I met Colleen last year at the Big Summer Potluck. I have to tell you, that one day brought so many talented people into my world. Colleen not only runs Souffle Bombay, she also has a second site, Picture Me Cooking, geared towards cooking with kids. And it all started with a Food Memory. Here’s how she describes it:
My friends and family often joke that no one turns down an invitation to our house because they want to come and eat the food, lol!! Cooking is amazing to me, combine a bit of this with a bit of that and look what you get…a party in your mouth! I enjoy cooking for my family, cooking for others, planning party menu’s and I LOVE cooking with my children. From an early age, the kitchen became my happy place.
One day, I had a flash of a memory…it was about first time I remember cooking as a kid, I could see myself walking toward my family, who were all sitting at the table looking at what I had made with anticipation and excitement. I can remember exactly how I felt carrying that cake as I walked toward them.
I though well…THAT one moment was certainly a defining moment for me…and you know what I don’t even have a picture of it…WHY I thought don’t kids cookbooks have a way to capture some photos of what they cook up in the kitchen, who the cook with…after all to many of us some of our most precious memories happened in a kitchen at the knee of someone we love/loved.
So, I sat down and outlined the book and began to write it, then formed a group about a year later with 3 other mom’s and produced the book. I have even been on QVC with it – all that from a memory.
See what I mean about the talented people I had the fortune to meet that day? Colleen took a memory and turned it into a book. She’s been on QVC y’all. I knew about the book but not the QVC…she must have nerves of steel. I’m going to have to ask her all about that experience when I see her this summer at Big Summer Potluck II. Until then, we can all enjoy her Snickerdoodles Food Memory.
Snickerdoodles
For me, eating certain foods and hearing certain songs are the most powerful drivers of my memories.
The food memories, for whatever reason are all warm and happy…the music ones take me back to so many different events, some crazy happy some achingly painful and some “what was I thinking”! Anyone with me on this?
Case in point…Snickerdoodles.
I can see in my minds eye my Grammy often making Snickerdoodles, I can see me helping her, sometimes alone, sometimes surrounded by my cousins and siblings.
I can’t recall a Christmas at her house without having eaten as many of them as I possibly could without any adults saying a word! Man, holidays are best!!
But do I have HER recipe…nope. I do make Snicherdoodles often as my children love both baking them up and of course eating them up.
I was intrigued when I saw this recipe for Snickerdoodles from Miss in the Kitchen (a really nice gal who cooks up quick family style dishes). One of the ingredients in her recipe is cream cheese….yes…cream cheese. Never heard of such a thing in a Snickerdoodle, so I wanted to find out how that would change things.
These were good…they were softer than what I am accustomed to and did not last long in my house lol! We even made 1 HUGE cookie that could have fed 4 kids easily, however my two knuckleheads decided to split it to see if they could eat it! My 9 year old son polished off his half…while my 6 year old daughter made a valiant effort!
Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
Souffle Bombay’s adaptation from Miss in the Kitchen (Blog)
BAH Note: The only thing I will add is that the cookie dough is very soft. I refrigerated mine for about 30 minutes before I tried to scoop it. And then I returned the bowl of dough to the fridge after I had scooped enough for a sheet pan.
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In your mixing bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla . Add flour and baking soda mixing until all combined. Scoop into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on a greased or lined baking sheet and press gently with tines of a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Bon Appetit Hon 
Cream cheese makes so many things better! Two of my favorite BSP loggers together in one post – I love it. One of you should bring these to BSP2!
I’m bringing a trunk full of jam to BSP2.
Oh, BSP! I’m excited!
Beth, words can not describe how much I am looking forward to that weekend. So glad you’re going to be a part of it this year.
Never had Snickerdoodles with cream cheese. My Mom’s were always with shortening–and so I’ve always been a little reticent to make them these days because I try to steer clear of the fake stuff. I did make them once with lard–and ended up with what could be called “pigadoodles.” But I’m going to have to try this with cream cheese and butter. Sounds perfect!
Mark, using cream cheese definitely results in a softer, puffier cookie. I’m intrigued by the pigadoodle…if I ever ventured into the world of rendering lard I’d have to give them a try.
I love me some snickerdoodles. Maybe just because it’s so fun to say.
It IS fun to say. And even more fun to eat.
I have some cream cheese I need to use. Perfect!
Tina, if you have cream cheese then you need to get busy making some of these treats.
I will, just as soon as I recover from cleaning the bathrooms with my 3 and 2 year old kids.
After a chore like that, you will need cookies.
Gah! my cream cheese expired yesterday. Fail!
Tina, even if the expiration date was yesterday, it should still be ok to use today. Does it look and smell ok? Give it a little taste. I have a feeling it’s still good to go.
What a nice surprise Wendi!! Thanks so much for the awesome post!
To me my food memories really are some of my most precious 🙂
I also CAN NOT WAIT till BSP2…where I will greet you with a hug…See you soon!!!
Thank you for sharing your memory Colleen. I gave some of these to my grandmother and she went crazy for them.
I am counting the days till BSP2.
food memories, especially with gmas are the best. second best are cookie recipes that call for cream cheese. and i have a small package of them in the fridge waiting to be used up somehow…
Lan, perhaps you could get the boy to work on a batch of these?
And now I’m jonesing for one. Too bad my sugar in take is limited this week due to last week’s rice crispy adventure at work.
Brooke, clearly the rice crispie treats have come back to bite you in the butt. Don’t despair, there is another snickerdoole recipe scheduled to post sometime in this millennium. Maybe even before the end of the year.
I always love reading the food memories you share (from others and your own!).
Jenna, I love being able to share these food memories with you all.
I have a confession to make. Shhhh…don’t tell… I’ve never made Snickerdoodles. Nope. Never. Ever.
I plan on changing this soon.
Amy, you are among friends and your confession will go no further than this space. Perhaps we should have an intervention at BSP2 to make sure this condition has been addressed???
Looks fantastic! Who can argue using cream cheese…. yummmmm
Yummmm is right Chocolate Bottle.
What a lovely soft, cream-cheesy, cinnamon-y, snickerdoodle-y cookie…I do adore snickerdoodles but rarely make them. Trying them with this cream cheese cookie dough is an excellent reason to make sure I make a batch very soon!
Jennifer, these are lovely soft cookies. The more I think about it, you could make them very small and sandwich some filling in between two for a fun treat.
mmmm, I have childhood snickerdoodle memories too. Those look good Wendi!
You know Elizabeth, having these and a pint of ice cream might do you a world of good. Hugs hon.
These sound so lovely! And, two (actually, three!) of my fav bloggers in the same place! I’m counting down the days until BSP 2! 🙂
I know we would never turn down an invitation to come to your house and eat your tasty food 🙂
Adam, you know you and Joann have a standing invitation.