Temptation

Take that Betty Crocker.  I spent somewhere between 5-6 hours baking over 18 dozen cookies.  For those of you who don't want to do the math I was decently above 220.

I was like a perfect storm of things coming together (GT meeting I must do food for tomorrow, wanting to bake something to thank the staff at my new school, Mother's Day, treats for family in Indy, and while I was at it a few for friends I met for lunch today) to create this baking frenzy.

For both cookies preheat the oven to 350, grease cookie sheets, make SMALL (smaller than you would think as they spread out when cooking) balls of dough, and bake 9-11 minutes until only the edges turn slightly golden brown.  You don't want to overcook, these are better if they aren't too crispy.   Each recipe make 3 dozen. 

   

Mint Chocolate Chip-

1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

1/2 cup butter (softened

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 egg

Mix the above ingredients together.

Add food coloring until a pretty mint green color is reached.

Hand stir in 2 cups (1 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chunks.

Funfetti Cake Batter-

1 box Funfetti cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

(I might try apple sauce instead if I'm ever making these for me and want to be healthier)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the above ingredients together.

Making these cookies was a huge temptation.  The old Abby would've eaten a dozen cookies of raw dough, from each batch, and then tons of the cooked ones too.  It would have quickly dropped from 18 dozen 12 dozen in a matter of hours.  However, I have learned some valuable lessons in my cooking.  Namely, restraint.  I'm not going to lie, it is hard.  I swear to heaven that at one point that Funfetti dough was practically calling to me and boy did it look pretty.  I tried a ball of dough for each type of cookie and tried each type after they had been cooked.  However, I don't feel super guilty about my 4 cookies worth (it beat 6 dozen for sure), plus I like testing what I bake.

 I also discovered that cookies don't have to be bigger than your hand.  You can make smaller yet equally delicious cookies.  This really helps with my portion control.  Before when I made cookies one cookie was probably as big as 3 of these.

 

Oh, and I ran 8 miles yesterday and 8 today.  I am very slowly getting back to it.  Which makes me feel even less guilty about enjoying a little treat now and then.  You have to enjoy the finer things in life, like homemade cookies, otherwise what is all that running for. 

P.S.- Happy Mother's Day to all the Fabulous moms out there.  I dropped off some of the first batches of cookies to my own fabulous mother last night and then whipped her at board games.  That's what good children do, show no mercy even on Mother's Day.    

After all that baking I need a power nap.  When  I woke up Harlee had crept into bed to sleep on top of me.  Apparently I'm comfy.  Hmmm...