2004 - The Sweet Smell of Nostalgia

I was going to make another batch of Christmas cupcakes for Charlie's little classmates, but the lady who runs the Montessori school said I shouldn't because they would have enough to carry home from their Christmas party. I do that every time: I ask! If I don't ask, they can't say "no," right? Next time, I'll just show up with my Tupperware carrier tray of baked goods and who's going to resist? But for now, we'll just make another batch for ourselves!

Meanwhile, I made a batch of Nestle's Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. In fact, I'm eating one (or three) right now! Charlie was gobbling them up too, which is funny because he prefers Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies. He must not be able to taste the pecans. They are irresistibly good, though. I got 6 1/2 dozen — I hope that will be enough.

As the kitchen filled with the aroma of chocolate chip cookies, my head filled with memories. Naturally, I thought of Lisa because we've cranked out so many ensemble. I miss having her help and her company. The work is definitely lighter and the cookies twice as tasty, I'm sure!

And I thought of Dad and how he could scarf down a half dozen easily with one cup of coffee. Of course, we had to make his Chocolate Chip Cookies without nuts. I almost want to make Whoopie Pies because of him. I could almost hear him say from the living room, "Bring me a coupla Whoops, Knutie!" 

Grandma Baker in her groovy kitchen of the
1950s. My memories are from the '60s.

And the first bite of one of those moreish sandwich cookies takes me right back to Grandma Baker's kitchen at the old farm house. I'm sure all the grandkids loved that kitchen as much as I did! There was a revolving Lazy Susan in a corner cabinet and a drawer that was actually a flour bin. There was a big chest freezer in the garage, right off the kitchen, where all the cookies were stashed. I made many a trip out there for another bag of cookies to fill a tray. Grandma served those cookies when we arrived, with sandwiches for lunch, after supper, during a card game — all the time!

No doubt she has played a huge role in our love for cookies! And Mom, too, of course. One of my earliest memories is of her casually drawing a smiley-faced cookie on a yellow canister with a green marker pen. Bing Crosby was singing "White Christmas" on the radio as she filled that canister with Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Back to the present: Mom sent us a Christmas care package, including presents and grocery goodies about 10 days ago and it's still not here on Dec. 10. She paid extra to send it express mail too. Lisa is sending me more Wheat Chex so I can make another batch of Chex Party Mix.

Lisa got her care package of cookies from me today! I was on the phone with her when she opened them. What fun! And Danielle told me that she liked the "Hedgehogs" when I talked to her later on the phone. I gave Charlie's teachers a loaf of Pumpkin Bread each, so I'll have to whip up another batch. I have to get busy and bake more cookies too!