Cookies.

For the past few Christmases or so, our family has made a metric tonne of cookies and then shared them with each other.
This year will be no different and I always like to try out new cookies.

So I'm currently seeking out recipes while digging for the old favorites.
There are certain cookies that my husband absolutely has to have each year and I oblige him as I haven't yet figured out a way to ignore his whining.

This year so far all we've picked out are the obligatory chocolate chip (I may get crazy and go with chocolate chocolate chip) and butterscotch bars.

I'd like to have at least 3 more.
I've been to this site and it has given me a few ideas but I'm wondering if I shouldn't just stick to the basics due to the general business of life.

I'm actually trying out my Great Grandmother Chittum's peanut butter cookie recipe today for the first time.
A challenge has been presented to me in this because there were no directions just a list of ingredients.
No time or temp, so through deduction I've gotten it down to about 15 minutes a pan at 325.
I'm too scared to turn the temp up.

The list was as follows:
2 cups sugar
1 cup fat
1 cup peanut butter
2 t vanilla
1 pinch salt
1 t baking powder
2 eggs
3 cups flour


I got brave and used unsalted butter and white sugar.
I creamed the sugar, butter and eggs.
Then added the vanilla and peanut butter.
Then I dumped in the dry and stirred until just mixed.

Now I'm sure my grandmother made her own peanut butter, but I am neither that adventurous nor crazy.

They are coming out larger than I had expected but taste tests are not final.

I added dark chocolate chips to the last batch because I can't live without chocolate.
If everything passes all clear then I think I might add them to the list as this recipe is ridiculously easy.

I'll give the final recipe at a later date.

-s.

Curiosity

I have a confession, I have an airbake pan.
Well, that's not the confession, everyone knows that.
The confession is that I left cake sit in the pan for well over 2 weeks before cleaning it.
Yeah, that's gross and the mold was really rather interesting.
But the truly interesting thing is where the mold was it ate holes into my pan.
HOLES.
IT ATE MY PAN.
Little bitty pin marks all over my pan.
Some are larger than others but most are pinholed all over the bottom and sides.

I'm not sure if I should be scared or empirically observant.

Metal eating mold is floating around my house.
Maybe it's just the type of metal.
Maybe it can't eat all metals.

It shouldn't be eating ANY METAL.

Agh.

Never will I be slack in the cleaning pan department again.
I promise.
I won't have any pans left.

-s.

Yes, I still read her magazines.

Perusing through the Martha Stewart (Mah-tha. Maah-tha.) mag, I found a small ad for Gramma's Cutters.

I love cookies cutters, and theirs are definitely of the old school variety.
They don't have many, and what they do have are mostly variations on Santa Claus.
I really liked their garden set. I would get the 'special days' set just for the indian, although I'm not sure how a head signifies a special day.

Perhaps someone can answer that for me.

I really like cookie cutters.
I don't even make cookies that often, and those that I do (remind me to share my choco choco chip recipe) don't require cutters.
But I can't help myself when it comes to collection kitchen kitsch.
And these aren't that expensive, compared to some of the old copper ones I've found.

They share recipes, too. Recipes that probably work best with their molds.
I have a cookie press that has a specific spritz recipe that works the best with it.

So, go. See if you can't be tempted by the Jolly days set.

-s.