.
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