Cinnamon Cookies (a/k/a To Die For Cookies)

This week the recipe was Cinnamon Cookies. A little molasses, a lot of cinnamon, two sticks of butter and the other usual ingredients. When the first batch had cooled, I gave one to Chloe to taste test. A few minutes later she was sneaking into the kitchen for another. And then another. I cut her off after three cookies. But that's how these cookies are. You get one in your mouth and then you want more, more, more! I took a few to my friend, Tena, who told me it was the best cookie she'd ever eaten. Definitely a keeper.

Next week: Coconut Pecan Squares (Daddy the coconut lover will be happy!)

The Beginning of Autumn

...or at least the beginning of the Autumn cookie section. It's a loooong way from feeling like autumn weather where I live but since it's the first week of September, Chloe and I decided to begin making all the cookies in the Autumn section of the Cookie Sampler. A little bit about the Cookie Sampler - it was published by a magazine called The Country Sampler, which was a catalog type magazine that showcased items for country decor at the height of the country decor craze - circa 1987. The editors of the magazine collected cookie recipes from various readers and contributors and published them, separating the recipes into sections - Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Holidays - you get the idea. Every recipe we will be making is someone's favorite even if it doesn't turn out to be ours. This week we made Apple Pecan Cookies. The ingredients included the regular items - sugar, flour, eggs, salt, shortening - and also applesauce, pecans, raisins, cinnamon and cloves. As we were mixing, Chloe commented about how good it smelled. When we opened the oven after cooking the first tray, the house was filled with such an aroma! We have our house on the market - anyone want to buy a 1960's ranch in Orlando? - and if we baked these cookies right before someone came to see the house, I am certain they would sign a full price contract on the spot! Like life, sometimes things turn out perfectly and other times, not so much. These cookies were like that. They were not the most beautiful cookies I have ever made, sort of blobbish, but they tasted pretty good. They were soft and cakelike. There were pecans in the batter (it was not dough, it was thick batter) and each cookie was topped with a pecan half. Chloe, who likes pecans in certain culinary situations - pecan roll, anyone? - labeled the pecan half on top of the cookies "disgusting" but she otherwise liked the taste of the cookies. Many of you have graciously offered to take cookies off our hands in an attempt to help me keep my weight under control (and I appreciate your willingness to sacrifice for my sake!) Tonight, I took most of the cookies to "Christmas in September," an event at my church in preparation for the Singing Christmas Trees. We donned our Christmas sweaters and brought our Christmas goodies to share. The A/C was turned down low and the music and theme for this year's Singing Christmas Trees was unveiled. It's going to be great so if you live in or near Orlando, make plans to attend. You can order tickets by going to www.firstorlando.com.

The First Recipe

Chalk it up to getting older, feeling like I'm running out of time, my nest being largely empty or maybe just the fact that I like to bake and I like cookies. But the week before my 18 year old daughter, Adair, headed off to college I suggested to my 9 year old daughter, Chloe, that after we returned from our week-long trip to settle her sister in her new dorm, we should begin making cookies. And I'm not talking a few nights and some random recipes. We've committed to all 100 cookie recipes contained in a cookbook entitled The Cookie Sampler. I have had this cookbook for many years and have tried a number of the recipes in the book over time. But now we are going to make ALL of them. At least one recipe a week - which means this project could last two years or more. I have a feeling I am going to learn a few lessons along the way and hopefully impart a few words of wisdom to Chloe before I run out of time. Tonight we made our first recipe - Boston Sugar Cookies. We donned our aprons, measured out all the ingredients and put them together according to the recipe instructions. Then we baked. And then we ate. 3 cookies apiece out of the 4 dozen plus that we made. And a glass of milk, of course. We even took pictures! I've posted a few here. No life lessons learned with this recipe but we made some good cookies. Next week - Apple Pecan Cookies.