Another Chocolate Chip Cookie Miette Style

I never tire of trying Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes.  There are some better than others, but for the most part, these all-time favorites are always a best-loved treat for the family and neighborhood kids.

This recipe comes from a cookbook called Miette.  I have to say, if I was a cookbook, I wouldn't mind looking like Miette.  The photos are beautiful.  The size is perfect, but the best aesthetic exterior feature is the adorable scalloped edge. The scalloped edge was the first thing that attracted me to this book.  What budding baker could resist cracking open a book that has such beautiful feminine detail?  Love it!

Easter Rice Krispies Nests

Despite the many cookie recipes I try, a favorite among the kids, and Hub especially, are Rice Krispies  treats.  I remember the early days in college when I first met my sweetheart and wanted to impress him with some good home cooking. Sadly, in my tiny dorm room I only had a microwave and a pot for boiling water. Sometimes you have to make due and in this mini-dorm room microwave I would whip up Rice Krispies treats for him and they stole his heart!

Cookies in a Jar Valentine Style

Cookies in a Jar Valentine Style

Finished Product

Looking for a fun and affordable gift to give on Valentine's Day?  Here's an option from Bakerella via A Little Delightful.

Valentine's Day Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Hearts

Cookie Love.

There are a couple cookies I make every Valentine's Day- Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Hearts and Giant Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

When my mom heard we were baking gingerbread cookies recently she requested I send some back with my Grandma when she returned home.  The problem for my mom in that is she suffers from Celiac Disease.  After years of health struggles, she was finally diagnosed.

The Celiac Disease Foundation states:

The cause of Celiac Disease (CD), also known as celiac sprue or gluten sensitive enteropathy (GSE), is still a mystery. One out of 133 people in the United States is affected with celiac disease. CD occurs in 5-15% of the offspring and siblings of a person with celiac disease. In 70% of identical twin pairs, both twins have the disease. It is strongly suggested that family members be tested, even if asymptomatic. Family members who have an autoimmune disease are at a 25% increased risk of having celiac disease. Celiac Disease is not a food allergy - it is an autoimmune disease. Food allergies, including wheat allergy, are conditions that people can sometimes grow out of. This is not the case with Celiac Disease.

There's a minimal chance I could one day be diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  I limit my intake, not so much in concern with having Celiac, but because I hang out with a paleo-ish crowd.  More and more people seem to be limiting gluten, wheat and rice intake.  I've seen this especially prevalent in the CrossFit world.  Limiting processed foods and eating REAL food is definitely beneficial to the body.  Although this is a bit of a contradiction to the yummy desserts and foods I've been posting lately, we do primarily eat paleo-ish.

Thinking of my mom and her desire to have gingerbread cookies, I wanted to find a recipe for cookies she could enjoy that wouldn't cause her issues.

I found a recipe on noursishingmeals.com that fit the bill.  Granted, many of their recipes have ingredients I do not readily have on hand and I do not want to go out and spend $50 on ingredients to make one batch of cookies.  Consequently, I used what I had and I think the cookies turned out GREAT!  They are soft and chewy and have just a hint of ginger and molasses.  I may increase the ginger a bit next time, but they taste great the way they are.  Appearance wise, they're a bit on the wrinkly side, but I'm a bit on the wrinkly side so, so they pass the test.  

Despite the appearance they are chewy soft goodness!

Nourishing meals recommended using hazelnut flour and provided a link to buy some on Amazon.  I don't have the desire or the inkling to order flour on Amazon so I just used ground almond meal flour found in the grocery store bulk section (Sprouts carries it).  

Also, they recommended using coconut sugar.  I purchased some in the Whole Foods bulk section when I was originally going to make these cookies, but used it for something else.  I ended up using raw turbinado sugar from Whole Foods 365 brand. It's a finer sugar than other raw sugar brands.  I would steer away from using a raw sugar that has granules as large as something like Sugar in the Raw.  The granules don't really break down well in the cookie dough.

I know my mom isn't as crazy about the frosting, so we didn't frost these cookies much.  Unlike my sweetheart and kiddies, I prefer to have cookies unfrosted also. They're much too sweet with the extra sweetness lathered on top.  

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Dry Ingredients

2 cups ground almond meal flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

1 cup coconut sugar (or raw turbinado sugar- fine granules)

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 cup molasses

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix well.  

In an electric mixer combine wet ingredients.  Mix well.

Add dry ingredients.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours.

Roll dough out to 1/4" thickness on surface sprinkled with sweet rice flour.  Using cookie cutters carefully cut out shapes and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet or on Silpat baking mat.  If you don't have a Silpat, add it to your Christmas list.  My mother-in-law gave me one for Christmas a couple years back and I LOVE IT!  Thank you MIL!

Bake 12-15 minutes.  If you bake them closer to the 12 minutes they with be soft and chewy.  If baked closer to the 15 minutes they will be crisper.

Ready for the oven

Our Peeps

Best Dressed!

Glamour Shot

This is a GREAT treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee, or perhaps the Christmas eggnog latte!

Mom, watch your mailbox...we're sending some friends your way!  Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Cookies, The Ambulance, & The Unexpected Field Trip

Every year we make the same gingerbread recipe.  Thank you Martha!

And every year when we make these yummy Christmas treats, I think of one of the scariest experiences I've had as a momma.

December 2004, I was home alone with the kids.  My hub was working nights.  The kids and I were gathered in the kitchen mixing up a batch of Melissa's Gingerbread Cookies from The Martha Stewart Cookbook.  The kids were sitting on the counter helping add ingredients to the mixer.  I was standing right next to them.

Unexpectedly, our 1 1/2 year old girlie spun around and then fell backwards off the counter and hit her head on the hardwood floor.  It all happened so quickly AND I was right there.  How it happened still boggles my mind.  Immediately after she fell, I scooped her up. She was unconscious, back arched.  Quickly, I called 911 and within 7 minutes two sets of responders descended upon our home.  The boys and I were so frightened.  My girlie was conscious again, but lethargic.

After examination, the paramedics decided to transport us to the hospital for further evaluation.

In the ambulance the boys told the paramedic we were homeschoolers.  She proceeded to give them a field trip of the inside of the ambulance.  Meanwhile I held my precious girlie.  While at home, I was strong and clear thinking, but during the transport, the enormity of the whole event began to hit me.  Suddenly, I sensed a panic attack coming on.  The paramedic then placed an oxygen mask over my face for the remainder of the ride.  Breathe...

The kids still laugh over their momma's reaction.  They tell the story of the time nothing was wrong with their momma, but the paramedic had to give her oxygen.

Weak!

Our girlie ended up having a concussion.  Thankfully, nothing else was wrong.  She has a good story to go along with one of our family favorite cookies.

This year she drafted up a Christmas Advent list.  Making Gingerbread Cookies was our activity for December 1st.

She has a long list of fun activities for us in the month of December.  I'm making an easy advent calendar to showcase her ideas.

Here's a sneak peek at the Advent Calendar:

It's going to be a GREAT month!

Making Gingerbread Cookies With the Kids

What a cute Gingerbread Man!

Our favorite gingerbread cookie recipe.  When baking this cookie recipe with the kids, I do the step with the double boiler.  It is more of the tedious task.  This cookie dough is also dangerously good!  Watch out!

Melissa's Gingerbread Cookies
from The Martha Stewart Cookbook
makes 3-4 dozen cookies

1 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 pound (2sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Royal icing

Place the molasses, sugars, ginger, and cinnamon in a double boiler over medium heat.  When the sugar has melted, add the baking soda and stir.  When the mixture bubbles up, remove from heat.

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.  Add the hot molasses mixture and stir well. Let mixture cool to about 90 degrees F, then add the eggs.  Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, while beating.  (This is best done in an electric mixer, but you can use a wooden spoon).

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape the dough into a neat rectangle, place on a well-floured board, and roll out until 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.  Place on baking sheet and bake 12-18 minutes, or until firm to the touch.  Let cool on racks.

Decorate with Royal Icing.

Step one in the double boiler.  Stir until sugar has melted.

After the soda is added...bubbly

Ready to roll

Oven ready

Icing is the kids job...my hub decorates with them

Kids Can Cook: Chocolate Chip Cookies

Compliments of our kids- I had nothing to do with the beautiful display!

Throughout the years of our homeschooling journey, I've discovered educating our children is about more than just academics.  It's about developing godly character and preparing our children for adult life.  In preparing them for adult life, one area I've really spent time with them on is being confident in the kitchen.

One day, when our littles move out of the house, I hope they'll be able to open a cookbook and prepare a wonderful, healthy meal for themselves or others.

A recipe they have mastered is Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Each one of them can make a delicious, mouth watering batch of cookies in less than a half hour.

I truly believe in order to make cooking and baking inviting to children a parent needs to:

• Allow children to experiment.  Not every recipe will turn out, but most will.  I think the averages are higher for success than failure!  Just read the recipe ahead of time, make sure you have the ingredients and get to cooking!  Mom and dad, stand back, guide the kids, but don't do it all for them.
• Make cookbooks and recipes available and accessible.  Make trips to the local library, bookstore or check out Amazon for great cookbooks finds. Sit around and look at the books marking recipes they want to try.
• Be okay with a mess.  The best, most productive kitchens make a lot of dirty dishes.  Don't stress over dirty dishes.
• Let your kids bless others with their creations.  A plate of warm cookies to a neighbor blesses them and your child will experience the blessing of giving.
• Allow your child to be part of the whole process: shopping, preparing, and clean-up.  If they're involved in all facets they take ownership in the process and develop independence in the kitchen.
• Let your children know you believe in them.  Praise them in the kitchen!

As shown in the photo above, our children have mastered beautiful Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I no longer help them at all in the baking of their all-time favorite.  Our youngest still needs help getting the cookie sheets in and out of the oven, but other than that she's completely independent in the process.

We use our recipe so often we have it taped inside the cupboard door above our Kitchen Aid mixer.  This way, all the kids need to do is open the cupboard and there they find their favorite recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, melted (2 cubes)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Mix butter and sugars until combined.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.  Add dry ingredients.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.  

De-Lish!

 

Baking Day: Company Cookies

I promised my girlie a baking day yesterday.  We went garage sale-ing on Saturday and she found a new cookbook.  It is a Gooseberry Patch cookbook called Old-Fashioned Country Cookies.  I asked her to pick whatever recipe she wanted to bake and we'd do it.  She chose a recipe called Company Cookies.

Time for Celebration Ocean View Little League World Champions



Oops!  Someone better alert San Bernadino to use spell check in sign making.

Despite the sad news of the last couple weeks, we've also been riding a wave of excitement and celebration.  Isn't it interesting how life is like that.  In our saddest moments, we also experience many moments of joy, laughter and exuberance.

As many of you know sports are a huge part of our daily life.  Our kids play sports year-round and since moving to Southern California they've fallen in love with baseball.  Perhaps it's because they can play daily in the sunshine, but more likely, it's because we are blessed with an outstanding Little League program that is second to none.

Our local Little League All-Star team has spent the summer systematically advancing through district, state, regional, and national baseball tournaments all culminating in an electrifying win over Japan today in the Little League World Series.  They are the first team from Orange County to ever win the Little League World Series.

We've gathered with friends watching games over the summer, celebrating each win and today they accomplished something most little league players will only dream of: winning the World Series.

Here are a few photos of the road to the Little League World Series and the Big Wins in Williamsport.

Our cute President!

Mr. Personality

Northern California v. Southern California

This one was from the local newspaper

The Winners! 

Representing West!

Bound for Williamsport

Throwing a T-shirt in the give-away.

Great commercial.

The packed, HOT hang-out. 

Proud parents of Christian Catano.

Packed House!

So cute!

Mayor Carchio and my friend.

Television crews...they were ALL here!  ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX

Hagen Danner's familiy

Coach Pratto and Nick Pratto

Did I mention, PACKED HOUSE!

More camera crews

World Champions!  So proud of these boys!

The crowd started shouting, "USA, USA, USA!"  Love this town.

News interview with Danner family.

Here's a video clip of some of the festivities.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6190884

Often, when going through tough seasons, God blesses us with events that bring us joy.  Today was a day filled with Joy!

Congratulations Ocean View Little League!  Well Done!

Celebrating with Ocean View/ West Baseball sugar cookies. Recipe to follow.