Years ago, my mom left me her cousin's old Betty Crocker cookbook. She had a Betty Crocker too, so she didn't need a second one. They are both long gone. During the pandemic my household has been making a lot more by hand. I got out Pearl's / my mom's cookbook. She always used a Sunbeam mixer. I didn't have a stand mixer so decided to order one. Choosing between those cheapie mixers made you-know-where, vs. the Kitchen-Aid models that are made in Ohio (I think), but are too big and heavy and expensive for me, I went with nostalgia and bought a Sunbeam (which MIGHT be made in US or possible S. America but not you-know-where. I forgot to look at the label and websites are confusing.) It's remarkably similar to my mom's - more plastic than hers, but the function is all the same. Even the heavy glass bowls. So I got out her cookbook and made some gingersnaps. They came out great. I remember her using her mixer, me sitting in the kitchen and trying not to be a pest. Lots of nostalgia there. Even the sound was the same. She declined when I was young, and I was working or in the Army and far away, so there wasn't much time together after that. Sometimes she sent me cookies. This was a nice memory. I was disappointed it didn't come with a cookbook, so ordered an old one from the 60s on the internet. That would be the one she used sometimes.
Great posting on several levels, not the least of which was the result. It made me reminisce, mate. Thanks.
Just an fyi - I looked at the label on the bottom of the mixer. Made in China. Well, I will keep it but won't buy another from them if this one breaks. I don't mind buying imported goods, but I think we should have the ability to determine where something is made before we buy it.
Thank you so much @Tetters. There are so many more things I wish I could do. After this post I made Madelines. They came out OK but I like regular cookies better. I wonder if I can make Madelines more like a sponge cake, only Madeline size? I don't know. Then I made peanut butter cookies, which I liked much more LOL
Have a go at making Australian lamingtons Daniel, they are the messiest ones I've ever had success with, but give a jolly good sense of achievement when the job's completed! .......That of course if you ever have the time to fit it in!!
I made more yesterday. The next batch might be peanut butter cookies. Those are so good. I decided now that home made cookies spoiled me, no more grocery store ones for a while. Also home made have no high fructose corn syrup, which seems to be an appetite stimulant without actually making them better. I found a Betty Crocker cookie cookbook from the 90s, so ordered it.
I have a recipe for double peanut butter cookies ! Its better than any I have found ! Let me know and I will post it !
@mart, Sure, I'd love to see it! Today I made Betty Crocker's chocolate chip cookies. Last time, I couldn't find our supply of nuts, so I substituted chopped peanuts for walnuts. Actually pretty good. This time I used chopped pecans. The chocolate chips were 65% Cacao. The flour package had a recipe for lemon cookies. The sugar package had a revipe for old fashioned sugar cookies. Maybe one of those is next.
Marvellous-looking cookies. Did you use a box of mix or just sort of throw it together? My Bride says, “Why don’t ours ever look like that”? Ha ha.
Those are 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1 cup softened butter, one egg, combined in mixer. Then combine 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt. Combine flour mixture thoroughly with sugar mixture. Then mix in 1 cup chopped nuts and 1 12-oz package chocolate chips. Then I make the dough into a ball, cut it in half, cut each half into thirds. (each third makes a dozen cookies). One at a time, I cut each of those thirds into quarters, cut the quarters into thirds, making a dozen cookies. I roll the final portions into a ball and place that onto cookie sheet. It might be easier to use a tablespoon to measure instead of cutting the dough portions but this is how I do it. In my oven preheated to 375F I bake them 12 minutes. The recipe says 8 to 10 minutes but my oven is slower. I do one cookie sheet at a time. Then let them cool 3 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack. That was by memory. I can look later to see if the amounts are right. I think they are.
