Week 27: Cake Batter Cookies...take 2



This week I chose to
make cake batter
cookies again.  I wasn't crazy about the first batch I made (week 22) as I thought they were a bit greasy.  My good friend Sheila (aka Shirley...she is Shirley and I am Laverne...funny story for a different time☺) passed this recipe along to me. See the picture of "Shirley and Laverne" on a field trip to Barrymore's on the left.  Sheila's family equals my test audience.  Every week I share some of the cookies that I have baked, and they tell me what they think.  Her family really loves this recipe and it is significantly different than the first batch I made.  So I thought I'd give it a try.  The resulting cookie is similar in texture and taste to the chocolate crinkle cookies that I featured in week 5, because I used a devil's food cake batter. I love that this recipe has a ton of versatility.  If you just change the flavor of the cake batter, it is possible to change the cookie entirely.  I look forward to trying this recipe again with a different flavor.  Here is the link to the recipe that I used: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/cool-whip-cookies/Detail.aspx  The only difference is that I used devil's food cake batter, and I refrigerated the dough for 2 hours as it was pretty sticky and difficult to handle.



From L to R Victoria and I, Tia andAlexis,
and Jeannie and Katie at Fireside 2001

 It was fitting that I used a recipe that was a "do over" because a lot of events this weekend were done more than once.  On Saturday morning the kids and I hung out in the house while Dan cut the grass. In the afternoon, we all went shopping at "Kohl's."  There was a big sale and we all needed various things.  After shopping we went to dinner at "Ruby Tuesday."  I got a big salad (I love love love their salad bar), and Dan and I split an order of mini zucchini patties...YUM!  When we got up this morning I was still thinking about the yummy meal we had the night before.  I also was thinking about the few things that I forgot to get while shopping at "Kohl's."  Long story short, we went to "Ruby Tuesday's" for lunch and then went to "Kohl's" so I could get the few things that I forgot. It was weird to be at the same restaurant less than 24 hours later.  In my whole life I think I have only done that one other time.  When I was pregnant with Victoria, I went to dinner with my friends Tia and Jeannie. See picture above.  We went to "Cracker Barrel" and I ordered the biggest breakfast on the menu....I was eating for 2 remember. The next morning I made Dan take me back to "Cracker Barrel" because I wanted that same meal again for breakfast☺  Today when we got home from "Ruby Tuesday and Kohl's take 2",  Dan cut the grass...again.  We have 2 acres and it takes awhile to cut it all.  Dan only got the back cut yesterday so he finished it today.  Thus the "take 2" pattern from the day before continued. 

While I was waiting for the cookie dough to chill I went outside to my "garden of weedin'"  As I was weeding the property I realized that many of the plants that I have are "hand me downs."  I have a peony that was my Grandma Ann's, a lilac bush that was originally my Sito and Jido's and then my Mom's, and a bed of lilies that my cousin Sam gave me after we moved here.  Also, I have mint, buttercups, tiger lilies, arbor vitae, a peach tree, pussy willows, and chives that were all my Mom's.  In addition to the plants, our picnic table and benches were my Grandpa Gene's, some of our patio chairs were my Mom's, and a few of my shepherd's hooks were my Sito Georgia's.  Of course this is not a new fact...I have known all along that these things were given to me.  Today, however, it struck me that so many of the things that I surround myself with are gifts from loved ones that are no longer here. Normally this fact brings me comfort, but today it made me sad.  There was no corner of my property that I could look at today, and not think of someone who has passed.

I like to think that I am giving all of these wonderful things that have been given to me a new life..."a take 2." In truth I'd trade it all to have the "givers" back, but since that isn't possible, I'll take what I can get.  So I'll make s'mores for the kids while sitting around a bonfire on the benches that were my Grandpa Gene's.  I'll make bouquets with all the beautiful flowers that my mom once cared for.  I'll use the herbs that once graced my Mom's yard in recipes that I make with love for my family. And I'll eat the cookies that my friend Sheila (aka Shirley) makes for her wonderful family.  If only I could catch a rerun of "Laverne and Shirley" while enjoying them... " ♪♪ We're gonna do it ♪♪"   ♥



My Grandma Ann's peonies



My Mom's chives