Baking Episode #1

Grandma’s Cracker Barrel Cookies

Hello Community!

It was an absolute pleasure to try out Laura Nicole’s cookie recipe and I hope you can too!  Gotta love that I already had most of the ingredients so it was just a quick run to the Bulk Barn for the little extras that we didn’t have. 

I always get a little stressed when I get the kids to help especially with a new recipe.  Trying to read the instructions while you have a child asking you over an over if they can help.  It can be a little trying but ultimately they love to help and it creates such good memories and more importantly, life skills & confidence.  If you have watched the clips, I totally kept my cool but inside I was struggling when S went to crack the eggs into the mixture.  She did great though and I am so glad I let her go for it!

It is not like me to spend hours cooking and baking in the kitchen as it is not a passion of mine.  I find a great sense of satisfaction when I do make an effort though!   This process reminded me about how we need to appreciate the history of recipes and how they evolve or get passed through generations.  It prompted that I could start making new memories of our own!  When I got thinking about it (just now actually…lol); we already do have our own little traditions in our family.  Why would I have to look for new when I have some staring me in the face?

One of them is that my Nan always baked a chocolate cake for dessert when went to hers for dinner...always.  It was especially good when she iced it and covered it totally in rainbow sprinkles.  Admittedly it was from a box (let’s call her Betty Crocker), but we always looked forward to it!  My Mom is now the chocolate cake maker for when we get together for a family meal.  She has raised the bar a little and makes it from scratch.  It was never an intended tradition but it has evolved to be so.  Seeing my kids be just as excited as I can remember for dessert time to commence is kind of a cool feeling. 

This is the story behind the cookies:

Below is my Grandma's Cracker Barrel Cookie Recipe and the story behind it.

Grandma's Cracker Barrel Cookies:
My grandma Lynn got this recipe from her neighbour while living in Merlin.  She used to bake these cookies for her eight children and then she passed on the recipe to my mom who made them for me and my two sisters.  I now enjoy making these for my family. If I'm craving some chocolate I will add chocolate chips to the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1.5 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups Quick oats
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups Rice Krispies

Instructions:
Cream butter and blend in sugars.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Sift together the flour and baking powder and baking soda.  Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then stir in the oatmeal and coconut.  Carefully hand stir in the Rice Krispies so not to squish them.  Form into balls and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Enjoy!

What traditions do you have in your life that give you all the feels?  I’d love to heard about them! 

Yours truly,

NB