Kale Chips

After ten days of spinning plates, a.k.a. piano recital, end of school parties, moving my mother-in-law, basketball tournaments, the start of kids camps, starting to pack for Africa, and couponing and food shopping for my 5 children (whom are all adult eaters- but luckily they are pitching in to do some cooking!)... I finally had my first day of relaxation where I could work in the garden, take a nice walk with Bono, and make some Kale Chips!

I've tried these before at health food store samplers...but now that I have kale in my garden, I'm a happy camper!  This stuff is better than I thought- and 1/2 my kids like it!  Now that's a winner!

So here's to healthy eating this summer, a few days of fun in the sun (hopefully more than a few this summer in the NW), and relaxing from the grind.

Have you tried Kale chips?  Do you have a special recipe?  I'd like to know more.

In harmony,
Leslie

The Best Chocolate Cookies Ever

 

 

Why would anyone ever say that 1 chocolate chip cookie is enough?  Really, you say!  If it's good, enjoy more.  I have to confidently say NO in this situation.

Let's have an honest conversation about this.  I think in all the 30+ years I've been baking, I've come up with a mere baker's dozen of good cookie batches.  Oh, that's silly- you say.  No, I'm serious.  It's because I didn't know the mechanics of it all, until tonight.

First, it's the last day of school and summer is in session.  That makes for good MOJO.
Second, my senior girl, Reagan, and I were cooking together making calories for ourselves.  That makes for a good, PHAT, time!
Third, I read tips on how to make a perfect chocolate cookie and the author wasn't lying!  She knows her stuff, because we tried it and it's the truth.  There are really secrets about the perfect common cookie in America... like this tip:

"I also notice that when I get just the right amount of flour in the dough, it makes kind of a delicate sticky noise when I stir it. And you can file that under the world’s most obscure baking tips."


 Yep, I've "heard" that sticky noise when I made her recipe- it really is there.  My picture isn't a tell all about the results but, man oh man, they tasted like perfection.  Because this is a great day with my kids, on the cusp of a great summer!

Make up a batch and tell me what you think?  Is it the tips or is it the kids you make them with that make these cookies perfect????   I think it's BOTH!  Enjoy,

In harmony,
Leslie