Virginia Drader

I have not made chocolate chip cookies in such a long time; since I am having some friends over this weekend I decided they would be the perfect treat to make. To me baking cookies is almost therapeutic. I don’t know if it is because I get to only focus on the recipe or because of all the wonderful smells in the kitchen; but if I am having a bad day baking will always cheer me up.

This recipe produces my idea of the classic chocolate chip cookie. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and filled with pieces of semi sweet chocolate (if you prefer milk chocolate you can use it instead.) This recipe was also super simple and took no time at all to come together. If you have had a tough week make a batch of these cookies and see if it helps to make you feel better.

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My Grandma passed away a few weeks ago. My cousin Carrie was nice enough to go through her recipe box and put together a book of all of her favourite recipes. I was so happy she did this because to me family recipes are the most important thing to have after a loved one passes away. I truly believe that food can bring back more memories than anything else.

My Grandma had Alzheimer’s disease and so her passing away was bittersweet. I am happy that she doesn’t have to be in pain any longer and sad that I did not get to know her better. I believe in heaven so I know that I will get to see her again one day.

These Oatmeal Raisin cookies are really special to my Dad; so I thought as a tribute to my Grandma and to cheer my Dad up I would make them and do a blog post about them. The cookies are filled with raisins and oats and have just the right amount of sweetness and a little spice from the cinnamon. As they baked they give off the most wonderful warm aroma. I think they would be the perfect treat anytime of the day; but would be especially good in the morning with a cup of coffee.

From now on whenever I make these cookies I will think of my Grandma and know that she is in a better place.

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This recipe for Molasses Spices bars was given to me by my good friend Linda. Linda loves recipes and cookbooks as much as I do, and she is always giving me new recipes to try out. Linda received this recipe from her friend Rosemary, who use to own the Brûlée Patisserie in Calgary. The new owner’s of the Brûlée Patisserie still bake this bar, and that is how I was introduced to them. The first time I tried them I actually ate 3 in one sitting because they are so delicious!

I think what makes this cookie so special is the addition of dried apricots and raisins; they add depth and great texture. The bars also have just the right amount of spice from the cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. This bar would be perfect to serve with a chai tea latte or a cup of cinnamon spiced coffee.

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I have had a craving for ginger cookies all week so I decided that I would make a batch of them this afternoon. The recipe only take about 15 minutes to make and your kitchen will smell great! They also keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container, that is if they last that long. This cookie is the perfect mix of spiciness and sweetness with a crisp outside and a chewy inside. You could easily serve these after a dinner party simply by making them into an ice cream sandwich. Just take 2 cookies and sandwich them between vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. (more…)