HOW I FOUND OUT I WAS OLD

A few months ago, my Grandson, R.J., excitedly told me that he was starting Kindergarten……no, wait,…he said college, but that’s not possible, he’s only five!

 

But, then, why is he driving, and why am I looking up at him?  I smiled and said, YES!  Good for you!  But, I gotta tell you, my chest tightened and I felt a lump in my throat.  My little Grandson is gone, and there is a tall, hairy college man in his place, off to Johnson & Wales this weekend to become a chef.

My son, John, R.J.’s Dad, has been a cook and kitchen manager at Captain’s Galley in Old Orchard Beach for over twelve years.  I guess watching his Dad work fourteen hour days, ruin his back and fill in as dishwasher when the “help” doesn’t show up proved irresistible!

But, cooking is a calling, like the ministry, except with more bad words, and if you are supposed to be a cook, sooner or later, the Muse will whisper in your ear and a kitchen will find you.

Last summer, when Mike and I were baking for a local Farmers’ Market, R.J. biked over from his house to lend us a hand with our set-up.  He looked around at our wares and asked, “what isn’t here,…what don’t you sell?”  The answer was cookies.  Our table was cookie free and an entrepreneur was born.  The following week R.J. came over to our school and baked twelve dozen cookies, and on Saturday, he put a nice lump of cookie dough in his pocket.  He was a big draw every week and usually sold out in three hours, but I’m still wondering if his success was due to his cookies or his pink mohawk!

We’re proud of you R.J.  Godspeed.

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R.J.’s AWESOME EVERYTHING COOKIES

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

11/4 cups rolled oats, not quick cooking

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup golden raisins

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 Tablespoon grated fresh orange zest (shhh…this is the secret ingredient!)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy.  Add the egg, orange zest and vanilla.  Gradually mix in flour mixture.  Stir in rolled oats, walnuts, craisins, raisins and the chocolate chips or chunks and mix until evenly incorporated.  Drop by rounded tablespoons, about 2 to 3 inches apart, onto parchment covered cookie sheets. 

Bake 10 to 13 minutes, depending on how chewy or crisp you like your cookies.

(R.J. kept his chewy).  Cool completely on racks before wrapping.

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For a printer friendly copy of R.J.’s AWESOME EVERYTHING COOKIES please visit our web site at http://www.stoneturtlebaking.com/webdocs/recipes.htm .