Raiding Grandma’s Cookie Stash

One of the more memorable occasions of my youth was Going to Grandmas.  Going to Grandmas meant the rules were a little looser, bedtime was a little later and the house was full of smiles, laughter and love.  It also meant we got to raid her freezer full of homemade delicious cookies!!

Every time we went to Grandma’s, without fail, we would grab a plate and head down to the basement freezer with Grandpa.  Grandpa was always really good at being our cookie thieving accomplice.  We would stash the plate so high, Grandma would inevitably say “Ed, that’s too much!” but she would laugh and smile, proud that her baking was a highlight of our visit.  Sometimes we would save the cookies until after dinner.  Most times we would eat them right then and there, still partially frozen.

Luckily for us, Grandma had all her great recipes written down and passed them on to my sister and I.  While I can’t always replicate what Grandma was able to manifest on the cookie sheet, I draw on her recipes (and those fond “Going to Grandma” memories) for baking inspiration.

So, here is one of my favourites,  Grandma’s Chocolate  Chip & Nut Cookies.  Some slight modifications and recommendations, for which I’m sure Grandma wouldn’t mind.  But everyone knows that nothing is ever as good as Grandma’s 😉

• 1/2 cup butter (Grandma used shortening)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (Grandma used walnuts, I usually use pecans)
• 1 – 8oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (Sometimes I’ll use a blend of 2 – 3 kinds of chocolate chips such as milk chocolate and dark chocolate.  Or sometimes I’ll use chocolate chunks)

1. Cream together butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy.  If you have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, this task is much easier and quicker.  My Grandma though was old school when it came to her baking.  She used a wooden spoon and her strength to get that dough well blended.
2. Blend in egg.
3. Sift dry ingredients in separate bowl.  Then add to mixture.
4. Mix in nuts and chocolate chips.
5. Drop a generous teaspoon full of batter onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 F for 8 – 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy alongside a glass of cold milk or a mug full of hot chocolate.

Foodie Fridays is a weekly blog series from Michelle Pitman, attempting to remove the stigma and the labelling of food that tastes good as being bad for you; to show how supportive choices can incorporate all categories of food and that balanced eating means you are satisfying your physical needs as well as the emotional ones.   Bon Appetit!!