Here we are once again. The time of year when the kids have to go back to school. It was bad enough when that meant waking them up in the morning and driving them ten minutes down the road. Then waiting until the school day was finished and you would drive the ten minutes back again to pick them up. Unfortunately for me, my kids are getting older and headed off to college. Now a twelve and a half hour drive, or an hour and a half plane flight. That said, I am grateful to still have one left at home. However, as he is entering into his junior year of high school, I know my time with him at home is short lived.
Don’t get me wrong, I am excited for them and thrilled that they are enjoying college life. I am even more thrilled that my second son has chosen to attend the same University as my first son. Somehow knowing that they are in close proximity to each other makes me worry just a little less. They are fantastic kids and the friends they have made are pretty awesome, too. We are very lucky!
I could not be more proud of my boys, but I do miss them terribly. It has only been one week since they left and I am already counting the days until Parent and Family weekend.
( 56 days, by the way)
So now the challenge is to stay connected. What better way than to send some sweets that makes them feel like like you sent a piece of home?
Time to Bake!
One fun thing that makes the time go by a little faster for me, is to send a box of cookies.
So once a week, I send up a box, of my hopefully delicious treats and we call them, “Cookie of the Week.”
I love this idea so much, because it brings a little of what they know from home, to their new, independent lives at school.
For the first week, I went with the old standard, chocolate chip. I tried to make sure I made enough so that they could share with all their friends and hopefully leave them waiting to see what next week’s cookie will be.
It’s a lot of fun to come up with a new cookie each week and know that your kids will be waiting for the next box to arrive.
Take my word for it, you will get a phone call when they get their box.
Here’s the recipe that says “home sweet home” to my kids.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
One pound box of Domino’s dark-brown sugar
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 pound of unsalted butter
4 eggs
5 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2 (12oz) bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a mixer combine the granulated and dark -brown sugar. Mix at low to medium speed.
When those are mixed, add in your one pound of unsalted butter that has been sitting out and has softened.Mix on medium speed until well combined.
Scrape the sides and add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until it appears light and fluffy.
Now measure the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine them before you add it to the wet mixture.
Add the flour mixture to the wet (small amounts at a time) with the mixer on the low speed.
Mix until the ingredients are combined, but do not over mix.
Last but not least pour in the two bags for chocolate chips.
Only mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Now line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Using an ice cream scoop (for uniform cookie size) scoop out and place evenly onto the sheets.
Bake for about 12-15 min.
Check for them to be lightly golden.
Remove from the oven and place the cookies onto cooling racks.
Serve them with a cold glass of milk, or on top of a big bowl of vanilla ice cream.
OR straight out of the box!
Hope you guys liked Cookie of the Week!
Carolina Turner (Thomas Fantasy camp):
Laura the website is beautiful and so many ideas. very generous of you to share the recipe and ideas.I will really need it. Way to go!!
Happy holidays.