Cookie Making Secrets Revealed...

Once upon a time I was semi-famous for my cookie making skills. A dear friend of mine during high school and I used to get together all the time and try new recipes. We would bring the cookies to school to share and often "bribe" our teachers.

However, I was pretty busy hitting the books most of the time and my class schedule did not allow for home economics classes or participation in Future Homemakers of America (FHA) - although, I think my new found skills over the years would have made Ms. Grow, the home economics teacher, proud. She did say my sister was one of her best students. Funny, because now she's the career woman and I'm the homemaker!

Anyways, back to cookies. I must say my crowning cookie making achievement was landing a date with T Rex Dad over a decade ago. You see, it was my 21st birthday and my family threw me a big party. My sister, who is the world's best party thrower - again, the amazing catering skills are probably why Ms. Grow loved her - invited a few people from her work. At that time T Rex Dad worked on the same team at the same company as my sis. I had met T Rex Dad back when I was only 16 and we had seen each other at various gatherings my sister had given over the years. So, it would make sense he would be invited to my birthday - especially since I specifically asked if he would be invited.

As "luck" would have it, some server went down at my sister and T Rex Dad's work and since he was the one on call, he had to work late to fix the issue. Thus, he was not able to make the gathering. I sent him some cookies I had made as a reminder of what he missed. The next day he called to thank me for the cookies and offer birthday wishes on my actual birthday. We chatted for a bit and I told him I had really been wanting to see the movie "Elizabeth" but no one I knew was interested in going. He offered to take me. It was not supposed to be a date but it kind of felt like one.

He purchased the movie and since I had to be back to my sister's to watch my 9 month old nephew, we did take out Mongolian BBQ (which I purchased), and went back to my sister's place and baked cookies while we babysat. He said he wanted to learn my cookie baking secrets. And he truly did.

We took care of my little nephew, tucked him into bed, and made cookies chatting well into the night. My sis and brother-in-law finally got home around 2:00 am but I bet if they were out all night we probably would have talked all night. And yes, talking was all we did. To this day, we always have something to converse about -Sci-Fi, politics...you name it, we probably have an opinion or at least something to share.

Tonight I made a batch of regular 'old chocolate chip cookies - just the recipe that's on the back of the Nestle' Toll House chocolate chips bag. Here's the recipe if you want to make your own.

They are kind of pretty but I am told they are also quite tasty. I'm not much into eating what I bake - mostly I just enjoy to process, not the eating.

And, as always, my little guy has to watch them bake. Don't worry, the outside door is not hot. He, too, won't eat cookies, but loves to "help" me bake them and especially enjoys watching them bake.

As I baked, I reflected on my life since the day I "revealed my cookie secrets" to T Rex Dad. We've been married eight and a half wonderful years (full of wonderful conversations, cookies, travel, and lots other fun stuff), we have the most amazing little guy a couple could ask for, and we are expecting the arrival of a beautiful baby girl in 2010. And all because of my cookies!

And you thought I was going to share my actual cookie making secrets?!?