Kind Deeds, and Janie’s Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and a hint of cinnamon always take me back to the birth of my youngest son and the kindness of the women who stepped up to help in a time of need.
This recipe uses melted butter, which speeds up the mixing time.
Throughout the time my children were little, with my extended family living across the country, I welcomed the companionship of the women within my church. We didn’t have a lot in common other than children and church, but there seems to be a universality of mothering small children that allows for comfortable conversation among Moms.
When my youngest son was born, I developed an issue with my neck and back that caused me to experience horrible back spasms that wouldn’t allow me to lie down. I slept semi-upright in a reclining chair provided by one of these church women, and tried chiropractic, physiotherapy, and eventually massage before I found relief. During those 3 pain-filled weeks, the women of the church brought me meals, watched my older 2 children, did my housework and laundry, and provided emotional support.
Soups and stews and casseroles, funeral potatoes with chicken drums, and lots and lots of sweets were provided for us during this time. These women were a true gift to my family!
Janie was one of those women. A mother of 5, she had a child in every level of school in our city: college, high school, middle school, elementary school and kindergarten.
She organized the women’s donated meals and household support, and personally drove my children to playdates to allow me time to heal. She too provided meals, and also her signature cookies: chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and cinnamon spice.
No fancy cookie scoop needed, these cookies suit a shaggy-looking dump from dinner spoons.
Eventually I found a massage therapist who instantly understood that my issue stemmed from watching my wee son while he was nursing. Holding my head and neck at an odd angle had set all my issues in motion. With some hands-on work, exercises and stretches, I was able to take back my life and enjoy taking care of my home and littles once again. And when other women from that group needed help, I became part of a team of helpers who cooked or cleaned or provided child care for others.
I remember hearing from the teenaged daughter of a Mom who had just had her last baby, that Janie had brought them her famous chocolate cookies before their grandmother had arrived to take care of the family. The teenager claimed they were her favourite cookies in the entire world.
In my recipe box, the card simply says Janie’s double chocolate chip cookies. It’s the only way we ever referred to them when I baked them for my children. I think of those days whenever I make them, reflecting on the support of women who were not truly friends, but were companions in their season of motherhood.
Chewy and chocolatey with a hint of cinnamon… like a warm hug on a plate!
Double chocolate chip cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup pure cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
SUPPLIES
A stand mixer if available, other wise a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon and some strong arm muscles!
A 2nd mixing bowl for dry ingredients
Cookie trays and parchment paper (or oil to grease the pans)
METHOD
In 1 bowl, cream the sugar with the melted margarine, add the egg, vanilla, and milk.
In the 2nd bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to margarine mixture, stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.
Drop onto parchment-lined (or greased) cookie sheets by the tablespoonful.
Bake at 350 for 14 minutes.
Author’s note:
The recipe actually says ½ cup chocolate chips or raisins. Raisins do seem like an odd choice with a chocolate cookie, but apparently the original recipe used raisins because they were less expensive. I’ve tried substituting raisins for the chocolate chips. It’s not my favourite, but it’s not bad!
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Sue tends a kitchen garden in Alberta, growing as much of the family's food as the season allows. She writes about what comes out of the soil and what ends up on the table — honest, unfussy, and rooted in Canada.