Comfort Cookies

There are many things I miss about Texas like the many friends and family that we are blessed with, the big blue skies, barbeque, the quiet... However, one of the things I miss most is Tex-Mex food and a particular sushi restaurant local to Nacogdoches. I satisfied my craving for Spicy Crunchy Scallop Roll and Barbeque Eel Roll a couple of days ago, but I have yet to get my Tex-Mex fix. Very soon!

We are back in the states and still recovering from jet lag. School started today and I am teaching a full load this fall. I see my students who are mostly starry-eyed freshmen attending their first college classes, and can't help but smile. I love the ritual of the new semester, the assuring routine of its full-of-resolutions start and bleary-eyed end.

To comfort myself and to celebrate the new semester I baked some deliciously soft, pillowy, chocolatey cookies.

I have been receiving for a month Notes from the Universe in my mailbox per my friend Chrissy's recommendation. Here is what I had in my mailbox this morning:

It doesn't matter that the road's been rough, that you now have challenges,
or that uncertainties loom on the horizon, Eralda.

None of these change the fact that for every thought you think today,
worlds will come tumbling into existence. For every word you speak, legions
will be called into action. And for every step you take, matter will be drawn
from the ether.

Jeez -
The Universe

I hope your day is good, that your week is beautiful, and that you are blessed. Sending happy thoughts your way.
-E.



Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

4 ½ cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cp butter, softened
2 cp packed brown sugar
½ cp white sugar
2 (3.4 oz) packages of instant pudding mix (vanilla or chocolate)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cp semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups of chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix flour and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in instant pudding until mixed. Stir in eggs and vanilla to combine.

Blend in the flour mixture.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 mins in the oven.