Recycle Reduce Reuse - The Wedding

You probably have seen this symbol before.  It is used in waste management and environmental programs.  I have my own version of these terms.

REDUCE

Three years ago when I made the BIG MOVE from Ohio to Florida.  I reduced my household inventory by  80% or more.  I have the donation slips to prove it.  These slips don't include all the furniture we sold or gave away.

I am happy to say that after 3 years, I still have not reverted to my old hoarding ways.  I think before I buy and continually get rid of things I don't need.  It is a very liberating feeling.

REUSE and RECYCLE

Oh, these are my favorite two words.  Environmentally these are two separate concepts, but sometimes I think of them as the same...recycle an item by reusing it.  I have a house full of "recycled/reused" projects.  Recycle crafts are a passion of mine. 

Another example of RECYCLE is how I have recycled items from Mallory and Mike's Wedding. 

 

(photos compliments of Studio SPC)

 



After the wedding I gathered up the paper flowers Mallory made for the boutonnieres, painted them white and added them to a table arrangement.

I couldn't let the bouquets or centerpieces go into the dumpster, so I also took them, painted them and put them on top of my hutch.

I collected the table numbers to match our address and arranged them near the front door.

By REUSING these items, I have daily reminders of a happy and fun day.

OATMEAL LACE COOKIES – SO EASY, SO GOOD

Christmas time = Christmas cookies  

Oatmeal Lace is a family favorite at Christmas.  These cookies are so good.  They are the "crack" of cookies.  Be careful, you get addicted very easily.  In fact, I don't dare make them unless I know I can share.  Otherwise, I might just stay holed up in my house, eating these cookies morning, noon and night...until they are done and I am in a sugar coma.  Okay, kinda dramatic, but closer to the truth than I want to admit.

This year, the addiction started when I was video-chatting with my daughter, Michelle, while she was making these cookies for Christmas.  Oh the sight of her dropping the cookie dough on the pan, putting the pan in the oven, licking the dough off her fingers...oh my.  Finally, I got my opportunity to make and share them on New Year's Eve.  Here is the recipe:

 

This recipe is correct with the ingredients and amounts, but I put them together a little different, and cook them less.  Here is my version:

 

OATMEAL LACE COOKIE

Ingredients:

    1 cup sugar

    1/2 cup butter

    1 egg

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla

    1 cup rolled oats

    3 tablespoons flour

    1/4 teaspoon baking powder

    1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil.

Cream butter, add sugar, then egg and vanilla.  In a separate bowl mix together oats, flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed evenly.

Drop a 1/2 teaspoon (or less) on the greased foil-lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the edges are brown.  Longer if you like a crisper cookies.  When the cookies are completely cooled, they should release from the foil easily.

 

Step into my kitchen and I will demonstrate

First, get the ingredients together...all pretty basic ingredients.  You can use old-fashioned oats or quick oats.  NOT instant.  Old-fashioned oats makes for bigger oatmeal pieces in the cookie.  Both taste the same, use whatever you like.

The original recipe calls for you to beat the egg and then mix everything together.  I prefer to cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the vanilla and egg.

Next I mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and add them to the wet ingredients. 

At this point I use my mixer to do a quick blend, and finish the mixing by hand.

 

I think that the other bakers in my family use the original recipe method of mixing everything together at once.  And to tell you the truth, all the cookies taste great.  I am not sure why I modified/complicated the process.  Maybe I have watched too many Martha Stewart cooking shows.

Drop the cookies in small amounts, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons on the greased, foil-lined cookies sheet.  I have used Reynolds non-stick foil, but recently I started using cheap foil, sprayed with vegetable oil.  It works just as good.  When I use the cheap foil, I use a new sheet each time.

The cook time depends on how big the cookie and how crisp you want it.  I like the cookies medium done (brown on the edges), so I start the timer at 5 minutes and watch it till the edges start turning brown.  You can cook them longer for a crisper cookie.  Be careful, they bake fast...one moment--just right, the next moment--burned!  Watching a timer is not one of my strong skills.

 

Welcome to my addiction...