Three Sweet Recipes

In the late 1970s, I joined the Doubleday Book Club. The book that has seen the most use is the Doubleday Cookbook, Volume 2 by Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna. So much use that the spine is completely cracked in 2 places and oil spots the edges. Absolutely revolting and shameful that I abused it and left it in such condition.  The section I turn to the most frequently is the cookie section. Two recipes in particular are in heavy rotation. I adapted to our taste. The third recipe is for puffy pancakes.

Clement favors the lemon wafers which are described as "nice and tart" and they are!

Lemon Wafers

1/2 c butter
1 1/3 c sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
grated rind of 1 lemon
2 c unsifted flour
1/4 t mace (I never used it)

This fills 2 cookie sheets. I use parchment paper to line them.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream butter until light and fluffy, then beat in sugar, mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in lemon juice and rind; mix in flour, and mace. Drop from a teaspoon, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.  bake about 15 minutes until cookies are lightly ringed in brown.  While still warm, transfer to wire racks to cool. About 55 calories per cookie.

After these are done I follow with Wisteria's favorite Tollhouse cookies.  Same parchment paper. Lemon flavor doesn't seem to transfer.

Tollhouse Cookies

1 c plus 2 T sifted flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c butter
2/3 plus 2 T firmly packed light brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg 1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips (I substitute dark chocolate that I've chopped up)
1/2 c  coarsely chopped pecans (I don't use)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Sift flour with baking soda and set aside. Cream butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.  Mix in dry ingredients; stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Drop by well-rounded 1/2 teaspoonfuls on lightly greased (I use parchment paper) baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly edged in brown.  Transfer to wire racks to cool.  About 65 calories per cookie.

Clement loves pancakes that are like little puffy pillows, especially on Saturday mornings. I like to experiment with different sizes of spoons for ladling onto griddle.  Littler pancakes are cuter.

Basic Pancakes

1 c sifted flour
1/2 t salt
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1 egg lightly beaten
3/4 c milk
(I add a splash of vanilla)

Sift flour and baking powder.  Combine egg milk, oil, and vanilla.  Slowly stir into dry ingredients only until dampened--batter should be lumpy. Use big spoon that hold about 3 T's worth. Fry on hot oiled griddle.  Cook until bubbles form on the surface, turn gently and brown flip side. About 80 calories per pancake, more with delicious maple syrup.



###