Last Blog Post?

So it's no secret that I've been trying to find a different way to document this cookie experience.  I think to be a successful blogger, I really have to be passionate about sharing what I've been doing, and I'm just not.  And I'm a passionate person - but I dread these blog posts.  To be successful, I have to spend more time planning the writing, drafting the writing, reworking the writing - at least that's what I tell my students writers do - and I just ain't got that kind of time.  Let's face it - just while trying to write this post: I've been interupted no fewer than 5 times, once to ease hurt fingers, once to discuss why we cannot push legos down on said fingers, once to give a snack, once to sell a couch, and once to wipe a butt.

But until now, I've been struggling with how to document the progress.

So drum roll .....................

Instagram!

I'm gonna try it - take photos of us baking the cookies or eating the cookies or whatever the cookies.  Problem is - I don't get a cameraphone until this summer and ipads don't take great photos.  So I'll have to experiment with the photography aspect of this - but look out for that.  Follow me on instagram as: coachmandy01

But no fears - I will link back to this site if I ever get motivated enough to type out recipes.

So:

#238 Graham Cracker Cookies
So you know how when you're trying to advertise for the school carnival and no one has time to help you put out the 15 foot banner out on our busy corner?  And you know how when you do it by yourself and it looks great - until you look at it in the afternoon and gravity has kind of crumpled it.  And then the next day you go out by yourself again and attempt to fight the wind and the rain in order to make the banner tighter, but then it just looks worse.  And then, you're awake at night trying to figure out what to do.  You don't, well, that was my week.  And the engineers came to my rescue - they went out and fixed it and made it look great.  So much so that they deserved cookies.

So great idea - I had marshmallow creme leftover from the last cookie/bar I made and wanted to use it up - so I specifically looked for a recipe that involved marshmallow - so graham cracker cookies.  You know what's not a good idea - boiling the sugar, butter, and milk in a pot with spaghetti noodles boiling behind it.  I had a handful of noodles to put in the 2nd pot and one fell into the boiling cookie mixture - I spooned it out and then grabbed it with my fingers as it was falling back in.  Yeah, that's hot.  I didn't bother trying to get the 2nd noodle out of the mixture.


#239 Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookie
Doesn't the name of that cookie make you want to spend a good amount of money on cookies?
Let me say more.  Remember the carnival?  At the carnival, we had a silent auction.  I, along with a co-worker of mine, donated "cookies for a year" (1 batch a month).  I figured I needed to make a really tempting looking batch to get the bids up.  $35 - cookies for a year for $35 - what do you think?  Good deal?

So here's the recipe.  They're amazing:

4 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate                     1/2 cup baking cocoa
3/4 cup butter, cubed                                                       2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs                                                                           1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar                                                                  2 cups chocolate chips (divided)
1 - 1/2 cups flour                                                          2 tsp shortening

In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth.  Cool slightly.  In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar.  Stir in chocolate mixture.  Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until edges are set and tops are slightly cracked.  Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a microwave, melt remaining chips and shortening; stir until smooth.  Drizzle over cookies.  Let stand for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.  Store in an airtight container.


Ironically, I kept forgetting to take a picture of any part of this process.  So no instagram yet.