Quiet Week

This has been a fairly quiet week.  I had a great time cooking with Amy on Monday as we practiced some kitchen basics - knife skills, saute, roasting.  I left the house with a buffet set on the kitchen island and a happy hungry family ready to try the fruits of labor.  She's ready now for her trip to Taiwan and her dorm mom duties once there.

School has started almost everywhere in Georgia but there are still a few schools yet to start.  Everyone is not back to a normal schedule yet, so I am not at a normal schedule either.  Tuesday was my errand day.  I planned my route and went to the bank, the eye glass place, the library and the grocery store.  No back tracking and no sole trips.  I have new glasses, a classic style and I like them.

Yesterday was basic cleaning and some baking.  I of course had not planned to bake so I needed to find a recipe with ingredients that I had.  I went to the Very Best Baking site and found these very tasty cookies:

Chocolate Cinnamon Nut Bars

• Cookie Layer
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (I used pecans)
• Chocolate Layer
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 cup powdered sugar

1. For Cookie Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat flour, 3/4 cup butter, granulated sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in large mixer bowl until crumbly.  Stir in nuts.  Press into bottom of ungreased 13x9 baking pan.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until firm.
3. For Chocolate Layer: Melt chips and 1/4 cup butter in medium, heavy duty saucepan over lowest possible heat, stir until smooth.  Remove from heat, stir in brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.  Pour over hot crust.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until center is set.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yesterday afternoon I had a meeting with a Jazzercise friend and her daughter to plan a birthday cooking party.  The daughter was 10 years old yesterday and will be inviting 7 of her friends  to her house for a cooking party.  The girls will participate in making a festive dinner and then will enjoy it in the dining room with china and good glassware.  Yesterday we discussed the menu, the timing and are all ready for the party in a week or so.  This will be so much fun!

Today is kind of a boring day.  I didn't have any real plans, but I am trapped here waiting for the delivery and installation of the new dishwasher.  Like I said no real plans, but now I am forced to be home and wait.  No more baking today though!  On the bright side, if the installers are nice, I can offer them cookies which will be good for us - fewer cookies and good for them - tasty cookies.