Cookies for the Road

Seems like every summer I start with great plans for a new type of garden or a different planting of shrubs, but then reality rears its ugly head and it dawns on me that summer is nonstop cooking, cleaning, answering the phone, etc.  The fact is, we have a hard time keeping up with the gardens we already have!  The more the gardens produce, the more work gets added to the already busy days. Lots of berries, tomatoes, and peppers mean lots of jam and sauces to be put up in jars and sold in the gift shop.

I did plant an old dresser that was tucked away in a shed.  Hauled it out, spray-painted it a pretty blue, and planted the bottom drawer.  Well, I placed the plants in an old window box and stuck that in the drawer. It adds a little pizzazz to the deck.   Since I didn't bother the integrity of the drawer I think I can change it out to fall plants later.

Anyway, the butter is softening in the big mixer bowl and that's a sign that cookies are in our guest's immediate future.
Here's my recipe for the guests' favorite cookies.  This was on our old website.

Almond Joy Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 4 large eggs
• 2 Tblsp pure vanilla

Beat the butter and the sugars till light and creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time along with the vanilla, and beat well.
Stop the mixer and smell the ingredients in the bowl. I think the combination of butter, brown sugar, and vanilla is as good as it gets.  Ok, stop the sniffing thing and finish the cookies!

At this point preheat the oven to 375^ and place the rack on the second from the top slot.  No need to have the oven heated way before it's needed.

Mix the following dry ingredients with a wire whisk.

• 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of salt.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and mix just till combined. Don't over-mix.

Now, add the following
5 cups chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds (optional, but then they are Mound cookies)

Mix for just a minute till everything looks combined. Scoop with a cookie scoop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake till puffed up and luscious looking.  Don't overbake these babies, better to have them a little underdone.  It takes around 12 minutes in our oven, so you can get idea from that.  I always turn my cookie sheets around halfway through the baking time for more even baking. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
I make a double batch of these and we roll them in a log in plastic wrap sprayed with Pam,  refrigerate, then slice and bake some off when we need them.
These were blue ribbon winners when I entered them in the Potter County Fair a few years back.
Give them a try. They are somewhat addictive, but not as addictive as my granola!

Have a wonderful day and come see us soon!