Kitchen-Cookie-Aide-Bake-Off

Ever since I can remember my mom has had a large yellow kitchen aide mixer. There is even a dent on the kitchen floor where I accidentally dropped it once. Since we were lucky enough to be taught to use kitchen aides there is no other mixer to compare for us. My sister received hers when she got married. Yes I was envious, but since I knew I would soon be heading off for a mission the jealousy was subsided. Lucky me, I received one for graduating from Cosmetology school from my mom. The fun part of it was that it did not cost her but a loaf of bread. The Coos County fair gives a Kitchen Aide mixer to the best loaf of bread entered, and of course my mom one! A few weeks ago my mom decided it was time for a new mixer for herself. Trusty-flour-dusty that she has had for many years has developed a few personality traits that suggests retirement. So she announces that she needed a new one, and that she needed to make some bread. We of course understood her thought process since the County Fair was coming up.













And she won!!! It was a bit of a disappointment that it was not the usual Kitchen Aide, but a bit of money towards the one she wants is still a lucky day!


To celebrate her winning I decided to make a bunch of batches of Chocolate Chip cookies using my Kitchen Aide. OK I mainly did this since I was craving them. I am also overwhelmed with all my recipes. Which ones are good? Which ones are too good to put in the cookie jar? Here are the 5 contestants:

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies- torn ages ago from some magazine













I could not stop eating this dough! It only has 1/3 C WW flour and the rest is oats. It also has salted peanuts! The cookies itself though was a little overwhelming for me. I think if I put Milk Chocolate chips instead of the dark it would have cut a little of the richness.















Chocolate Chip Cookies- My sisters friend Laurie Marks













This dough tasted like the cookie recipe you used to find on the back of C.Chip bags. Basic, yet good. The finished product had a classic cookie taste. Downfall- if the cookie was not cooked precisely right, not loo long, not to short, it was not the most scrumptious taste for your mouth.













Chocolate Chip Cookies- Martha Stewart: Comfort foods













This one was similar to Laurie's cookie with the exception of a bit more brown sugar. The brown sugar was not disappointing. I ate two of these for breakfast!
















Chocolate Chip Cookies- "The Cookie" Cookbook













I have to admit that I had large expectations of this one. A cookbook dedicated only to cookies! This had to hold the best of the best- right? It held a disappointment for me. The cookies were the type that didn't flatted out when you cook them. Like they had too much flour or eggs. I didn't even try one. Looks hold a lot of power over me when I cook.

Chocolate Chip Butter Cookies- If I told you I would have to kill you.













This was a last minute entry for me. I had almost forgotten about this recipe tucked way. The secret ingredient of course being butter, and lets face it, butter is just tasty! I was not disappointed in this one. Dark Chocolate with creamy butter taste. If I had not eaten two of Martha's I think I would have eaten two of these!














Now for the results. I traveled far for some taste testers and now have to wait for the opportune time to have them well... taste!

I thought breakfast would be the ticket. What better for the first meal of the day besides some good ole' chocolate chip cookies and milk!













Five judges including myself. Armed with mugs of milk to cleanse the pallet in between bites. The winner- with two votes...


























Laurie Marks- Chocolate Chip Cookies! Congratulations Laurie for submitting a recipe to a church cookbook that my sister gave me for Christmas many years ago and that now will go in my book of "the best of what I've got".


Even Sam tried to have a vote!

Preserving Memories

You know how some smells can trigger the most random memories? One of those smells for me is the smell of fresh dill. Hmmmmm. Dill. I wanted to pick a little bouquet of it and let the smell permeate my house. But I didn't. The dill had a much better use in helping us make hmmm delicious pickles! I know there are those of you out there that think that dill pickles are Satan's tool, and that sweet is the only way to go. I won't hold it against you, I know we all have our own tastes. But homemade dills. Crunchy with a hint of zesty. Love them! I would post the recipe but since I made them at my moms I don't have it with me. But if you are interested in it, just let me know!






































I will post however the recipe for your very own blueberry pie filling. This stuff rocks! It was a little thick in bottling it, so I have a few air pockets, but WHO CARES! De-lish. I am already making plans for pie-cobbler-crepes, when the snow is white and our days short. A bit of summer to brighten our days!




Blueberry Pie Filling

For 1 Quart

3 1/2 C Fresh Blueberries
3/4 C + 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 C + 1 Tsp. Clear-Jel
1 1/3 C cold Water
1 drop Red food Coloring (Optional)
3 Drops Blue food Coloring (Optional)
3 1/3 Tsp Bottled lemon Juice

Wash and drain blueberries. Combine sugar and clear-jel in a large kettle. Stir. Add water and food coloring. Cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in berries. For preserving: Fill pint or quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Process immediately in boiling water canner for 30 min low altitude, 35-40 high altitude. Enjoy!!!