Children’s day…one cookie at a time….

Children’s Day is celebrated in India on November 14^th  and rather than tell you too much about why is it celebrated….when did it start….and all the other questions that can be easily answered thru “google”, let me tell you how we are celebrating.

 

To begin with, my boys will be reminded for the millionth time how very much they are loved and how blessed we are to have them in our lives…and no, unlike valentine’s day, this reiteration of adoration happens daily and more than once daily in our household J.

The kids are having a fair/mela at their school with a variety of activities….such as temporary tattoos, games, painting, hair braiding (hoping this one is for the girls…), nail painting (not holding my breath for this one….I guarantee you, they will come with nails painted in brick-red or deep purple), etc. For my part, a friend and I have planned an activity stall for kids to decorate their own bookmarks (if you read closely…you will see a broad hint encouraging them to read…or maybe I am just delusional J).

They will also have a special cafeteria of food items that the teachers are pulling together for them…to this I say -  “Good luck! May you succeed where I have often failed”…or maybe they will be smart and stay away from every possible healthy snack option that is out there.

To celebrate this occasion, I also decided to indulge the kids by baking their favorite chocolate chip cookie (see bookclub post). Calling this a ‘chocolate chip cookie” is honestly downplaying it to a large extent. This is “THE COOKIE”. This is the cookie that never fails to impress the most critical of kid connoisseurs.  And let me admit it…..it helps me get thru a day of dealing with over a hundred and twenty kids….yep, I don’t simply crave this cookie…I NEED it!

Warm Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

 

(makes approx. 12 cookies)

 

Granulated sugar - 1/4 cup

Demerara sugar - 1/2 cup

Unsalted butter - 95 gms (little under 1/2 cup)

Egg - 1

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

All purpose flour - 1 cup

Powdered Oatmeal - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Hot water - 1 tsp

Dark chocolate chips - 2/3 cup

Milk chocolate - 1/3 cup

Roasted Pecans chopped - 1/2 cup (you can try to replace with walnuts)

 

Preheat oven to 175 degree Celsius

 

 

 Cream the softened butter and sugars well. Add the egg. Mix well and add the vanilla extract.  Add the baking soda dissolved in hot water to the mixture together with the salt. Then add the flour and oatmeal and mix well.

 

Now combine the chocolate chips...

And the pecans...

Roll into 1nch sized balls (flatten slightly) and put on ungreased tray. Bake for 10 minutes or so. Cookies will be done when the bottom turns slightly brown. Don't over cook or the cookies will be very hard. When you take them out of the oven, they will be excessively soft to the touch...but, they will harden up to chewy consistency after 5 minutes of cooling. This part is very critical......

And this is the toughest part....where you have the 5 minutes of waiting time :)

And finally...you get a piece of heaven!!!

 

I know it started with children's day and seems to have somehow ended up being all about my personal nirvana....but, a happy mom results in a very happy set of children...believe me :).

 

Have a great time making this with your little and older ones.....one bite (while still warm) and you will be hooked for life!