Food For Thought

Exam time. That stressful time in your life when everything comes down to how hard you studied and how well you retained what you learned all semester (or in the case of some, how well you can BS your way through it and make yourself look like you know what you are talking about). My son is in his first year of high school. He is now writing his final set of exams for this year. Funny thing though, he doesn't seem as stressed about it as I do! I am a worrier, always have been and most likely always will be. When I had to write exams I often lost sleep over them. To this day I still have dreams/nightmares about not waking up in time for an exam. The alarm clock didn't go off, I couldn't find a parking spot, I went to the wrong room; insert any variation of the theme of my not being able to put pen to paper and regurgitate all that I had learned.

So now, as I watch my son casually take his books up to his room, along with a copy of the latest Sports Illustrated and his iPod, I have to wonder... how can the apple fall so far from the tree? Who am I kidding; he is his father's son after all. Perhaps that is where he gets his fly by the seat of his pants confidence. It could also be that he is of the male gender. Males tend to take things more in stride than their female counterparts. Either theory doesn't seem to reduce my stress and I find myself restless and agitated.

Since I can't really help him, nor motivate him, to study, I decided to go to my happy place and bake him some good, old fashioned study food. At least this way I can keep myself busy and concentrate on a recipe rather than what his study notes look like.

Cookies never seem to go wrong, so I made a big batch of brain boosting chocolate chip cookies. Nothing makes studying better than some lovin' from the oven. Good luck Ethan, may your marks turn out to be as good as these cookies. 


When The Chips Are Down Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups oatmeal, blended
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups chocolate chips

~Set oven to 375 degrees

~Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
~Cream butter and both sugars together.
~Add eggs and vanilla.
~Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
~Add chocolate chips and fold in.

~Roll into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
~Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown.

~Cool on wire baking racks.

Take two and hit the books!