I was excited to surprise Scott with cookies after he’d been on the phone setting appointments last night.
This isn’t quite what I was hoping for. (Sondra, I’m so sorry I’ve annihilated your wonderful cookie recipe. I simply don’t know what happened.)
I pulled them out of the oven and laughed out loud. They were as flattened as soldiers crawling on their bellies through underbrush. Then, I got the spatula and cracked up even more as slivered pieces flew through the air.
“I mean, seriously? What in the world?” I heckled myself.
Scott was gracious. He said they tasted fine. I’m sure he must have been delusional or is still unsure how to react to his new bride’s kitchen skills.
Fast forward to today. Walking home from a doctor’s appointment I spotted flowers I’d never seen. Like a little girl, sans pigtails, I waded through the wet grass banks and picked some.
Lately, I’ve been buying a single flower (Gerber daisy or rose–whatever is on sale) for a vase in our bathroom. Fresh flowers make me extremely happy, I realized. Well, today the Lord surprised me with a bouquet.
As I walked along, with the little creations of pink and yellow and white in hand, I suddenly wondered, what if what I think are flowers are really weeds? Then I laughed at the lesson before me: the weeds of God are more amazing than my burned cookies! Even if they are wildflowers (feel free to let me know in the comments), they’re scattered with no plan and aren’t tended by anyone. Yet, with my best skills, a college degree, and focused attention, look how my dessert turned out.
Then God brought to mind:
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. –1 Corinthians 1:25
July 12, 2009 at 11:46 pm
This cookie disaster could be caused by several things:
1. Using “butter” that isn’t real butter (e.g., anything labeled “spread”). Only real butter and real 100% margarine should be used in any baked good.
–>Related to this, and I haven’t ever tested it… Some people say that if the butter is too soft it causes the cookie to spread before the flour sets in the oven. If you think your butter is too soft, you can put your bowl of dough in the fridge for an hour to chill it. Doesn’t help in a pinch, though.
2. Not enough flour. You could add 1/2 cup flour to most recipes and do well.
3. Using an air-bake pan can also cause this, though I do not know why. A pizza stone is best, followed by a regular baking sheet with no sides.
Here’s a recipe we use that give exceptional results almost every time. We bake on a pizza stone.
Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe
Oven temp: 325 degrees
Cook time: 10-12 minutes
COMBINE AND SET ASIDE:
2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
Fistful of oats (1/3 cup +/-)
BEAT UNTIL CREAMY:
1 stick butter, softened
¾ cup sugar (or a little less)
¾ cup brown sugar
ADD:
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk (add one at a time and mix)
ADD:
Dry ingredients above
12oz (2 cups) chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts (optional)
The best scooper for cookies is one of those large watermelon ballers that you squeeze and slides the wire across the inside of the scoop (looks like a mini-ice cream scooper).
July 13, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I’ve often been amazed at the blooms on “weeds” – which you do indeed have there. Oh, well!
September 17, 2009 at 3:15 am
Some tips on cooking and life —
Try chilling before baking (at least half an hr if possible) and use round mounds so when they melt down, they aren’t flat. Do not put mounds on pan until just before you are ready to put in the oven. Keep dough refrigerated until then.
(Also may need an oven thermometer or just turn your oven down 25 degrees — it may be too hot, melting the cookies too quickly and that is why they go flat.)
Scott’s graciousness and acceptance of what you bake will encourage you to keep cooking, and one day your cookies will be almost perfect.
Just like us trying to please God — He takes things, whether weeds or flowers, and makes them into something beautiful. And He makes the weak strong to show His power through us.
And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness ” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
2 Cor 12:9