Monday, March 22, 2010

A new fun thing to do

Lately, we've all been into cookies at Camp Rustown.  Homemade cookies that we call "oven cookies" because they are eaten warm out of the oven, not cold out of a box!  It's the easiest dessert on a school night. Really, cookies are one of the simplest things to make and they taste sooo much better than store-bought..  You don't have to have any special skills, and though a mixer is nice and speeds up the process, a bowl and spoon works well, too!  You can find recipes anywhere these days, literally.  I have a vintage cookie cookbook I use, too, and I like experimenting with different doughs, nuts, dried fruits, and spices. 
These "kitchen sink" cookies have oatmeal, Raisin Bran, walnuts, 
and coconut in them...
Cookie dough can be such a custom thing - make it how you like!  
Today I made dough using those swirled white and milk chocolate chips.  You can't really see it well, since I have them wrapped,  but it was made with butter and  brown sugar - no nuts this time around. (I think the kids are getting a little weary of me trying to sneak nuts into all the cookies!)
My cookie method includes dividing the dough in half, wrapping it in cereal box waxed paper (free!), securing with rubber bands, and freezing.  If I forget to thaw the dough, I just use a sharp knife to cut it into squares about the size of the ones you can get pre-made by Toll House or Pillsbury.  Bake time is about 12 minutes while I load the dishwasher and set out the cereal bowls for the morning.  Maybe a minute less if thawed, but I usually let one of the kids pick out which kind of cookies we get that night, and set out to thaw before making dinner.
Mmmm...hot, fresh cookies cannot be beat!



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