Baby Girl Turns 5

Today, my youngest moppet turns 5 years-old! I really can't believe it! It seems like only yesterday that she was born-yet, at the same time, that she has been in our family always! (Isn't it funny how that works?)

Five seems so much older than four, and I am really having a hard time accepting it! Not only for Baby Girl, but for our entire family. As much as I have resisted it, our family has turned a page. I feel a little like Grover in "The Monster at the End of This Book."  I, too, have tried rope, nails, and bricklaying as means of preventing the pages from being turned!  

By virtue of being the youngest of a large family, Baby Girl has been a "baby" for longer than any of her siblings. When First Born was 5, he was practically driving the car and doing our taxes, Oldest Daughter was putting laundry away when she was 4 and Middle Daughter was making pancakes at age 3. The next two changed their own diapers, mixed their own formula and read themselves bedtime stories. But not Baby Girl. I have learned that children don't go to college with diapers and pacifiers (well, usually) and that there is no need to rush things-it goes too fast as it is! I have also confirmed a long held belief that being the youngest rules!

Lately, when I look at the landscape of our family, I hardly recognize it! I grudgingly acknowledge that we are no longer a family with children that are "free with the price of admission". As we celebrate Baby Girl's 5th birthday, (and she no longer lets me buckle her in to the infant seat on the top of the carts at Target) I am starting to accept, even look forward to, the next page in our book!

                                     

The Secret of the Universe or How I Accidentally Made the Most Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Many of the fabulous things in my life happen by complete accident. I will paint a wall and when I realize it's a bad color, I'll paint over it and paint over it again until it turns out that the layers of colors have created an accidentally beautiful effect! Hurray, happy happenstance! I'd say my gift is knowing what doesn't work, and in undoing, or covering my mistakes, something fabulous sometimes occurs. So I can't really take credit for these things (although I often do).

This is exactly what happened the other evening when we decided to make chocolate chip cookies at 8:30. Steadfast Husband was out of town, and we were all in our pajamas, preparing to bid our day adieu. That's when it hit. I was totally jonesing for a sweet treat. I could hear the siren call of the recently purchased 5 pound (thank you, Costco) bag of chocolate chips in the pantry. I summoned my sweet 14-year-old (the chef/baker of the bunch) and oh, so sweetly asked if she thought chocolate chip cookies sounded good. She wholeheartedly assented, and generously offered to make them! Okay, I may be a little foggy on this point. It is very possible that I suggested that she make them, (please, because she is the best baker in the whole wide world) as I pulled mixing bowls, measuring cups, and the mixer out onto the counter. Either way, she started pouring, cracking, mixing, and sampling. The recipe doesn't even mention eggs until near the end, and with the impromptu nature of our cookie making, we didn't set the ingredients before we started. Oops! We were out of eggs-and frankly, no amount of cookie desire was getting me out of my pajamas and into the grocery store!

We were too far in to abort operation sweet treat, so for the 42nd time this week, I said thank you to Al Gore (he invented the Internet, right?!) and hopped online to search "egg substitute baking". Actually, I initially googled "egg substitute", but quickly saw the need to narrow the search parameters. We were out of applesauce, the most commonly suggested substitute. Then, I stumbled onto the suggestion of a mixture of baking powder, oil and water. I must admit, I doubted that the cookies would taste the same and I was right! They tasted even better! They were the best chocolate chip cookies we have ever had. They were a little crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Scrumptious!!!!

I baked another batch when Steadfast Husband returned from his trip. He couldn't believe how delicious they were either! Really! So here is the recipe for these amazing treats! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies without eggs

2 1/4 Cups flour
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      1 teaspoon salt
      1 Cup (2 sticks) butter
  3/4  Cup sugar
  3/4  Cup brown sugar (packed)
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
eggs substitution-mix together 4 Tablespoons water, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 4 teaspoons baking   
                          powder-mix well. This is amount is the equivalent of 2 eggs.
     2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside
Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla extract. Slowing add egg substitute mixture. Beat well.
Add flour mixture. Mix well.
Stir in chocolate chips.
drop tablespoon-size dollops onto baking sheet

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes (until golden)
Enjoy!

The yummiest french onion soup!

Every once in a while, we have a something yummy for dinner that the majority of the family likes, even rarer is when we have something most everyone LOVES! My homemade french onion soup is one such dish! Not long ago, we were at a fabulous restaurant for dinner and I noticed French Onion soup on the menu. I suggested to my first born that he order a bowl. He said, "I don't want it, it won't be as good as yours!" He is absolutely horrible at sucking up, so I know he meant it. It is a chilly, rainy, fall day, so I decided to make it today and share my recipe. I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients
4-5 large sweet onions
4 T butter
2 T flour
1 cup white wine-not sweet (can use red in a pinch)
8 cups beef broth
1t salt
1t pepper
french baguette (sliced)
grated Parmesan cheese
sliced Swiss cheese

slice onions, cook in butter until soft, slightly brown (about 35-40 minutes) stir occasionally
add flour, cook 3-4 minutes, stir often
add wine. cook until most liquid is gone (about 8 minutes) stir often
add broth, salt and pepper, simmer for at least 30 minutes

lightly toast baguette (in toaster)
ladle soup into oven-safe bowls (individual servings)
place toast on top of soup
put 1 T Parmesan cheese over bread
place a slice (or 2) of Swiss cheese on top of bread

set bowls on cookie sheet,  place in oven, bake at 450 degrees until cheese is melted and golden about 8 minutes.
Bowls will be very hot, so please be careful!!!!
Enjoy!