the Secret's in the Sauce...

Actually. The secret is in knowing the secret.
Sometimes, though, the fun is in sharing the secret...
and today i made a discovery worth sharing.            Shhhhh...

Truthfully, i am in agreement with those that don't believe in secret recipes. Food is meant to be shared with others,                 i believe the methods for the making the food  (as well as sometimes the process of)  are also meant to be shared.

This is a beloved recipe. It is a grandmothers recipe. It is also for cookies.
If ever there was a winning combination for a recipe that should be shared, it is those three things.
The recipe comes from my husbands grandmother who is an amazing woman.
She crochets more stitches in a year than i have in my life, although i seek to remedy this
                                                                                      and match her stitch for stitch... someday.

Today the  discovery came in the tiny school kitchen. It was a day when the children were all needing extra love and letting their needs be known with their voices in a wide array of sounds. I was sleepy and in need of a little comfort myself so i decided to make the teachers a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Teachers are always deserving of extra love. They provide so much support and care to so many little ones, i try to remember to find as many ways as i can to say thank you and provide them with some care in return. We do not have a stand mixer of any kind at the school, so i sought a simpler way to cream the butter and sugar. i melted the butter, allowed it to cool and mixed it into the sugar and eggs. The cookies themselves were a bit more melted, a little gooey, and utterly delicious. So this is the secret i share with you today, gooey shortcut cookies, and a gentle reminder to thank the teachers in your life for all they do.


                   Arlenes chocolate chip cookies

Melt 1 and 1/3 cups butter, allow to cool, slightly...

Mix with:
 
        1 cup sugar
        1 cup brown sugar
        3 eggs
        2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix well and add:

        1 teaspoon baking soda
        1 1/2 teaspoons salt
        2 1/2 cups flour

When well mixed add 2 cups chocolate chips

Set the bowl in the refrigerator for around 20 minutes or until your ready to bake

bake at 350 degrees 8-12 minutes until golden brown








i often substitute 1 cup oats that has been ground with 1 tablespoon lavender, 1/2 cup almond meal and 1 1/2 cups flour for the flour amount listed above... its delicious.
 
                 (and if you use skinless almonds and grind them with the oats and lavender,
           you can make extra and use it as a facial scrub. its fantastic and leaves skin so soft!)




                If you happen to be looking for a book to curl up with, or cook from,
                                  on these blustery Autumn days i recommend
                  Fannie Flaggs; Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.
             The recipes in the back will simplify comfort food for your cold evenings.
                                         (The film is pretty great as well...)