The WonderWomen and the Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I decided to move to Utah I went and interviewed with a bunch of different school districts. After numerous offers, I decided to take the one in Granite School District which led me to a job at Bennion Elementary. Someone from heaven must have been watching out for me when I made that decision because it was one that gave me some of the best friends I could’ve ever asked for. Some of these girls were there my first year and others came a little while after that but regardless we were instant friends and pretty much inseparable from then on. Kirner, Brooker, HaHa, Linds, Klagger, Duckey and Pom-Pom were truly my family out there and man did we live up every minute of our time together. When I think back on some of the things we did/got away with I literally have to laugh out loud. I would absolutely never be able to write about all of the things that we did so I will list just a few that hopefully will bring a smile to their faces (because they definitely do to mine). There was: movie-time Fridays, showers (bridal and baby), road trips to Seattle and NY, Mill Hollow, American Idol dinners, COUNTLESS pranks (jello, paper airplanes, stealing and hiding entire classes of kids, etc.), our “uniforms” on the last day of school, and just being with each other because it didn’t need to be a special occasion for us to have a great time!!! Although life has spread us out throughout Salt Lake City or the country (Klagger and myself) I still consider these wonderful women (hence WonderWomen) to be some of my closest friends. I hope these cookies find each of you well and are able to express how much I love and miss you all!!!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
By: Evelyn Brown
"This recipe uses very ripe bananas, the ones which you would not want to eat. The riper the bananas are, the more flavor they have."
Original Recipe Yield 3 dozen

Ingredients
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together, and set aside.
2. Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the mashed bananas. Add the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

***Changes:***
1. I used ½ Cup of White and ½ Cup of Brown Sugar instead of 1 cup of White.
2. I used Milk Chocolate Chips instead of Semisweet Chips.
3. I used only 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder instead of 2 teaspoons.
4. I used about 1 ½ Cups of Mashed Bananas instead of 1 Cup.
5. Chill the dough for about an hour so it’s easier to work with.
6. Lastly I used a cookie dough scoop and so my cookies came out a little larger, and a little less of them, then the original recipe would have.

Amy and the Armenian Honey Cake Cookies

This week the cookies are going to the “Armenian Princess” so of course I had to make her some Armenian cookies. I actually found this recipe a few weeks ago for the Armenian Christmas, celebrated on January 6th, which up until a few months ago I had no idea even existed. I have to admit I am feeling a little cheated out of 29 years of presents!!! Anyway, back to Amy the center of attention (for this blog at least haha). Amy truly is a wonderful sister and one of my best friends. Can she be a bitch? Yes. Is she ever on time? No. But would she give you the shirt off her back if you needed it? Absolutely… well as long as it wasn’t from Calvin Klein. All joking aside Amy is an extremely thoughtful and caring and smart and funny and nurturing and beautiful woman (man would I kill for someone to think we were twins now). Although I may not have always acted like it (especially in middle/high school) Amy means the world to me and I cherish every one of our memories together. I am thankful every day that she is my sister. Love you Aim-Scaim!!!!


Armenian Honey Cookies ( http://www.thearmeniankitchen.com/2010/09/armenian-honey-cakes.html )

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp ground cardamom  (PS- This spice is EXPENSIVE!!! Of course Amy’s recipe would call for such an expensive ingredient)

½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
Additional sugar for rolling


1. Melt butter in a saucepan or microwave oven.
2. Place melted butter in a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients (except additional sugar), and mix until well blended.
3. Chill for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Shape dough into balls about the size of a walnut.
5. Place additional sugar in a bowl. Coat each ball in sugar.
6. Place balls on a lightly greased sheet. With your fingers, gently press each cookie to slightly flatten.
7. Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Cool on wire rack. When completely cooled, store in an airtight container.

 
*** The only modifications I made to this recipe were that I used a cookie scoop instead of rolling into balls and I DID NOT press down the cookies. This made for softer and thicker cookies***

The Frasers and the Blueberry Oat Cookies

***Due to internet issues, here is last week's blog... there will be another blog later this week as well***

Let me start off by saying that I never would have gotten to where I am today if it had not been for Jim and Donna Fraser. No seriously, I really wouldn’t be here….. they are my maternal grandparents and without them, well there wouldn’t be any me hahaha!!!All joking aside they really have helped to make me the person I am today. I have definitely gotten some of my best (and maybe a couple of my worst- just kidding) traits from them. Grandpa Jim: gave me his curly hair, showed me the importance of hard work, made up a “lovely” song about me when I was a kid, and taught me some very important “facts” (bread crust makes you hair curly and alcohol puts hair on your chest). Grandma Donna: gave me her height (or lack thereof), showed me that almost anything can be cooked in the microwave, made up some imaginary friends for my sister and I to play with (I miss Mr. & Mrs. Smith), and taught me hands-down some of the funniest sayings you will ever hear (schlackdahogendo and rrrrroooooollllllllllllll it). I love my grandma and grandpa very very very much!!! I hope they take these cookies as just a small small token of my gratitude.

Blueberry Oat Cookies
By: Elaine Gelina
"It's fun to make these cookies at the height of blueberry season when folks are looking for tasty ways to serve that juicy fruit. A hint of cinnamon adds a special touch."
Original Recipe Yield 18 servings

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the blueberries.
2. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Suggestions
- Use smaller blueberries so that they cook a little more thoroughly
- Stir in the blueberries with a wooden spoon so as to not make the blueberries bleed too much into the dough (although I kinda think blue cookies would be fun).
- Most importantly, DO NOT put the entire egg (shell and all) in the batter or you will have to start over!!!!

The Casos and Costanzos and the Chocolate Mint Candies Cookies

I am not even exactly sure when it was that the Caso’s and Costanzo’s came into my life but I know it hasn’t been the same since!!! These two wonderful families have come into Gadawski’s on Friday nights for years and years. Eventually I started to talk with them, then I started to sit and eat with them, and now I have: bought a house from one of them, had numerous parties with them, and continue to spend most of my Friday nights with them. I honestly love these two families and KNOW I would not be the same without them. Since there are about 30 (ok maybe 8, well kinda 10) people between these two families I am only going to use one word to describe each of them:

Caso Family

- Bill: Protective
- Teri: Nurturing
- Steph: Loud- sorry Steph haha
- Erica: Hilarious
- Jason (yes Jason, you are a part of the Caso Family): Quiet- perfect match for Steph haha
Costanzo Family

- Joel: Knowledgeable
- Theresa: Resilient
- Stephanie: Creative
- Joel: Persistent
- Vinny (yes Vinny, you too): Thoughtful
 

Chocolate Mint Candies Cookies
By: Jackie Schmidt 
"I received this recipe through a cookie exchange years ago, and it has become a favorite of family and friends."
Original Recipe Yield 3 to 4 dozen  

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 (4.5 ounce) packages chocolate covered thin mints (approximately one per cookie)
Directions
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, be careful not to overbake. When cookies come out of the oven, Press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.
 
***One baker suggested the following modifications that I tried***                                                    
1. Spray PAM on cookie sheet then wipe excess with a paper towel (this allows the middle to cook at the same rate as the sides).
2. Let cookies cool for one minute before placing Andes mint, facedown, on top of cookie. Press the mint down into the cookie. Then when the sides look shiny, but the middle still has a flat surface, take a teaspoon and lightly swirl the mint.
3. After swirling the mint, place cookies directly into fridge on tray, do not place on wire rack as that only delays the hardening of the chocolate.

Grandpa George and the Soft Oatmeal Cookies

My grandpa George is one of the most hard-working, dedicated, loyal, and physically fit men I know. He worked so hard throughout his entire life so that his family could have everything they needed and wanted. And when he wasn't working he was off riding his bike to the far ends of the earth, ok well maybe not that far but he was gone for hours. Now that he has retired Grandpa is enjoying the fruits of his labor. He has more "toys" than any other 70 year old man by far. The short list includes: 3-D TV, Blu-Ray Player, Playstation 3, a sick-ass Surround Sound System, and an iPhone. I am so proud of him! He worked so hard and he is finally getting to enjoy himself!!! I love him very much and hope he can enjoy these cookies while watching his sweet 3-D TV haha.


Soft Oatmeal Cookies By: BITTERSWEET1
"These oatmeal cookies are very moist with a good flavor. Add a cup of raisins or nuts if you desire."

Original Recipe Yield 2 dozen

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.


***I only really made one change if you will... I used a medium cookie scoop instead of rolling them and in turn it made about 50 cookies instead of 24***