Today's cookie was made by a special guest.....

My daughter-in-law, Amanda!!

She made Peanut brittle... something that I have actually never even had before....

she used this recipe

All recipes/ mom's best peanut brittle

and, yes, she shelled all of the peanuts herself. It would have taken a whole lot less time if we weren't eating them as fast as she was shelling them.....

It was her first time using a candy thermometer.... She did a great job!!!

and because of our recent blizzard...

it took the brittle seconds to set up...

it really was quite easy to make... as long as you keep an eye on the temperature of the mixture....

Why have I never had this before? I have no clue... it was so tasty that it is going to be on my Christmas cookie list for years to come.

oxoxo

michelle & Amanda!

My most prized possession....

Other than my family, of course... I have one favorite item in my home. If my house was on fire, I would run back in for this item.

 I had wanted the Betty Crocker cookbook as a wedding/ shower gift, but I did not receive it. When I was married for about a year, my grandparents, my memere and  pepere, (who btw~ absolutely ROCKED) gave me the cookbook for Christmas. We lived about 3 hours away from them.

After spending Christmas at their house I had returned home and my grandmother had called me;  She  asked me to plan a visit  in the near future for me to bring back the cookbook. She was upset that she did not write in it. I thought this was the silliest thing ever,  but a month later, I made the drive to go visit, and she wrote in my book.

She passed away the following year just a few days before Christmas. That had been my last Christmas with her.

I treasure this book. I miss my grandparents each and every day.......

they were two very special, selfless, loving people




from that beloved cookbook comes this recipe.. a recipe that I make every year, chocolate crinkles....

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
4 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted & cooled ( I use bakers' chocolate)
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup powdered sugar

Mix granulated sugar, oil, vanilla, and chocolate. Mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour , baking powder & salt. Cover and refrigerate at least  3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by teaspoonful into powdered sugar ; roll around to coat . Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches on greased cookie sheet. Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched... 10-12 minutes.

now, I have to be honest and let you know that despite the fact that I make these annually, I've never had them come out correctly. Until this year :)

Last year the looked beautiful, but could break a tooth. I used it as my centerpiece for my cookie party because they looked pretty, but we had to put up a sign that said

'for display only'

thank you for letting me share my memory with you..... I think that this story has much to do with my passion for cooking....

on another note..... I am SO excited for tomorrow's cookie!!!!

I am practically bursting at the seams!!!!!!

thanks for reading!

oxox ~michelle