The blog is Live!

Welcome to my new blog, Jen's Creative Moments.  I've been working on it for a while now, and I think it's finally ready.  I wanted a place to showcase some of my creative endeavors that was not my "family" blog.  I will be doing posts about all the creative endeavors I am involved in. 

What better way to start than with cookies? 

I purchased a new toy with my birthday money. 

From June 2011

My kids gave me the nice measuring cups and spoons for Mother's Day, and I found this little gem while buying my mother a Mother's Day gift...

From June 2011

Inside is beautiful paper, and an heirloom quality recipe book.  I've been copying all my favorites, starting with desserts.  Of course, I'm always looking for a yummy recipe to become a family heirloom. 

From June 2011

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies was the first thing I made with my new KitchenAid Artesian mixer.  This recipe has been in our family for many years.  These are the best chocolate chip cookies around...the baking time can be tailored for softer or crispier cookies.  In our family, we like them on the doughy side, so we shorten the baking time.  Of course, in my house, we prefer to eat the dough (4/5 of us do, anyway :)) so this batch was never baked.  We just enjoyed the dough. 

From June 2011

Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies (this is 1 1/2 the original recipe...but we never seem to have extra!)

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
3 tsp Vanilla
4 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (you gotta go Tollhouse or Giardelli on these)

Mix sugar and brown sugar.  Cream in shortening and butter.  Mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in Vanilla.  Add flour while mixing.  Add baking soda and salt.  Mix well.  Add chocolate chips, mix until well incorporated.  Chill dough at least 6 hours. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
Roll cookie dough into balls (size is up to you).  Place on cookie sheet, bake 8-10 minutes until they are as cooked as you want them (again, up to you).  Remove from oven, place on parchment paper to cool...or immediately put them on top of a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream for a little piece of heaven. 

I will be working in the next few weeks to create a list of links to the other things I've baked/created...the ones posted on my family blog.  I've also played a lot with my new toy lately...and have a few new recipes that deserve mention in this space.