This evening, I am going to report on a cookie doubleheader. The first batch of cookies, I prepared for our church’s Sunday School parents, who patiently wait down the hall for class to finish. I used the “Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” recipe that can be found on page 14 of my cookie cookbook, “Today is a Great Day for a Cookie.” The cookbook is available for free download at http://cookiesbydave.com/today-is-a-great-day-for-a-cookie-my-original-cookie-cookbook/. The only change I made (a significant one) was that I substituted ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and ¾ cup white chocolate chips, in place of the recipe’s 1½ cups of raisins. I tell you, the wheat germ really gives this cookie a special flavor. It is also one of my favorite cookies to turn to in a pinch. Easy to make and yummy, too.
Photo (albeit poor quality photo, because they are yummier than they look here) of “Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies,” using revised “Oatmeal Raisin Cookies” recipe.
The second half of the cookie doubleheader features Molasses Cookies (found on page 33 of my cookie cookbook referenced above). I made this batch for the parents and relatives sitting out in the chilly wind at my son’s baseball doubleheader, this afternoon. Such a great cookie for the Fall and perfect to make during the long break between a “noon-late-afternoon” doubleheader. The only change I would recommend to the recipe is reducing the baking time to eight minutes (a correction that I missed in the second edition of the cookbook).
In total, 99 cookies and some fine cookie baking. The only problem, there is not a photo of the Molasses Cookies to accompany this post, but why? Well, let me tell you, I forgot the photo, but there is a good excuse and cookies came to the rescue. I was placing the last batch of Molasses Cookies into the oven. Note (this is very important), I was finished with the cookie preparation, when this occurred, no worries for you the reader or possible cookie consumption party, as the story continues.
As I placed the last batch of cookies in the oven, my 7-year-old son, Sam, emerged from the basement to report that the toilet was overflowing. Oh, goodie, but nothing I could not handle. I raced to the basement toilet, halted the flow of water, and limited the damage. In an attempt to quickly clean the mess, I hustled into the storage room to grab some spare bath towels (a.k.a. rag like old bath towels). The storage room is accessed through the laundry room and in an attempt to multi-multitask (baking cookies, saving basement from toilet flood, and now do laundry), I decided to move a set of bed sheets from the washer to the dryer. One problem, our dryer, that admittedly is old and admittedly on its last legs, decided to die. Enter setting, press start. Nothing. Nothing at all. Dead. Ugh, must march onward. Racing back with bunches of rag like old bath towels to clean newly formed Lake Toilet, I paid my last respects to the recently deceased dryer. We had a good run together. I had stretched out its life, as long as possible.
Mopping up the yucky water and getting the toilet operational once again, I washed, washed, and rewashed my hands (very important to note and easy any concerns). Bounding upstairs, I found a few seconds left on the oven timer and soon I was greeted by Molasses Cookies fresh from the oven. It truly is amazing, how a day-gone-to-Hell-in-an-instance can be turned around by tasty cookie goodness. All I forgot was the photo. Oh well, in the grand scheme of things, the photo ended up being a minor concern. So, I leave you this Sunday evening, with this simple blessing, “May all of the challenges you face today be met with a freshly baked cookie in your hand and a smile on your face.” With a slight bow and hands pressed together, I say “Namas-tase-tay” (translation, “I bow to the divine smelling cookie in your hand”).