On Friday afternoon, when I arrived at the high school I volunteer with, I was looking fairly haggard. I hadn't washed my hair and the hereditary dark circles under my eyes looked especially pronounced.
Yet when I walked into the English room where the Creative Writing Group meets, I was bombarded with enthusiastic voices.
You look so beautiful!
These cookies are amazing!
I love your shoes.
My friends here and afar...you need to start hanging out with middle school and high school students. They can do wonders for your self esteem.
After such a long and difficult week, there was nothing better for my spirit than to sit in a room with a group of gifted and giving young people. We talked, we laughed, and we enjoyed these delightfully spicy pear cookies.
Yet when I walked into the English room where the Creative Writing Group meets, I was bombarded with enthusiastic voices.
You look so beautiful!
These cookies are amazing!
I love your shoes.
My friends here and afar...you need to start hanging out with middle school and high school students. They can do wonders for your self esteem.
After such a long and difficult week, there was nothing better for my spirit than to sit in a room with a group of gifted and giving young people. We talked, we laughed, and we enjoyed these delightfully spicy pear cookies.
When I made these on Friday morning, it took every ounce of my willpower to not eat two or three on the spot. But because these students are high schoolers (and because my treats are typically yummy), I can never bring enough.
I imagine that these cookies would be perfect with a tall mug of Chai Tea (my two sisters would certainly improve...I know them too well!) But alas, I can only imagine because I came back from the high school empty-handed, without even an ugly broken cookie to share with Ryan.
Because when I put down a plate of these cookies in the middle of the classroom, our students surrounded and devoured them within minutes. These soft, spicy and pear-studded treats were the perfect accompaniment to a discussion on what makes a good scary story.
So now I just need to make another batch so that Ryan and I can stay up late, eat cookies and read a few classics from Edgar Allan Poe.
Be careful when adding the pear chunks to this recipe. I used a rather small pear, and anything larger would have imparted too much moistness to the dough. Feel free to refrigerate your dough if it is too sticky after your initial mixing. Not only will it be easier on your hands, but the cookies tend to hold their shape better too.
So enjoy these at home or bring them to a party. But be forewarned, you won't be bringing home any leftovers.
I imagine that these cookies would be perfect with a tall mug of Chai Tea (my two sisters would certainly improve...I know them too well!) But alas, I can only imagine because I came back from the high school empty-handed, without even an ugly broken cookie to share with Ryan.
Because when I put down a plate of these cookies in the middle of the classroom, our students surrounded and devoured them within minutes. These soft, spicy and pear-studded treats were the perfect accompaniment to a discussion on what makes a good scary story.
So now I just need to make another batch so that Ryan and I can stay up late, eat cookies and read a few classics from Edgar Allan Poe.
Be careful when adding the pear chunks to this recipe. I used a rather small pear, and anything larger would have imparted too much moistness to the dough. Feel free to refrigerate your dough if it is too sticky after your initial mixing. Not only will it be easier on your hands, but the cookies tend to hold their shape better too.
So enjoy these at home or bring them to a party. But be forewarned, you won't be bringing home any leftovers.
Pear Spice Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pear - peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. In a separate bowl , combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger; mix into your wet batter. Stir in chopped pears and nuts and refrigerate if needed. 3. Drop a scant 1/4 cup of dough two inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched. Remove to wire racks to cool.
4. Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pear - peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. In a separate bowl , combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger; mix into your wet batter. Stir in chopped pears and nuts and refrigerate if needed. 3. Drop a scant 1/4 cup of dough two inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched. Remove to wire racks to cool.
4. Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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