Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ok, I know what you’re thinking… Really, Brooke?  Doesn’t everyone already have their ‘perfect’ recipe for chocolate chip cookies? 

Well, maybe so but there might be someone out there looking for just such a recipe and I just may have it for them… right here! 

We’ve all tried dozens of different variations of chocolate chip cookies, right?  I know I have!  It seems that everyone has their own recipe that they just absolutely love and go back to time and time again.  THIS is that recipe for me.  And chocolate chip cookies are a very personal thing.  Some like them chewy, some crispy, some fat and some flat!  This one is just the right combination of an ever-so-slight crunch on the outside {especially around the edges} and a perfectly chewy middle.  YUM!  And besides, the dough itself is worthy of an award! 

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried a whole lot of delicious chocolate chip cookies but many of them contain shortening.  Nothing wrong with that at all but around these here parts, we’re trying to stay away from hydrogenated oils and such.  And since this recipe calls for butter {or margarine, but really… please stick with butter}, it’s a recipe I love having around.

It’s a recipe I got years ago from a friend who had adapted it just slightly from a chocolate chip bag {I don’t recall the brand} and the rest is history!  Since then, I have found that there are a couple of tricks to getting this to be the perfect cookie.  So, let’s get started!

 

Start out by beating the butter for about 2 minutes on medium speed. {super soft butter… as in out of the refrigerator for 24 hours}

Next, add the brown sugar and beat for about a minute.

 

Now add the white sugar and beat for another whole minute, or longer. 

 

Notice the beautiful color… don’t you just want to paint a wall that color? 

 

Add the vanilla and mix well.

 

Add the egg and mix until incorporated.  {this is the point that you don’t want to overmix.}

 

In a separate bowl, you’ll need to combine the flour, salt and baking soda.

Then you’ll add it, a little at a time, to the wet mixture.  Mix each ‘little bit’ on low speed.  {Unless you like wearing flour! }

 

Once it’s all incorporated, you’ll have a ball of dough that looks similar to this {after scraping the sides, of course}.

 

Stir in chocolate chips!  {I prefer semi-sweet}

 

Roll into golf ball sized balls, placing them on a cookie sheet lightly coated in non-stick spray.

 

Mash them down about halfway.  {Trust me on this, if you don’t do it they will end up looking like half spheres… we’re going for perfection here!}

 

And once you’ve rolled 2 dozen cookies, you have just enough dough left over for yourself.  C’mon, you know you want it!

 

Place in a 375* oven for 9-12 minutes {11 is usually perfect for my oven}

And they’ll come out looking like this… except that they’re still on the cookie sheet, not the cooling rack.  Remove from the cooling rack about 2 or 3 minutes after removing from oven. 

 

Not too dark, not too light… PERFECT!

 

Do you like milk with your cookies?

 

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 c. butter (or margarine if you must) – ** very soft butter!! 

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 c. chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 375*

Cream butter for 2 or 3 minutes on medium speed.  Add brown sugar and beat again for another minute or so.  Then add white sugar, beat again.  Add vanilla and egg, mix until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Pour a little bit at a time into the wet mixture(about 3 parts), mixing on low speed between each addition until fully incorporated. 

Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll into golf ball sized balls and place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.  Smash each ball halfway (this is important unless you want half-spheres!)

Bake for 9-12 minutes (ovens may vary)…

You should know...

Well, in a nutshell (because I'm sure you don't have all day), I'm as unorganized as they come. Try balancing that skeleton with 5 kids. It doesn't work so well. I swear I blink and the room goes from somewhat clean-ish to "What the heck happened in here?!?"

Luckily, I have the best husband that helps me put it all back in check once the kids go to bed. Or maybe I should say that I help him... he really does most of the work.

I have strange quirks such as the fact that I can only eat plain M&M's if I microwave them first, I have globophobia (fear of balloons... don't laugh!), when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I must use two different knives... one for pb, one for jelly (both of which must touch the edge of my bread... OCD, maybe?), and I only have 9 toes. Ok, just kidding on that last one. All ten toes are present and accounted for. Want proof? Maybe someday there will be post about feet, but probably not. I've got the ugliest toes ever.

Growing up I always said I would never have my own kids. I would only adopt. Who wants to go through the pain? And I would only have a max of four. Well, as it turns out, I was wrong... it happens once every five years. ;) So, I've got 5 kids (9 dd, 7 dd, 6 dd, 3 ds, 1 ds ... all birthed by me) and a wonderful husband. All of which keep me very busy. And I wouldn't change it for the world!

We are active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I currently hold a calling as a Primary teacher while Anthony serves as Gospel Doctrine teacher, some Stake Sports something-or-other (like that name?), and First Counselor in the Sunday School Presidency. I'm not sure why but Anthony is always holding at least two callings at any given time. It's always been that way our whole married life. Kind of funny.

We homeschool our kids with the help of many online sources, friends, neighbors, family, classic books, etc. Hey, it takes a village...

My favorite colors are bright shades of pink, yellow, and sometimes orange.

I have an extremely hard time making decisions. It kind of gives me anxiety. JUST CHOOSE FOR ME! Don't give me options.  I blame this on my perfectionism that I’ve recently discovered.  A certain book I’ve been reading helped me to identify this… {more on that later!}

I'm convinced that I possess no special gifts or talents although I know God gives each person at least one. If only he'd give me a map to mine! I can't find it. Oh wait, if he gave me a map, I still wouldn't be able to find it. You see, I'm pretty sure that I stood in the EDC line in heaven. EDC stands for Extremely Directionally Challenged. I have the hardest time with directions. Once I tried getting home from my cousin's house by heading West when I needed to go East. Once I figured out I was headed the wrong way (about 15 minutes into my drive), I turned around and somehow started going North. How does that happen? It took the third try to get it right. I'd like to tell you that I was only 17 years old at the time but the truth is, it wasn't that long ago. I know, I'm awesome! You wish you were me!

Anyway, I believe I stood in the EDC line and then couldn't find my way to the Gifts/Talents line. **Sigh**

Or maybe, being EDC actually IS my gift! Maybe?

All I know is, no matter how badly I would like to be a photographer, I can't take a good picture to save my life. I consider myself a "FAUX-tographer". A faux-tographer is (defined by me) someone who has a desire to take wonderful photos but owns faulty equipment and lacks skill anyway. Because a real photographer will tell you that you can take good photos with ANY camera. I still blame it on the pocket-sized digital wonder that is mine. It lacks ability I tell you! Someday I'll own an SLR. Someday...

Anthony would tell you that I eat my Kit-Kat’s funny.  Doesn’t everyone eat the chocolate sides off first and then eat each wafer layer individually? 

He would also like for you know that I whine in my sleep… it’s true.  And while he is perfectly content to use the bathroom in front of me, I am NOT okay peeing in front of him.  {just thought I'd throw that in there ;)}

I’m sure there is much more useless information you might find interesting… or not.  Maybe you thought this was a ridiculous post.  That’s okay!  I just want to give you a better picture of the girl behind the screen.  {Is it weird that I still call myself a girl, not a woman?}

 

See Part 2 here!

Bruises

Me + Moving Dressers = Not a great combo!

That dresser and I.... we're not friends anymore.

Do They Know?

Disclaimer:  I'm not sure why but I feel that I need to put this out there.  It's something I might normally write in my personal journal but have a nagging feeling I need to post it here.  Maybe someone out there needs to know that they are not alone.  Or maybe it's just something I need to do to make in order to make a change.  Whatever the reason, I hope you understand that I am doing my best.  Constructive criticism is more than welcome, negative... not so much!



Do my children know how much I love them?

If I were to die tomorrow, would they remember me the way I would like to be remembered?  Or is that Mom hiding behind a wall of unattainable perfection in my mind?

Never in my life have I considered myself a perfectionist.  My house would tell you that I'm at the exact opposite end of perfection.  Okay, so I'm extremely messy and unorganized.  But I've learned something about myself recently.  I truly AM a perfectionist.  The type that says if I can't do it perfectly, there's no point in trying at all. 

This level of perfectionism is dangerous!  Truly, it is debilitating.  It's made me a version of myself that I don't love.  In fact, a version that I would never want to live with... which makes me wonder... do my children and husband really know how deeply I care?  How could they?  I'm not even nice.  I can't be perfect so I turn it around and make everything their fault when truly, I should take the blame.  Simple things that shouldn't even have fault are blamed on them.  Surely it couldn't be me... I'm perfect!

So.... does K know that when I get after her for saying something extremely sarcistic or trying to 'be the mom' that I am really getting after myself?  After all, she is just like me in so many ways.  The things she says and the tone she uses are the same ones that I use.  Yet, somehow, it's not okay coming from her mouth.  And does she know that when I tell her she's "doing it wrong" that she really isn't?  She's only doing it different.  The end result is the same so why do I feel the need to force her to do it the way that I would?

Does she know that I love her?

Does A know that when I get upset with her for being bossy and selfish that I am truly getting after myself?  After all, she is just like me in so many ways.  My need to feel in control of every situation is out of control and I get bossy with my kids.  Of course she's bossy and selfish.  It's what she knows!

But does she know that I love her?

Does H know that when I get after her for only doing what is asked of her when she wants to that I am only getting after myself?  After all, she is just like me in so many ways.  She only hears what she wants to hear and only when she wants to hear it.  I only hear what I want to hear.  I only see what I want to see.  It's only applicable if I say it's applicable.

But does she know that I love her?

Does Anthony realize that I'm critical of him because I care?  I know it doesn't help, it's what I've always known.  It's not an excuse... just the truth.  It needs to change.  The things I criticize him for are the same things that I, myself, need to work on.  I'm being critical of me.

But does he know that I love him?

Do the boys understand that when I tell them no every five seconds of the day, that I'm only trying to protect them?

I need to say yes more often... to all of my kids.  'No' is a part of me.  It always has been, though I don't understand completely why.  Things that should be a 'yes' are often a 'no' because it's just the first word that comes to mind.  And then, since I already said it, even though in my mind I know I could easily change the answer, I usually leave it at 'no'.  It's got to change.

Do Anthony and the kids realize that because of the relentless teasing and bullying I received as a child, I am often in defense mode?  That wall was built many many years ago and has yet to be broken down completely.

Do they know why I don't comfort them with hugs and kisses as often as I should?  I try to do it with words, though I know that hugs are more deeply comforting.  Physical touch is my least spoken of the Five Love Languages.  It's just something I've not been comfortable with since I was very small.  Again, all the teasing and comments put a huge bubble around me that very few can enter.  The closer someone physically got to me, the more likely target I became.  Therefore, if you were close enough to touch me, you were too close.

This is something that bothers me quite a bit.  I'm bothered by the fact that I don't reach out to my children and smother them in hugs and kisses when they are hurt or sad... or even happy and excited!

Do they know that I want to?  Do they understand how hard it is for me?

Does Anthony realize that I look in the mirror every day and wish I could change the way I look?  I know that I don't look the way I used to.  After having five kids, the abs aren't quite as tight as they used to be, the extra skin and sagginess is wretched and certain parts of me have headed south.

I fear the day that he looks at me and decides he doesn't want me anymore.  It's such a real fear for me that I expect it at any point.  I'm just waiting for that day.

Do the kids understand that when I yell, I'm really yelling at me?  When I tell them to be patient... {with an impatient tone}.

Do they know that when I roll my eyes in frustration that they really haven't done anything wrong?  I'm frustrated with me but I turn it on them.

Does Anthony know that I appreciate all that he does for us?

Does K know how helpful she really is to me?  Do I tell her I love her often enough?

Do they know that my heart breaks into a million pieces when I see that someone has hurt them with unkind gestures or words?  And that those pieces break into a million more when I realize that it was ME that hurt them?  Do they know that I hate seeing them with tears in their eyes?

Do they know that I lie in bed at night and wish I could start the day over just so I can try to do it right this time?

Do they know that even though we haven't been able to afford many of the things they want {or even need}, that I love them?  Do they feel unloved because they don't have some of the things that other kids have?

Do they know that when my mind wanders at night {as it so often does} and I think about other kids who are sick or have been kidnapped or worse, that I can't stand the thought that something like that would happen to them?  It makes me sob like a baby but I'm a mom who thinks.... too much, maybe {according to Anthony}.

Do they know that if they weren't in my life, I'd be lost?

Do they know that I feel like a terrible mom sometimes?

Does Heavenly Father know that I'm trying?  Does He see it as trying or as excuses?  Does He know I'm trying to be better?  Does He think I'm hopeless?  Does he know that on most days I feel hopeless as a wife and mother?

Now that I realize how my perfectionism is hurting my family, am I able to change it?

Do I know how to change it?

I WILL CHANGE IT!

Old Fashioned Taffy

In honor of Pioneer Day this Sunday, we've made butter, fudge, ice cream {which turned into an epic fail... which is why it was never posted :(}, and now taffy!!

Now before I get into the recipe, I have a funny story to tell.

This recipe calls for glycerine.  And in the book it specifically says that you can find this particular ingredient at a drugstore.  Not only that but it's 'essential'.  See?



So, I did what any good girl would do and ran to the drugstore for my glycerine.  This is what I found...



Great!  I have what I need, let's get started...

But WAIT!  On the back of this bottle of glycerin (no E) it states "for external use only".  Lovely, what am I supposed to do now?  One of my 'essential ingredients is not to be consumed.  I called my mom and she did a little research via the internet (gotta love Google) and found that glycerine (with an E) is 'also known as glycerin' (without an E).  Hmmm, so it was time to call a pharmacist.

Yes!  I did, I called a pharmacy to ask a silly question.  It went something like this:

***ring, ring***

Technician (female):  Pharmacy... technician speaking.  How can I help you?

Me:  Ummm hi, I'm calling with what is probably a really silly question.

Tech:  *light giggle* That's ok, we love those.

Me:  Okay, well, I have a recipe for old fashioned taffy and it calls for glycerine.  In the book it says that it can be found at a drugstore so I went to Rite Aid and bought some but realized that on the back it says 'external use only'.  Am I really supposed to use this in my recipe?

Tech:  *hearty laugh*  No!  Don't eat that stuff!  It's not supposed to be eaten.  You really have a recipe that calls for glycerine?

Me:  Yes, but I noticed {actually Anthony noticed... so unlike him} that the one I bought is spelled without an E on the end.  In the book, it has an E.  Would that make any difference?

Tech:  I don't know, let me ask the head pharmacist.  Hold on for just one minute...

Tech {after asking head}:  I guess there is an oral one.  Maybe if you were to call Orson Gygi's and see if they carry it.

Me:  Okay, thank you so much.

Well, after that embarrassing display of ignorance, I called Gygi's and they DO, in fact, carry glycerine (with an E) and it is in fact edible.  The lady said people use it in fondant.  Being that I know absolutely zippo about fondant I would never have known.  But it got me thinking, if it's used for fondant, maybe craft stores would carry it.  They carry fondant.  As it turns out, I was right!  This is the correct glycerin, folks!



And now, let's proceed, shall we?

This recipe comes from this book, one of my favorites!  And it was published in 1980... maybe back then, glycerine (with an E) was sold at drugstores.



We've decided that the 'E' stands for 'edible', no?

Here's what you'll need:

And now you'll need to combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, salt, and glycerine in a saucepan.  {I could have used a smaller one}.

Bring to a boil.

Boil to 258*.  It will thicken as it heats up.

Meanwhile, butter a cookie sheet.  Use real butter, please... not a spray.

Once the mixture reaches 258*, take off heat and let sit for three minutes before stirring in butter and vanilla.  Stir in completely.

{Notice the little black flecks... yeah, not too happy about those.  The burnt sugar on the sides got stirred in.  Don't freak... I did just a little.  No biggie.}

Pour it onto the buttered cookie sheet.  It probably won't fill the whole thing.  That's okay. {forgot to take a picture of that... sorry!}

Let cool until it can be handled with bare hands.  This happens within just a few minutes.  Don't wait too long or it will harden too much.

Separate into pieces {yes, it looks like raw chicken} and strrrrrretch and fold, strrrrrretch and fold, strrrrrrretch and fold.  {Yes it deserves the extra R's because it really is that tough for a wuss like me. ;)}

The left one above has not been pulled yet, the right one has been pulled just a few times.

Which is why I make my husband finish it off for me.  {Hi Anthony!  I think you look awfully handsome with that facial scruff you're growing!}

Keep going until it's 'white and pliable'.

Now you can either cut into little pieces or shape it into your initial... Go for the initial!  The kids think it's great!

 

Old Fashioned Taffy (Lion House Taffy)

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. water

1 c. white corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. glycerine

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. butter

Boil sugar, water, corn syrup, salt and glycerine to 258*.  Remove from heat.  Let sit for 3 minutes before adding butter and vanilla.  Stir in until butter is melted completely.  Pour onto buttered cookie sheet and cool until it can be handled with bare hands. 

Make sure your hands are clean.  Take a piece of taffy and stretch and fold over and over again until white and pliable.  Form into initial or cut into pieces.  Wrap in parchment paper or wax paper.  It will stick to anything else. 

When it Rains Buckets

This is how my kids celebrated the downpour of rain the other day.

B even tried to drink from the gutter.  Got a video but no pic, darn it!  I remember doing that as a kid.  Tell me I'm not the only one!

Take the time to play in the rain!

It's a lesson I've learned... from my kids!

There are just some things a mom shouldn't have to do...

Under normal circumstances I absolutely refuse to take C with me just about anywhere if I also have to take the baby.  I say baby but he's really not a baby anymore.  He's HUGE!  And he's doing big boy things.  But right now we're talking about C, not B.

Anyway, during the summer, Anthony usually goes to the lake with some buddies of his once a week.  Some years it ends up being every Tuesday, last year it was every Thursday and this year it falls every Wednesday.  Just depends on when John {the buddy that actually owns a boat} can go.  Everyone else works around his schedule.  Well, it just so happens that Wednesday is the day that H has dance lessons.

This means that I get to drag all the kids {minus one because one of them usually goes with Anthony to the lake} with me to dance class.

What a feat!

I can handle K, A, H, and B just about anywhere we go.  HECK!  I even dare take all four of them somewhere all. by. myself!  ALL BY MYSELF!  Yes, I take pride in that.

But that C... I tell you what, he is the equivalent of at least three rambunctious boys.  No joke!  Ask anyone that knows him.  I've always heard that boys are rowdy and can get out of hand but the same people that said that to me when he was first born now say things like, "Holy cow!  My boys were NEVER that rambunctious!"

Is it ADHD?  I just don't know.

Well, today at dance class, he was everywhere!  Wouldn't sit still to save his life.  I was practically pulling my hair out by the end of that hour.  I swear that hour lasted two hours too long.  Is that possible?

By the time H was out of class, I had had quite enough of hanging out in the foyer in which C thought the stairs were a playground.  He was climbing the outside of them.  It's a free standing staircase.  No walls against it, make sense?  And then he kept trying to climb the BRICK pillars in the foyer area.  UGH!

As I tried to get him to leave, I grabbed him from behind off the brick pillar while having A hold onto B.  {A's a tiny gal so B is quite a load for her.}

Well, at that point, C turned around, screaming and grabbed my glasses off my face, kicked me, hit me and tried to scratch me.  I say 'tried' because the kid has absolutely no nails to scratch with.  He bites them down to nothin'... sometimes they bleed!  Anyway, all of this is going on as people are walking by and watching.  I'm sure it was a pretty scene.

Meanwhile, poor little A has to carry {practically drag) B to the car while I lug his screaming, tantrum-throwing brother out.  As we got to the car, I told C that he would not be able to participate in our Fudge making and that he was going straight to bed when we got home.

Normally, at least with all three girls, I never ever used bed as a punishment.  I always heard that it's not a good idea and the 'time out' method always worked perfectly for them.  C, however, is another story.  Time outs are a great time to spit on the floor or pee on the floor.  We get much better results with the bed thing.

So, straight to bed he went!  The other kids and I made our fudge and had a great time.

An hour and a half later, I let him come out for a cup of milk and some applesauce.  He was very apologetic and tried to convince me that he needed a treat.  Ha!  Treat?  I don't think so....

As I was saying... there are just some things that a mom shouldn't have to do.  Taking a 3-year-old to his sister's dance class is one of them.

I told Anthony he's "NEVER DOING THIS TO ME AGAIN!!"  I even cried.  Not that it was his fault, he just can't go boating... ever, EVER again!  EVER!  ;)

I should have known what I was in for when he woke up from his nap looking like this!



And yes, he is completely, stark naked... and we still can't find the marker.

Mountain Man Fudge

I'm not really sure where we got this recipe.  I just remember that K brought it home once from somewhere.  Possibly a Primary Activity?

It just so happens to be in my brand spankin' new binder-of-just-about-every-recipe-I-have.  Not really a new binder, just one I threw together of all the miscellaneous recipes I had from here, there and everywhere.  The ones I printed off the internet, got from friends, or who knows where else.  THAT binder.  Do you have one of those?

Anyway, I don't know that pioneers really made fudge but it sounds like something they may have done had they had things such as Ziploc bags and such.  Wouldn't you agree?  So, to honor our pioneer heritage during the week of Pioneer Day, we made Mountain Man Fudge.  I kind of think of it as Lazy Man's Fudge.  No cooking required and you get to eat it almost as quickly as you made it.

Here's what you'll need for each Freezer Ziploc bag (or other brand of your choice - freezer kind are best since they are less likely to bust open ;)):

2 T. cocoa powder

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 oz. cream cheese

1 T. butter

dash of vanilla

Here's what that might look like... Kind of ugly, eh?





Why are only three of my children present in the picture, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you.  K had this crazy notion that going water skiing with her dad and some of his buddies would be more fun than making fudge.  Pssshhh!  I tell ya, kids are nuts sometimes.  {She actually had a great time :)}  And C was in bed.  That's right!  In bed at 7:00.  No, that is NOT typical.  He had been a STINK!  More on that later....

On to more important matters such as mashing bags.

Mash your bag until everything inside is well incorporated.  {I even 'let' B mash a bag... yeah, he wasn't so interested}

Cut the tip off...



And enjoy!  Or just let the kids enjoy.  It's extremely sweet but the kids sure love it!