The Scent of a House

Do you ever wonder what your house smells like to other people?
Some houses I go in to smell so odd.
Some smell wonderful.
Some I don't really notice a scent at all.

I wonder what my house smells like to others.
Does it stink?
Smell old?
Musty?
Like dirty socks?
Or laundry detergent?
Or my current favorite candle?

More often than not, it probably smells like cookies.
Because I make lots and lots of cookies.

I get tired of making the same cookies over and over.
Chocolate chip and chocolate waffle cookies mostly.
So sometimes I like to create something new.

One of Brookelynn's favorite cereals is Frosted Shredded Wheat.
There are A LOT of crumbs in these boxes.
And I hated throwing all of those crumbs out.
Apparently, sometimes I'm ridiculously frugal.

Other cereals,
like Honey Bunches of Oats
and Frosted Flakes
or Corn Flakes,
seem to never quite get all eaten.

A year or so ago,
I decided to do something with all of these crumbs.
I started "collecting" them all in one bag.
And when I had what I thought was enough,
I made some cookies.
I've made them several times.
Changing the recipe a bit each time.
I think this time I finally got it about right.

I could not tell you
why the cereal is in a separate bowl from the flour.
But I love all three of my Pyrex bowls.
The smaller two where my grandma's on my mom's side.
And the yellow was my grandma's on my dad's side.

I like the texture of the dough.

Cereal Cookies

2 cups cereal crumbs                           1 cup butter

2 cups flour                                         1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda                                1 cup white sugar

1 tsp baking powder                           2 eggs

1 tsp salt                                             2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips                  1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine cereal crumbs, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Beat cereal and flour mixture into butter mixture. Add chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

Drop by tablespoonful onto baking sheets. Bake for 8-9 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire rack.

Yield: about 5 dozen

Most people think they look like oatmeal cookies.
But they've got a great crunch to them.

You can, of course, change the kind of chips you use.
I've made them with butterscotch chips
instead of peanut butter.
We just really liked the peanut butter better.

Come over.
Enjoy some cookies.
And, please, tell me what my house smells like while you're here.

Good Stuff

Another cookie recipe.
I'm beginning to think I'm the queen of cookies.
I make them A LOT.

These make me feel good.
They are a little healthier.
Fresh cranberries.
Fresh squeezed orange juice.
Orange zest.
Walnuts.

Orange-Frosted Cranberry Cookies

Cookies
1 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp grated orange peel
2 T orange juice
1 egg
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c coarsely chopped frest cranberries
1/2 c chopped nuts

Orange Frosting
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
2 to 3 T orange juice

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat sugars, butter, orange peel, orange juice and egg with mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are light golden brown. Cool completely on baking rack, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl. stir all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Frost cookies.

Makes about 4 dozen.I used walnuts.
Cuz walnuts and cranberries just go together in my mind.
And I had to laugh at "packed brown sugar."
Is there any other way to measure it?
I smash that brown sugar in the measuring cup everytime.
The more brown sugar the better.

Speaking of sugar.
Here's a little extra sweetness.Jobie loves his new cousin.
And it looks like his new cousin loves him too.

Ezzie and Storytime

Several weeks ago.
Ezra: I have no friends at storytime.
Me: What do you mean?
E: Nobody wants to be my friend.
M: Sure they do. You play with all the kids.
E: I ask them to be my friend and they say no!

Which is the point of the conversation
that my heart melts.
He is such a sweet boy.
He asks kids to be his friend.
So sweet.

We signed up to bring cookies for the halloween party.
We made bat sugar cookies.
Obviously.
Because Ezzie was batman.
Me: Ezzie, your friends at storytime are going to love these.
Ezzie: I told you. I don't have any friends at storytime.
The night before storytime
Ezzie told Brookie:
Everyone will like Jobie's costume better than mine.
Melting heart, again.
So sweet, again.
He was so hesitant walking up to the library.
Usually he's running to the doors.
Yelling at me to hurry up.
But this day he hung on to my hand.
Once he saw all the other kids with their costumes,
he got brave again.
I guess he was worried the others wouldn't be dressed up.

Of course, everyone liked his costume.
Actually, more people commented on his than Jobie's.
Love that little boy.
And his costume.
And his sensitive little spirit.

Cookies

I just have to say this.
Before I do this post.
That I love this little boy.
He is watching Emperor's New Groove.
For the 3rd, 4th, 5th time within a week?
He is giggling like he's never seen it before.
So cute.
Okay.
So here is a cookie recipe that my kids love.
It is easy, yummy and quick.
Not counting the time it takes to chill the dough.
Which I don't always do.
Cuz it's usually 2:45
when I think about an afternoon snack for the kids.
Who get home at 3:15.
S.T.A.R.V.I.N.G.

Chocolate Waffle Iron Cookies
1 square baking chocolate (or 3 T. cocoa and 1 T. margarine)
1/2 c. margarine
2 eggs
3/4 c. white sugar
1 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt and stir together chocolate and margarine. Beat in eggs. Add sugar. Fold in flour and vanilla. Chill dough. Put 1 heaping teaspoon of dough in each quarter of a greased waffle iron and bake 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully remove with a fork. Frost with chocolate butter frosting. Makes around 2 dozen cookies.

I rarely have the baking chocolate squares.

Almost always use the substitute.

And I never sift the flour.

May be wrong.

But seriously.

Who has time?

Oh, and I nearly always double it.

2 dozen cookies does not last long enough.

Pretty tasty.

And after they are frosted they look like

little chocolate turtles.

So much fun.