BLESSINGS

Optimism. This can sometimes feel like an unnatural thing. Especially when you are on day 3 of a car with no a/c and then discover that your favorite, beloved coffee shop is closing its doors forever. This has been my life this week, but I am determined to remain optimistic. Those things will not bring me down! A diva must count her blessings!

So blessing #1-

Look at my progress just from today on my scarf! Thanks to a great suggestion...I used my "training needles" (check out the size of those babies) to quickly catch up to my fellow knitter. I just might finish it in time for cold weather hitting!

And blessing #2-

I am well on my way to discovering the first of hopefully a series of "perfect cookies". After dealing with screaming girls for an hour last night and a long day of work, I understood the relief one feels entering the kitchen and baking. Pretty therapeutic if you ask me.

I printed off 5 different recipes to compare ingredients and process. My careful study of the recipes of Martha Stewart, Betty Crocker, Tollhouse, Neiman Marcus, and Smitten Kitchen raised a key question...

The quantity of ingredients are shockingly similar. So what differentiates the recipes? A 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla?? Really?!

The importance of these differences I have yet to determine:

1. Dark brown sugar vs. light brown sugar

2. Wheat germ and flour vs. just flour

Those to me were the only substantial differences I found in all the recipes I looked at. So, if it isn't the ingredients, does the order of mixing together ingredients really create a difference? Or the temperature at which they are baked? I am baffled. These were not the results I anticipated.

However, all this "studying" would be inconclusive if I did not in fact make a batch to test. So my first test was the Smitten Kitchen recipe, which I made last night. I am eating one as I type...trying to decide my ultimate opinion. They are good enough, but it is early in the process to determine anything yet. Guess I should just eat some more...