the ultimate chocolate chip cookies

I love to bake and in my life time I have made many chocolate chip cookies. I guess you could say I am a chocolate chip cookie snob. I like them soft and chewy with just a bit of a crunch to the edge. Early this year I finally stumbled upon the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Seriously these are so good!! I often hold onto recipes and then when one comes along that I think might be better then I try it. If it is better then out goes the old recipe and in comes the new one. With this recipe I highly doubt that I will ever find a replacement. Around here they go quickly like as soon as they are cool enough to grab.

The other thing I love about these cookies is that if they last until the next day they are still soft. Rarely do they last more than two days in our home. They are devoured very quickly and I am okay with that. As a mother I love to hear, “mom these are the best cookies”. It just kinda makes my day! Now I wish I could credit the original source to these cookies but I don’t know where I found the recipe. So if you know please pass the information along and I will make sure to give the credit to the right person. In the mean time I am forever grateful that I found it.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

3/4 c. unsalted butter (room temperature)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg (room temperature)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips.

Using about a tablespoon size drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until barely golden brown around the edge. The tops will not brown but do not cook more then 10 minutes.

Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then move to cooling rack. Makes about 3 dozen

clothesline flowerbed

I have the mentality that if I am going to have to work that I might as well make it enjoyable. One of the daily household chores for a family of 6 is laundry. Lots of laundry! By choice I do not have a dryer. It is one of those things that I have learned to live without and I don’t even miss it. It saves money on the electric bill and of course I don’t have to buy dryer sheets. Love it!

My dear husband finally got around to putting up my metal clothesline poles the other day and I was sure appreciative. For the longest time I have just had the clothes tied around a couple of big trees. It worked okay but with the huge trees my clothes stayed in the shade almost all the time and took longer to dry.

Once the poles were in the ground I decided that a little bit of beauty needed to be added to the area. Once again my dear husband helped dig the spot out and then I got busy planting. When I am in the kitchen doing dishes or working this is the view from my kitchen window. I get to watch the clothes dry in the breeze and watch the butterflies and hummingbirds drop in for a visit.

For me it is the little things in life like flowers that bring beauty and joy to the everyday task. I love being a stay at home mother who gets to enjoy the love from my children everyday and the beauty that surrounds me.

Have a blessed day!
Sarah

lettuce harvest

It’s my first year growing lettuce and I just cut my first large batch out of the garden. I can’t tell you what a rewarding experience that is. After buying it as the store for so long it felt great to walk out to the garden and know that what I was eating was 100% organic. The seeds cost less than one bunch of lettuce from the store. :)

Bringing it home and washing it all up knowing that I planted the seeds and God made them grow is just the beginning of my garden love. There is just something so rewarding about bringing in the first harvest from the garden. I really am not sure what kind of lettuce is on the top but it is an organic kind from Seeds of Change. The beautiful purple color is mustard greens and this was my first year to eat them. I love them! They add a wonderful flavor to whatever I am eating.

So how do I enjoy the lettuce and mustard greens? Just one of the ways is on a very tasty sandwich for lunch. Pile the lettuce high, add some cheese and ham along with a slice of tomato and enjoy. Don’t forget the sweet tea!

Are you gardening? What do you have planted? I went today and purchased 48 Arkansas Traveler tomato plants so that means I will be one busy lady for the next several days. I think I am hooked on gardening!

Have a blessed day.
Sarah

4/10/2012

Last week was such a whirlwind of a week for us. We journeyed through the week with a sweet couple from our church who lost their home in a fire and the wife was badly burnt. She lived from Sunday to Friday evening and we were there as she drew her last breath and entered into the arms of Jesus Christ. What a sweet moment for her but she will be greatly missed by all.

I had taken Friday off from doing home daycare in order to spend the day with family that had come in from out of state. With us being called away to the hospital we missed being with family but this is just one of those times that ministry has to come first. I am thankful that my husband and I both have family to help us out when the need arises. We spent Saturday on the farm tilling in the garden and pulling lots of weeds. The ground was so dry and the sky was so cloudy. I was praying for God to send rain and finally decided to start watering the garden. I got a little over a row finished when it began to sprinkle and then God poured out the blessing of rain in a mighty way. I am so thankful that he always provides for us!

On Sunday we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise service at church and then enjoyed a delicious breakfast with our church family. After Sunday School and then regular service we spent the rest of the day with family celebrating Easter and the reserecution of Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful day to be outside and enjoy the company of our wonderful family. Our children went home with grandpa and grandma so my husband and I went looking for a location to have our family photos done in a few weeks.

We are so blessed to have family that lives in a gorgeous area with creeks flowing behind their homes and a lot of wooded areas. Our photographer was looking for a place that included woods and a shallow stream. I am looking forward to having our photos done outside in Gods wonderful creation. We are such a blessed family and I am thankful that God chose me to be the wife and the mother to my amazing crew.

Have a blessed day!
Sarah