Really getting creative here...

So last fall, I picked up this box of instant hot apple cider mix packets.

Let's just say they didn't go over swimmingly in my house.

So they're still here.

I wanted to make sugar cookies for my sugary-sweet children. Then, I spied the apple cider packets in the pantry.

And I thought, "I wonder what that would be like."

So I made cookies. With apple cider mix in them.

I wonder if anyone will bravely try this "recipe" of mine...

Ahem...Apple Cider Cookies

What You Need:

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 individual packets of apple cider mix
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• cinnamon and sugar for rolling the cookies

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugar and cider mix. Add egg and vanilla. Then, add baking powder and flour.
3.  Roll into balls slightly smaller than ping pong balls. Roll in sugar.
4. Bake ten minutes.

Saturday Baking

I got myself a little present. A pizelle maker. I've been waiting until Saturday to use it, because my Weight Watchers Points reset on Saturdays, and it's the day I've designating for relaxing my eating AND for baking.

So I made some yummy cookies.

This is a messy project. Keep a wash cloth handy.

I first tried a pizelle at the home of an Italian friend. She made traditional, anise-flavored cookies. I was impressed not only with the flavor, but also the texture of the cookie and its presentation.

Ever since then, I've wanted a pizelle maker. I got mine from Sears.com for about $50.

Pizelle makers' nooks and crannies are much shallower than waffle irons'.

Pizelles can be formed into cannoli shells, waffle cones, or any number of finger foods (fruit and cream in pizelle bowls would be gorgeous). However, they're super yummy plain, straight off the cooling rack. And that's how we're eating them today.

Chocolate Pizelles
makes 24 large cookies, at 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus value each cookie

What You Need:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled (salted sweet cream butter)
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

How it's Done:

1. Plug in and preheat your pizelle maker. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray or brush it with melted butter (only do this before your first batch of the day).
2. Beat eggs with sugar until smooth and creamy yellow. Add butter and cocoa powder.
3. Gently fold in flour and baking powder only until combined.
4. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto preheated pizelle maker and close the lid.
5. Bake 30 to 45 seconds each batch. Remove from maker with spatula. Cool cookies on wire racks.

Double Apple Cookies

In an effort to A.) feed my children healthy things, B.) stay on budget, and C.) use up what needs using, I created this cookie recipe. They are soft and fragrant, and the girls love them. They use real apples, applesauce, and just a touch of sugar. I made them for their lunchboxes. I try to include a yummy treat each school day, and I'm a few days away from shopping day, which means that the cupboards are getting to the bare mark. I had two apples that needed to be used up. I needed a sweet treat for lunches. So, these cookies were born.

Double Apple Cookies

What You Need:

• 2 apples, cored and shredded
• 1/2 cup applesauce (I used natural, unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat is great here, but 1/2 and 1/2 would do just fine)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a couple cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine shredded apples, applesauce, egg, and oil. Mix well.
3. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla extract.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients, and stir until all are combined.
5. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms are beginning to brown and the cookies spring back when pressed gently.

Simple Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

I wanted a wholesome snack that my kids would eat. I knew I wanted to use some dried fruits: dates, figs, raisins, and prunes are all in my pantry. I decided to try some thumbprints, without nuts, and with the dried fruit puree in place of the usual jam filling.


Thumbprints

 What You Need:

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• if the dough is too dry, add 1 Tbsp milk

for the filling:

• two handfuls (sorry, I didn't measure) of dried fruits. I used a combination of prunes, dates, and figs.
• 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup

How it's Done:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. I used parchment on my cookie sheets. These are buttery cookies, so using nothing is definitely an option. Use parchment, Silpat, or ungreased cookie sheets.
2. Cream butter and sugars together. Add the flour, and the milk if needed.
3. Form into 1" round balls. Place the balls 3" apart on the cookie sheets. Using your thumb, create an indentation deep in the center of each ball.
4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are just beginning to brown on the bottoms and sides.
5. While the cookies bake, prepare the filling. Put the dried fruits in your food processor and process until they're well chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the honey. You want the filling to form a ball. Once it's reached that stage, remove from processor.
6. When the cookies come out, let them cool briefly, and then fill them with a couple teaspoons of filling, pushing the filling into the cookies.
7. Let cool completely at room temperature. Store covered.

These came out tasting like a combination of Fig Newtons and Shortbread. They were wonderful.

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies For the Best Kids

My great-grandmother was an imprecise, messy cook. She didn't measure things. She just made good food. One of the things she did very, very well was to bake chocolate chip cookies. I opt for measuring things, for my readers' benefit. I used to be a tosser just like my great-grandmother. Her chocolate chip cookies have been made for four generations now. Everyone loves them. They're not gourmet. They're not loaded with several types of chocolate. But when you want a great cookie, this is your go-to recipe.

My daughters started school today, so I'm baking these as a special after-school snack. They'll be thrilled. I hope they've had a great first day. All throughout my day, I've been thinking of them and wondering what they were doing, what they were feeling, and if they made any new friends. First days are tough sometimes, especially when you're starting middle school.

Here they are on their first day of school.

Bayberry started middle school this morning -- 6th grade.

Picky Eater started 2nd grade.

Want to follow my journey as I pack both kids' lunches all year? I have a blog for that. Want some yummy cookies? Read on!

Great-Grandmother's Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need:

• 
  
  1 cup butter at room temperature
• 
  
  1 cup brown sugar
• 
  
  1 cup granulated sugar
• 
  
  2 tsp vanilla extract
• 
  
  3 large eggs
• 
  
  1 tsp sea salt
• 
  
  2 tsp baking soda
• 
  
  4 cups all-purpose flour
• 
  
  at least 12 oz but up to 18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

How it's Done:

1. 
   
   Preheat your oven to 375 and have a few ungreased cookie sheets ready to go.
2. 
   
   Cream the butter at medium-high speed for 30 seconds or so, to make it fluffier. Add the sugars and beat until creamy and smooth. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well between additions. Then, add the vanilla extract.
3. 
   
   Stir together the salt, flour, and baking soda. Add it to the batter slowly. Your batter's going to be so thick that you'll doubt the listed amount at first. Keep going. Four cups is not a typo.Scrape the sides as needed.
4. 
   
   Stir in, by hand, the chocolate chips. You're going to need a solid wooden spoon or something of similar strength for this task.
5. 
   
   Roll the dough out into big, thick, 2 to 2 1/2" thick balls. Place them 3" apart on the cookie sheets. Don't flatten them.
6. 
   
   Bake for 15 minutes or so, until the cookies are lightly browned. Try your best not to burn your mouth on the freshly baked cookies. As if I'd try to tell you to let them cool. Ha!

Honest Smoothies

In my house, I'm trying extra hard to get rid of all pseudo-foods and serve my family only proper, nutritious foods. No, I'm never 100% successful, for two reasons:

1. Life happens. I'm not going to freak out if we're at a skating party and fruit punch, chips, and a Carvel ice cream cake are served. We'll survive. Junk is okay once in a while, because the rest of our diet makes up for it.
2. Life is meant to be enjoyed! Sometimes, I just want a handful of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies, or a junky Mountain Dew, or a combo meal from Taco Bell. And that's okay! I'm not one to become so rigid that I can't enjoy my life.

However, for the most part, I really do serve all natural foods. When I can manage it, I choose organics and local foods. It's really no more expensive than the other stuff. Some organic brands are very expensive, but I watch my budget, pay attention to sales, and I do okay.

My girls wanted a snack yesterday, and here's what I made them. It's simple, pure, and honest. While they enjoyed this snack, they were receiving many health benefits and liking it. Just look at these ingredients! What's not to like?

Honest Smoothies
Serves 2

What You Need:

• 16 oz plain or vanilla yogurt
• 2 small bananas
• 1 cup mixed frozen berries
• 2 Tbsp honey

How it's Done:

1. Simply add all ingredients to your blender and set to frappe. Let it whirl a full minute or two, then serve.

Where Have I Been?

Oops! I missed two days of blogging! Sorry for the absence. I was here:

Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, Georgia. What a view!

We were the first people on the trail that morning. It wasn't too hot, but it sure was humid. We hiked to the canyon floor and explored for a few hours.

It was so much fun romping through the woods, splashing in puddles and observing nature with my sister. In the end, I was hot and sweaty and dirty and tired. But it was more than worth the discomfort. And the ruined sneakers. It was a memorable day spent with the sister I don't spend enough time hanging out with -- and I hope I get to do it again soon.

Me. Hot. Sweaty. Having the time of my life. :)

I've also been cooking and decorating and planning for a dinner party, which I'll share with you within the next couple of days. Italian food and good company: What could be better? For now, it's after suppertime. Would you like some dessert? My Picky Eater and I threw this together today. We hope you enjoy it. See you tomorrow!

More Than Oats Bars

Because they started out as oat bars. But we added to them.

What You Need:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nut)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

How it's Done:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x11" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Beat butter with sugars until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add vanilla and beat to incorporate.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to batter and beat until it's all blended in. Stir in the rest of the ingredients: the wheat germ, the oats, the coconut, the walnuts, and the chocolate chips.
4. Spread the dough into the prepared pan. Press it down with the palms of your hands to even it out.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a pick inserted near center comes out clean. The top will be a golden brown.
6. Let cool for 20 minutes or so before cutting into squares and serving.

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday: Banana-Chocolate Cookies

Day 152.

I've learned that a diet high in animal products doesn't work for me. When my husband started following the Atkins diet, I naturally started eating more meats, cheeses, and other animal products and my health worsened. So, I pulled back. Lately, I've been searching out meat-free alternatives because I feel better when I eat more plant-based foods.

Let's face it, though: Every way of eating MUST include chocolate. I found this recipe for vegan banana-chocolate chip cookies and tweaked it to my liking. They turned out pillowy, moist, sweet, and satisfying. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Healthier Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

What You Need:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup almond milk (you can use cow's milk if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

How it's Done:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mash your bananas. Add milk and peanut butter. Stir well to combine.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and brown sugar. Add all at once to dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes.

Need more tempation? Visit Blessed with Grace for more nummies.

What Screams and Stomps and Laughs and Cries and Eats You Out of House and Home?

Day 100!!!

Yay me! 100 days since my resolution to eliminate processed foods and cook from scratch. How've I done so far? Pretty well. We still eat processed foods, but not nearly as much. We'll never be puritans about it, because we do live in America and situations arise where there are more important things than our food choices (such as being pleasant company, having a good time, and enjoying life, for starters), but it's easy to balance that out with nutritious home cooking most other times. I'm pleased with our progress and looking forward to forever. Here's a taste of what I have planned to cook in May:

• Grilled Pita Pizzas with Feta cheese
• Grilled Fruit Kebabs
• Strawberry lemonade...with my very own strawberries!
• Chocolate Almond Milk Ice Cream
• Quinoa-stuffed peppers, maybe on the grill
• A summer stir-fry with soba noodles
• and much more!

Also coming in June, another giveaway! This one will be regional favorites, and I'm looking forward to it.

Meanwhile, it's still April. And I need to get back to my riddle. So...

Tell me: What screams and stomps and laughs and cries and eats you out of house and home?

Give up?

Five little girls having a sleepover in your house.

What? You mean to tell me you're not crazy enough to have five little girls sleeping over under one roof?

I'm just crazy enough. My Bayberry and Kitty Cat have friends spending the night, as a sort of last hoorah to spring break. It's easy to throw pizza and chips and Cokes at the wild pack of wolves... I mean lovely children. But I am trying to get away from all that. Not wanting to be a complete fuddy-duddy, I did spring for some pop: root beer and 7-Up, and a bag of chips. It's all about balance! I had two of the children drinking juice over the sodas (and one of them was my own!). On tonight's dinner and snack menu:

• Panko-Parmesan Breaded Baked Chicken Drummies
• Basmati Rice made with minced veggies, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil
• Baby Carrots
• Frozen Grapes
• Banana-Carrot Cookies

...and they all ate it! Well, my Picky Eater stuck to grapes and carrots. But still. I got good, home cooked, nutritious foods into five girls this evening (and a husband, too)! That, in my books, is a win.

The only thing I have a real recipe for is the cookies, and I'll get to those in a moment. To make the chicken, simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Toss a couple cups of Panko bread crumbs, a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese, a little salt and pepper, and a teaspoon or so of paprika in a bowl. In another bowl, scramble a couple eggs and add some milk. Dip each drum in the egg wash, then the crumbs. Place on the cookie sheet. Drizzle the drums with olive oil and bake 30 minutes or so, until they're cooked through.

For the rice, I just made rice as usual, but added a cup of minced stir-fry veggies, some garlic, and some olive oil. In the last few minutes, I tossed in some shredded Parmesan cheese.

And here is the recipe for the cookies. They taste like banana bread, and have a kick of nutrition from the carrots.

Banana-Carrot Sandwich Cookies
Makes 18 sandwiches

What You Need:

for the cookies:

• 1 cup butter, softened (about 20 to 30 minutes on the counter is plenty)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1 cup minced carrot
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• dash of salt

for the filling:

• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

How it's Done:

1. Make the cookie dough: Beat butter and sugar on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Add egg, banana, and carrot. Add vanilla extract. Mix in baking powder, baking soda, and flour.
2. Refrigerate dough until stiff. I left mine in the fridge overnight. A couple hours is fine, though.
3. When dough is firm, preheat oven to 350 degrees. On parchment-lined baking sheets, drop balls of dough 2" apart. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake 12 minutes. Let cookies cool completely before filling.
4. Make the filling: Beat sugar, butter, and cream cheese on medium-high speed. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a teaspoon of filling for each sandwich.

So THAT'S What Little Debbie Meant it to Taste Like!

Day 78.

It's Cookie Friday! Each Friday in the month of March, I'm duplicating a classic cookie recipe. This week, it's Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pie.

Last week, I created a cookie recipe that was so good that I have held off on posting its recipe, because I just might sell the cookie instead. Sorry, folks. ;) Anyway, that cookie prompted a discussion between my mother and me. She said I could be the next Mrs. Field's. I argued that Mrs. Field's cookies weren't as good as mine, therefore I didn't like the comparison. Well, Mrs. Field's cookies used to be delicious. I bet Mrs. Field got her start in her own kitchen and sold her cookie recipe to be mass produced, and now you can buy them in the cookie aisle and at any convenience store. They no longer taste home baked, though. Mass production makes them lack that home-baked taste.

The same can be said about Famous Amos and other cookie companies. Even Little Debbie. I wonder if Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies were once the brainchild of a fabulous home kitchen cook.

I found a recipe for oatmeal cream pies at honey & jam and I followed the recipe almost exactly. They turned out very well.

Oatmeal Cream Pies (modified from honey & jam)

Ingredients:

for the cookies:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla (make your own! It's easy and so much better than McCormick's!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (don't use black or dark here)
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

for the cream filling:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 7 oz jar marshmallow cream
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp milk

How it's Done:

1. First, make the cookies. Cream together butter and sugars. Add molasses. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add the vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, cinnamon, and oats.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet, gradually.
4. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
5. Drop dough by heaping tablespoon onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cookies will look undercooked. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
6. Let cookies cool briefly.
7. Make  cream filling. Cream together shortening and marshmallow cream. Beat in vanilla extract. Gradullay add in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Add milk and beat well for one minute.
8. Place a tablespoon of filling on the flat side of one cookie. Cover with another cookie, flat side facing filling. Continue until all cookies are filled.

Cookie Friday #2

Day 71.

Today, I tried to replicate a Girl Scout favorite, the Thin Mint. As the mother of a Daisy, this project made me feel a bit like a traitor. As a frugal homemaker, this project made me feel like an Olympic medalist. Victory is mine. Look out, $3.00 box of so few cookies! I can make my own now.

I used Top Secret Recipes' version and they came out nearly identical to the Girl Scout version. Mine were slightly bigger...but that just added to their majesty.

Top Secret Recipe for Girl Scout Thin Mints Clone

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge cake mix
• 3 Tbsp of melted shortening
• 4 Tbsp water (recipe calls for 3, but I used 4)
• 1 large egg
• 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (recipe calls for THREE bags. WAY too much)
• 1 tsp peppermint extract (recipe calls for 3/4 tsp)
• 2 Tbsp shortening (recipe calls for 6 Tbsp but I reduced the chocolate chips, so I also reduced the shortening)

How it's Done:

1. Combine cake mix, melted shortening, water, and egg. Beat until batter forms.
2. Roll into a log on waxed paper and refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Cut into 1/8th" thick rounds using a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion. Place on greased cookie sheets.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Remove from cookie sheets and allow to cool. Cookies will get crisp as they cool.
5. In the microwave, melt the chocolate and shortening. Stir in the peppermint extract.
6. Using a fork, dip the cookies into the melted mint chocolate.
7. Let the excess coating drip off, then move cookies to waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Move to refrigerator to cool and harden.

Enjoy!

Cookie Friday!

Day 64.

Today, I made a home-made version of Oreo cookies. I found the recipe on the King Arthur Flour website and followed it to the letter. Almost. The kids loved them. I thought they were really good but a little too crunchy for me -- I like my Oreos dunked excessively in milk. The Hubs thought they "tasted weird." It sort of stung. But the kids' enthusiasm healed my wounded ego. The last time he told me something "tasted weird" was early in our marriage. I made something fancy-ish for him, trying to expand my very limited cooking repertoire. I made Swedish meatballs. He looked at me with contempt in his eyes and announced that, "This tastes like..." I can't say. This must remain a family-friendly blog.

I promise, he's a wonderful, laid-back, easy-going, easy-to-please man. He just made a really, really, really bad word choice that one day. And he's not lived it down yet. ;) I will never, ever, ever make Swedish meatballs again. Ever.

I may not ever repeat this recipe, either, but now that I know how to make sandwich cookies, I will definitely be creating some interesting combinations of flavors in the future. One more thing that I can make instead of buy packaged.

I found them really quite simple to make. The only changes I made were as follows:

• I used regular cocoa powder instead of black or Dutch process. I did this because I had regular cocoa powder on hand and I seldom buy ingredients for one use.
• I used butter, not shortening, in the filling. If you're going for the waxy Oreo filling, please use shortening, as the recipe directs. I was going for a close approximation with high-quality ingredients. I prefer butter whenever possible.

A Present for My Sister

Day 54.

Today, I'm baking for my younger sister. She's moving this weekend to go to a different college, and I'm sending her off to her new home some recipes, groceries, and premade goodies. This is one of them.

Vanilla-Almond Biscotti

Ingredients:

1/3 cup softened butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp pure almond extract

1 vanilla bean

1/2 cup chopped almonds

white chocolate for dipping

How it's Done:

• 
  Beat the butter 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda, and baking powder, and cream well.



• Add the eggs, one at a time. Then, add the extracts. Scrape the insides out of your vanilla bean and add to the batter.



• Beat in as much flour as you can. Use a wooden spoon to beat in the remaining flour if needed.



• Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a 7 to 9" log. Flatten slightly to roughly 1" thick.



• Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.



• Cool on the baking sheet at least 30 minutes.



• Slice each log diagonally into 1/2" thick pieces. Place the slices on their cut sides on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 6 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 6 to 9 minutes. You want dry, crisp cookies, but don't over bake them.



• Cool on a wire rack and let them cool completely.



• Melt your white chocolate. Now what you do with it is up to you. You could dip one end, both ends, one side, or drizzle the white chocolate over one side. Leave the biscotti on waxed paper to allow the white chocolate to dry.

Cooking for Kids' School/Club Parties

Day 40.

Forty days and forty nights is a concept that appears frequently in the Bible. Did you know that? There is something spiritual about doing something for forty days. Here are some biblical events that took forty days:

• The Great Flood. 40 days and 40 nights of rain.


• Moses on the mountain with God -- 40 days.


• Goliath - he was around for 40 days before David killed him.
• Elijah had a meal that sustained him 40 days.


• Nineveh, the city in the Jonah & the Whale story? They had 40 days to change or else.


• Jesus had a 40 day fast in the wilderness.

There is a scientific significance of the number 40, too. Every 40th day marks the end of a solar year or something or other which I don't really understand so won't try to explain. ;)

Anyway, no, there's nothing spiritual about my 40 days of cooking, although sometimes I do utter my thanks to the Good Lord for my wonderful creations, sometimes quite verbally and with great enthusiasm. I just wanted to share the significance of 40 days of doing something with you. A little trivia for you to store away, if you will.

I'm told that my daughter needs something tasty to bring to her club's Valentine's Day Party, which is this afternoon. Of course, I was only just told an hour ago, as she was kissing me goodbye in the doorway of her school. Never to fear! Mommy is here! And Mommy is always, always armed with real butter, sugar, and flour. And thanks to Daddy's hard work in the Army, Mommy can stay home and bake up a delicious something for the club. (I love my wonderful, hard-working husband and am thankful to be able to do what I do.)

So as I was running my dishwasher, I softened my butter on the counter above it. Try that trick. It works really well on days when you lack a sunny windowsill.

And then it took me about five minutes to whip up a batch of Alton Brown's Sugar Cookies dough. (I love Alton, don't you?) Then I put it in the fridge for a couple hours and went about my business.

>>>Fast Forward Two Hours>>>

When you roll out your dough, use powdered sugar, not flour, to keep the dough from sticking. This will keep your cookies from tasting floury when they're baked. Also, keep your rolling pin dusted with powdered sugar. Don't over bake your cookies. You want them to have lightly browned edges and that's all. Over baking causes burnt cookie taste and brittle or rock-hard cookies. None of those are pleasant, especially for the baker who just invested several hours into her work.

I made my dough into heart shapes, and decorated them to look like conversation hearts. I had fun choosing the sayings from my memory and from the internet. I hope the kids have fun eating them. :)

A Surprise for the Lunch Box Crowd

We're packing lunches this week. Next year I plan to try my hand at really cool Bento-style lunches. Bento fits in with my cooking style: fresh, whole foods -- as unprocessed as possible. It also uses all the senses, which really appeals to me. But this year, it's just regular old lunch box lunch. And tomorrow, my lunch box crowd gets Triple Lemon Cookies. Mmmmmmm...

Triple Lemon Cookies

makes about 18 large cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened



• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening



• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar



• 2 large eggs



• the juice AND rind of 2 lemons



• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda



• 2 1/2 tsp cream of tartar



• 1/4 tsp salt



• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar



• 3 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh!)



• the zest of 1 lemon

How it's Done:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.



2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon juice and zest, and beat well.



3. Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add to wet mixture, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat until well combined.



4. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes or so, until sides are slightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets right away and let cool on wire racks completely.



5. Combine glaze ingredients in a bowl. Spread generously over cookie tops. Leave them to set on the counter.



6. Devour them mercilessly. :) Alternatively, save them for the lunch boxes like you're supposed to.

Oatmeal Cookies that Stay Fluffy

Day 15.

I love oatmeal cookies...except that they always seem to go flat while baking! With some simple changes in a recipe, your oatmeal cookies will rise above the rest.

Fluffy Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups CAKE flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups oats (I used quick oats because it's what I had, but old fashioned work very nicely)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips and/or nuts if desired

How it's Done:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time. Add milk and vanilla.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to wet mixture, beating well to combine.
4. Stir in nuts or chocolate chips if desired.
5. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheets (I spray them with non-stick spray) and bake 8 to 10 minutes per batch.
6. Cool slightly before removing to wire rack.