Lessons Learned I
learned last week. I know I am late on this post by two days but know that I am
thinking about you even when I am not posting. I think it is the time of year
when I would rather be in the kitchen baking and candy making add on that we
are homeschooling and I am in college and we have a clash of responsibilities
verses hobbies. I do my best and I always find a way to write to you again.
My favorite lesson I learned this week comes from Martha
Stewart’s School of Cooking book. You
can freeze cookie dough for up to a month. So I baked one dozen and then carefully
divided the rest of the dough into two dozen cookies and froze them in a Ziploc
bag. That means I get fast cookies that
are better than Tollhouse Cookies (sorry Tollhouse I am just against the random
preservatives that you have to put in your cookie dough to sell to the general
public. Don’t take it personally.).
Froozen cookies
Froozen cookies ready for the oven
Fresh from the oven
So I am going to Share with you the cookie recipe which can
be found in Martha’s School of Cooking with my own notes added along to suit my
tastes. This is a basic recipe so you can add anything that makes you happy.
Don’t be afraid just through in those yummy mini M&M’s, heath bits, or butterscotch
chips, or dark chocolate, or milk chocolate, and any nut you can think of or a
combination of all of the above.
Basic Drop Cookies
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (or whatever kind of butter
you normally buy.) room temperature (it makes it easier to cream)
2 large eggs, room temperature (just set them out when you
get started, mine were cold and the cookies were still good)
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
2 Cups add- ins(again anything you want chocolate, dried
fruit, nuts, candy, whatever makes your heart sing)
Preheat oven to 350* line pan with parchment paper (I didn’t
do anything to the pan). Combine dry ingredients flour, salt, and baking soda.
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy then add eggs one at a time, and
then stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in three additions and stirring until
completely incorporated. Then stir in two cups of your add-ins (I did three. Two
cups milk chocolate chips and 1 cup of walnuts). Then use an ice cream scoop to
drop the cookies on to the pan. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Allow to cool. After I
put the cookies in the oven I used my little scoop to sort out the cookies for
the freezer.
yummy...
Did you know that when Chickens molt they stop laying eggs?
I guess it gives their reproduction systems a welcome break, which leads to
healthier chickens, and better quality eggs. They molt for 2-6 months depending
on the bred. It is good for them, and it is good for me but I have found a love
of fresh eggs. I am happy that the famer is so natural and wonderful and treats
these animals with respect. So when she announced the molt I was both happy and
a little sad. Maybe I should disclose that I buy five dozen eggs every two
weeks. If you make the switch to a local
farmer with the same high standards as The Hanson Family farm you will understand
how wonderful an egg can truly be. Honestly the price is slightly higher than
the organic eggs at the market. I pay $3 a dozen; $2.75 if I return the egg
carton which I do. Like I have said
before it is a wonderful feeling to know the farmer you are supporting. There
is no middle man, there is no supermarket. I hand my money to the farmers, they
take it and use it on their animals, or to care for their family. I am the
lucky one because I get to support their dreams. It is really a beautiful
cycle. When was the last time you went
to a grocery store and could say the same by buying factory eggs that are .99 cents
a dozen.
Okay enough about food. I learned how to end crochet projects
by threading about twelve inches into the hat. I also learned how to attach the
flowers on to my hats. I only made eight hats last week. I have a problem. I
will make more next week.
I bought Rob a Pecan Tree for Christmas. He planted it and then said lets go look at
this nursery I found. They had trees on sale we bought three more. I got two
roses 60% off. Rob planted all of them. I hope that we get some fruit off of
these trees before we are forced to sale the house in 3-? Years.
Speaking of trees I let the boys pick the tree with out me. Because it was so short I also let them decorate it. Too. So far this is how the tree looks. Damian is working on Christmas banners to hang on it.
My post is getting long so I will stop now. For your sake.
You know I could carry on unashamed.
I hope that your week is filled with magic, music, love and
laughter. Be well my friends.
