The Milky Way Cookie--Kind of

Figgy made our maiden batch from this new book tonight.

There's an adorable little bakery on Commerce Street in the West Village, called Milk & Cookies. Every time we park near there [and ironically, that's where H. usually finds a spot when we drive to the Village], I like to run in and get one or two soft, buttery, fresh, homemade, humble cookies. I can't explain it exactly--but they're just yummy and old-fashioned and kind of basic all-American. It's a small, sweet, simple place. And they sell their cookie mixes online at their site and in stores, too--I've seen them at Kings and Whole Foods.

Now, a cookbook! I love the blue cover, the plain glass dairy-farm bottle, the tumbler of milk. Blue is a great color for a cookbook cover: inviting, soothing, beckoning, dreamy, calm, comforting. [I received a review copy.]

Figgy wanted to make a tinful to bring into school tomorrow---she chose the Milk Chocolate-Caramel Cookies. I couldn't find caramel bits, so the note said to cut up regular caramels into small pieces instead. Fig did all the dough [and it involved grinding old-fashioned oats in a food processor] but had me cut the caramels b/c her TV show was starting. I got lazy and cut them in halves instead of smaller. That was kind of a problem, b/c some of the caramel pockets were then way too big, causing caverns and breaking the cookies. But some remained whole.

Good cookies. Memorable cookies. I especially like the buttery Vanilla Base Dough [with the ground oats], which is used in many of the recipes.

Signing off in this hot kitchen. Good night. For the record, that raw cookie dough is excellent; but eating too much of it is definitely not TCOY. That's a sinful tinful. I will feel it at boot camp tomorrow morning as I try to slog across the grassy field.

P.S. I saw my Dad in the front garden tonight, among the crayon red and yellow tulips--the brown bunny, that is. I acted like a nut. Hi, Grandpa, I said. The bunny did not race away. It stayed and let me talk to it. Figgy and H. came out, too. We were like three nuts, but it feels good to keep Dad's presence alive, to feel like he is watching us, checking on us.


TCOY

1. Protein shake.
2. Quick 15-minute bike ride before showering and catching bus to NYC.
3. Took time to do my makeup [albeit in restroom at Port Authority, next to other women doing the same at the big mirror].
4. Lunch with my very nice, very smart assigning editor at Good Housekeeping; taking care of my work relationships is another way of taking care of myself.
5. Walked 30 minutes in NYC.
6. Ducked in out of a downpour to take a peek at Bergdorf's, nurture my inner fashionista before zipping back to NJ.
7. Attended to work details.
8. Nap.
9. Listened to good music tonight--the playlist my Fig made me. I love it.
10. Walked Sug around block once--our nightcap under the stars.